The Penguin Medical Encyclopedia

Medical knowledge and practice is continually developing and many of the newer methods of treating and preventing illness depend on the patient's comprehension and co-operation. This user-friendly and accessible guide increases that understanding by defining and discussing commonly used medical and scientific terms. The entries, extensively revised and updated to take into account the recent advances in medical science, deal with the body and mind in health and sickness, with drugs and surgery, with the history, institutions and vocabulary of the profession and with many other aspects of medical science. The additional entries include new long passages on the heart, inflammation, relaxation and vitamins. Dr. Wingate explains clearly the principles involved in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions, from the inconvenience of baldness to the rigours of cancer and other serious illnesses.