Mayo Clinic Family Health Book

This is an excellent resource book that covers a large majority of health conditions and treatments. It give a thorough explanation of Symptoms, First Aid, Diseases and Disorders, Tests and Treatments. What is especially nice are the chapters on common conditions based on your age group and how to Live Well. The information is covered thoroughly with illustrations and diagrams. There is a full-color photograph and illustrations section in the book called the Visual Guide. This section is helpful when trying to identify things like rashes and skin disorders and for reviewing anatomy. The other two books you should possess for starting your medical/health library should include a good drug/medication book (or use a website like www.medlineplus.gov) and a good medical dictionary (recommend Taber's, but MedlinePlus also has an encyclopedia/dictionary).

The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book is like having six resource books in one. Information from Mayo is reliable, easy-to-understand and reviewed by some of the most respected physicians in the world.Part I: Living Well Part II: Common Conditions and Concerns Through Life's Stages Part III: Making Sense of Your SymptomsPart IV: First Aid and Emergency CareVisual Guide: Anatomy and Common Disorders (color photos and illustrations)Part V: Diseases and DisordersPart VI: Tests and TreatmentsGlossary and ResourcesIndexEach disease mentioned contains information about key signs and symptoms, a basic description of the disease, illustrations, how the disease is diagnosed, potential consequences, information on treatment, and information on prevention.The comprehensive index in the third edition is easy to use. For example, information on "scoliosis" can be found on pages 235, 603, 774, 980, and 981. (Page 980 features an illustration.)There is also a complete listing of resources for more information including addresses, phone numbers and Web sites. I particularly like the section on symptoms. You can just look up a symptom such as "back pain" and learn more about conditions that cause back pain. The book then directs you to the page containing detailed information about that condition.I'm looking forward to what I hope will be the interactive DVD version of the Mayo Clinic Family Health Book in the future.

Having been to Mayo Rochester, I was thrilled to get this book. It is MASSIVE. There is so much good info in here it's hard to know where to start. There are detailed illustrations of all of the body's systems, pictures of various skin disorders, instructions on how to deal with all types of illnesses and symptoms, info on healthy eating and diet, and info on various drugs used to treat a myriad of ailments. This book should be in EVERY home.

It's very difficult to look up anything--you have be able to decide correctly in which division your query may fit--the book is divided into five parts--then turn to it and hope it will be included. Try, for example, to research "scoliosis." The next edition should include a complete index.