If you're looking for a family medical reference CD-ROM that is simple to understand and easy to use, check out IVI Publishing's Mayo Clinic Family Health. If you aren't a patient of the "world-famous Mayo Clinic", this is the next best thing to being there!

• Similar to a medical reference book
• The software provides answers to 300 common health questions
• Searchable encyclopedia of health topics
• drug reference guide to 4,000 drugs
• a chapter on common household poisons and treatments
• a personal history section where you can store your family's medical information
• contains an online link to current health information
• The CD-ROM contains 544 photos and illustrations, 30 animations, 125 minutes of audio and 40 videos
• Medical words are highlighted and by clicking them, it leads you to a layman's dictionary definition without being overly-technical
• Parents can read about normal growth and development in kids (sections are divided by the child's age), view photographs, video (including emergency calls) and animation simulations, keep up with the latest health-related topics from cancer and first aid to fitness, pregnancy and preventative healthcare
• detailed anatomical drawings found throughout the CD-ROM
• Personal Profile section, where you can conveniently enter individual medical records of immunizations, doctor visits, medications, allergies, childhood illness and other notes for every member of the family
• Easy to update, the profiles can be printed to take along with you on your next office visit with your doctor, if you wish
• The Poison Reference section helps you identify common household poisons in every room of the house and details when children are at greatest risk. It contains information on preventing and responding to accidental poisonings and is a "must read" for all parents and caregivers. By reading the section, you'll get a better understanding when to call the Poison Control Centre and what kind of information you should have on hand.
• "Through the Eyes of a Child". This is a photographic exploration designed to help users understand how and why children can mistakenly ingest poisons in their own house. Once you compare the examples (how pine cleaner and apple juice resemble each other, etc.), it will give you a new understanding of how to "poison proof" your own home.
• The Common Symptoms section is an area where, by clicking on a general symptom and answering a set of relevant questions, you can narrow down the field of possible medical conditions. Again, there are loads of disclaimers that go with this area, reminding users to bring any new or persistent symptoms to the attention of their doctors. It is, however, a quick way to access simple medical information in an user friendly format.
• Most of the common questions included in Mayo Clinic Family Health are practical and down-right interesting for families. Does eating too much sugar make children hyperactive? Do home pregnancy tests really work? Do espresso and cappuccino have more caffeine than regular coffee?

• Windows:
• 486SX 25 MHZ processor
• 8 MB RAM
• Double- speed CD-ROM drive
• Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later, MS-DOS 5.0 or later
• 10 MB free hard disk space for installation
• Minimum MPC- Level 1 compatible sound card (8 bit)
• Colour monitor
• Mouse
• Mac:
• Colour capable Macintosh Computer
• 12 inch, or larger colour monitor
• 4 MB RAM
• System 6.0.6 or higher
• CD-ROM
• Mouse

• http://www.punchin.com/computer/mayo.ll
• http://www.mayo.edu/insidemayo/sum96/cd_rom.htm
• http://www.eeicommunications.com/eye/mayo.htm