Category: First Aid/Medical

Sir, Excellent advice on the EpiPen, but its worth mentioning an adequate stock of Benadryl should also be on hand. The EpiPen treats the symptoms of anaphylactic shock but Benadryl or a similar antihistamine will treat the cause. (Which is of particular importance if a doctor is not available.) Bee stings are the most common culprit for anaphylaxis, but it can also be caused by food allergies, latex allergies, and others. Here is a site with some information on Benadryl, side effects and administration instructions Respectfully, – Patrick R   Jim: Epi can kill if not used correctly. The key …

Hi Jim, Our son-in-law was stung by a bee or wasp last night as he was mowing. One time behind the ear. He had a severe reaction to the sting. This is the first time that this has ever happened. Emergency room and three more days of treatments. The doctor gave him a prescription for an EpiPen to self administer in case it happens again. I keep bees (no, mine didn’t get him) so I keep one around “just in case”. Now I am of the opinion that several of these should should be a part of every preparanoids medical …

Mr. Rawles, The subject of survival medicine is one which you touched upon in your novel “Patriots” (nicely done, I might add) as well as occasionally via letters to your blog. All well and good but far less than the subject merits insofar as it may weigh into our collective futures. If I may be so bold I’d like to suggest that it be given at least as much attention as the nifty gadgets readers are often eager to promote. You may or not be aware of a relatively new book on the subject, perhaps the first if not the …

Hi Jim, In SurvivalBlog 07/07/06, SF in Hawaii said:”(choose) hats and lightweight but sun blocking clothes over sunscreen.” I am a “Prototype Caucasian” who sun burns in 15 minutes (EEK!). In fact, without gloves, my hands burn while just driving my car here in Connecticut. I am a BIG proponent of sun blocking clothing, and have been very pleased with my purchases from Sun Precautions. Their clothing beats sunscreen, hands down! – Douglas in CT

Dear Jim, I’m a family physician and my wife has had Type 1 (insulin-dependant) diabetes mellitus since age 9. There’s an inhaled insulin (“Exubera,” manufactured by Pfizer) that offers some promise for long-term storage, as it’s a powder. It was released last winter, so there isn’t much clinical experience with it yet. Problems such as irregular absorption and possible lung injury are still under investigation. Oral insulin therapy may also suffer from irregular absorption and will likely have the same shelf-life issues as injectable insulins. The only practical long-term solution for the insulin-dependant diabetic is to extract injectable insulin from …

James: I was wondering what your thoughts on perishable things like insulin might be in a worse case scenario…. as it needs to be refrigerated at all times, and even if you were to get a large supply. How long could it last as it deteriorates quicker than pills…and pills might be easier to manufacture after a bad scenario whereas insulin would be very difficult to make. Diabetics would probably have a limited life in a TEOTWAWKI., right? – CWW JWR Replies: Insulin is indeed a problem for those that envision a long term socioeconomic disruption. However, I challenge the …