This is the culmination
of Giovanni Maciocia's 30-year clinical experience in his busy clinic using both
acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. As Giovanni highlights
in the introduction to the book, the greatest strength of
Chinese medicine does not lie in its theories but in the placing
of the patient at the centre of the clinical encounter. Diagnosis
is at the heart of this encounter. Giovanni has dedicated
his professional life to transmitting his clinical skills
and to preserving the most subtle (and difficult) aspects
of the diagnostic process in Chinese medicine, such as tongue
and pulse diagnosis.
The book combines a detailed analysis of clinical manifestations,
comprehensive quotations from the classics with the nuggets
of wisdom from Giovanni's clinical experience. Of the features
of Giovanni's diagnostic work is the capacity to adapt Chinese
medicine's diagnostic process to the realities of Western
patients. For this reason, the list of symptoms and signs
in Part 5 of the book contains many symptoms that are typical
of Western patients and that are not found in Chinese books
(e.g. "Craving for sweets","Hyperactivity in
children", etc.).
The book is divided into four Parts dealing with the traditional
four aspects of the Chinese diagnostic process, i.e. Observation,
Interrogation, Palpation and Hearing/Smelling. In addition
to this, Part 5 lists the symptoms and signs independently
of whether they are elicited from observation or interrogation.
This allows the practitioner to quickly consult the book when
confronted with a patient displaying a particular symptom:
Part 5 on Symptoms and Signs will list the patterns giving
rise to that particular symptom. A comprehensive index of
symptoms and signs will then allow the practitioner to delve
deeper into that symptoms in the Parts of Observation or Interrogation.
The contents include:
Diagnosis by Observation
Diagnosis by Interrogation
Diagnosis by Palpation
Diagnosis by Hearing and Smelling
Symptoms and Signs
Identification of Patterns
Special features of the book include:
The book is richly illustrated with many colour photographs
and figures.
The book has a very long and detailed section on pulse
diagnosis that does not only give the reader the classical
pulse qualities but also Giovanni's unique insights on this
difficult art.
The Chinese diagnostic process is adapted to Western patients
in a way that will make it easy for readers to relate it
to their clinical practice.
Unparalleled depth of information.
Clear outline of the decision-making process in key situations
to help readers through the most challenging clinical situations.
Logical organization so that readers can quickly find
the information they need in clinical situations.
Published by Elsevier Ltd.
ISBN 0 443 06448 2 First edition
2004 1127 pages.
For
16 years Giovanni Maciocia has been
the one author in the field of oriental
medicine whose books have become the
essential study and practice texts
from an entire generation in the West.
With this long-awaited comprehensive
book on diagnosis and differentitation
of symptoms, he adds to this impressive
body of work and no student or practitioner
will want to be without it.
Peter
Deadman
Editor, Journal of Chinese Medicine
Maciocia
draws on many years of meticulous
clinical observation and long and
thorough study of the classics to
provide a series of profound insights
into human pathology and differential
diagnosis that are invaluable to the
modern practitioner of Chinese medicine.
Jeremy
Ross Dr Ac, BSc, MNIMH
Giovanni
Maciocia has consistently provided
the West with precise knowledge and
profound clarity concerning Eastern
medicine. This new work continues
his unique scholar-practitioner tradition
of teaching and writing that simultaneously
supplies immediately practical information
with direct clinical application with
theoretical insight and wisdom that
makes one consider and ponder and
see the Eastern tradition from new
perspectives. This is an invaluable
addition to what can only be described
as the ongoing 'Maciocia transmission.'
Ted
Kaptchuck, OMD
Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School
This is the culmination
of Giovanni Maciocia's 30-year clinical experience in his busy clinic using both
acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. As Giovanni highlights
in the introduction to the book, the greatest strength of
Chinese medicine does not lie in its theories but in the placing
of the patient at the centre of the clinical encounter. Diagnosis
is at the heart of this encounter. Giovanni has dedicated
his professional life to transmitting his clinical skills
and to preserving the most subtle (and difficult) aspects
of the diagnostic process in Chinese medicine, such as tongue
and pulse diagnosis.
