Book Description

Five years after its first publication, with more than 150,000 copies in print, Final Gifts has become a classic. In this moving and compassionate book, hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley share their intimate experiences with patients at the end of life, drawn from more than twenty years experience tending the terminally ill.

Through their stories we come to appreciate the near-miraculous ways in which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts--of wisdom, faith, and love--that the dying leave for the living to share.

Filled with practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can help the dying person live fully to the very end ... Read more

Reviews (58)

An Absolute Must Read
A friend of my mother sent us this book while we were spending the final weeks of my father's life taking care of him at home. We had hospice services but they came nowhere near touching on our emotional needs as caregivers. Mom was a nurse and intellectually knew what to expect physically through the dying process. This book helped both of us tremendously. Anyone going through caring and slowly losing someone with a terminal illness needs to read this book. It helps give you the courage to say what needs to be said. You'll still have grief but hopefully, less regrets and more understanding. Dad went through every phase of death, like textbook, as I had read in the book. He died on a Wednesday and we knew the weekend before it would be his last weekend with us. Giving final gifts is the last opportunity to give the best of your love to someone while you still can. This is a book to keep extra copies of to give to someone who needs it when you don't know exactly what to say.

If you read only one book on dying read this one!
Written by hospice nurses with a lifetime of experience dealing with the dying, you are spared all the cliches about dying. This book trains us to be aware of the messages and information that the dying provide us with. The language of the dying is highly symbolic and indirect, often revealed through visions and dreams. Through dozens of case histories the authors teach by example how to interpret this information, and how to use it to provide the means for a peaceful death. Wonderful for learning how to improve communication with the dying. The book is also rich in background content with some history of hospice tossed in. This book had a truly transformative effect on me, something that I didn't think was possible!! I would really have missed out on some major personal growth if I hadn't read this book!! Extremely well written, this is one of those books that you just can't put down until you've done. I can't say that about any other book on death and dying I've come across.

Final Gifts - a must read book!
I read the book on the year anniversary of my father's death. It was well-written. It was highly recommended by a colleague and is a very moving book written by these hospice nurses. A must read for BEFORE the dying process, but helpful for after the death of a loved one!

Helpful and comforting
A friend gave this to me when my mother was dying at home with the wonderful help of Hospice workers. It helped us all get through each day with its gentle insights and good advice. Highly recommended.

Read BEFORE death is imminent... change lives and deaths
"Final Gifts" was suggested to me after I spoke to an old friend who called to talk to me after being told he had a week to live. There were many gems within which helped me to communicate well with him and his wife (another close friend) in his final week of life.

I am very grateful I was able to read this as my friend was dying instead of after he was gone. I strongly suggest people begin reading this book as soon as they know death is possible: before it is imminent.

We need to demystify the dying process and stop being afraid of it. This book does a great service in that direction. ... Read more

Book Description

The Maxwell Quick Medical Reference includes essential information used in everyday medical practice. Color-coded pages group information by topic and make it quickly accessible while heavy cardstock paper and plastic spiral binding make the book durable day-in and day-out. Pocket size allows it to go anywhere - the wards, E.R., O.R., or clinic.This inexpensive small text can save you time at work and make you look good in the process. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best value for the money
I've seen attendings who have been out in the field for decades quietly slip this little gem from their pockets to get a quick peek. Not many pages, and each one stuffed with invaluable information. The only drawback is the small font size, with is a common problem for pocket references. I've just made sure I carry a pocket sized magnifying glass with me.

Essential
The most used book in my coat pocket. It didn't matter what rotation I was on this book is always in my coat pocket and is frequently used.

I also found this book to be pretty durable. I carried the same book in my pocket every day of my 3rd and 4th year of medical school and it is still holding up great through a lot of tough use.

Must have for M3 year!
If you buy one book to keep in your white coat, make it this one. For a small book that will easily fit into any pocket, it contains guidelines for writing admission, discharge, and other notes commonly encountered on medicine, surgery, and ob-gyn rotations. It also includes commonly used formulas and cheat sheets for H&Ps and the neuro and the minimental status exam.
A great deal for a book that you're likely to use through the rest of your medical training!

A little gem!
This pocket reference contains a plethora of useful information, from SOAP notes to lab values, dermatomes to ECG axis determination. Every time we use ours on the floor (which is every day!), someone looks over our shoulders to see what we're using... and then the next day we find they've bought one! A must-have survival item for the floors. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

EASY-TO-COMPREHEND POCKET GUIDE
This "Bates' Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking" is an easy-to-comprehend manual which was structured in a way that should meet the needs of both doctors and nurses. The information contained in this book are simple and straightforward; and just like the complete edition, they included paediatric coverage. The chapters of this book examined both morphological and physiological abnormalities and/or irregularities. They included several illustrative charts and tables, which facilitate comparative analyses of clinical data.
If appropriately adhered to, the supervisory procedures outlined in this book would assist medics in making correct evaluation of each case they encounter. Also worth pointing out, is the way the book paid attention to drug administration.
In all, this is a good medical adviser, which inexperienced medics should have in their lab-coat pockets.

What a find!
This book is a very thorough review of the physical diagnostic exam. It provides a thorough review of systems that is brief and to the point. While not a substitute for the text, it is quick and easy to use. To top it all off, it REALLY is a perfect sized book for the pocket.

Bates Pocket guide to physical exams and history taking
This is a very informative reference. I am a Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. Navy and I see a wide variety of patients on a daily basis. This guide helps me out in performing the correct exams or tests. It also helps the doctor out when he reads my write up. This allows less time for the patient in medical, less time for the doctor, so he doesn't have to see the patient. It also helps me out when a patient is presented to medical with a complaint that I have not heard of or seen yet. I have learned so much more with this book. Thank You and if you are in the medical field and see patients like I do, I recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Easily accessible and heavily illustrated, this complete guide to diagnosis in Chinese Medicine places an emphasis on "real world" issues. Focusing on clear interpretations of signs and symptoms, it addresses the practice beyond the theory and leads readers through both basic and sophisticated levels of diagnostic interpretation. Since Chinese medicine diagnosis relies on a subtle appraisal of a patient's disharmony, many factors beyond traditional Western symptoms are considered, including a patient's voice, the absence of thirst, feeling hot or cold, the patient's smell, tone of voice, and glitter of eyes. This practical resource helps readers carefully interpret of a range of nuances. ... Read more

Book Description

The second edition of this leading phlebotomy text is thoroughlyrevised and updated to reflect what's most current in the field. As anintroduction to the collection and handling of blood specimens,Phlebotomy Essentials is unsurpassed in its coverage and detail. Acomplete overview of A & P, and strong emphasis on phlebotomy theoryprovides a solid foundation to learn from. The text's easy-to-followformat includes multiple headings to separate and highlight importantmaterial. Cogent discussion of standard precautions, transmission-basedprecautions, point-of-care testing, and the latest procedures andsafety equipment keeps readers up-to-date. Helpful pedagogy includesobjectives, key terms, suggested lab activities, and review questionsfor each chapter. An Instructor's Manual is also available. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book for learning
We use this book in our school's Phlebotomy and Medical Assistant program. It is complete, and has been used by several other schools and Phlebotomy certification associations. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive and up-to-date handbook offers clinically-relevant information on laboratory and diagnostic tests. Test entries are organized alphabetically for quick reference and are presented in a consistent format, which allows for concise, yet detailed coverage. Each test entry includes: alternate or abbreviated test names; type of test; normal findings; possible critical values; test explanation and related physiology; contraindications; potential complications; interfering factors; procedure and patient care (before, during, and after); and abnormal findings. Related tests are extensively cross-referenced throughout the book. The book's portable size and durable cover make it a handy on-the-spot clinical reference. * Alphabetical presentation with A-to-Z thumb tabs for quick reference. * Begins each test entry on a new page making tests of interest easy to find. * Includes normal findings for adult (male and female), elderly, and pediatric patients where applicable to provide complete clinical data. * Highlights possible critical values to alert the reader to situations requiring immediate intervention. * Symbol next to drug-related interfering factors alerts the reader to the effects of pharmacologic agents on tests. * Increased and decreased abnormal findings are highlighted with directional arrows. * Icon for patient teaching-related care indicates information that should be shared with patients and their families. * Home care responsibilities boxes provide important patient teaching guidelines and instructions for patients outside of acute care settings. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Picky Book buyer loves it!!
I felt that this was the most complete and EASY to use Lab book for nursing students, such as I. It even suggests what abnormals can mean clinically.

Simply the best
Honestly, I don't give many books 5 stars, nor do I give many glowing reviews, but Mosby really did an outstanding job putting this book together. The format is friendly, the data is accurate, and the tests are all relevant in hospital or clinical settings. Great book and an invaluable reference for nurses and laboratorians alike!

Quick and Handy Reference
This is a reference we use on our psych unit because it provides information in a quick and easy-to-use format for nurses who do not deal with medical issues on a regular basis. It has logical cross references and recommendations for further investigation.

A MUST own!
I'm a 6th year medical student and I was looking for a book that could give me a quick, easy, yet complete method of evaluating laboratory exams right on the spot. With this book I got that and much, much more. Right from the book's size and weight to the complete and easy to read information, this book is done just right (it even comes with a waterproof cover to prevent the book from being easily damaged). It includes basic stuff like blood test and urinalysis to more advanced stuff including arthroscopy and mediastinoscopy. The book has it all. For each entry you get: type of test, normal findings (includes values), test explanation and related physiology, interfering factors, procedure and patient care, abnormal findings (lists the diseases that must be suspected); and in the cases that apply gives contraindications, and home care considerations. It has your basic index, plus a list of tests by type (eg. urine tests) and another list of tests by body system (eg. nervous system). All in all, the decision is a no-brainer, this book is a MUST for any medical student or physician. A 5-star rating is an understatement. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

The new edition of Dr. Otto's benchmark text of echocardiography is a must for everyone learning echo for the first time, or re-learning the essential concepts. Dr. Otto's writing style engages the reader and makes difficult concepts easy to understand. New to this edition is a discussion of new echo techniques including contrast and 3D and how they fit into the echo practice. All echo images are new to this edition and are complemented by new full color drawings of heart structures and physical orientation. Each chapter includes a practical outline called The Echo Exam, ideal for understanding the use of echo and how to understand the outcomes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

useful but waiting for the new edition
I found this book is useful for all the cardiology trainee as it is well written, easy to understood and there is many figures. However, it did not mention the new technology in the field of echocardiography such as the tissue doppler, contrast echo. I hope the next edition will include this and the illustrations will be more colorful.

Increíblemente útil
Este texto de ecocardiografía escrito por Catherine Otto es increíblemente útil para el aprendizaje de la ecocardiografía. Altamente recomendable. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Injury assessment
This book is really a great book. It is very detailed and even a lay person like me can understand it. Every condition you can think of is in it. From skin conditions to MCL ruptures. The book is very explanatory and I really like it. I reference it a lot. It comes in handy for home use too, not only professionally.

best for exams
we use this physical assessment textbook as our guide for any special exam/test. so complete you will not be able to swallow the whole of it

Foundational Text for Physical Therapy, and Orthopedics
Excellent in all respects. Should be a core text in all Physical Therapy Programs. Head and shoulder above other texts of its kind. The authors have remained current with every edition. A great reference for orthopedic residents as well.

A comprehensive, "must have" reference
Magee's text is the most comprehensive, practical text covering diagnosis and evaluation of orthopedics I've found. I recommend it without reservation to anyone involved in neuro-musculo-skeletal examination and diagnosis, including athletic trainers, sports medicine specialists, primary care physicians, physiatrists, and physical therapists.

OPA is organized to include applied anatomy, patient history, detailed examination techniques (including all the eponymous tests), diagnostic imaging, and case studies for each joint of the body. Also included are chapters on Gait, Posture, Emergency Sports Assessment, and Preparticipation Examination.

From a physician's viewpoint, the text lacks only a discussion of therapeutic approaches. However, these hinge fundamentally on the physical diagnosis and lie more in the realm of physical therapists. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Excellent for Physicist
We recently purchased this book and I find it extremely well written and useful. I would call it super for a physicist doing medical imaging research. The book reads like a reference text for a researcher. There are no cartoons or homework problems. The second edition is very up to date. The book could use some references to advanced information sources as it is a bit short on physics/mathematics details.

suitable for teaching medical physicist wannabes now
I currently own the first edition of this book, and after flipping throug this new expanded 2nd edition, I'll be upgrading soon. The first book is an excellent text to use for teaching radiology residents the principles of medical imaging. Now, this second edition with greatly expanded content and pictures looks like it would be suitable for teaching a course to medical physics students. All sections appear to be significantly expanded with the additional detail needed for medical physicists. Still excellent for residents, but might go into a little more detail than they need.

Kudos for an excellent textbook.
Opening the pages to this textbook is like stepping into a classroom. These authors obviously are not only experts in their respective subspecialties of medical physics, but they are also seasoned teachers of the art and science of this field of medicine. This is easily evidenced by the clarity of thought and completeness with which they treat each topic in this comprehensive, easily readable textbook. I highly recommend this textbook to all who have a need for such a clear, concise teaching of the many aspects of medical physics covered in this work.

Essential Physics Review
This text book is the most up to date and comprehensive text book available for radiology residents preparing for the ABR exam as of this date 3/12/2002. I have recommended this text for my most serious students and they have done quite well on the ABR exam. ( Most have scored in the > 90th percentile in the U.S.) For residents who want to just pass the exam, I recommend Sprawls text.
Edward J. Goldschmidt Jr., M.S., DABMP, ...

Excellent for radiology residents
I am reading The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging by J. Busherg for my upcoming Board Exam on Physics. I love it. It is very clear, easy to read and covers most of the topics. The book was loaned to me by my upper classman. Now, I'm buying the new edition. ... Read more

Book Description

NHS R&D Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Oxford, U.K. Pocket-sized volume on EBM, the practice of integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available research and external evidence. For clinicians at all levels. U.K. perspective. Plastic cover. Trim size: 7.25 x 4.25 inches. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The standard for teaching EBM
As a physician-teacher of EBM to internal medicine residents, this is the best book I've run across for this purpose. We utilize the reader's guides, first published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and later in JAMA, written by Guyatt, Sackett, and others, which are perfectly complemented by this volume. I recommend it to all of the residents and have purchased multiple copies for house staff use (although I can't seem to keep them on the shelf...) It makes learning EBM fun and highlights its usefulness and, most importantly for busy physicians, speed. Worth reading for every physician interested in practicing medicine based on only the best evidence.

Concise and precise
Concise and precise- just what the busy clinician wants to see. And for whoever needs more info, there is an extra CD Rom that preovides just that. Few medical books had more impact on my professional behavior than this one. Buy it, read it, and follow its advise!

Not bad, not bad at all.
Dr. Sackett's book is a well thought out review of evidence-based medicine (EBM), and is the source of what seems to be the most often noted definition of EBM. This is a must-have reference for those interested in evidence-based action (which applies to much more than just medicine). However, according to Sackett's own definition, this edition is getting a little long in the tooth. He also follows a pretty classical approach to the logic of rational decision making, which may or may not suit the reader.

Smashing!
Short and concise, this book really excels at demystifying EBM and making it easier (and more importantly, fun!). The use of flash cards for summarising points is great, and it's clear that the authors are enjoying themselves teaching EBM. This honestly is the first medical book that I'd classify as 'un-putdownable'!

Fine Primer
This well done book is partly an introduction to teaching/practicing Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)and partly an act of evangelism. The authors are concerned not only with describing the basic methods of EBM but also with convincing readers that this is the appropriate way to practice and teach clinical medicine. EBM and its precursor movements are based on the correct realization that physicians tend not to be very critical about clinical practice, much of which is learned by emulation. This book builds on an existing movement and the presence of widely available online resources to tap into appropriate critical evaluations of clinical practice. In doing so, the authors attempt to educate physicians about how to use these resources, relatively simple statistical tools that can be incorporated into application of good clinical literature to practice, and how to teach these methods. Because the authors are academics who wish to influence medical education, there is a good deal of emphasis on educational methods. While this may be an apparent short coming for readers who are not academics, it is actually worthwhile for all physicians because self-education is a constant part of our job. This book is very well done with some nice features. It is small and has a durable plastic cover, designed to carried in pockets or in a medical bag, there is a small CD with good examples, and a set of plasticized flash cards on major key points. Drawbacks are relatively minor. More information on how to analyze clinical trials and studies would be useful but in a concise book, something has to give way. Used carefully, the information in this book may change your practice and teaching methods. ... Read more

Book Description

This new Second Edition addresses the latest in picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), from the electronic patient record to the full range of topics in digital imaging. In contrast to the previous edition, this updated text uses the framework of image informatics, not physics or engineering principles, to explain PACS. This book is the only resource that thoroughly covers the critical issues of hardware/software design and implementation in a systematic and easily comprehensible manner.
The new edition features additional chapters on web-based PACS, security, integrating the healthcare enterprise, clinical management systems, and the electronic patient record.
It addresses how PACS can improve workflow, therapy, and treatment, and discusses integration of PACS in hospitals. Offering a clear guide for those purchasing and installing PACS, it is written in clear, non-technical language by a widely acknowledged pioneer in the field and does not assume advanced knowledge of physics, engineering, or math principles. The text also contains substantive new treatment of key topics in image informatics, including light imaging, digital radiography, teleconsultation, and image archive servers. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides a detailed, step-by-step, approach to procedures that are performed in the emergency department.Not meant as a comprehensive reference, this is an easy to use, clinically useful procedure book that is a must in every emergency department.

Features:
*Contributed by authorities that perfected these emergency procedures
*Over 1700 original illustrations
*Single procedure per chapter
*Top contributors from cardiology, otolaryngology, urology, etc., many from Cook County
*Companion pocket atlas to be published one year after parent text ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The New Standard in EM Procedures
This book is extremely detailed and has great illustrations. I compared this book for many hours to Roberts & Hedges (R&H) 4th ed and this book blows it away. The entire procedure is fully explained (as in both books), but this book shows you numerous different locations and ways of getting the same procedure done. This seems to lack in R&H. Also, the illustrations are great. R&H uses mainly black and white photos from the 1970's/80's where the person was not even using gloves and there is a footnote in every picture to use gloves. I think R&H needs to use new updated pictures if they want to even compete with this book. The increased use of color, great illustrations with key landmarks, numerous charts, and ease of explanation make this book essential in any emergency physician's library. ... Read more

Book Description

Great news!Delicious foods you already love to eat can prevent - and even help cure - many common ailments, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis.In FC&A's newest book you'll find over 300 pages of foods that are loaded with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that scientists say prevent aging and disease.Plus, when you look up your health concern alphabetically, you'll discover exactly which favorite foods can help you feel better - and why!Foods like strawberries (helps prevent cancer and enhances your memory), green tea (fights infections and strengthens bones)... even honey (alleviates allergies and heals wounds).Get this book and start eating your way to better health today! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Eat and Heal" changed my life
I read a full-page ad in the AARP newspaper on this book. I rarely order anything from advertisements but this one really caught my eye.

This book was the catalyst for life-changing habits. I have purchased and given away about 15 books. Many relatives and friends have found it to be very helpful. It is laid out nicely and is very easy reading.

I am on my way to total fitness.

Help for Kidney Stones
Your book, Eat and Heal, was well worth my money just for one thing... your recipe for lemonade to help prevent kidney stones. I been drinking a glass of lemonade by this recipe for several weeks now and haven't had a stone yet! Thanks for the tip!!! ... Read more

Book Description

The classic internal medicine manual for students and residents! This handy guide addresses physical examination techniques and procedures while providing a catalog of clinical findings resulting from the physical examination. Thoroughly reorganized, the Eighth Edition of DeGowin’s Diagnostic Examination features a more user-friendly, easy-access format than previous editions. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A tour de force
This book is the eight edition of a venerable work first written in 1965 by the great Elmer DeGowin, MD. Dr. DeGowin was a professor of medicine at the University of Iowa, and contributed immensely to research in transfusion medicine. Perhaps because of this, he is commonly remembered today as a hematologist, but this specialist designation, while recognizing his obvious expertise in this area of medicine, does not do justice to Dr. DeGowin's eclectic interest in migraine, trauma, thyroid disorders and many other areas of internal medicine. He was in his time the broadly trained master clinician.

This work may be seen as the culmination of his efforts as an educator of medical students in the profoundly important (and currently woefully neglected) area of clinical diagnosis. When Elmer died in 1980, the task of periodically bringing the book up to date fell to his son Richard Louis DeGowin, also of UI, up until the seventh edition published in 2000. With RL DeGowin himself now emeritus professor, editorship of the text for this newest 8th edition are in the capable hands of Richard LeBlond and Don Brown, professors of medicine at UI.

The work's subtitle is an accurate description of its aims: a "complete guide to assessment, examination, and differential diagnosis". One of the few textbooks of bedside clinical diagnosis produced in handbook format, it should nevertheless not be presumed to be incomplete - it is 1077 pages long! (An example of what an excellent publishing effort can do with medical handbooks - produce a thorough, exhaustive compendium in a size that will fit into a coat pocket). This apparent (and welcome) paradox - so much information written and produced so well that it is the size of a handbook - is not the only noteworthy feature of this work.

There are 18 chapters. Three introductory chapters on the diagnostic examination, the history and medical record, and an outline screening examination are followed by the main body of the work, focused chapters on the examination of all anatomic regions. Two final chapters explain the principles of diagnostic testing and adduce examples of common laboratory tests. There is a valuable chapter on the pre-operative assessment of a patient.

The real gem here however is the heart of the book - the detailed chapters on the examination of all the organ systems. In an age when the beauty, elegance, and sheer value of the clinical examination is increasingly underappreciated, DeGowin's is an affirmation of its central importance. In it you will not learn simply that there are such things as, for example, heart sounds and murmurs. You will learn what precisely they are, their semiophysiology, their meaning, what happens to them in disease. Knowledge, especially when disseminated by an erudite teacher, is inspiring. You will be inspired not to inanely parrot "S1, S2 present, no S3, S4, murmur"; rather you will seek out the gallop, or the Bruit de Canon, or perhaps even the Bruit de Diable. Splits, reversed splits, snaps, pericardial knocks, Austin Flint murmurs, pulsus tardus et parvus, pulsus paradoxus, alternans... they are all here, taught patiently, explained clearly. Many of the beautiful figures were inked first by Elmer DeGowin, in simple line diagrams, 40 years ago. They do much to make things clearer.

To given an example of the depth of the text, consider the subtopics in one subsection: heart murmurs. This is classified into systolic and diastolic, after the usual fashion. With respect to systolic murmurs, DeGowin explains the following: under basal systolic murmurs, we have aortic stenosis, supravalvular AS, Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis, pulmonic stenosis, infundibular PS, ASD at the ostium secundum, ASD from persisten ostium primum, coarctation of aorta, thoracic outlet bruit, HTN/atherosclerotic; under midprecordial systolic murmurs, VSD and tricuspid insufficiency; under apical systolic murmurs, mitral insuff and mitral valve prolapse; and under abrupt systolic murmurs, rupture of interventricular septum, papillary muscle or chordae tendinae. EACH of these is explained in two parts: the pathophysiology, and the clinical features of the murmur and associated findings. This is not a mere book of lists.

The breadth is as excellent as the depth. Every type of physical examination you can think of is represented; the skin, lymphatics, the endocrine system, the head and neck, breasts, genitals, lungs, heart, vessels, liver, spleen, kidneys, musculoskeletal, neurological, even the fingernails... all explained in devoted detail.

The new editor has done a first-rate job and tightened up some of the chapters, reorganizing material to make it easier to find topics. The one thing people used to complain about with DeGowin's was that while it was comprehensive, the organization made it difficult to use. This is no longer a problem, and the excellent use of color type and varying fonts is a plus. Each chapter is organized in a uniform fashion: first, an overview of the system under consideration, then superficial and deep anatomy, third the method of examination, fourth the symptom-complexes the patient may present with, fifth the physical signs that may be elicited, and finally syndromes. These final sections in each chapter have explanations of pathophysiology, followed by extensive differentials. The book is thoroughly cross-referenced.

A common "justification" for the indifference many residents and medical students display toward thorough clinical exams is that signs aren't common these days, so we might as well not read about them or seek them. I think this is not true. How well an examination is conducted is a function of knowledge, skill and motivation. When there is no knowledge of methods and signs, they will simply not be elicited. Even a medical student, properly taught and motivated, can do an excellent job at diagnosis. In my final year of med school, after I had placed an enormous effort into learning and practising bedside diagnosis, I remember repeatedly coming up with diagnoses and findings others (much senior to me) had missed. This was only because I would actively look for them (and I knew about them), not because of anything special.

DeGowin's Diagnostic Examination is a masterpiece, one of the two greatest American works on clinical diagnosis in the last half- century. Every medical student worth the name should read it, and ponder its wisdom.

CONCISE & USEFUL
Compact & concisely informative, this is one of my best purchases. The book lives in the car for ready reference & gets so much use, the cover edges are wearing down

your little trusted friend
During my practice whenever I needed to consult it, it gave me information about the symptoms and diseases. The contents are so tightly packed to reduce its volume that one feels it might not be having the required details but it does. Sometime one feels short of some diagrams or illustrations but even then it is very good.

the basic library of a doctor
I feel that this book is one of my best purchases. For any busy doctor, it is going to be one of the reliable sources of information for a diagnosis and hence the effective treatment plan. I am a homoeopath but use it before consulting my repertory and materia medica.

Good depending on what you need/know
This book is really good if you have an adequate background in physical examination. It is an excellent book for the upper year medical student and beyond. But may be too complex for the beginner. I use it as a major supplement to Bates. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding Text
This is the most recent edition of a first rate textbook on the difficult topic of medical ethics. The authors' approach is neither to attempt to derive a set of guidelines from abstract moral theory nor to be completely empirical in the sense of simply assessing what clinicians and researchers do when dealing with moral issues. The approach of this book is to extract a series of important principles from the best aspects of practice and then to generalize these principles. The 4 basic principles set out by the authors are respect for autonomy, non-maleficience, beneficience, and justice. The book is divided into a series of well written and integrated chapters covering the basic rationale for the authors' approach, each of the principles, professional-patient relations, and concluding with a set of chapters covering basic moral theories and how the authors' approach fits in with moral theory and competing approaches.

This book has many virtues. The basic approach is strong and practical. Each principle and the exposition of each principle is embedded in real clinical moral problems. The authors make the interesting and important point that none of these principles have priority over another and that balances need to be sought between these principles. This book is simultaneously an excellent exposition of a strong approach to medical ethics and useful reference source to clarify thinking. The bibliography is excellent. Some of the chapters, notably the sections on autonomy and those on justice, are outstanding. The quality of writing is clear and the sections are distinguished by clarity of thought. The authors set themselves objective of writing a book that would combine a high level of rigor and would be useful, reaching a mixed audience of physicians, researchers, and others concerned with medical ethics. They have succeeded.

You CAN Tell a Book by its Cover
Book Review PRINCIPLES OF BIOMEDICAL ETHICS Tom L. Beauchamnp and James F. Childress

"You can't tell a book by it's cover." Don't you believe it! Principles of Biomedical Ethics by Beauchamp and Childress is every bit as formidable as it's cover might suggest. That is not to say that the book is poorly written or inadequate in any way. It is just that this reviewer is a student, whose professor, at the end of the course confessed to the class the the text was indeed a demanding work requiring proportional effort on the part of the student. Granting that, it was the best of several texts he had examined.

After setting the stage, in chapter one with a discussion of approaches to ethics, the authors, in chapter two, deliniate in detail, eight classical ethical theories, which form the foundation of the study. Through liberal use of examples, the authors reveal that all theories have both weaknesses as well as strengths and that to rely on one theory to the exclusion of others is indeed a hightly questionable approach to ethical decision making.

In the subsequent six chapters, the authors continue with a wealth of case studies, elaborate on the importance of autonomy, privacy and dangers of paternalism; they discuss the elements of nonmaleficence and beneficence as essential elements in the Hippocratic oath. Distictions are made between killing and letting die. Arguments are made for and against the use of medically administered nutrition and hydration. Balancing prima facie norms to provide treatment and for truth telling are examined and the extenuating circumstances when these seemingly basic tenets may not be appropriate are discussed.

The authors have not dodged the knotty problems of availability of organs for transplantation, rationing of scarce treatments and health care resources, costs of health care or the concepts or theories of justice as they relate to health care. The appendix consists of ten case histories. There is a abundance of footnotes at the end of each chapter sufficient to satisfy the most rigorous student.

This is not a book for the casual reader. But for someone desiring an in depth treatment of current issues in health care from the standpoint of the physician, chaplain or health care administrator, I recommend this book without reservation.

Ernest G. Barr ... Read more

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