Diazepam has been studied as an intravenous induction agent in intermittent and sinle doses. There is a delay of about 1 minute in onset of the soporific effect, and a great individual variation in response to the drug. Even with doses up to 0.8 mg/kg it was not possible to guarantee induction of anaesthesia. There was a remarkable absence of cardiovascular or other side effects, even from very large doses, and amnesia was also an outstanding feature. The eventual place of diazepam in anaesthesia will not be as a competitor with established induction agents.