AO-MEDICINE

Of course, every area of medicine, surgery and the clinical
specialities has its own alarm bells, those crucial symptoms
that, if missed, may lead to death or demise (of the patient and,
increasingly, the doctor). These are the clinical pearls that slip
out on the ward rounds and in the clinics of experienced
doctors. This book is therefore a beachcombing exercise, gathering
all these vital symptoms from every area of clinical
practice, and depositing them in a single casket.
Symptoms, not signs, have been included. This is because
every doctor, no matter how subspecialised, can be exposed to
the full range of medical symptoms, just by virtue of the
patient’s speech. He is unlikely, however, to be presented with, or capable of eliciting, a comparable range of signs on
examination. An ophthalmologist is unlikely to be adept at
picking up splenomegaly, or a haematologist at detecting
peripheral retinal neovascularisation – two signs of chronic
myeloid leukaemia. However, both doctors can remember
that, if a patient complains of generalised itch, he may be
suffering from the condition.