First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, the Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As the Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information of the day to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers.

The Manual contains general medical information about thousands of diseases and symptoms in all fields of medicine.

This Consumer Version contains easier to understand information on the same topics as the professional version but focused on patients, parents and caregivers. It also contains Quick Facts, which are shorter, easier to read versions of selected consumer topics. You can toggle to Quick Facts from a topic page or select them from a search result.