The Handbook of Hospital Medicine was originally conceived by Dr Mitchell as a guide for junior medical staff working in his own unit. Its aim was to provide a practical pocket-sized guide on diagnosis, investigation, and general management of some of the more common medical problems. The success of the original book in Dr Mitchell's unit lead to its introduction in other units and hospitals and through the help of Johnson and Johnson to junior hospital doctors throughout South Africa. We (PNP and CW) have taken Dr Mitchell's original book and have attempted to modify it to the needs of medicine in Britian. The basic concept of the book remains the same, i.e. to provide a practical pocket reference guide for final year medical students through to registrars. Within the limits imposed by a pocket book it is obviously impossible to be comprehensive. We have attempted to cover common problems, but have also covered some less common cionditions we considered important, or where we felt rapid referrence was not readily available. The views presented represent an up-to date consensus of thinking, which we have had to present in a rather dogmatic form due to the constraints of space. We have given details of drug doses in the book but have assumed that the British National Formulary will be readily available for reference on drug side-effects and interactions. We would like to acknowledge the help and advice of many colleagues in the Newcastle area hospitals.