Easy on the Wallet, Hard on the Eyes

In 1997, editors of “The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy,” the oldest continuously published medical textbook in English, decided to reach out to the general public with the Merck Manual Home Edition, an illustrated, highly readable guide to the panoply of human disorders.

Building on strong sales, they’ve just added a paperback edition at less than a third of the $29.95 hardcover price that continues the winning format of describing a disorder, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. However, as an avid reader of medical references, I dislike that the paperback format creates an unwieldy volume, with a 3-inch-wide binding and challenging typeface--smaller than newspaper print--that could create eyestrain for anyone without perfect vision.

Still, the book, written by about 200 experts, is a treasure-trove of current knowledge about the body, with overviews of anatomy and physiology, genetics, aging, death and dying to help orient the lay reader. There are the basics: heart and lung diseases, mental health problems, digestive disorders, hormonal problems, infections, cancer, men’s health, women’s health and children’s health.

In addition, the editors have included sections on prescription and over-the-counter medications, accidents and injuries, and a simple guide to medical terms. There are valuable cross-references that further the reader’s understanding and help even the casual reader become a better-informed medical consumer every time that book comes off the shelf.