3
Most students of medicine are overwhelmed by the
sheer quantity of medical information potentially
applicable to the diagnosis and treatment of pa-
tients. The editors and authors summarize this vast
amount of information in
Harrison’s Principles of
Internal Medicine, which is revised and updated
every three to four years. Although
HPIM represents
a distillate of the broad field of internal medicine,
along with it is deep roots in the basic sciences, the
total information presented in the book grows steadi-
ly, as does the base of useful medical knowledge.
While it would be ideal to have a copy of
HPIM avail-
able at all times, the sheer bulk and weight of the
book make this impractical. The editors, with the aid
of selected contributors, have condensed the clinical
portions of
HPIM into this pocket-sized Companion
Handbook which residents and students can carry
through inpatient, outpatient, and emergency servic-
es of a teaching hospital. The
Companion Handbook
contains brief summaries of the key features of the
diagnosis and treatment of the principal diseases
that are likely to be encountered on a medical ser-
vice. The inside cover (front and back) contain a
glossary listing the abbreviations used throughout
the book.
Preface
NOTE: In this User’s Manual, the Glossary can be
found on pages 32-34.
