Abstract : The historical chapters of this volume set forth the important details of what happened concerning cold injury in all recorded wars of history as well as in World War I and World War II. Its possible causes and predisposing factors are set forth from every angle in the very complete chapter on epidemiology, in which the presentation is based on the concept that the same epidemiologic principles can be applied to trauma due to cold as are applied to infectious diseases and that the same general principles of control are operative. The clinical chapters clearly indicate the inadequacy of our basic knowledge of cold injury and the unsatisfactory results of present methods of treatment; they also point up the necessity for continued studies in these fields. The urgent necessity for preventing a repetition of past experiences is apparent in the chapter on costs.