--------------------- Forwarded message: From: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] Date: 95-07-26 18:31:24 EDT ----- Transcript of session follows ----- 550 <[log in to unmask]>... Host unknown ----- Unsent message follows ----- Return-Path: <[log in to unmask]> Received: from mail06.mail.aol.com by umassmed.UMMED.EDU (5.61/HCX-2.2) (for @listserv.ummed.edu:lactnet@listserv ) id AA25926; Wed, 26 Jul 95 18:30:03 -0400 Received: by mail06.mail.aol.com (1.37.109.11/16.2) id AA286220398; Mon, 24 Jul 1995 19:59:58 -0400 Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 19:59:58 -0400 From: [log in to unmask] Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Medline To everyone who wants to know.... I e-mailed this approximate message to KB, but I'll try to reproduce it for the net. Next time I do this maybe I'll get smart and keep a copy! Medline is a way to search a database, in this case for medical literature. To do so, you need access, usually available at a hospital, medical center, or library, although you can get it for your home also. On the actual program, you type in Search, and the program gives you a screen of data to fill in. For example, you can type in the name of an article you want to find, and/or the author, and/or the name of the journal, if known. Or, you can type in subject words-for example Lactation. But, then you will obtain a list of a zillion articles, including such things as "Lactation and the effects of steroids on bovines". So, you search with more than one word, such as Lactation, Human and mastitis. They call this "mesh" of subject words. It narrows down the search. After you work on it for awhile, you get the hang of how to make your searches work for you better, tho I don't claim to be an expert. The limitation is that EVERYthing is not on the Medline. Only the largest journals, tho that is a lot. On Medline, you can also use options such as Lonesome Doc (these guys had a sense of humor)-which orders you a copy of the article whose abstract you got in your search. There is something else called Grateful Med, also. (like Grateful Dead, get it?) There are other databases that are useful, like Cinahl (Cumulative INdex of Allied Health Literature, I think). This is more of nursing and allied health literature (no kidding), rather than medical. Someone else, like Alicia or one of the other MDs could probably do a better job than I of explaining this, but this is a start! Denise M. Florida