

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION 



As noted in previous prefaces, this manual represents the notes of 

 a course along the laboratory side of internal medicine which has 

 seemed to the author practical and concise. 



The exhaustion of a large edition of this laboratory guide in a little 

 more than two years would indicate a demand for a book of this char- 

 acter. By combining notes on points of clinical importance with 

 laboratory details such a presentation of the subject would appear of 

 more value to the student of internal medicine than the bare laboratory 

 technic. . 



In view of the enormous advances in internal medicine since the 

 appearance of the last edition it has been very difficult to incorporate 

 new material and at the same time retain the pocket manual feature. 

 This has been done, however, by the greater use of paragraphs of 

 smaller type separating those printed in larger type, a plan which adds 

 to the accessibility of the contents as well as lessening the number of 

 pages. Notwithstanding such utilization of space it has been necessary 

 to increase the contents of the book by almost one hundred pages. 



To further facilitate quick reference numerous additional bold type 

 headings of paragraphs have been introduced. 



It has been a difficult matter to write concise discussions of such 

 subjects as acidosis, anaphylaxis, deficiencies of renal functioning, etc., 

 where space was so limited. 



Practically every chapter in the book has been carefully revised 

 and new material added to each. In some of the sections the changes 

 in our views during the past two or three years have been so marked 

 that it has been necessary to entirely rewrite large portions of such 

 chapters. 



A new chapter, dealing with diseases of doubtful or only recently 

 determined etiology has been added to Part IV. In this will be found 

 discussions of the vitamine theory in beriberi and pellagra as well as 

 recent findings in connection with such diseases as typhus fever, Oroya 

 fever, verruga, rat bite fever, spotted fever ^pf the Rocky Mountains 

 and sprue. 



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