Infectious Disease Compendium

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

So why, you ask, another guide to Infectious Diseases?

Mostly, the ones that were available did not fit my needs and I do not think they meet the needs of the doctors using them. Too often the guides are used without understanding key principles and the textbooks are too detailed for day to day use on the wards. And the print is too damn small. I hope this fills the gap.

So who the hell are you?

A lowly Infectious Disease (Board Certified and certified bored) doctor working in the trenches (very nice trenches, I might add) in the Pacific Northwest. I have a Zaphod Beeblebrox like self-esteem, so I feel more than qualified to write this compendium. I spend 50 weeks a year or so taking care of patients at four local hospitals, one of which is a teaching program with a good Internal Medicine program. (Want to be a good internist? Get trained at Legacy in Portland, Oregon. Try www.legacyhealth.org. They have nothing what-so-ever to do with the content of this text). I am filled with conceit, hubris, and arrogance, so that qualifies me to write this manual. If you want to know more about me, send me an E-mail, (mcrislip@pusware.com) and if I have the time and inclination, I may reply.

Aren't you just another shill for the drug companies?

I take nothing from drug reps. I do not talk to them. I have not whored myself as have so many of my colleagues. I don't take penlights, books, meals, lecture fees (not that they would ask) so my opinions in this are my own, completely unbiased by lies, damn lies, and statistics. Go to www.nofreelunch.org for a nice review of the topic.

Puh-leeze. Everyone can be bought. Right?

Of course, I have a price. This is America. I would happily take money, and lots of it, if some company wants to put their logo at the top of each page as an advertisement. I do not have a problem working for money, its the freebies that compromise us as a profession that I object to. I would gladly compromise my honor and integrity, it is just that to date no one had offered a check with enough zeros.

Is PACID a finished work?

Nope. This will always be a work in progress; you can see some of the scaffolding of the features that I hope to add in the future.

Want to support this?

Then gimme money. This is the work of one person, spending four-plus years working nights after my children have gone to bed and weekends after all my other work is complete. This is what I have accomplished in what little spare time I have had this century. Do not make a mockery of my pathetic and pointless existence, you can do that at my funeral. In the meantime, send me money.

What do the numbers after mean?

The numbers refer to the version. 1.0 was released on 8/13/05; as I update the compendium, I will increment after the decimal point. After a year it will become 2.0.

What does PACID stand for? Truth, Justice and the American Way. No, wait. That's Superman. The heck.

Is PACID finished and flawless?

Nope. There may be mistakes. See the Warning.

What is a persiflager?

What? No dictionary?

Are any of the questions frequently asked?

Nope. Go figure.