Lest the reader be discouraged, let us state unequivocally and at the very beginning that this is not, nor will it develop into, a treatise on information or decision or communication theory. It is true that on occasion some ideas or concepts will be borrowed from these areas, and it is also true that on some other occasions we might offer examples of what communication theory, or decision theory, are all about. Nevertheless, this will be done for the primary purpose of showing where and how further exploration of these areas of endeavour might lead to further and better understanding of our problems, and possibly lead the way to sounder planning and more workable solutions. The more sophisticated will find a paucity of illustrations and a minimal mathematical treatment of the subject. This has been done for two specific reasons; the first being that additional graphic representation or mathema tical manipulations would not have contributed materially to a better under standing of the subject, at least in the context in which it is being presented.

I. Anaesthesia and the Anaesthetist

II. The Administration of Anaesthesia - a Process
A) General Comments
B) Monitoring
C) The Message
D) The Decision
E) Interactions between Message and Decision
F) The Optimizing Process
G) General Conclusions
III. A Special Tool for a Special Purpose
A) General Comments
B) Vaporizers
C) Recording
D) New Tools and New Knowledge
E) A Blueprint
F) Two Examples
G) Conclusions
IV. First Hand Experience
A) General Comments
B) The Blood Pressure
C) Some Results
D) Second Generation Data
E) The Pulse Pressure Contour
F) Breathing Patterns
G) Conclusions
V. The Future of Anaesthesia
A) General Comments
B) Monitoring the Circulation
C) Monitoring the Respiration
D) Recording
E) Agents and Vaporizers
F) Programmed Anaesthesia
G) Conclusions
Appendices
A) On Isomorphism
B) Arterial Puncture Data
C) Second Generation Data (1)
D) Second Generation Data (2).