First published in 1931, this book is the first of three volumes that describe the circumstances of medical work in several European countries at that time. Together, the three books look at public administration, local and national, in relation to the prevention of disease. This first volume focuses on the Dutch, Scandinavian and German speaking countries, as well as Switzerland. It shows that many of these countries have gone beyond most other countries in their in the socialization of medicine in several ways.