Collection of Facts (Information)

1. Collection of Facts (Information)
The Three time honoured methods for the collection of facts are those obtained by
1.1 Inquiry from the Patient (History)
1.2 Examination of the patient (Clinical examination)
1.3 Special methods of investigation such as examination of body fluids (Urine and blood), Dianostic imaging, endoscopy or aspiration and biopsy.

There are two important considerations that should be remembered in search for accumulation of facts. Firstly the facts falling under one of one the categories 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 may out weight all others and there is a natural tendency to neglect the completeness of the process in other directions.
Let me illustrate these with clinical examples. A patient's description of bleeding per rectum from haemorrhoids may be  so typical as to suggest that detailed examination is not necessary.