In its 23rd edition the 1965 American Medical Directory1 manifests some noteworthy changes. Since the number of physicians has been steadily increasing, the new listing is naturally larger than ever before. To make the book more usable, it now appears in three parts. In one volume the names of all physicians are listed alphabetically, and for each name there appears the geographic location. The second and largest volume contains a register of physicians, listed primarily by geographical location. Following each name are personal data, including age, address, medical education, licensure, medical specialty, specialty society membership. Because the information is keyed, a separate pamphlet, paperbound, contains explanatory notes and keys, rendering the codes readily decipherable.
The new edition, however, has a further significance, for it represents a new achievement in automation. A few years ago all information about physicians was hand-field and the directory completely set from lead type. An