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This is the last issue put together by the editorial team that has been privileged to look after Thorax for the past five years. We have run out of Adrian Mole book titles, and we have left the seventh age of man for the incoming team to describe us. (For the literary challenged, “Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion; Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything”—including the Fowler Cup!) It is time to move on and write our last editorial, in which we want to thank a huge number of people, look back at what we think went well and what did not, and, finally, to pay off some old scores!

First the thanks—we have had a great five years on a personal level, and this as well as any success that may have been achieved is down solely to the efforts of many people. Our deputy editors, Clare Lloyd and Paul Cullinan, have been towers of strength and support, and ensured that our weekly Hanging Committee has always been focused, feisty, and above all, fun. The associate editors have worked tirelessly to bring down decision times to about a third of what they were and guided us with really helpful summaries of the manuscripts. Many hundreds of reviewers have given long hours of valuable and valued time to give us their wisdom and expertise, for zero financial reward and no university or National Health Service recognition; to you all, many thanks, and to all the above, we hope your spouses have not cited us in divorce proceedings. Behind the scenes we have been helped so much by the Thorax staff. Our editorial assistants have always been prompt, efficient, and above all, patient; and the production team have accommodated …