Taxonomy and fossils: a critical appraisal.

Fossil species are often described on the basis of differences in linear dimensions among specimens. In addition, vertebrate paleontologists frequently refer individual skeletal elements to species described from different elements, based on some…

In this issue, a case history is presented illustrating a serious side-effect of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It gives rise to a critical re-appraisal of NSAIDs.

Travel behaviour modification, also called TravelSmart, Indimark and Travel Blending, has been offered as a solution to the dependence of urban populations on the car. Travel behaviour modification is a voluntary programme aimed at changing travel…

"Naturopathic medicine" is a recent manifestation of the field of naturopathy, a 19th-century health movement espousing "the healing power of nature." "Naturopathic physicians" now claim to be primary care physicians proficient in the practice of…

Discusses the term professional judgment, which is used to describe personal processes that guide scientists and practitioners in controversial and ambiguous circumstances. Practitioners are expected to base complex decisions within a…

The urinalysis, an inexpensive office test, is often performed unnecessarily. Improved chemical testing using reagent strips obviates the need for routine microscopy in many cases. More information is needed to make specific recommendations on the…

BACKGROUND: Completion thyroidectomy can most accurately be described as reexploration of the neck to remove the contralateral thyroid lobe. This procedure has commonly been performed when the histopathologic condition of the ipsilateral thyroid…

This article provides a critical analysis of the growing use of social marketing in the field of health promotion. In response to a recent article by A. Hastings and G. Haywood (Health Promotion International, 6,135- 134), three questions are asked…

Preceptorship is a concept which has been wholeheartedly endorsed by the UKCC.On the evidence of a proliferating body of literature on the subject, it also has wider approbation. This article questions the foundation of the UKCC's concept of…

Reality orientation is now extensively used with psychogeriatric patients. The evidence for its effectiveness is reviewed and the underlying philosophy and assumptions are critically examined. Whilst reality orientation does appear to have some…