CD-ROM medical advisers are quite popular. These two are based on excellent print sources. Both have visual enhancements and multiple search options. Neither comes with an instruction manual, but the publishers offer toll-free technical-support lines. Both products are designed for computers with 8MB of Ram, but they will run more slowly on 4MB machines. Mayo Clinic is available for both IBM-compatible computers and Macintoshes; the AMA Family Medical Guide is available for IBM, and a Mac version will be available this spring.

The AMA Family Medical Guide is organized by the categories diseases, disorders, and other problems; atlas of the body; symptoms and self-diagnosis; injuries and emergencies; diagnostic imaging techniques; and caring for the sick. A click of the mouse on the desired icon provides...