Review by Choice Review
The third edition of The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine is a comprehensive reference describing this nonconventional and diverse health care discipline. Whereas acupuncture and Echinacea are familiar to most, this encyclopedia makes readers appreciate, with over 800 entries across four volumes, the myriad of approaches and treatments that alternative medicine encompasses. Compared to the second edition, ed. by J. L. Longe (CH, Jul'05, 42-6226), the latest edition has 200-plus additional pages with many new articles. Contributors are primarily medical writers but some are health practitioners and educators in complementary therapies. Color illustrations and photography enhance the encyclopedia, and a list of key terms, a bibliography, and the contributor's name accompany every article. For information on diseases, entries consistently include not only complementary or alternative treatments, but conventional approaches as well. Entries for botanicals and various modalities (e.g., acupuncture) include safety information ("Precautions and Side Effects"), current research ("Research and General Acceptance"), and more. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine is practical and easy to use for a general audience and nonspecialist professionals. For future editions, the publisher should consider incorporating Complementary into the title. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. L. T. Hoffecker University of Colorado Denver
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
The profusion of advertisements and propaganda aimed at the consumer-health market confirms the continuing need for library reference collections to provide current, authoritative, and unbiased health sources, particularly in an area as prone to misinformation as alternative medicine. The third edition of The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, updated with 50 new entries and revisions of 300 others, attempts to balance the therapies and remedies used in alternative medicine with input on the effectiveness of such treatments from scientists and the traditional medical community. Authored by a team of about 50 medical writers, the 875 signed, alphabetically arranged entries are written at a level accessible to the layperson. As with any multiauthored work, the quality of the entries depends on the qualifications of the authorial and editorial team. Unfortunately, the advisory board for this encyclopedia does not include anyone with a traditional MD degree. Although most of the entries are well researched and objective, a few could use some improvement. Areas addressed encompass therapies, herbs and remedies, and diseases and conditions, along with types of alternative medicine practiced today. Entries within each of the broad areas follow a standardized format. For example, entries on diseases and conditions have sections for Definition, Description, Causes and Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Allopathic Treatment, Expected Results, Prevention, Resources, and Key Terms, which are defined in colored sidebars. Entries are generally several pages in length. About 450 color photographs, tables, and drawings supplement the text. References to additional resources, including books, periodical articles, Web sites, and organizations, appear at the end of most entries. Although this third edition contains many updated entries, extensive checking revealed some out-of-date print references as well as broken Web links. Appendixes include a 15-page listing of organizations and a 73-page glossary. An unusually thorough 170-page index provides subject access to the contents. Despite the caveats noted above, most of the entries in this comprehensive encyclopedia effectively present well-researched, balanced information on therapies and treatments used in alternative medicine. Readers need to be reminded to approach all alternative medicine interventions with critical perspective and to discuss all remedies with qualified physicians. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine is recommended for college and public libraries with a need for consumer-health information. Also available as an e-book.--Cannon, Nancy Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
The 800 articles in this encyclopedia, written by medical personnel in a variety of fields, set it apart from recent titles, such as DK's New Medicine, which tend to be one-volume works and have far fewer entries. The format is similar to that used in Gale's other medical encyclopedias (e.g., Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders; Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders), with most of the signed articles running two to three pages. Entries for diseases include a definition, description, causes and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and expected results, prevention, a list of resources, and key terms in sidebars. High-quality photos and illustrations are scattered throughout, and the layout is attractive and easy on the eyes, with color used judiciously to highlight and separate sections. Each volume includes a list of entries for the complete set, and Volume 4 includes a list of medical and alternative medicine organizations, an extensive glossary, and a general index. A spot-check indicates that most entries have had at least some updating since the second edition. BOTTOM LINE With text aimed at a general adult audience and avoiding medical jargon when possible, this is highly recommended for public libraries and academic libraries serving lower division undergraduates.-Rosanne M. Cordell, Indiana Univ. South Bend Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
