Possessing a Medical Book
Many people enjoy having at home, in their possession a medical book of some sort. This book helps supplement the knowledge provided by the general practitioner whenever such is needed. Of course, such a book is no longer a necessity with the dissemination of the Internet. Thanks to concise online information provided by reliable sources it is possible to learn about practically any medical subject to any depth desired without possessing such a book at all. Nonetheless, researching a subject on the Internet, particularly a medical one, requires certain basic knowledge in order to assist the researcher to sift through the information and locate the accurate and relevant stuff. A good source for such information is a good medical book. Therefore many people still own such a volume and it is still recommended.
The Merck Manual
Perhaps the most famous of such medical manuals that serves the laymen is the Merck Manual of Medicine. The Merck Manual is generally a well updated manual with accurate descriptions and explanations for most disease conditions. Many people used to have one of these manuals at home and even a highly outdated edition can provide a wealth of relevant information. In fact, even medical professionals occasionally make use of the Merck Manual because of its simplicity and conciseness. Of course, today, a fully search-able Manual is available online and a lot of people simply subscribe to the online version rather than purchase the bound volume.
Personal Experiences with Merck
My personal experiences with the Merck Manual are somewhat mixed. On the one hand it is considered excellent bibliographical material and certainly provides a wealth of information, on the other hand, a great deal of information seems to be lacking and at least 50% of the time I have been unable to locate the precise information that I needed. Finally, there has always seemed to be a tendency for the Merck Manual to sound somewhat morbid. I have not purchased the latest edition (yet) but I have heard that the tendency continues.
