title: A dirty mind never sleeps and other comments on the oral history movement.
abstract: Oral history has become an increasingly popular technique for gathering information. Viewed by some as the last word in historiography and by others as the latest word in histrionics, it is in fact nothing more and nothing less than a technique with many worthwhile applications if handled with reason and proper preparation.A brief historical review of the oral history movement is followed by a description of the current efforts in oral history in the life sciences. In conclusion the author expresses his personal views on the probable future of oral history.
mesh_terms: D006663:Historiography; D006664:History; D006666:History of Medicine; D009317:National Library of Medicine (U.S.); D013637:Tape Recording; D014481:United States