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The Post-Apocalyptic Rx Survival Guide

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 3 

Keep It Clean .................................................................................... 4 

Water ................................................................................................ 9 

Food ................................................................................................ 13 

Save-A –Life First Steps .................................................................. 14 

Bites and Stings .............................................................................. 28 

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INTRODUCTION

Everyone should know how to treat medical emergencies. It

doesn’t matter how young, old, smart or educated you are, you

must know what to do should you or someone you are with is

struck down by an accidental injury or illness. There is no

telling whether you will be able to get the medical help you

need in a disaster situation, so knowing at least the basics will

give you the ability to survive until medical help arrives.

But first, let’s look at some ways to prevent medical

emergencies in the first place:

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Keep It Clean

Poor hygiene can reduce your chances of survival in an

extreme emergency. Cleanliness can help prevent dangerous

infections and disease, no matter what the situation. The best

way to stay clean of course is with a daily shower or bath. If

this is impossible, try to at least wash with soapy water and a

cloth, paying special attention to areas that may harbor

bacteria like the armpits, groin, feet, hands and hair. If soap is

unavailable, use ashes or sand. You may also be able to make

your own soap by following this simple recipe:

extract grease from animal fat

add enough water to the pot to keep the grease from

sticking to the sides

cook the fat slowly. Be sure to keep stirring

after the fat is rendered, pour into a small container to

harden

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place ashes in a container that has a spout or hole near

the bottom

pour water over the ashes and collect any liquid that

seeps through the bottom of the container

This is called potash or lye

Mix two parts grease to one part potash and cook in a pot

until it boils and thickens

After the mixture cools you can either use it in a semi-

liquid state or you can pour it into a mold to make soap

cakes. In that case, let it harden several hours before use.

Wash Those Hands!

Germs on your hands can infect your food and any wounds you

may have. Be sure to wash your hands after handing anything

that may contain germs (after visiting the latrine; washing

wounds; caring for the sick; handling raw meat; etc). Keep your

fingernails trimmed well and wash often.

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Keep Your Hair Clean

Especially when in the wilderness, your hair becomes a haven

for fleas, lice and other parasites. Wash it as often as possible.

Brush Your Teeth

Keeping your teeth brushed can keep harmful bacteria from

making its way to your internal organs and heart. Gum disease

and abscesses can be very dangerous to your overall health. If

you find yourself without a toothbrush and toothpaste, you can

use a cloth sipped in sand, baking soda or salt. Rinse well with

willow bark tea, or a mixture of salt water if possible. Another

good way to brush your teeth in the wilderness is to making a

chewing stick. Find a twig that is about 20 centimeters long

and one centimeter in diameter and chew one end until the

fibers separate.

Keep Your Clothes and Bedding Clean

Dirty clothes and bedding can harbor dangerous bacteria that

can cause skin infections or worse. If you can’t wash your

clothes (especially underwear and socks) regularly, be sure to

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at least air dry them in the sun for 2 hours. Sleeping bags and

other bedding should be turned inside out and sunned daily for

several hours.

Take Care of Your Feet

Foot problems can be dangerous. It will not only keep you from

moving rapidly when in danger, but can become infected.

Wash and dry your feet daily and massage them often. Check

for blisters and if you find one, try and keep it intact with

wadding. An intact blister is safe form infection. If it does

burst, treat it as you would any open wound. To keep a blister

from bursting while walking, try this tip:

sterilize a sewing needle and thread

clean the blister thoroughly with antiseptic wash if

possible

run the needle and thread through the blister

detach the needle, but leave the thread hanging out of the

blister. It will help to absorb the liquid inside

pad around the blister with clean gauze

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Get Enough Sleep

Staying fully rested is very important to your health –

especially during an emergency situation. Plan for regular rests

of about 10 minutes every hour. If you are unable to take the

time to rest, at least try to change up your physical or mental

activity to help refresh both body and mind.

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Water

You can only live a few days without water. When your body

dehydrates it begins to slow down, unable to work properly. If

injured, a lack of hydration an also lead to shock

– which can kill you! Here’s what happens when your body

begins to lose too much water without replacing it:

a 5% loss in hydration results in thirst., irritability, nausea

and weakness

10% loss results in dizziness, headache, inability to walk

and tingling of the limbs

15% loss results in dim vision, painful urination, a

swollen tongue. Deafness and numb skin

A loss greater than 15% may result in death

The body loses 2-3 liters of water every day during normal

activity. Add extra exercise, heat, high altitude, illness or even

cold exposure and you could lose more. So, how do you know if

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your body is losing too much water? Here are some common

signs of dehydration:

dark urine

strong odor to urine

dark, sunken eyes

fatigue

emotional upset

loss of skin elasticity

a delayed refill of capillaries in the fingernail beds

trench line down the citer of the tongue

thirst (this is last on the list because by the time you feel

thirsty you are already 2% dehydrated).

Everyone needs to replace water regularly. Drink small

amounts throughout the day to avoid starving your body for

fluids. The best way to know you are drinking enough on a

daily basis is to watch your urine output. Less than 0.5 liters

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every 24 hours means your body doesn’t have enough fluids.

Drink more!

In normal circumstances most people need to drink at least 6-8

liters of water per day (this includes water found in foods), in

order to keep their body sufficiently hydrated. In hot, humid

climates you could also up to 2-3 liters of water an hour, and

may need to increase your daily input to 14-30 liters per day!

In the event you find yourself in extreme climate conditions or

fall ill, you may need to rebalance your electrolytes by adding

.25 teaspoon of salt to a liter of water to give your body the salt

it needs to regulate itself.

To help avoid dehydrating (especially during a survival

situation) follow these important tips:

always drink water while eating

acclimatize – your body will work better

conserve sweat not water. Limit sweat producing

activities

keep drinking

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ration water sensibly. If you find yourself in a survival

situation, limit your water intake to .05 liters (mixing in 2

teaspoons of sugar) until a new water source can be

found. Not ideal, but it will keep you alive until you can

find more water.

Not sure if you are losing water too quickly? Check your pulse.

With a .75 liter loss, your wrist pulse will fall under 100; a .75

to 1.5 liter loss will increase your pulse to about 120 beats per

minutes and a 1.5 to 2 liter loss will increase your pulse to

about 140 beats per minute. Breathing rates will also increase.

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Food

Although the average human can go weeks without food, an

adequate supply is needed to remain healthy and strong.

Without enough food your body will begin to deteriorates, both

physically and mentally. Your body needs a certain amount of

calories, vitamins, minerals and protein in order to produce

the kind of energy you need to keep going. The average person

needs at least 2,000 calories every day just to function at a

minimum level. Even if you take in enough cabs proteins and

fats, your body still needs those calories. Otherwise it will

begin to use up what it ahs stored in your fat reserves.

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Save-A –Life First Steps

Would you know what to do in an emergency situation? Here

we’ll discuss some common injuries/problems that you may

face in an emergency. Don’t worry; we’re also going to tell you

what to do about them:

Breathing Difficulties

When someone is having double breathing check for these

obstructions right away:

foreign matter in the mouth or throat

face or neck injuries

inflammation or swelling of the mouth or throat

tongue blockage (this is most common in unconscious

individuals)

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Sever Bleeding

Sever bleeding must be taken care of as soon as possible. A

single liter of blood loss will result in shock; 2 liters puts the

body in danger and 3 liters will kill you.

Shock

Shock is an acute stress reaction and restricts the amount of

blood and oxygen getting to the organs, including the heart

and brain.

Lifesaving Steps to Take

Whenever you are faced with a medical emergency, you must

first work to control your panic and that of the injured person.

Talk in a reassuring manner and try and keep the patient calm

and quiet. Check over the patient quickly to determine where

the injuries are and how severe they are. Follow the ABC’s of

first aid, beginning with clearing the airway and making sure

the injured person is breathing.

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Open and Maintain an Open Airway

Without oxygen a person will die within minutes. To open and

maintain a clear airway, follow these important steps:

Check for airway obstructions. If the patient can cough or

talk, then there is no immediate danger. If however, the

airway is completely obstructed, no noises will be made.

This is the time to sue abdominal thrusts to help force the

obstruction out.

Using your finger, sweep the mouth clear of any foreign

objects including dentures

Using the jaw thrust method, grasp the angles of the

victims lower jaw and lift with both hands (one on each

side). Move the jaw forward. Gently open the lips.

Pinch the nose closed and blow two complete breathes

into the victim’s mouth and lungs. Let the lungs deflate

after the second inflation and then so this:

look to see if the chest is rising and falling on its own

listen for the sound of escaped exhalation

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feel for air flow on your cheek

If your forced breathing does not stimulate independent

breathing, then you will have to perform mouth to mouth

resuscitation until wither help arrives on the scene, or the

victim begins to breathe on his own.

Note; for details instructions on mouth to mouth resuscitations

and/or CPR, review the American heart Association or Red Cross

manuals.

Once you have the victim’s breathing under control, look for

bleeding. Severe bleeding must be stopped right away. This is

especially important in a survival situation where lost fluids

cannot be replaced. There are several types of external

bleeding to look for:

Arterial Blood Vessel Bleeding: these are arteries that

carry blood away from the heart and through the body.

Telltale signs of an arterial bleed include bright red blood

spurting in pulse like fashion. Because the blood in the

arteries is under a lot of pressure, a person with an

arterial cut can bleed to death very quickly. This makes

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this type of injury the most serious type of bleeding

injury.

Venous Bleed: venous blood is the blood returning to the

heart through the veins. It is characterized by a flow of

dark red or even maroon or bluish colored blood. It is

much easier to control than arterial bleeding.

Capillary Bleed: capillaries are very small vessels that

connect arteries and veins. Capillary bleeding occurs in

less severe cuts. It is easy to control and usually not

dangerous to the patient.

Control external bleeding by using direct pressure, indirect

pressure on pressure points, elevation, digital ligation or

tourniquet.

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Direct Pressure

The best way to control external bleeding is to apply pressure

directly on the wound. It must be applied strong enough to

stop the bleeding, and long enough to allow the body to seal

off the injured area. If bleeding continues after 10 minutes of

direct pressure, apply a pressure dressing consisting of thick

gauze, held in place with a tightly wrapped bandage. Just be

sure not to impede circulation. Note: once the dressing has

been applied, do not remove it, even if it becomes soaked in

blood. Leave the pressure dressing on for 1-2 days. Then you

can replace it with clean dressing every day until healed. Be

sure to keep a close watch out for infection.

Elevation

Raising a bleeding extremely as high as possible over the heart

level can help to slow blood loss. This is done by returning

blood to the heart and lowering the blood pressure at the site

of the wound. However, elevation alone will not stop severe

bleeding. You must also apply direct pressure.

Pressure Points

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Pressure points are located where the main artery to the

wound lies near the surface of the skin or where the artery

passes directly over the bony prominence. Once located, you

can use digital pressure on the point to slow arterial bleeding.

Although effective, it is not as good as direct pressure at

controlling bleeding. If you are unable to find the exact

location of the pressure points, simply apply pressure at the

end of the joint just above the injured area. On hands, feet and

the head, this will be the wrist, ankle and neck.

Digital Ligation

Stop (or at least slow) bleeding immediately by placing a finger

or two right on the end of an artery or vein. Maintain that

pressure until the bleeding has stopped, or lowered enough to

apply a pressure bandage safely.

Tourniquet

Use a tourniquet only when direct pressure is not working.

Leaving a tourniquet on an injury too long can result in

gangrene; and an improperly applied tourniquet can damage

nerves and tissues at the site of the constriction.

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If you find that a tourniquet is absolutely necessary, be sure to

place it around the extremity, between the wound and the

heart (about 5-10 centimeters above the wound site). Never

put a tourniquet directly over the wound. Use a stick as a

handle to tighten the tourniquet enough to stop the blood

flow. Bind the free end of the stick to the extremity to keep it

in place.

After you have secured the tourniquet, clean and bandage the

wound. If you are placing a tourniquet for someone else,

release it every 15 minutes for a minute or two to let blood

flow to the rest of the extremity and prevent limb loss.

Warning: a lone survivor should never release the tourniquet!

Preventing and Treating Shock

Any time someone is injured, you should expect some degree

of shock. Be sure to treat all victims as follows, even if shock

symptoms are not apparent:

Lay conscious victims down, with the lower extremities

raised about a foot. If the victim is unconscious, place

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him on his side or stomach, with this head turned to avoid

choking if he were to vomit.

If unsure as to the best position, place the victim flat.

Maintain the victim’s body heat. Replace dry clothing as

soon as possible with dry clothing.

Use a pre-warmed sleeping bag if possible to keep body

heat. Or warm rocks or canteens to sue as heating pads.

Give conscious victims small doses of warmed salt or

sugar solution. If unconscious or abdominal wounds are

present skip this step.

Keep victim calm and in a restful state for at least 24

hours if possible

Bone and Joint Injury

Fractures, dislocations and sprains are every common injury in

an emergency or survival situation. Do you know how to care

for them? Here are some tips:

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Fractures

There are two kinds of fractures:

1. Open fracture – this is the worst kind, with the bone

protruding from the skin. Once the bone has been set

(more on that in a minute), you will need to clean and

bandage the wound to prevent infection.

2. Closed fracture – this bone does not cause a break in the

skin. Still, the bone itself needs to be immobilized and set

to avoid further injury.

How do you know a bone has been fractured (or broken)? Look

for pain, tenderness, discoloration, swelling, deformity, a loss

of function, or a grating sound. Any fracture can be dangerous

if not dealt with properly since they can cut of nerve stimuli or

cut through a blood vessel. For this reason, be careful of

manipulation, and if it must be done do so slowly and

carefully.

Signs of numbness, swelling, coolness (to the touch) signs of

shock and skin paleness are all signs that a major blood vessel

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may have been severed. This is worrisome since it causes

internal bleeding. Rest the patient, treat for shock and replace

fluids.

Traction may also be necessary during the splinting and

healing process. Small bones in the arm or lower leg can often

be set by hand, with traction created by wedging a hand or foot

in the V-notch of a tree and pushing against the tree with the

other extremity. You can then splint to the break. Very strong

muscles like those in the thigh are harder to keep interaction.

An improvised traction splint may be necessary. Here’s how to

make one:

Collect forked branches or saplings that are at least 5

centimeters in diameter. Measure one from the patient’s

armpit to 25 centimeters past his unbroken leg. Measure

the other from the groin to about 25 centimeters past the

unbroken leg. Make sure they both extend the same

distance beyond the end of the leg.

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Pad the two splints an notch the need with to the fork.

Lash a 20-30 centimeter cross member made from a 5

centimeter diameter between them.

Using cloth, vines or rawhide, tie the splint around the

upper portion of the body, and then run it down the

length of the broken leg.

Extend the wrap round the ankle and tie the free ends to the

cross abr. Place a 10 by 2 centimeter stick in the middle of the

free ends of the ankle, wrap between the cross bar and the foot.

Twist the material using the stick to make traction easier.

Twist until the broken leg is slightly longer than the unbroken

one. Lash the stick. This will keep the traction tight. Check the

traction periodically to make sure it remains tight.

Dislocations

When bone joints become separated, the bones slip out of

alignment. This dislocation is not only very painful, but can

pinch of nerve sensation and circulation. Realigning a

dislocation quickly is vital to persevering function. The sign of

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a dislocation includes: joint pain, tenderness, swelling,

discoloration, deformity and limited motion range.

Dislocations can be treated with reduction, immobilizations

and rehabilitation. Reducing, or setting the bones back in place

can be done using several methods, but manual traction is

best. Once performed, the patient’s pain should subside, and

function and circulation should return. Without an x-ray you

will need to judge proper alignment by the look and feel if the

joint compared to the normal mirror joint on the opposite side

of the body.

Immobilization

To immobilize the dislocation after reductions simply follow

these simple steps:

splint both above and below the fracture site

be sure to pad the splints to make them more comfortable

after tying the splints, check to make sure circulation has

not been impeded

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Wear splints for 1-2 weeks and then slowly begin using the

affected appendices once again.

Sprains

When a ligament or tendon is stretched too far, a sprain

occurs. This causes pain, swelling tenderness, and a black and

bluish discoloration. The best way to deal with a sprain is

through the RICE method which includes:

R: rest the injured area

I: ice for 24 hours. After that, heat can be used

C: compression should be us dot stabilize the area

E: elevate the injury

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Bites and Stings

Insects can cause real harm in a survivable situation. Not just a

nuisance, some insects can carry disease, as well as cause

infection, allergic reaction and skin irritations. Some of the

most common insects are:

Ticks: ticks throughout the United States can infect their

victims with Lyme Disease as well as Rocky Mountain Fever.

Mosquitoes: these tiny pests can carry a variety of disease

including malaria and dengue fever.

Flies: a dangerous pest, flies carry diseases form one are not

another. Some of the most dangerous diseases carried by flies

include cholera, dysentery, typhoid and sleeping sickness.

Fleas: known to transmit the plague, flies can be very

dangerous in certain parts of the world

Lice: are known to transmit both typhus and relapsing fever.

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The best way to avoid getting sick from an insect bite is to get

proper immunizations when travelling to areas where the

insects are prevalent. However, if you find yourself vulnerable

to these insects, take precautions: wear long pants and shirts

sleeves; use netting around your bed at night; wear insect

repellent and avoid high insect areas.

Check your body daily for insect attachments and bites. Use

tweezers to remove ticks ad never a scratch an insect bite

because that can cause an infection. Clean all wounds and

bites with an antiseptic wash if possible.

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Bee and Wasp Stings

When stung by a bee or wasp, never squeeze at the site to

remove the stinger; this will push the venom further into

the skin. Instead use a fingernail or knife blade to scrape it

off. Then wash the area with soap and water to avoid

infection and use the following to alleviate subsequent

itching:

cold compresses

mud and ashes paste

sap from dandelions

coconut meat

crushed garlic

onion

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Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings

Spider and scorpion bites can be very dangerous. Here are a

few things to watch out for (and a few things to do) if you

find yourself bitten:

Black Widow: getting bitten by a black widow will result in

intense leg and abdominal pain. Nausea, vomiting and a

rash are also common symptoms along with weakness,

sweating and tremors. Be ready to treat for shock and

perform CPR is anaphylactic reaction occurs. Keep bite clean

and dressed in a sterile bandaged. Symptoms should go away

in a few days.

Brown House Spider: although the bite itself is not painful,

the wound is after several hours, also causing a mottled

cyanotic center in the middle of the bitten area. After about

a week, the affected area will turn a dark color and become

mummified. In a few days the margins separate and the scab

falls off, leaving an open ulcer on the skin. This can cause a

secondary infection if not treated properly.

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Brown recluse Spider: a bite form this spider will cause an

open ulcer on the skin that will not heal. Reactions may

include fever, rash, chills, joint pain vomited and fatigue.

Tarantulas: large hairy spiders found mainly in the tropics,

most do not inject venom although in South America do.

Pain and bleeding is always present after a bite and infection

is likely.

Scorpions: there are two different kinds of reactions from

this dangerous bite:

localized pain and swelling around the bite site. The

tongue may feel fuzzy and swollen

Systemic Reaction is more serious, with little if any

local reaction present. Once the poison enters the

system respiratory breathing problems may occur, a

thick feeling of the tongue is present, the body may

spam, gastric distention is noticed, double vision

occurs and involuntary urination and defecation may

occur. Death is rare, but children, the elderly and those

with blood pressure issues can be in danger of fatality.

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Snakebites

Surviving a snakebite in a survival situation where medical

help is not readily available is mall. Still, it important to

know what to do in case of s snakebite to ensure that you

can get to the hospital on time.

The venom from a snakebite can cause circulatory problems,

respiratory issues and central nervous system damage. Panic

and stress can speed up the patient’s circulation, making the

poison run through the system faster and cause more harm.

That is why is it vital to keep a snake bite victim as calm as

possible. Signs of shock usually present themselves within a

half hour of the bite.

Before treating any snake bite, try and determine if the

snake was poisonous or not. Bites for poisonous bites will

show rows of teeth. Poisonous snake bites may also show

rows of teeth, but there will be a distinct puncture wound

form the fangs.

Symptoms of a poisonous snake bite may include:

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spontaneous bleeding from the nose and anus

blood in the urine

pain at the site of the bite

swelling at the bite site (this can occur within minutes

or not for a few hours)

breathing difficulty

paralysis

weakness

twitching

numbness

if you determine that the bite came from a poisonous snake

take these steps immediately:

reassure the victim

keep the victim as still (and calm) as possible

force fluids

be prepared to treat for shock

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remove all jewelry (watches, rings, bracelets, etc)

clean the bite area thoroughly

maintain the airway

use a constructing band between the wound and the

heart

immobilize the site

remove the poison as soon as possible by either

squeezing the site or using a mechanical pump

Never …

give the victim alcohol

give the victim any type of nervous system depressors

(morphine)

make deep cuts at the bite site. Cutting opens

capillaries which can force the pops in further into the

system

put your hands on your face or near your eyes. Venom

on your hands could blind you.

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Break open the large blisters that may form around the

bite

Note: is medical help is at least an hour away, you can open

the fang puncture a bit by cutting over each puncture no

longer than 6 millimeters and no deeper than 3 millimeters.

This will be deep enough to open the wound a bit without

affecting the capillaries. Be sure to only go through the first

layer or two of skin. Then place a suction cup over the

wound and suction out as much venom as you can. You can

do this by mouth is absolutely necessary, but if you have any

cuts, sores or cavities in the mouth, you could poison

yourself, so be careful.

After you’ve followed the steps listed above be sure to clean

the wound well to prevent infection. If infection does occur,

you can use heat to try and draw it out. Keep the wound

covered and dry ad help the victim drink as much water as

possible until the infection is gone.

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Wounds

Wounds come in all types and degrees. Open wounds, burns,

frostbite and disease can alter the integrity of the skin and

cause infection. Since infection is the most dangerous

health concern in a survival situation, you must take extra

precautions to avoid it whenever a wound is present. Here

are just some of the ways to treat a variety of wounds in an

emergency:

Open Wounds

Open wounds may be one of the most dangerous wounds

during a survivable crisis. Not only of they cause tissue

damage and blood loss, but often become infected. Infection

can occur when bacteria from whatever caused the wound

gets into the skin. Even dirty clothing can infect an open

wound. By taking proper care of the wound, you can reduce

the risk of contamination and infection. This can be done

by:

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cutting away any clothing which may be touching the

wound

look for an exit wound

thoroughly clean the skin around the wound (both

entrance and exit)

rinse (don’t. scrub) the wound with large amounts of

water under pressure. Note: fresh urine can be used of

water is not available.

The open treatment method is the safest to use when in a

survival environment. Do not try and close the wound.

Leave it open to drain; especially if infection does occur. As

long as the wound can drain puss, it probably won’t be life

threatening. Cover the wound with a clean dressing and

change daily.

In a survival situation, some degree of infection is almost

inevitable. Pain, swelling, redness, heat and pus are all tell

tale signs that the wound has become infected. If this

happens be sure to, use warm compresses to draw out the

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infection; open the wound gently to try and drain the

infection; dress the wound; and drink plenty of water.

Continue this treatment until all signs of infection are gone.

I the event you are left in the wilderness with a serious

infection and no antibiotics, you can try maggot therapy.

This can be done by:

Exposing the wound to flies for a day and then covering

it Checking daily for maggots

Once maggots appear, cover wound.

Remove all maggots once they have cleaned out the

wound sufficiently. Otherwise they will begin to eat

away at the healthy tissue too. An increase in pain and

bright red blood in the wound is your sign that the

maggots have depraved all of the sick tissue. Next,

flush the wound with sterile water of fresh urine to

remove maggots.

Check the wound several times a day to ensure that all

maggots are gone Bandage and treat as you would any

other wound

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Skin Diseases & Ailments

There are several different kinds of skin problems that can

cause discomfort and lead to infection if not treated,

especially during a survival crisis. Here are just a few:

Boils

Apply warm compresses to bring the boil to a head and then

open with a sterile needle or knife. Clean out the puss, cover

and treat as you would any other type of wound. Watch for

infection.

Fungal Infections

Although iodine, vinegar, bleach and alcohol have all been

used to treat fungal infections with some degree of

successes, the best methods is to keep the afflicted area

clean and dry and expose it to the sun as much as possible.

Rashes

Determining what is causing the rash is the first step to

curing it. If a rash area is moist, keep it dry and if it is dry,

keep it moist. Also do not scratch! This only aggravates the

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histamine reaction in your skin, causing the rash to spread.

Using a compress of vinegar or tannic acid taken from tea or

boiling acorns can help to dry a weeping rash. A small

amount of animal grease rubbed into a dry rash can help. Be

sure to keep the area clean and covered if possible. Here are

just a few remedies for treating rashes:

rinse with iodine water (use 5-10 tablets in a liter of

water)

rub garlic on the wound

rise with saltwater to help kill germs

rub bee honey onto the rash

Trench Foot

Resulting from prolonged exposure to wet or damp

conditions at temperatures just above freeing,. Trench foot

affects the nerves and muscles in the foot and can result in

gangrene if not treated. The best way to prevent trench foot

is to keep your feet dry.

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Burns

Burned skin can become infected easily and even be life

threatening. Follow this protocol to relieve pain, speed

healing and protect against infection.

Stop the burning process by removing clothing,

dousing water or sand on the area and cooling the

burned skin with water, snow. If the burn is caused by

white phosphorus do not use water! Instead, pick out

the pieces of phosphorus from the area.

Soak dressings or clean rags for 10 minutes in boiling

tannic acid solution (you can get this form tea,

hardwood bark or acorns boiled in water)

Cool the dressing

Apply over burned area

Treat as an open wound

Replace lost fluids

Maintain airway

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Treat patient for shock

Environmental Injuries

Regardless of the crisis, there are some environmental

emergencies you may face. They include:

Heatstroke

When left out in the elements, heatstroke is common. Some

signs of heatstroke include:

Cramps

Dehydration

Swollen, red face

Reddened whites of the eyes

A lack of sweating

Unconsciousness

Delirium

A bluish pallor to the skin

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Cool the victim as rapidly as possible by dipping him in a

stream or dousing with water or urine. At the very least

apply cool compresses to all of the joints especially the neck

and armpits. Wet the victims head and offer fluids.

Be prepared or a serve reaction during the cooling process.

This may include vomiting, diarrhea, struggling, shivering,

shouting, prolonged unconsciousness and even cardiac

arrest.

Diarrhea

A common debilitating ailment caused by a change of water,

food or contamination. If afflicted try these remedies:

* limit your food intake for 24 hours drink one cup of strong

tea solution every 2 hours until diarrhea ahs stopped. The

tannic acid in the eta helps to control the problem.

Make a solution of one handful of ground chalk, charcoal or

dry bones and treated water. Add some apple pomade or

citrus rinds to the mixture if you have them. Take 2

tablespoons of the solution every 2 hours.

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Intestinal parasites

Intestinal parasites can cause all sorts of health problems.

Some of the best ways to avoid contracting them is to:

Always wear shoes. One of the most common ways

contract intestinal parasites is by going barefoot

avoid uncooked meat

cook vegetables grown in areas where raw sewage could

be present

In the event you do contract an intestinal parasite and

cannot get medical treatment, you can try some of these

remedies:

Dissolve 4 tablespoons of salt in a one liter bottle of

water and drink. Do not repeat this protocol

Eat 1 or 2 cigarettes. The nicotine in the cigarettes will

kill of the worms, letting your pass them out. Repeat if

necessary in 48 hours.

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Drink 2 tablespoons of kerosene (bit no more). If

needed this treatment can be repeated in 48 hours. Be

careful not to breathe in the fumes.

Hot peppers can also help to kill of intestinal parasites

is eaten regularly. You can eat them raw or put them in

some soup or rice dishes. They create an environment

in the intestinal tract that parasites cannot adhere to

so they are flushed out of the body.

Injuries Due to the Cold

Being out in the cold for long periods of time can cause

serious (even life threatening) injuries and illnesses.

Knowing what to spot and how to treat these conditions

right away is imperative to staying stay.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature gets too

low. This can happen by being outside in cold temperatures

for too long or getting wet in cold temperatures. The initial

symptom of hypothermia is shivering. Once the body

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temperature is lowered to 96 degrees this shivering can

become so fierce that the victim can no longer care for

themselves. . Sluggish and rational thinking ceases once the

body reaches between 90-95 degrees. Temperatures between

86 and 90 degrees results in muscle rigidity,

unconsciousness and barely detectible signs of life. Death is

almost certain once the core temperature drops in the 70’s.

Re-warming a hypothermia victim can be dangerous outside

of a hospital setting. Begin slowly by immersing only the

trunk in water of no more than 110 degrees. Warm water

enemas work quickly. If that is impossible, you can lay the

victim in a sleeping bag with another person's to help attract

their body warmth. Both people must be naked for this

method to work. Just be sure not to leave the healthy person

in the bag too long or they could also fall victim to cold

temperatures.

Hot sweetened fluids can also help to raise body

temperatures. Honey is best.

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Be careful not to re-warm the victim too rapidly or you could

cause circulation problems or even cardiac arrest.

Frostbite

When skin tissues are frozen they begin to die. Light

frostbite make the skin look a dull white but keep frostbite

extends further into the skin causing tissues to become solid

and immovable. The most common body parts to succumb

to frostbite are the feet, hands, and face.

Always keeps these areas covered when out in cold

temperatures. Also, keeping your circulation going by

twitching or wrinkling the skin in your face, wiggling your

ears and moving your hands and feet can all help keep them

warm. Anytime you begin to feel numb when in the cold,

consider frostbite a possibility.

To re-warm a light frostbite use your hands or mittens to

warm your face and ears. Place your hands under your

armpits or place your feet against your buddy’s stomach for

warmth. A deep frostbite, if thawed and then refrozen will

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cause even more damage so be careful to avoid the

following:

rubbing snow on the injury

drinking alcohol

trying to thaw injury without medical help

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Dehydration

When bundled up in many layers of clothes during a cold

weather outing or emergency, your body loses moisture.

Your clothing will absorb that moisture without you

realizing that you need hydration. You must replace lost

fluids regularly. If your urine becomes dark colored and

concentrated, drink more.

Sunburn

Just because it is cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t get a

sunburn. Exposed skin can become sunburned even in below

freezing temperatures. Reflective glare from the snow can

also put sensitive skin areas like the lips, eyes, nose at risk.

Remember: sun exposure at high altitudes can cause the

skin to burn faster than in low altitudes. Keep skin covered

and sue sunscreen if available.

Snow Blindness

The reflection of the sun’s strong ultraviolet rays can cause

a sensation of grit in the eyes, pain and red teary eyes.

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Headaches are also common as is eye pain. Prevent snow

blindness by wearing protective goggles or cut slits into a

piece of cardboard or wood to help reduce the glare. If

stricken with snow blindness cover your eyes until the

symptoms decrease.

Constipation

Increase water intake and relieve yourself when necessary to

relieve signs of constipation.

Basic medical kit

When faced with any type of medical emergency you need to

have a few supplies on hand. Whether you are packing for an

emergency or an outing, be sure to include the following in

your medical pack:

combat dressings

different sized gauze dressings

roller bandages

band aids

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waterproof sleek tape

thermometer

antiseptic

antibacterial soap

lidocaine

antibiotics ointment

acetaminophen

oral rehydration tablets

Benadryl

loperamide (anti0diarrehwla0

epinephrine

morphine sulfate

gamma benzene hexachloride

antifungal cream

paramedic scissors

surgical scissors

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needle holder

curved clamps

tissue forceps

scalpel blades

bulb suction

suture material

Survival medicine isn’t always easy and it isn’t always

pretty. Sometimes it requires little more than common

sense. Functionality is the key. Use what you can find and

improvise when you must. Knowledge is more important

than the supplies you have. Remember, nature provides

most of the medical helps you need. Knowing what nature

remedies you use and how to sue them is more important

than having a well stocked medicine cabinet in the event of

a real survival emergency.