ARG librarian, Andrea Mitchell, was kind enough to fax me the editorial piece in the just-out number of *Addiction*. ATHG member, Virginia Berridge, has kicked-off a "new occasional series" of historical articles slated to appear in this journal with an excellent editorial arguing history's interest and importance ("Addiction History," 92[3], 253-255, 1997). "Why history?" she asked. "History makes a disciplinary specialty of the passge of time. This perspective alone can induce a more thoughtful and curious response, a realization that our current preconceptions do not necessarily have the status of timeless 'fact'. Nor does change occur to some type of predetermined and rational policy master plan. Historical approaches can give some inkling of how and why scientific facts and policy reactions are constructed--and of the complex interrelationships between the two" (p. 253). Alas, conveying all the well-made points in her editorial would require retyping the whole thing! This number of *Addiction* holds the first in this new series: ATHG member, David T. Courtwright's "The prepared mind: Marie Nyswander, methadone maintenance, and the metabolic theory of addiction," *Addiction* 92:257-265. Future contributions to Berridge's series include an article by ATHG president, Pat Prestwich ("Paul-Maurice Legrain 1860-1939") as well as papers by S. Nycander ("Ivan Bratt and alcohol reforms in Sweden: The man who saved Sweden from prohibition") and L. Wilkinson ("Sir Austin Bradford Hill: medical statistics and the quantitative approach to the prevention of disease"). Were all this not enough, Viriginia took time to plug SHAR and ATHG-L (see footnote #6)! Hearty congrats and best of good wishes for this well-launched venture, Virginia! -- Ron Roizen, Ph.D. voice: 510-848-9123 fax: 510-848-9210 home: 510-848-9098 1818 Hearst Ave. Berkeley, CA 94703 U.S.A. [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]