Dorland's medical reference works facts for kids

Dorland's is a well-known name for a group of medical reference works. These include dictionaries, spell checkers, and word books. You can find them as printed books, on CD-ROMs, and online.

The most famous books are Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary and Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary. The illustrated dictionary is now in its 33rd edition. The pocket dictionary is in its 30th edition.

The main dictionary was first published in 1890. It was called the American Illustrated Medical Dictionary and had 770 pages. The smaller pocket edition came out in 1898. It was named the American Pocket Medical Dictionary and had just over 500 pages.

History of Dorland's

The dictionaries were named after their editor, William Alexander Newman Dorland. He was a doctor and passed away in 1956. After his death, the dictionaries were renamed to include his name. People already knew them as "Dorland's" anyway.

The illustrated dictionary has grown a lot over the years. The 33rd edition now has 2144 pages.

What are Dorland's Dictionaries?

Dorland's dictionaries are special books. They help people understand medical words. Doctors, nurses, and students use them. They are very important for learning about health and medicine.

Different Types of Dorland's Products

Over the years, many different Dorland's products have been made. They help with various medical needs.

Here are some of the main English-language products:

• Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary: This is the biggest dictionary. It has many pictures and detailed explanations.
• Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary: This is a smaller, easier-to-carry version. It's great for quick look-ups.
• Dorland's Electronic Medical Speller CD-ROM: This helps people spell medical words correctly.
• Dorland's Word Books for Medical Transcriptionists: These books help people who write down what doctors say. They focus on specific medical areas like:
  • Dentistry (teeth)
  • Pediatrics (children's health)
  • Psychiatry (mental health)
  • Dermatology (skin)
  • Cardiology (heart)
  • Neurology (brain and nerves)

These products come as printed books, on CD-ROMs, and are also available online.

Dorland's Around the World

Dorland's dictionaries are used all over the world. They have been translated into many different languages. This helps medical professionals in various countries.

Here are some of the languages they have been translated into:

• Chinese
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Vietnamese

This shows how important Dorland's is globally for medical learning.

Who Publishes Dorland's?

For over 100 years, Dorland's was published by the W.B. Saunders Company. This company was a well-known medical publisher.

Later, Saunders was bought by other companies. First, it was bought by CBS. Then, it was bought by Harcourt. In 2001, the company became part of Elsevier. Today, Elsevier publishes Dorland's. The name "Saunders" is still sometimes used by Elsevier.

Another company, Contexo Media, publishes "Dorland's Medical Directory." This company is not related to the Dorland's medical dictionaries.

See also

In Spanish: Obras de referencia médica de Dorland para niños

• Medical dictionary