Foreword

The beginning of any good book is like the source of a river on top of a mountain. The view from there is magnificent, the water is clean and a cool-breeze kisses you skin as you gaze at the swirling ripples cascade down into the valley.

Akin to this allegory, is the opportunity that I have had when reviewing the contents of this book.

Just as a few thousand readers have had the chance to gain knowledge from this little min-encyclopedia on endocrinology through the first edition; so may many thousands more refresh themselves in their few precious moments that follow the many hours of toil and work in their busy days as clinicians, therby enabling them to fill in the missing links and gaps in their knowledge.

Having an approach and algorithm to medical disorders and diseases is extremely important to help in the development of a robust differential diagnosis and an accurate therapeutic plan.

With the increasing diversity of clinical endocrinology being supported by a rapidly growing armamentarium of diagnostic tests, the tendency for an experienced clinician is to assume that what has been known and is time tested is a foregone conclusion of being precise. However, knowledge needs updation to supplement experience-based wisdom.

Similarly, therapeutic agents have also undergone a certain degree of advancement and evolution. Their availability may vary from continent to continent. Taking this into account, the authors have spent many months in trying to modify chapters to suit the needs of the practicing physician in South Asia.

The wonder that one experiences when practicing clinical endocrinology is like that of a child taking a tour in a zoological park. This book only helps enhance our starry-eyed gazed of this beautiful science.

All-in-all Drs Simon Rajaratnam and Anulekha Mary Jhon have burnt the midnight oil in manufacturing a top class product.

As our finger tips caress the margins of the pages, I am certain that pages will turn brown, through use and reuse, and like any book which stands the test of time as a classic, the binding may loosen as an indicator of excellence.

Once again I wish one and all: “Bonne Lecture!:”

Prof. Dr. Nihal Thomas,)
MD., MNAMS, DNB(Endo), FRACP (Endo), FRCP(Edin),
FRCP (Glasg), FRCP (London), FACP, Ph.D (Copenhagen),
Professor & Head Unit-I,
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,
Associate Director,
Christian Medical College Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.