From the 18th to the 21st century, and beyond....

In this book we have tried, together with the help of our contributors from across the world, to identify and provide perspective on key landmarks in relation to progress in the discipline of allergology. Inevitably, we will have overlooked some (and perhaps many) contributions to this field that may already or will in due course be seen as fundamental to the science and practice of allergy. That said, the papers selected and commented on in this volume provide considerable insights into the way our specialty emerged, took its first tentative steps, and then evolved into its present shape and form. If the past is any guide to the future, we can expect that it will continue to flourish, both in relation to major breakthroughs in understanding the underpinning biology and associated novel treatment approaches, and also in terms of the human dimension through better appreciation of how allergy impacts individuals, families, and societies at large.