★★★★★ 5
The most current and inclusive medical reference available mid-2018.
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
Here’s the review I wrote for the 19th edition on 2011: I've been getting and using the Merck Manual for over 30 years to answer questions about disease for family and friends (pediatrics through geriatrics) as well as preparing to ask germane questions of physicians responsible for care of family and friends. It is comprehensive in its coverage of the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of diseases of the human body and contains the latest research results on the treatment options. It's really not that difficult for the layman to understand the medical terminology and the result is factual understanding of the major aspects of disease which you will NOT get from the standard home health care books from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, the AMA or even the Merck Home Health handbook. And, unlike the Merck Manual, these books directed to the laity do not contain the diagnostic information upon which physicians decide precisely what disease they are presented with. Yes, there will be much superfluous information which you may never use, but, when you want and need the information about a specific disease, here's where you should start your education.
The same holds true for the updated 2018 20th edition. I neglected to mention that this manual also contains a plethora of ancillary information including thorough sections on pediatrics, geriatrics, injuries, bites and stings, patient care, alternative medicine, dietary supplements, rehabilitation, normal test values and even legal issues such as advance directives. Yup, it’s pricey, but it’s always proved to be valuable to me.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018
