Few fields have advanced faster over the past quinquennium than
separation and estimation of steroids by the technique of gas phase
chromatography. A detailed and complete review of this topic would
therefore be beyond the scope of the authors contributing to this
monograph. It was, however, felt that a discussion of some of the
highlights of this rapid advance might be of help for laboratories
estimating steroids in biological samples. One of the difficulties in
producing a monograph of this kind is that before it can appear in print
it is likely that some of the methods it discusses will have been
overtaken by better methods, so swiftly is progress now made. No
editorial power has been exercised in trying to make a uni- form account
of technology in this field, and the idiosyncrasies of each individual
author have been left intact. Through this approach we hope that what
has been lost in scholarly appearance is regained in general appeal.