The second edition of this popular pocket book gives an overview of internal medicine, and is a highly relevant study aid for senior medical students and post-graduates preparing for examinations. Clinicians as well as students will find it a very useful aide memoire, as it packs between its covers the essentials of this large subject and gives a rapid update in current diagnosis and therapeutics. Complex material is distilled and organised in a logical and accessible way, with integration of clinical, laboratory, imaging and therapeutic information. Extensively re-written with the assistance of two new authors, the subject matter has been carefully reviewed to ensure it is accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive. An overall standard format is used, covering clinical clues, pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics. Key facts are presented as skeleton lists and tables, carefully derived from medical literature and other authoritative sources. Additional material on pharmacology and best evidence is included. This little book emphasises essential areas that may well be overlooked when one is reading the major textbooks which it complements. Readable, compact and portable, it is a straight-forward study aid for medical students, and a dependable reference for junior doctors or for established practitioners, either in the office or on the wards.