This week I would like to urge all of you to purchase a few medical reference books. Buying multiple reference materials gives you a broader spectrum in how to provide different types of medical treatment – not all medical emergencies should be approached the same way. I recommend starting with When There is No Doctor and When There is No Dentist, but here are some other great references:
- Wilderness Medicine
- Medicine for the Outdoors
- A Barefoot Doctor’s Manual
- Field Guide of Wilderness & Rescue Medicine
- Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid
Don’t forget that there are some good eBook references out there. I found First Aid Full Manual on Scribd which would be a great place to start looking for more material. If you are out there and come across some other eBook references, please feel free to share it with me and our readers.
During short-term disasters, medical situations are inevitable and they can be complicated. It is imperative that you prepare for them if you want to keep your loved ones and yourself healthy. Considering your family members needs prior to a disaster event will help you be not only prepared but level headed too. When buying medical supplies, keep in mind family members who have preexisting conditions, allergies, or are accident prone. It is within your best interest to ensure that you have any and all necessary medications that require prescriptions before an emergency happens.
For short-term emergencies, you must have a well-stocked medical supply kits for your home and your vehicle. Pre-fabricated medical kits are available in stores; however, these kits tend to be overloaded with unneeded items (i.e., 500 band aids). Buying your own medical supplies allows you to customize your kit to fit your family’s unique needs.
Please note that medicines can break down and spoil if they are subject to moisture, temperature fluctuations, or are exposed to a light source. (For example, aspirin has a tendency to break down when it is exposed to a small amount of moisture.) Unless the medicine indicates otherwise, store medical supplies in a cool, dark place that is out of children’s reach.
Preps to buy:
- Medical bag or back pack, tackle kit or container
- Medical reference books or eBooks on handling medical crises
- Sunscreen
- Aloe vera
- Insect repellent
- Gauze pads in assorted sizes (3×3 and 4×4)
- Sterile roller bandages
- Antibiotic ointment
- Expectorant/Decongestant
- Syrup of Ipecac and activated charcoal
- 2-3 bottles of disinfectant (Betadine, isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide)
- Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
- Adhesive tape or duct tape
- Latex gloves
- Scissors
- Tongue blades
- Medicine dropper
- Tweezers
- Thermometer
- Liquid antibacterial hand soap
- Disposable hand wipes
- Eye care (e.g., contact lens case, cleansing solution, eye moisture drops)
Action Items:
1. Create a first aid kit for the family. Ensure the kit is situated in an accessible location.
2. Take a basic first aid class, if you have not done so already.
3. Purchase a first aid manual
The problem I see is the inability to buy morphine. I would think that somehow a medical kit should have some ampules of morphine. I think that Rawles had some didn’t he? Thoughts?
@ Breck,
I don’t know if you can find morphine, but there are websites our there that can provide you with pain relief medicine. A few websites that I have looked at are:
http://www.shopmedvet.com/
http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/
http://www.4cornerspharmacy.com/
Thanks for the comment!
Tess
Hi, thanks for this 52-week series – it’s wonderful! I was surprised not to see any anti-diarrhea medicine on the list. Am I missing something?
Hi Martha,
Because medical preparedness requires a lot of prep items, I broke the list up. So far, we have three lists for medical supply and We have one more list to go. I promise you that anti-diarrhea medicine will be on the fourth list. That is definitely a medical source we should have a lot of.
Thanks,
Tess
Thank you for this series. I think 2 items which need to be included on some list of medical supplies are an anti nausea medicine- such as Emetrol, and definitely some sort of electrolyte drinking solution- Gatorade would be one, and a product called Bama- which is not at all tasty but filled with goof ingredients that could help with dehydration.
For nausea relief try ginger root. Make a ginger tea or suck on a small piece of ginger.
For eyecare: don’t forget potential injury to the eye, so we”ll need eye cover.
I would also add simple splints for finger injuries.
I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your 52 week series. I keep coming back to it and recommend it to any new prepper.
I would also like to add the many uses of normal household items. Baking soda works wonderfully for acid relief, tooth paste, used in a paste can draw out toxins and is a great household cleaner. Regular tea bags are great for eye infections as well as drawing out toxins/infections. Super glue is my favorite hand wound closure. I also try to pack away an extra bottle of general antibiotics like amoxicillin or azithromyacin, they only have a shelf life of one year but I try to keep one on hand for up to two years.
I found this source years ago. It has several books which can be downloaded for free (donations are accepted, but not required) I recommend downloading and printing a copies to add to preps.
Titles include: Where There Is No Doctor; Where There Is No Dentist; Where Women Have No Doctor; A Book for Midwives; etc.
http://hesperian.org/books-and-resources/
Go to any feed store after you do your research where you can find a lot of meds that can be used for humans and way cheaper.
I’ve been using and stocking up on essential oils for medicine, pain, and nearly every malady that may strike. My doctor said these would be invaluable in a time of crisis.
thanks for sharing .