The second last volume in this twelve volume set describes and interprets the work of Timothy A. Coghlan. His best known work was the four-volume set of his 1918 published work, "Labour and Industry in Australia", based on his 'massive experience and research as administrator,commissioner and statistician'. Far from being solely a history of workers and their rights and entitlements, and the growth of industries, his tremendous study is a fine economic history of the colonies of Australia between 1788 and 1901. The publisher's note to the first edition describes Coghlan as being born at Sydney in 1855 and educated at Cleveland Boys' School at Redfern, (Sydney) After working in various woolstores, he joined the NSW Public Works Department in 1873, and from 1886 to 1905 was the NSW. Government Statistician and Registrar of Friendly Societies in that colony. In his senior role, he supervised the censuses of 1891, 1900 and 1901. The 1900 census was supervised for the new Federal Government, following federation. "He was the author of a great many reports and studies arising from his seat on many commissions of inquiry".

Over the last quarter century or so, specialization within obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics has resulted in the development of the disciplines of maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology, respectively. A primary focus of maternal-fetal medicine has been to understand the mechanism(s) of premature delivery and develop treatment modalities for improving the length of gestation. A primary focus of neonatology has been to under stand the causes of respiratory distress in the neonate. Success has resulted, not only in the lengthening of gestation, but an improved understanding of the causes and treatment of neonatal respiratory disease. With increasing success has come the necessity to under stand the metabolic principles of the parturient, the fetal/placenta unit, and the neonate. These principles are clearly very important from multiple aspects. Increased understand ing of metabolism of the pregnant woman would explain the aberrations occurring in normal and abnormal pregnancy and improve nutritional support for the parturient. A prime example of altered metabolism is the parturient with diabetes. Understanding metabolism ofthe fetal/placenta unit is necessary to increase the probability that the fetus will be born appropriate for size irrespective of the gestational age. The various compo nents of neonatal metabolism are important, not only for understanding the changes in physiology and biochemistry occurring in the developing neonate, but the principles by which nutritional support should be provided.

Published papers whose appeal lies in their subject-matter rather than their technical statistical contents. Medical, social, educational, legal,demographic and governmental issues are of particular concern.