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>---------------- >The Merck Manual >---------------- > >The Merck Manual Home Edition is now online at > ><A HREF="http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm"> >http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm </A> > >About a squillion years ago -- a "squillion" is equal to pi / 17X >knots -- the folks at Merck published something called "The Merck >Manual." The Merck Manual has become the world's most widely used >general medical textbook, it has been continuously published longer >than any other English language general medical textbook (100 years!), >and it is now published in 14 different languages. > >Unfortunately, The Merck Manual is written in "physician-speak," so it >is not meant for laymen like you and me. So, back in late 1997, the >folks at Merck released a medical textbook for the rest of us: "The >Merck Manual of Medical Information -- Home Edition." Unlike the >original Merck Manual, the Home Edition uses everyday language to give >patients, their families, and all non-health care professionals >information about diseases, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. > >Merck makes most of its money from the discovery, development, >manufacturing, and marketing of health products and services. Both >the Merck Manual and the Home Edition, however, are published on a >not-for-profit basis. For example, the 1620 page, paperback version >of the Home Edition has a list price of US$7.99. [That's not a typo, >folks -- 1600 pages for eight bucks!] > >Of course, if you want to save yourself 8 bucks, I *strongly* >recommend that you read "The Merck Manual of Medical Information -- >Home Edition" online at > ><A HREF="http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm"> >http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/contents.htm </A> > >The online Home Edition is divided into 24 sections and 287 chapters. >Most of the sections talk about a particular organ group or a medical >specialty, and most of the chapters describe a single disease or >symptom caused by a disease. For example, a chapter in the Skin >Disorders section discusses itching and its many causes. The book >also uses cross-references to identify other important or related >discussions of a subject. These cross-references are hyperlinked to >the chapters that contain the related material. In other words, the >Home Edition is both easy to read *AND* easy to use! > >You can also search through the book for a particular topic or keyword >at > ><A HREF="http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/search.htm"> >http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/search.htm </A>. > >Merck's search engine uses common search engine math -- plusses, >minuses, quotes, and so on. This is pretty standard for most search >engines. If you want to learn more about search engine math (and you >are a FOOL if you don't), take a look at > ><A HREF="http://www.searchenginewatch.com/facts/math.html"> >http://www.searchenginewatch.com/facts/math.html </A> > >Anyway, back to Merck. There are a bunch of medical sites on the net, >and many of them are exceptional. In fact, we've visited a few of >these sites (like mediconsult.com) in the past. The Merck Manual's >Home Edition site is in a class by itself. If you or any of your >loved ones are looking for in-depth, easy-to-understand information >about diseases, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, the Merck Manual >Home Edition is a godsend. Tourbus Home: http://www.TOURBUS.com janet paterson 53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ 613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0