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The author would like to acknowledge the part played by the publication division of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners for encouraging the concept of Cautionary Tales and for their permission to reproduce much of the material that has appeared in Australian Family Physician. I acknowledge also the many practitioners who have supported the series through individual contributions or through popular support.
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Individual contributions to this book have come from the following general practitioners to whom I am indebted:
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Special thanks to Nicki Cooper and Jenny Green for typing the text.
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Many of the tales in this book have cryptic headings so that the diagnosis is not apparent. You are invited to analyse the case history and study the clinical fi ndings and the minimal information to make a provisional diagnosis prior to reading the part describing the diagnosis and outcome. All of these cases are authentic, but most of the names of patients and their spouses have been altered.