Book excerpt: Publication of the Proceedings of the Fourth and Fifth International Congresses of Lymphology celebrates the 10th anni versary of the founding of the International Society of Lymphology, a SOO-member scientific association representing the world's fore most authorities on lymph nodes, lymphatics, lymphocytes, and lymph in health and disease. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach and a wide variety of techniques including visualization, interruption, ablation, diversion, sampling, and characterization of regional lymph and lymphatic pathways, Congress participants from more than 40 different nations delved into such varied topics as lymphatic spread of cancer, tumor immunology, propulsion of lymph, microcir culatory physiology, improved methods of tumor detection and diag nosis, electron microscopy of lymphatic capillaries, lymphoscopy, immunoprotein chemistry, relationship of viruses to neoplasia, radiotherapy of lymphomas, structure and function of normal and abnormal lymphocytes, transplantation biology, lymphvascular sur gery, edema including lymphedema and effusion, portal hypertension, filariasis, congenital lymphatic malformations, and protein-losing enteropathy and nephropathy. Only a few years after William Harvey discovered the circula tion of blood, Gaspar Asellius "discovered" the lymphatic system. When asked in the twilight of his career to enter the raging con troversy about this new circulation, Harvey responded, "It is useless for you to spur me to gird myself to any new investigations seeing now that I am not only ripe in years but also weary. It seems to me indeed that I am entitled to ask for my honorable dis charge from duty.