“Medical Tests You Can Do Yourself” Herbert Haessler, M.D., and Raymond Harris, Contemporary Books, $14.95, 218 pages

A study published in December showed that people who take their blood pressure at home get more accurate readings than when their pressure is taken in the doctor’s office. That is only one of the many reasons consumers and health professionals continue to push the threshold on medical tests that can be performed at home. This book describes 250 tests and examinations that will give consumers an idea of their health status, including instructions on how to use some medical instruments and descriptions of exams that require no equipment. For example, exactly how does a parent tell if a child’s tonsils and throat are infected? Exactly what does a herpes lesion look like? The authors include the symptoms and warning signs of major disorders, such as a stroke. Consumers are also advised on when to turn matters of diagnosis and testing over to a health professional.