We thank R.D. Turner and G.H. Bothamley for their supportive comments concerning our task force report on chronic cough [1]. There is much to agree with in their remarks. But perhaps we would differ with respect to their emphasis and reliance on clinical measurement as the cornerstone of diagnosis and management. Understanding a patient's illness requires a careful synthesis of history, examination, and finally, specific investigations. Dependence on a single strand or even several strands decreases the physician's perception of the true nature of the illness.