It is my sincere hope that this first scientific meeting of the American Otorhinologic Society for the Advancement of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery will mark the opening of a new epoch in otorhinologic surgery and be remembered as a milestone to its future development.
The need of incorporating plastic surgery of the head and neck into the specialty of otolaryngology is not only desirable but imperative at this time. In the early part of 1900 surgery, previously limited to the opening and drainage of abscessed cavities and the removal of pathologic tissue, took on a new complexion and became constructive rather than destructive. This can be attributed to a better understanding of clinical physiology and a reduction in operative hazards. Following World War I science assumed a materialistic attitude, and its contributions were purely physical. In this atmosphere arose a population demanding not only operations for the relief of pain