THE QUARTERLY CUMULATIVE INDEX MEDICUS AND THE INDEX-CATALOGUE

摘要

MIss DARRAcH: Since the Quarterly Cumulative Index is starting on a new career, it may not be amiss for this Association to make some suggestions concerning its publication. We are no doubt alldelighted to have only one index to search but we regret that the Index is so many months behind the literature. Colonel Garrison tabulated the advantages of the eombined journal last year, so I will not repeat them at this time. He mentions, however, the list of periodicals indexed, with publishers. We regret that only the place of publication is given without the publisher's name, for these periodicals indexed at the Surgeon General's Library. We felt that a more tangible result might be reached if the subject were divided and one person selected to introduce a discussion of a particular division. The following topics have been selected-" Periodicals Omitted," "Books Omitted" and general suggestions as to "Frequency, Form, etc." A few remarks as to the outstanding good features of both publications may serve as an introduction to any adverse criticism. First of all the Index Catalogue of the Surgeon General's Office is unique not only in the field of medicine but in the whole field of bibliography. By careful perusal of it and the Index Medicus a tremendous number of references can be found on any given subject. English speaking people can scarcely realize how much more difficult it must be for our French and German friends to find the same amount of material.