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One would think that medical book publishers would by now be deeply involved in producing medical computer software. In fact, only a few are timidly sideling into this obvious extension of their fields of expertise in publishing, marketing, and sales. The disk concerning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training is the first by Williams & Wilkins Electronic Media, Baltimore, in conjunction with the staff of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, in what is called their DXRX series.
The first generation of medical software was little more than an electronic page turner, recordings on a computer of transcripts of textbooks. Hoffer and Barnett's disk makes use of the responsiveness of a computer software program and is typical of a second-generation effort. Its format is familiar to physicians—an illustrative case followed by questions at each decision point with multiple-choice answers. Those who answer correctly are given an electronic pat on the back and led into