This is a book for practitioners who have complex interactions with physicians and for students working with advanced texts that preserve the relationship of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Proceeding from a complete review of the patient interview, case record, and medical history, the author presents diagnostic topics ordered by major biophysical areas and presents palpation, observation, and logical tests that aid in making a diagnosis. The author particularly notes three classes of information: signs of dangerous conditions that require immediate referral, suggestions for "black bag" equipment (i.e., small, inexpensive, and particularly handy tools to have available), and "clinical pearls" that are gleaned from the experience of expert physicians. The book is well referenced, nicely indexed, and does not stray from the formal language of medicine, so it offers a useful reference resource and an excellent level of clinical detail. The section on clinical reasoning is excellent.