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KAREsoft Acupuncture CD ROM for Windows 95 by Dr. Zhang Zhan-Hai with Wang Ju-Sheng and Zhou De-An
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Reviewed by Douglas Eisenstark L.Ac.
We've learned that in between there are those who have an interest in acupuncture but haven't taken the leap into an acupuncture school. Many of us can relate: All professional acupuncturists were there once.
KAREsoft's Acupuncture Interactive Book is a clever and well-functioning CD-ROM that fills a need for the consumer, student and to a limited extent, the professional acupuncturist. Written by Dr. Zhang Ahan-Hai, a young doctor involved with research at the famed Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine University, the program effectively takes one through all the basics of acupuncture from history to animations of cupping techniques.
For those that have an interest in acupuncture or want to use it as a research tool the CD works well. Although it may be a bit expensive for those with just a passing interest, it certainly is a good library item. Good as the program is we still can't suggest that the amateur buys the program and some needles...
Included are sections on:
The Acupuncture Interactive Book might be a good program for the technologically advanced waiting room. Its information is enough to give an idea of the complexity of Acupuncture while giving un-schooled patients basic knowledge in an intelligent manner.
For the experienced acupuncturist, the point section labeled "Gallery" is the most interesting. Click on a point from a drawing and get the location and indications. It is a simple review to those seldom used and perhaps forgotten pints. As might be expected, the points are only an approximation of the "true location". Many of the meridians are slightly off in the illustrations. That is to be expected in any program or book. Plus, once you're in practice, the points are where you find them on the patient, not where they are in the book.
Students can also benefit from this section and as a study guide to the internal pathways.
The section on diagnosis was understandably weak. It is virtually impossible to translate TCM patterns and terms into popularly understood Western diseases. The KAREsof CD hasn't solved this problem either. Still, once again, for the patient this section might help to understand what their acupuncturist is treating and method they are approaching it from.
The program requires Windows 95. It installed easily and ran equally smoothly. The price listed is US $ 69.00. Contact them for price changes or to order a $7 demo CD.
KAREsoft
2343 Brinley Road, Suite 336
Scarborough Ontario
Canada M1S 3L6
website: http://www.home.iponline.com/~karesof/
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