Posterity’s Inheritance Mechanised?

Research ProjectPractically anything written in medical journals at present concerning computers may quite safely be considered ‘topical’ or ‘exciting’ or ‘relevant to the future’. The term ‘computer revolution’ is bandied about and we are told time and again that every practising doctor will have to acquire considerable knowledge of computers in order to make full use of their services.1But in every ointment there is a fly. We must not get carried away in our enthusiasm to throw all our information at some unsuspecting programmer and say, “feed it in”. The fear of being “dazzled by optimistic claims" has been lately expressed2 but it is doubtful that much attention will be payed to it in this, the Poseidon nickel rash of medicine in the seventies.There is great need for all medical people to fully realize the potential of this not too awesome omnivorous machine and to budget carefully and after considerable thought.3 Medical records is a bit of a latecomer to this field, and only recently has money been placed at the disposal of experts to work this one out. It is often thought that medical records breed. They are certainly multiplying at a great rate and their retention and storage for indefinite periods of time pose great problems.