This is the fourth volume to be published of A History of the Royal College of Physicians, covering the period 1948-1983. Volumes I-III were published in 1964, 1966, and 1972 respectively, and covered the history of the College from its foundation in 1518 to 1947. It is a scholarly study, based on archival and other sources, of a major historical institution, and examines the way in which it adapted to far-reaching changes in medical knowledge, social attitudes, and the organization of health. As such, it is a major contribution to institutional history. At the same time it illuminates the history of the National Health Service and examines controversial public issues such as smoking.