Phlebology originated in Paris and Tübingen where Jean Sicard and Paul Linser accidentally discovered the possibility of the sclerotherapy of varicose veins. The second element in the treatment of lymphovenous insufficiency is ambulatory compression described as far back as the 18th century. It is only recently that reasons for its efficiency have been understood, with the study of fibrinolysis (which is counter-thrombotic), in England. The third step was the medical treatment of arterial affections, developed notably by Henri Reboul in Paris, with the aid of intra-arterial injections. In this way non-surgical disorders entered into the realm of phlebology. In 1947 Raymond Tournay, Jean Sicard, Jean Marmasse founded the French Phlebological Association (Société Française de Phlébologie) which went rapidly from strength to strength. Ten years later its counterpart was founded in Benelux (Van der Molen, Van der Stricht, Zoller) and in the Federal Republic of Germany (E. Krieg, F. Jäger, M. Ratschow, P. Matis, U. Ellerbroek, F. Olsen). Today there are phlebological associations throughout Europe, or at least phlebological sections of dermatological associations (Austria, Italy, Scandinavia). Switzerland, too, is very active in the phlebological field (Bolliger, Kappert, Leu). New evaluation devices (such as Sonar-Doppler, plethysmography etc.) improve diagnosis, made even more objective by the use of radiology. There are still too few phlebological teaching centres, and many of the existing ones have a surgical and clinical emphasis, and neglect polyclinical work. Besides the existing Phlebological Associations on other continents (Canada, Australia, South America) the Collège de Pathologie Vasculaire found by Cl. Olivier in Paris is very active. It offers most comprehensive theoretical and practical teaching. Other phelobological centres at Hamburg (Ellerbroek, Stegmann), Tübingen (Schneider, Fischer), Essen (Klüken), Zurich (Bolliger, Brunner), Vienna (Santler), Terwolde, Holland (Van der Molen), Bad Nauheim (Dembowski, Hach), Strasburg (Stemmer), Lille (Huriez, Merlen), Rouen (Ouvry, Davy), Louvain (Haven, De Greef), London (Hobbs), are engaged in spreading knowledge of phlebology, whose social significance is very important, since it deals with very widespread illnesses. A whole series of reviews and papers specialising in peripheral vascular disorders are published in all the main languages the world over.