Interesting and informative medically related writings

• Letters to the Editor - Annals of Internal Medicine
  
  This was previously published in the Annals of Internal Medicine November 2003 - Volume 139, Number 9. It contains two (2) "Letters to the Editor" and a response regarding the Delayed-Onset Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.
  
  
• Laughter as Medicine
  
  Laughter is an uncommon but normal part of our behavior. It has been given short shrift by medicine and physicians. Laughter as a positive force in healing has been part of our folk lore for millennia. "Laughter is the best medicine," is part of everyone’s vocabulary of well worn phrases; and usually is said with a smile and for reassurance to the person who is suffering with some malady. Laughter as a medicine,as a tool to help someone recover from an illness, is almost never used by physicians.
  
  
• Letter to Inspector General Gibbs regarding two OIG reports
  
  Letter from Dr. John R. De Palma to June Gibbs Brown, Department of Health & Human Services Inspector General regarding two Office of Inspector General reports, "External Quality Review of Dialysis Facilities Two Promising Approaches"; OEI-01-00051 and "External Quality Review of Dialysis Facilities A Call For Greater Accountability";OEI-01-00050.