Post SHTF medical guide

Lately I have been considering medical care in a post SHTF world.

I know of a guide that many recommend called Where There Are No Doctors. I have not been able to look over this particular book yet. One thing I am interested in having the information for is a guide for doing visual and hands on diagnostics of patients, essentially the way it would have been done 100+ years ago. I would like something that could explain visual signs and symptoms of conditions related to examaning the eyes, nose, mouth, skin, nails, smells etc. Ideally, the same guide could provide corrective actions and treatments in both basic modern medicines as well as food or herbal/natural remedies.

Does Where There Are No Doctors provide this information? If so, how are the illustrations and photos in aiding in patient analysis and diagnosis?

If I can't find it, I am seriously considering trying to work with a doctor in putting such a book together.

Also, if you were to put together a small collection of medical guides for survival and shtf, what would they be?

Good luck with this. I believe I ran across that title in the Loompanics catalog several years ago and now wish I had bought that book, and others, before expatriating from the US. I suspect the best you could hope to find from most sources would be about basic first aid as any real medical material would be considered forbidden knowledge that many would consider just too dangerous to possess both from a physical and economic standpoint.

Personally my point of view on the matter, as in many Latin American and "third-world" countries, is that medical skill should be common knowledge and taught in basic school along with reading, writing, and arithmetic. A recent visitor to Cuba asked why they didn't see or hear any ambulances to which a local replied to the effect: We are all taught the fundamentals of medicine and emergency aid so that there is no need for ambulances here. We can stabilize a person needing assistance and safely get them to a hospital on our own if there is an actual need to do so.

Surgical procedures in unskilled hands can be very dangerous - though in some scenarios the risks quite justifiable if the person has at least rudimental knowledge of such practices. Taking such necessary steps but losing the patient places that person at great risk of imprisonment. An unlicensed person stepping up in a crisis situation, regardless how proficient they may be, would be an ultimate taboo in almost any environment even if that person was kin or loved one. Basic life-saving is largely limited to stopping excessive bleeding and restoring respiration and to do much more places a great liability. In less urgent situations there is just too wide of a divergence in what is considered acceptable practice. Americans know the AMA is the ultimate authority, and many realize their accepted practices ultimately support the pharmaceutical industry - which most often comes to prolonged treatment of illnesses rather than cure.

In backward and third-world countries like my home of Mexico, which in reality is neither of those things, a typical visit to a general doctor, as most visits in the US are, the exam generally cost less than $3 in US dollars. These are walk-in consultations/examinations with typically no waiting and widely available all over town. Most US visitors who have availed themselves of such services are generally shocked by the low price and the amount of personalized attention given. If a shot or prescription and/or dressing of light wounds is deemed necessary the whole affair generally totals well under $10. If one visits a specialist it may cost closer to $25-30 and the doctor will generally want to spend a good half-hour or more examining and chatting with the patient to get a better understanding of his circumstances for a more complete diagnostics and treatment. I add this tidbit of info so one can understand the part economics plays in some localities vs. what medical services can and perhaps should be like and in fact are elsewhere.

Very much I wish you good luck with your quest. Being a former US resident for over 50 years I fully understand the necessity to sometimes be independent of the formal medical system in place particularly in remote locations. Such a quest, however, is fraught with pitfalls but IMO is highly necessary.

ETA: In a SHTF scenario there are too many power players that do not wish for our survival. Under no circumstances do they want us being independent and have largely hidden that knowledge from us. In those circumstances their advice would be to bend over and kiss your ass goodbye. Do try to find that title from Loompanics which you may still be able to find online. It is the only source I know of for generally forbidden information.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


I agree that people should be taught basic medical skills, and that laypersons practicing any kind of medical skills can run afoul of of legal problems.

If I cannot track down the type of resource I am seeking, and I begin to compile such a book, I imagine a lengthy disclaimer about the information being for a situation where legal systems have collapsed or the ability to acquire actual medical care are non-existent.

I really think it would be mostly for diagnostic purposes. Recognizing a disease or condition that is being caused by envioronment or behavior would be enough to at least get the person out of the enviornment or stop a certain behavior. I don't think I am looking for a guide that deals with anything invasive like surgical procedures. Although in the worst case scenario, something like that may be a life saver.

Here is a link to a few good SHTF resources www.4truthseekers.org...

They include a Military first aid manual as well as a NATO war surgery handbook among a few others. The best practice for first aid is in constant review and evolution, so try and get the most up to date information you can, a lot of painful lessons have already been learnt the hard way.

At the most basic level, first focus on breathing and blood circulation, know CPR. After that then focus on trying to stop the bleeding or what ever injuries their may be. It is a tough and complex job fixing bodies, the better informed and aware you are the better chance you having in making the right decisions, if you unfortunately have to.

You'll want some cotton seeds to grow your own. One plant produces tons of cotton and seeds.

You'll need to stock up on antibiotics before the fact. Search for all the big names but add "bird", "fish", "swine", "horse" etc to your search terms and you can legally buy the same antibiotics they give to humans. This is an odd 'grey area' in medicine.

Stock up on other first aid gear over time, only when the stuff on clearance.

You'll want to stock up on alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Get a bunch of big bottles and just buy new ones as you use them. Rubbing alcohol is my primary cleaner for in the kitchen and even the dishes: rinse the crud off spray a mist of alcohol across it and set it in the rack: sterile with no 'soapy' or antibiotic residues.

You'll want a still to make your own ethanol, for drink and cleaning wounds.

Don't buy iodine at drug stores its a rip off go to a feed store and get 'horse' iodine by the liter for cheap. You can also make iodine with red algae.

For dental the key component is an "ultrasonic dental scaler", $150 on ebay. Every home should have one anyways. Dental picks are obsolete and bad for your teeth. They make scaler tips that can be used to 'drill' cavities with your same equipment.

You'll also want to get sutures ahead of time, one of the few things I'm still missing. I figure every person will need their own set that is theirs alone, to reuse as needed.

Next comes plants: a rabbit-hole with endless plants for every possible need. You'll at least want to know what native plants are around you that have medicinal uses. Most perennials that will grow in your area don't need much care once established. You'd be surprised what uses the most common and annoying weeds in your yard are good for.

You'll want to have some papaver somniferum seeds to make your own pain killers. You can get them legally, and you can grow them for ornamental purposes and seeds regeneration, but dont milk them unless the government no longer exists.

Scapals with changable blades can be bought for less than $10 at flea markets.

You can get advanced medical tubing etc supplies on craigslist, from time to time. You'll want the stuff needed for person to person blood transfusions, and everyone needs to know their blood types, and you'll need to know what blood types are compatable in order to use it. If you stock up on different diameters of clear vinyl tubing you can reuse the specialized fittings in the big tube sets, but you'll need a UV light to sterilze the bulk tubing.

More will probably come to me.

reply to post by Wolf321


Well for a bugout bag, Super Glue is great for small cuts. PORK RINGS are useful for gashes, porkrings are used buy butchers for mending porkskin (which is nearly the same as ours BTW) while cutting the meat. simply hook on pieces of skin and buckle boom instant stiches.

Also garlic is good, as a tea for infection or simple disslove to add on wound.

a few good medical reference books :
1. merck manual
2. grays anatomy
3. physicians desk reference
4. special forces field medical manual - cant recall the fm # on it ...
those will give you a good start on what you need to learn

Hope I do this correctly. These sites say they have it for download - at least one of them for free, though it appears you may have to join their site:



Buy on Amazon: [url=http://]http://www.amazon.com/Where-There-No-Doctor-Handbook/dp/0942364155

And this appears to be the .pdf for download, itself: weblife.org...

As i said, i hope i did that correctly. If i didn't i'll try to fix it.

Edit: Doesn't look like the first link worked? Trying again: www.tacticalintelligence.net...

reply to post by SeesFar


Thanks for bringing in that weblife link for the book. It does have some great information in there, and it almost has all of the things I am looking for. There are a few topics and perspectives I would like to see covered, and perhaps a little better format. I definitely think it needs actual photo examples.

Many of the other resources posters have suggested I have or am aware of. All are good for medical reference, especially in a SHTF situation.

I don't know if it is going to be worth it to try and compile my own tome tailored to my specs on the issue. I will keep that option open, but I will most likely just cross reference in other guides I have.

Thanks!

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by SeesFar

 

Thanks for bringing in that weblife link for the book. It does have some great information in there, and it almost has all of the things I am looking for. There are a few topics and perspectives I would like to see covered, and perhaps a little better format. I definitely think it needs actual photo examples.

Many of the other resources posters have suggested I have or am aware of. All are good for medical reference, especially in a SHTF situation.

I don't know if it is going to be worth it to try and compile my own tome tailored to my specs on the issue. I will keep that option open, but I will most likely just cross reference in other guides I have.

Thanks!

You're quite welcome. If you do decide to tailor something to your specs, let the rest of us know .... it might be to our specs, too.

I have Gray's Anatomy and that's a good resource. I've also collected lots of books on herbals over the years which are another good resource. Knowing the plants in your area and their medicinal properties, as well as how to properly prepare them, would be some good information for you to acquire. Ask around, you never know when someone nearby has that knowledge and would like to pass it down!

Here is a link to Gray's Anatomy. It is online as a reference source broken down in chapters. It could probably be copied but would be time consuming to do.
education.yahoo.com...

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


For $4 on ebay I just ordered a 6 pack of 1/2" milspec sutures. We'll see if he actually does an FDA check on me... I know its a hassle for sellers to try and cancel orders even when payment isnt received.

Theres another selling different grades of absorbable "gut" suture thread, for stitching internal organs. $6

Standard thread on ebay is pricey. I'm wondering what 'everyday' nylon thread might be a good use with a good price. Paying in advance $20 for 12 pieces of suture thread isn't much of a long term strategy.

As per say Medical books I recently aquired numerous books on EMT and advanced medical support for EMT techs; a set of Register Nursing course books and several misc text medical books to name a few...

my most prized books is a machining tool book about anything and everything "machining" related....

I often wonder why people leave these in foreclosed homes.....

reply to post by fnpmitchreturns


Can you look up acceptable specs on suture threads?

That's important info.

Being able to stitch people up is at the top of the list with antibiotics.

Here we go:

Principles of Veterinary Suturing
research.utsa.edu...

I have the full medic set and surgical tools and supplies. Damn sure dont ever want to use them.

Have the book you mentioned also. It assumes you will have access to some basic antibiotics and is designed to guide a medically trained person to go into a remote village and provide training and diagnostics prior to having an actual doctor set up office.

I also have "where there is no dentist" which is a more hands on thing. Trust me, get all your dental things done now and dont let them go. You dont want dentistry without pain killers and you may not find anyone who can stomach assisting.

Both should be on the shelf but try to pick them up used. Also print out the feild guide to ditch surgery.

Okay people you've got to go thru this listing:
www.moljinar.com...

Links to books and PDF's.

Theres also huge med school text archives on the torrent networks.

Don't forget to search Google Books for certain keywords searching only for "Full View" books. Endless full download Public Domain books from the turn of the 20th century detailing every facet of how they used to do everything back before there was electricity.

Originally posted by Shadowalker
I also have "where there is no dentist" which is a more hands on thing. Trust me, get all your dental things done now and dont let them go. You dont want dentistry without pain killers and you may not find anyone who can stomach assisting.

You might fancy my old ATS guide:
DIY Dentistry

I just recieved my sutures from the ebay seller. They arrived no questions asked. The sellers just have to paste that FDA snippet in their ads but as long as theyre labeled for animals they dont have to ask for special clearance from you.