The most widely used medical reference in the world–more than 10 million copies sold in 18 languages since it was first published in 1899–revised, updated & redesigned with more changes than any edition in the past twenty years.
For everybody with a high school biology and anatomy bacground ,a book easy to read of unvaluable information for family health. It covers all medical fields, including farmacology and chemotherapy. Imprescindible in the pre internet era.I have the 1986 edition
This book is a lot of fun. Yes, it was the standard text for doctors who wanted to quickly check a diagnosis. Now that's done by computer. But having the print copy is more fun. You can read straight through it, or choose your favorite sections, such as Infectious Diseases. There's a wonderful game my family used to play with it, a version of 20 Questions. Someone is the disease, and the rest have to take turns asking the disease characteristics. Whoever diagnoses the disease first, wins, and becomes the next disease. The only information the disease gives the guessers is which chapter in the Merck Manual it's from, say, "Neurology."
The first person asks, "Are you a neoplasm?" "No." The second person gets a hit: "Do you affect the peripheral nerves?" "Yes" Since the second person got a yes, s/he can ask another question. And on it goes. It's fun for the whole family, and scares the crap out of hypochondriacs for added value.
This is a great reference book, a must-have for anyone studying medicine or working in the medical and health professions. It is user-friendly, sectioned and tabbed by system or subject, though the small typeface may be difficult for some to read.
Having referred to various editions of the Merck over three decades of my professional life, the 16th remains my favorite. For those with a scatological sense of humor, be sure to peruse the section beginning on page 845; someone slipped in a paragraph that appears in no other edition.
This is a reference book everyone should own. There is a new edition every year or two. This is general in its coverage, but there are others covering special areas. Merck Manual--Geriatric Medicine is another that I have.
Used this book as a reference during med school. Absolutely packed with information! Fits in any backpack easily. The downside is the lack of illustrations/pictures.... :(