The bare necessities

[Jonas Parker]

Yes, it would be great if we all could run off to medical school, then buy and equip a private hospital... but we can't! So what can we do, given that there may be little time left. I'll suggest four books that should be standards in every family's library:

Where There Is No Doctor

Where There Is No Dentist

Merck Manual

Physicians Desk Reference (buy this used)

In addition, military medical field manuals were available complete on CD-ROM from http://www.cheaperthandirt.com . So what can we do? Buy these books and start reading. Also identify medical assets in your neighborhood like retired EMTs, LVNs and RNs. Pick their brains for information. Then learn as much as you can.

[SmokeEater2]

If there is a vol. Fire department or ambulance service in your area,join up.. they will often pick up the tab for first responder/EMT/Paramedic school and you'll get hands on experiance and they will appreciate the help.

[Ryder]

SmokeEater, thats the route I want to take. Just a matter of making time for it :(

[Goldenspurholderx2]

Once you have some training under your belt I'd suggest putting together a good kit. Just pick up an item or two every time you do the grocery shopping and eventually you'll come up with something like this:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-7/1194873/first_aid.jpg

[Goldenspurholderx2]

I don't have just stuff in there for life threatening situations. I keep items for the common cold and chapped lips in there too. Man I've gotta invetory and organize this!

[Goldenspurholderx2]

I just started going through my kit and I noticed that all the small "single serve" packs of medications were expired, some 6 years ago! These are from small "Hiking Kits" or "Household Kits" I bought in the past (not six years ago) just beware when you buy an all inclusive kit that you don't know how long it has been sitting on the shelf and the medications in it may have already expired! I have taken to writing the expiration date on anything with an expiration date on the container real large with a Sharpie and I will put these items in the family medicine cabinet for general use a year to six months before they expire. Since I no longer plan on using single serve packets I will pick up some small baggies and do what our medics did. If someone needs some aspirin out of the survival kit (post SHTF) I'll give them enough in a baggie and keep the main bottle in the kit. This way I won't be giving away my supply to be lost or forgotten about until the next time it is needed.

Good thing I started going through it so I didn't have a false sense of security.:)

[Goldenspurholderx2]

Another book I'd suggest picking up is a book on the subject of "Pharmacology". My sister is a Pharmacist and the book I have is one of her old ones that has all drugs and their uses. It's nice to have in case you need antibiotics in a survival situation and you need to raid a local pharmacy. I also would like to suggest from Peterson Field Guides "Medicinal Plants and Herbs" I have the western edition and it's pretty detailed in information on native plants with medicinal uses.

[DrBaboon]

The books that have been mentioned are good choices.

There are tradeoffs in choices of references that come with more training and experience.

My top 2 choices for references to carry along in the field are The Harriet Lane Handbook (since I don't usually take care of kids), and The Sanford Guide.

Both are compact. Both are available as pocket books or PDA versions. There are pluses and minuses to having PDA versions, of course.

I have never done mission medicine or field medicine without a copy of Sanford in my pocket. I have carried a copy of Harriet Lane if I anticipated seeing kids.

http://www.sanfordguide.com/

http://www.usbmis.com/sg05/

http://www.skyscape.com/estore/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=1650&WT.mc_id=55551&WT.srch=1

http://www.amazon.com/Harriet-Lane-Handbook-Pediatric-Officers/dp/0323014860

http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780323023276

As always, comparison shopping is appropriate.


ETA

If you're in a position of communicating with people who have more training/resources than you do, being able to assess patients accurately and describe what you find is a very desireable skill. Physical Assessement is where it's at.

Older copies of Bates make for a good starter book. Degowin is detailed, but not as easily read, but is more on the level for advanced skills. Hutchinson's is more world-wide, particularly in countries with a British-style of medical tradition. Hutchinson's is also pretty readable - at least compared to Degowin.

Bates: http://www.amazon.com/Bates-Physical-Examination-History-Taking/dp/0781716551/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_1_txt/002-6840485-4069624?ie=UTF8

Degowin:
http://www.amazon.com/DeGowins-Diagnostic-Examination-Richard-LeBlond/dp/0071409238/sr=1-1/qid=1160175167/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6840485-4069624?ie=UTF8&s=books

Hutchinson's:
http://www.amazon.com/Hutchisons-Clinical-Methods-Michael-Swash/dp/0702025305/sr=1-1/qid=1160175255/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6840485-4069624?ie=UTF8&s=books

Keep in mind - there are older editions of these books - sometimes used/sometimes "new old stock" on Amazon or other sources. Look for them in the listings or by searching. The older editions are fine for most people's needs.

[pliftkl]

Yes, it would be great if we all could run off to medical school, then buy and equip a private hospital... but we can't! So what can we do, given that there may be little time left. I'll suggest four books that should be standards in every family's library:

Where There Is No Doctor


Conveniently enough, Where There Is No Doctor is available in electronic form:

http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php#wtnd

[WolfBrother]

The "Where there is No xxxx" books are good.

This one is good also.

Survival and Austere Medicine: An introduction
at
http://www.cafepress.com/austeremed
for less than $14.00
or download PDF
at
http://www.aussurvivalist.com/downloads/AM%20Final%202.pdf

You may want to spend the money on the
Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook with CD.

available at

http://www.chinookmed.com for $95.95