HIV was first identified in Edinburgh in 1984, and spread rapidly, mainly as a result of needle-sharing excacerbated by punitive police and government policy against drug users. By 1989 over 1000 HIV infected drug users had been identified in Edinburgh out of a total of 1700 in Scotland, representing three to four times the worst infection rate measured in England. The epidemic was detected within two years and, as a result, an opportunity arose to develop HIV services prior to the development of HIV-related ill-health/AIDS. A range of local National Health Service, municipal and voluntary institutions and organisations rapidly became involved. These papers were collected by staff at the Edinburgh office of Save the Children Scotland.