AFRO-NETS> Haematology CD-ROMs available for distribution

[Karen Lofsness <lofsn001@maroon.tc.umn.edu>]

Haematology CD-ROMs available for distribution
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My name is Karen Lofsness, I'm from the University of Minnesota, USA, 
and I'm the author of three interactive CD-ROMs on morphologic hema-
tology. The first, Hematography I, covers normal WBC morphology. The 
second, Hematography II, also includes the more frequently encoun-
tered immature and abnormal morphologic alterations seem on blood 
films. It was published in 1997, and distributed by the University of 
Minnesota at a cost of US$ 195 per CD-ROM.

Hematography II teaches users to identify the abnormal and immature 
cells most often seen on blood smears. It contains almost 400 cell 
images that have been photographed and scanned from actual Wright-
Giemsa stained blood and bone marrow slides. There are 10 instruc-
tional sections (including two 100-cell interactive differentials).

We recently released our third CD-ROM, Hematography Plus. It's a 
large program, and in addition to a lot of brand-new features, it 
does contain all of the instructional material from both its prede-
cessors, Hema I and Hema II. Also, thanks to generous departmental 
support, we have been able to price Hema Plus at a cost affordable to 
individual users -- US$ 45. So, of course, we (the University) have 
completely stopped selling Hema II.

Now to the crux of the matter: we presently have in inventory between 
350 and 400 Hematography II CD-ROMs. They are perfectly good (still 
in shrink-wrap), and not outdated in either text or images. I would 
love to see them put to good use, rather than sitting on a shelf col-
lecting dust. My goal would be to donate them to schools (laboratory 
science or medical schools), hospitals, clinics, etc in developing 
countries. In my mind, institutions in places such as the US, Canada, 
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe would not be eligible.

I realize that many health care schools/institutions in developing 
countries might well not have computers with CD-ROM drives. However, 
I am sure that some do, and I think that Hematography II would be of 
value to them as an educational tool and a laboratory reference of 
morphologic hematology. For a published review of the Hematography II 
CD-ROM, see page 774 of the December 1998 issue of Laboratory Medi-
cine (Vol. 29, #12). If you do not have access to this journal, I 
would happy to fax you a copy of the review.

If you or someone else in your organization could provide me with in-
formation and/or assistance on the logistics of donating Hematography 
II CD-ROMs to developing countries, please contact me. 

Thanks,

Karen Lofsness, MS
Associate Professor, Hematology
Author, Hematography Programs
Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology
University of Minnesota
Tel: +1-612-625-8967
Fax: +1-612-625-5901
mailto:lofsn001@maroon.tc.umn.edu
http://www.umn.edu/hema

Note: Hematography II is both Macintosh and Windows (3.1, 95, 98) 
compatible. The minimal system requirements are 8MB RAM; 2MB avail-
able hard disk space; 13" (or larger) monitor with 256 (or more) col-
ours; and a 2x CD-ROM drive. The program is presently being used by 
more than 450 educational and health care institutions.

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