Two Letters Re: Beyond First Aid–Where to Learn Medical Skills

James,
It’s funny how life gets in the way. I was in the process of writing a fairly long (I stopped at 15 pages) discussion of pandemics and medical care at home when the report in Chest came out. Suffice it to say that the wind was somewhat taken from my sails. And my take-home messages would have been 1) Hospitals are terrible places to be in a pandemic so stay away (I plan to), 2) Since you’re not going to the hospital, people at home better learn how to do basic nursing care (so finding older nursing textbooks and patient care equipment like bedpans is a good idea), and 3) despite what all of medical science can, and cannot do, think about what to do when your family member succumbs to the disease.

I’m also pleased to see the various good points offered by others with regard to medical care. The Western Rifle Shooters Association course looks particularly good. Almost all of the various suggestions are good, but there are a couple of things that need to be emphasized:

For example, having antibiotics and administering them can be very good – but, you have to use the right antibiotic for the organism in question. Using an antibiotic that is effective against (say) Gram-positive organisms when the patient has a Gram-negative infection is not ‘almost as good’ or ‘close enough’, it’s not only not at all helpful, it can make the patient much worse (not to mention using up valuable resources that are not easily replaced). There is a reason there are lots of different antibiotics, and there is no one magic bullet that works on everything.

Starting an IV is sometimes necessary, but usually not – we use them in the hospital to keep a route open for drug administration right away, should it be needed, and to provide fluids. However, the current Tactical Casualty Care Guidelines (used by military medics in combat, and limited in applicability to that sort of trauma, only) call for IV fluids to be withheld until hemorrhage (bleeding) is stopped. Not only is it wasteful of scarce resources (in combat, you only have what you have, not unlike a TEOTWAWKI situation), but adding more fluids to drain out onto the ground is actually dangerous to the patient (IV fluids don’t carry oxygen, and washing out red blood cells is a bad idea). So, stopping the bleeding (if any) comes first.

In a medical (the patient is sick, not hurt) situation, keeping the patient hydrated is important, but giving too much fluids via IV can be just as harmful – especially in a respiratory infection kind of pandemic: The fluid has to go somewhere, and can build up in the lungs causing pulmonary edema and eventually heart failure. In fact, this is one of the modalities that people died from during the 1918 influenza pandemic. IVs too, can cause harm if used with gusto by people who don’t fully understand the physiology of the body.

Also, being able to apply a cast is great – but, if the fracture is not reduced (straightened) first, the person will be left with a life-long disability. If the blood vessels are compromised (either by the fracture, or the treatment) the persons limb will certainly be put at significant risk, and their life very much potentially so. It’s not a matter of simply applying a cast. And should a person need a wet plaster cast applied to a leg (for example), it will be several days at least before the cast will be strong enough to be moved, so the patient will require bed rest and care for that time – and as you and others have said, they will require a wheel chair and crutches for several months while the leg heals – a big plaster cast is heavy. And care must be taken to not apply the cast too tightly, to monitor the cast and limb for swelling and be ready to cut it open (bivalve it) if swelling is present, and the right amount of padding must be used since the plaster gets pretty hot while it is curing.

And finally, there are few (if any) reasons why a wound must be sutured in the field. All wounds will heal, eventually, and it’s often better to leave a wound that is contaminated with foreign matter open than to close it. All wounds must be cleaned out, and while we will use sterile water or saline solution plain clean water is just fine. Using a 30cc syringe with a 22 gauge angiocath (a flexible needle used for IV administration) will provide about the ideal pressure, but using a plastic bag with a small hole poked in it will work adequately. The important thing is to get the wound cleaned out – dirt, leaves, blood clots, and anything else not viable – including dead and dying tissue, which must be removed surgically (we call that debriding). Then, the body is made in layers, and when you’re sewing it up it each layer has to be sewn separately, with each layer using a particular kind of suture material, a particular needle, and a particular kind of stitches. Even closing a ‘simple’ skin laceration can cause problems if the edges of the wound are pulled too tightly – blood flow is compromised, the tissue dies, and infection sets in leading to sepsis and gangrene.
After all, the first rule of medicine is “First, do no harm”. – Flighter

 

Jim:
Chuck Fenwick at Medical Corps runs a fine operation, but there are other ways to learn to suture. Chuck does have great surgical equipment and suture material for sale at very good prices.
First download Ethicon’s book on wound closure, or buy a printed copy from Amazon.com, among other places.

This is the same book (in a newer edition, of course) that I was taught with back in the early 1960s in my summer job as an ortho tech while in college.
Then get the necessary instruments (needle-holder, surgical scissors, etc.), including a package or two of suture with an atraumatic needle (needle attached) or separate curved needles. Don’t worry about sterile technique at this point. You’re learning technique and to tie knots.

Next, order a fresh ham (not smoked) from your butcher or the local grocer. This will be your “patient”. Now make a small incision through the skin of the ham, maybe 4″ long. Suture the incision following the directions in the manual. Then make another incision and suture it closed. Continue this until you can close an incision at a reasonable speed with a nice neat row of stitches. This is how I learned to suture, at the kitchen table at home.

Finally, remove all the sutures, bake the ham, and serve with red cabbage and sweet potatoes for Sunday dinner. I hope this is of help to your readers. – Jonas P.

JWR Adds: Keep in mind that most wounds do not require suturing–although failing to do so will likely result in the formation of some extra scar tissue. But remember that we are talking about TEOTWAWKI here–not a beauty contest. Also, don’t be in a hurry to suture! In most cases wounds should indeed be allowed to drain extensively, and premature closure could actually increase the risk of sepsis.

Choosing an HK91 Clone Versus the M1A for a Primary Battle Rifle

Hello Mr. Rawles.
My Father bought me your novel “Patriots” and I read it and it really inspired me and woke me up to becoming more of a survivalist. I live in the country just about 50 miles out side of Chicago (pretty much the worst place to be if the SHTF, well even if it doesn’t, it still sucks, LOL), but never mind that we have other places to go, thank God. I have always been around guns. I have been shooting probably since I could walk. Anyway, I am wondering why in your book you chose to [show the main characters owning] HK91s instead of M1As? We have both a HK91 and an M1A, both with lots of accessories. I would most likely take my LMT AR-15 over the .308 but I’m open to change. I was just wondering why you chose the Heckler and Koch or which one you like better for that matter. Thank you for the advice if you can. – Eric B.

JWR Replies: I consider the two rifles essentially comparable, although if fiberglass bedded, an M1A can be much more accurate. I recommend HK91 clones because they are presently less expensive than M1As, and their spares are much less expensive. An M14 parts kit (everything but the receiver) is around $750, if you can find one. But you can buy a G3 part kit for under $250. Excellent condition military surplus HK G3 magazines are as little as $2 each. So buy at least 50 of them, while they are still cheap. Meanwhile, USGI M14 magazines are $22 to $28 each. Ouch! So buying 50 spare magazines would cost you around $1,100–which is enough to buy another rifle!

Odds ‘n Sods:

Yishai suggested a Hack-n-Mod video clip on how to make thermite. Warning: Some serious safety precautions must be taken, because thermite burns at temperatures hot enough to liquefy steel, and once ignited, it is almost impossible to extinguish. (It generates its own oxygen.) Note the minor accident near the end of the video. He’ll also have some serious explaining to do about that back porch slab.

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Kevin a recommended this piece by Marty Weiss: Brace yourself! The U.S. government could be understating the Consumer price Index by 7.6%!

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Frequent content contributor Michael Z. Williamson mentioned a web article about some locals in Cambodia improvising a working rail train from a few spare parts. Note that from the photos it appears to be dead level ground and there is no sign of a hand brake. Having a brake is a must, for safety. Also, see our archived survivalBlog articles about high-railers and rail motorcars (a.k.a. “speeders”–such as this one posted in July of Aught Six–that discuss the serious legal and safety implications of using right-of-ways that belong to railroad companies.

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Any SurvivalBlog readers fluent in German will probably find this Energie & Klima Blog post interesting: Überleben in der Krise.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“[T]he Clinton administration launched an attack on people in [Waco,] Texas because those people were religious nuts with guns. H*ll, this country was founded by religious nuts with guns. Who does Bill Clinton think stepped ashore on Plymouth Rock? Peace Corps volunteers? Or maybe the people in Texas were attacked because of child abuse. But, if child abuse was the issue, why didn’t Janet Reno tear-gas Woody Allen? – P.J. O’Rourke

Letter Re: The Modern Conception of “Hard Work” Versus a Traditional Farmer’s Tasks

Sir:
I recently finished trenching and running a few hundred feet of irrigation pipe on land that has been in my wife’s family for a few generations. We are the proud recipients of this small farm in the Southeast US. My Mother-In-Law was helping, and getting various tools and such out of the 100 year old barn (still standing and strong). We found an old hoe that was worn so that over half of the tine was missing. She said that her father and grandfather had used this hoe to manually weed and till every bit of the 50 acres! This was a farm that didn’t have indoor plumbing until the early 1970s.

Here I was, exhausted from digging a trench (with a machine of course), and laying pipe (plastic with glue), and had been working “very hard” for a few hours. Slowly realizing, listening to my mother-in-law that her family worked this land without the aid of gas powered equipment until her father died in the late 1980s. For over 125 years this farm had produced an income and raised families. I was tired after working, but now had an understanding that in no way can I count myself in the same league as the men that had worked sun up to sun down by hand, these were true men. I whine when the lawn mower won’t easily start, or when the padded handle on the shovel gets too hard for comfort!

In the interest of preparedness, each of us should examine ourselves to see if we have it in us both physically and mentally to work at providing for our loved ones. After this experience, I am doing more to get myself physically in shape for what may come. No matter, I will be happier, healthier, and more humble than before! God Bless, – RJ in the Southeast US

Letter Re: Positive Feedback on Front Sight’s Self Defense Training

Hi, Jim!
I want to thank you for having SurvivalBlog support Front Sight’s current special of $1,199 for the class [with a XD pistol and other extras included.] I took advantage of it, along with my son, aged 20, a couple of weeks ago, and had a great time down there. This was my third time down there, my son’s first.

One thing people may want to do is rent one of [the Springfield Armory] XD pistols in 9mm for $100, for the class. This gives you much more control on target, especially for someone (like my son) who hasn’t had much pistol experience. Plus the cost of 9 mm ammo is about half the cost for 45. While we are getting the XDs in .45 caliber, renting the 9mm gave us the XD experience and probably saved us over $100 in ammo costs. We can practice with our .45s at a more leisurely pace. As you’ve indicated before, the instructors there are very professional, very friendly, and the class gives you the whole perspective of accuracy in shooting, the psychological mindset that one must have to defend oneself, and the legal knowledge of what kind of problems you might encounter. – Chester B.

Letter Re: Martial Arts Fact Versus Fiction

Mr. Rawles
I just found this blog after checking out Steve Quayle’s web site and links. I must say this discussion is a breath of fresh air.

My experience is much different than many who have posted; I have little training in the martial arts, and never been in the military. I don’t even watch those Ultimate Fighting shows.

I work with kids in state juvenile facility here on the West Coast of the US. Most of the “residents” as they are called are 14-20 years of age, and usually very aggressive and violent gang members. Unlike adult corrections in my state, we don’t carry weapons of any kind including pepper spray. We wear street clothes and work in a average ratio of 12 residents to one staff.
In other words I deal for eight hours a night with the most likely people you would face in a survival situation. Most reading this live in an area where these are the most likely assailants and unless your a hardcore survivalist living in a tree these are the people that most reading this will face. Here are some things I’ve learned – usually the hard way

1) Forget talking your way out of it. Once they have decided on violence talking is only used to distract you or to manipulate you into believing you can talk your way out of the situation. We are trained in verbal de-escalation skills but experience also shows us that gangstas who are on a mission to raise their status in the gang by “putting in work” will not listen to reason, or pleas. Conditioning by the gangs to see violence as nothing more than a tool or as a way of enforcing rules within the gang literally enables most gang members to shut off a conscience or thought of potential consequences. They in many cases may also be under the influence of various drugs that hinder their reasoning ability. In other words don’t bother talking if you want to live.

2) Forget any martial art that wastes time on flying kicks and roundhouse punches. Don’t waste time learning how to use swords and throwing stars. As many have stated before a system with equal parts grappling, punching, kicking, elbows, knees, etc.

3) Learn to take assailants(s) out quickly. I noticed that many seem to be fans of Ultimate Fighting and I’m not going to say its fake, but it is entertainment. The fighters are great but lets be honest, the matches are intended to draw ratings by selling the drama. I have no doubts that those same fighters without the rules would be able to take out their opponents much quicker than they do. You should do this as well. Don’t play around or make unnecessary movements. Don’t stop and sermonize half way through giving a beating.

4) Finish the job. The idea that you should get your opponent down then run away is pretty d**ned dumb. First you may have nowhere to run to, and nobody to help you. You are better off once your opponent is down making sure they don’t get up on their own power for a long time. All I can say is do what your God given conscience deems necessary for you and your loved one’s survival in such a situation

5) Awareness!, Awareness!, Awareness!
If a person, place, or situation makes those little hairs stand up there is good reason for it. If your in a crowd always be aware of eye movements, body movement. Also be aware that criminals/gang members never attack alone. Even if they aren’t joining in the attack they have accomplices serving as lookouts to either tip them off or to distract. Be aware of where you are, and who is around you at all times. Watch what those people do or say.

6) Learn to fight in close quarters. A dojo or a gym is great but have your sparring partner and you fight within a small chalk circle for a while. Better yet a medium sized walk in closet. Many well known street gangs that got their starts in the California prison system (Sureños or 13s come to mind) created fighting systems for both offense and defense in their cells. The “fighting art” consists mostly of elbow, and knee strikes with some uppercut punches, followed by takedowns. Is it any good? Ask any correctional officer who now extracts these guys from cells using “stun shields”, pepper spray guns, and eight-man extraction teams. Fairly intelligent, and motivated sparring partners can probably duplicate this style with a little trial and error.

7) Don’t waste your time getting into a punching contest. In most cases your assailant is a more experienced fighter than you. They also have experience taking a punch. How many punches have you taken lately Sugar Ray? Probably not many, if any. Forget kicking too unless you have been trained how to do it properly or when to do it. Sending a kick to someone’s face like Chuck Norris or Jean Claude Van Damme is cool in movies – especially after its been choreographed and practiced for weeks, then filmed from the optimal angles. Its looks pretty dumb when you do it though. It tends you get you beaten or dead as well. If your assailant is on the ground a few well placed kicks to the mid-section, groin, ribcage, neck, or face couldn’t hurt however.

8) Go for the eyes or throat. Cut off the assailants sight and air. If more than one assailant hit the first ones eyes, and take out the second ones breathing ability. If three – eyes, eyes, air. Go for knees ankles, and feet if you do kick. Avoid the groin since most men are genetically inbred to react to protect their assets. If you can take the side of your foot and say run it into an aggressors knee and then driving your leg, the results are quite surprising. Same with the ankle.

9) Use any weapons available. This also means improvising weapons. I once was charged by a young resident in our living units kitchen. I had a container of ranch [salad] dressing in my hand which quickly made contact with his face and most important – his eyes. Immobilize the assailant with whatever is available. Another resident charged me on the floor, and I pulled his shirt up over his head tight which blinded him and made it hard to swing on me. I have seen coins, cans of chewing tobacco, coffee, and even a handful of hard candies thrown into the face of an attacker to disorient. Knocking eyeglasses or hats off can have similar effects.

10) Any fighting system that doesn’t teach just basic arm bar takedowns, goosenecks, and “Z” holds should be avoided. There is a reason these things are taught to correctional officers, cops, and people like myself and its because they are easy to learn, easy to retain, and most important they work. With just a few modifications these moves can be quickly turned from less than lethal to lethal moves. Also learn moves that can be applied when your fine motor skills are impaired. When the fight or flight syndrome kicks in finesse goes out the window, and the more basic the better. If the take down has complex actions then forget it you’ll be too messed up thanks to your heart rate to attempt it.

11) Arm yourself. A knife is great, a gun is better. Train to use both and practice often. Most important get into the mindset to use the weapon.
Just a few things I thought that I’d throw into to stir the pot. – C.T.

JWR Adds: I agree that high kicks and roundhouse kicks are strictly “Hollywood” showmanship. Not only do they deliver less power, but they also leave you vulnerable to being thrown off balance.

Unfortunately, California’s Nanny State mentality has led to enactment of laws that have made concealed carry of some knives a felony on the first offense, open carry of firearms–except when hunting–a misdemeanor, and concealed carry of firearms either a misdemeanor or a felony on the first offense, depending on circumstances. It is very difficult to obtain a handgun concealed carry permit in most California counties unless you are engaged in a business that requires you to regularly carry cash or valuables. Even “trunk” carry of firearms is effectively banned unless you are on your way to or from a shooting range or a hunting trip, or to or from a gunsmith’s shop. To make matters worse, local law enforcement and interpretation of these laws varies tremendously. Sight of a citizen with a gun that wouldn’t cause a sheriff’s deputy to blink an eye in Modoc County would be cause to call out a SWAT team in Alameda County. California’s complicated laws make effective self defense outside of one’s home quite difficult. Thankfully, California has not banned canes, walking sticks, and umbrellas. So my advice to Californians is to concentrate on stick fighting martial arts. Train regularly and don’t leave home without your cane! And if you can, move out of California! Vote with your feet.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Wes at WK Books has been working on an index/reference of known U.S. Military manuals and publications. It is hard to find a comprehensive list of military manuals to get an idea of what is out there and what you may want to add to their personal reference library. Please do not confuse this index with his product (the 1600 U.S. Military Manuals, Government Manuals, and Civil Defense Manuals, Firearm Manuals). When printed out, the index of known U.S. Military manuals is 15 pages long and includes the last publication/updates by month/day/year. Wes told me that it is current as of May 16, 2008.

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Inyokern sent us this article: High Steel Prices: A Preview of Peak Oil. Inyokern’s comment on the article: “Here’s a canary in the coal mine. The high price of oil impacts the price of steel, impacting the cost of building or replacing equipment to make solutions to the cost of fuel and food.” My comment: Of immediate concern is that the increased wholesale price of steel will soon work its way down to the consumer level. So if you are certain about any fencing projects at your retreat in the next two or three years, then buy the materials in advance. (Rolls of woven wire, rolls of barbed wire, smooth wire, T-posts, staples, et cetera.) Consider it part of your Alpha Strategy.

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More news from disarmed England: Airport-style scanners on the streets. In their socialist utopia, they want everyone equally disarmed. There are just two problems: 1.) Criminals, by definition, don’t obey laws–only the law abiding citizens do, and they aren’t the problem.2.) Even if they do succeed is disarming everyone, it will leave anyone that is smaller, older, or weaker at the mercy of those that are younger and stronger. (BTW, I find it ironic that the same liberals that champion women’s rights also want to disarm them, putting them at a disadvantage to thugs. On average, men have about 50 percent more muscle mass than women in the upper body, and 10 to 15 percent more in the lower body.) My advice to SurvivalBlog’s readers in England: Take the gap and emigrate to the US or New Zealand, soon!

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While web surfing, I stumbled into an interesting treatise on inflation by Michael W. Hodges.

Note from JWR:

With the author’s permission, we present a guest editorial from economic commentator Darryl Robert Schoon. It was published May 12, 2008.

Triage In Financial Markets, by Darryl Robert Schoon

Global financial markets are in extreme triage following the credit contraction of August 2007. It is believed central bankers are trying to restore markets to help the economy. In truth, they are like life insurance companies fighting to keep a wealthy patient alive so the high premiums will continue to be paid and the large death payout will be postponed. It has been only nine months since credit markets unexpectedly froze in August 2007. The central bankers who were surprised by the summer 2007 credit contraction now hope the danger has passed. But they are about to be surprised again and soon.

We are witness to the unraveling of historic levels of debt caused by central bank issuance of debt-based money. That such issuance over three hundred years has led to trillions of dollars in constantly increasing compounding debt is not unexpected. What is also not unexpected is that someday the debt could not be repaid. That realization is what happened in August 2007. Suddenly, buyers of debt, those in need of guaranteed downstream revenues realized $1.5 trillion of AAA rated subprime CDOs would not be repaid as expected. The consequences of that realization are now in motion.

When this happened, credit markets froze. The day of reckoning feared by kreditmeisters had arrived. Since then, central bankers have been furiously providing liquidity to banks, the intermediaries of credit, hoping to restore confidence in credit markets – but more liquidity will not restore confidence in debt any more than more money will satisfy the yearnings of the soul.
Once buyers of debt realized they could no longer trust AAA rated debt, the systemic risk to capitalism soared. The foundation of capitalism, a debt-based paper money system created by bankers, is confidence; and when a confidence game is being run, there is absolutely nothing more important than confidence.

When modern banking substituted credit driven debt-based paper money for gold and silver, every aspect of commerce was affected. Paper money with no intrinsic value, and its method of leverage, capitalism, are totally dependent on trust and confidence; and in August 2007, that confidence was shaken. Whether or not the damage is irreparable remains to be seen.
While credit driven paper money produces growth, it does so at the cost of stability. Today’s multi-trillion dollar global economy is based on the banker’s amalgam, an unsavory collection of credit, debt and speculative greed, a volatile combination that becomes increasingly unstable as it grows – and it has been growing now for over three hundred years.

Capitalism’s Minsky Moment
The late economist, Hyman Minsky, is a name increasingly heard in these increasingly problematic times. Minsky’s hypothesis was rather direct in its clarity, that as capital markets mature they became increasingly unstable, that over time investments become more speculative leading to heightened instability which culminates in market corrections whose severity is a function of previous excess.

Two excellent recent references to Minsky are: Thomas Tan’s Introduction To Minsky Theory, and Doug Noland’s Revisiting Financial Arbitrage Capitalism. Both articles will shed light on Minsky’s explanations about why markets are collapsing and will continue to do so.

Time is a key ingredient in Minsky’s observations on the instability of capital markets. Capital markets came into existence in 1694 when the Bank of England, its central bank, was established. The ensuing three hundred plus years have given capital markets more than enough time to mature – and collapse. Minsky’s moment, the bane of maturing markets, is now at hand.

Debt – Cursed Be the Tie that Binds
The world is now bound as never before by the bonds of debt that cross national boundaries. Globalization is the name for the spread of England’s central banking system that has given bankers increasing control over global productivity while endebting virtually all of humanity.

Capital markets built on credit and debt need to continually expand in order to service previously created compounding levels of debt. When only England was on a credit-based system, as long as England’s empire expanded its increasing debts could be absorbed; but when England’s expansion slowed, so too did its economy.

The conundrum of the necessity of continual economic expansion is now being played out on a global scale. Now, the entire world is based on England’s debt-based central banking system; and, consequently, unless the world economy continues to expand, the commensurate expanding edifice of global debt will collapse.

When global credit markets imploded in August 2007, the contraction of the world economy began. Since then, despite the best efforts of central bankers, global growth has continued to slow; and, after the present contraction has finally run its course, the world will be a far different place than it is today.

It has been only nine months since credit markets froze and uncertainty replaced the smug hubris of the world’s then sanguine bankers. Only a year ago, the IMF was predicting yet another year of strong growth, now they see otherwise.

When Everyone is Blind, the Blind Believe that They Can See
Today, bankers don’t understand the trouble they are in because what is happening has never happened before – at least to them. The Great Depression was the last time a financial crisis happened on such a scale but the lessons of the Great Depression were those of another generation and lessons lost must be relearned by those who never knew them.

Unfortunately, we will learn the lessons together as we pay for what we collectively forgot and consciously denied. All of us, even the late comers to capital markets in Asia, are vulnerable to the sinking boat of credit and debt built by western bankers over the past three hundred years.

How Long it Floated, How Quickly it Sank
In May 2008 we are at the cusp of the crisis. Those still in denial hope we are closer to its end than its beginning; but, if we are, that means the descent will be quick and brutal instead of protracted and painfully slow. Either way, the end will be the same.

The daisy chain of debt constructed by bankers has now connected all of us, the solvent and insolvent alike. Personal solvency will provide but little protection when countries, relatives, neighbors, banks, and employers and employees become insolvent. Gold and silver will be among the few lifeboats and faith will be invaluable.

Note: I will be speaking at Professor Antal E. Fekete’s Session IV of Gold Standard University Live (GSUL) July 3-6, 2008 in Szombathely, Hungary. If you are interested in monetary matters and gold, the opportunity to hear Professor Fekete should not be missed. A perusal of Professor Fekete’s topics may convince you to attend. Professor Fekete, in my opinion, is a giant in a time of small men. – Darryl Robert Schoon

Letter Re: Beyond First Aid–Where to Learn Medical Skills

Jim,
There has been a recent thread on learning medical skills. Studying the disasters like the recent Chinese earthquake, Myanmar storm and Tsunami teach us that in mass casualty situations like these, you can go a long way knowing how to deal with broken bones, lacerations and infections.
Imagine the help you could be if you could:

Apply a cast
Run an IV
Clean and dress a wound
Do minor suturing
Administer antibiotics from your medical kit

These skills can each be learned in a weekend. Sure, knowing how to manage an airway, insert a chest tube, decompress a pneumothorax and manually deliver a breech [presentation] baby are great to know but the basics will go a long way. My advice? Start with the Medical Corps [field medic] course and then follow up with National Procedures Institute for the suturing, Casting Workshop for casting and a phlebotomy course for IVs – SF in Hawaii

JWR Adds: The Medical Corps classes are excellent. I also recommend the Practical Medical Course taught by the Western Rifle Shooters Association. (This course is subtitled: “Field Expedient Medical Care for Outdoorsmen in Austere Environments.”) Check their web site regularly, for announcements of course dates and locations. This modestly-priced training is led by an Emergency Room doctor with 35 years of experience.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Brent F. suggested this article from Australia’s Courier Mail newspaper: Drivers face fuel ration shock.

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CDO Debt Could Pose Renewed Danger for Banks. (A hat tip to RBS for the link.)

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Nick recommended the text of a recent speech by geopolitical analyst Richard Maybury: You will be either a winner or a loser, there will be no middle ground. FWIW, I have been following Maybury’s writings for more than 10 years, and I’ve found that he is right far more often than he’s wrong. He was issuing dire warnings about the Islamic terrorist threat long before 9/11/01. I think that his premises about the implications of instability in “Chaostan” are essentially correct.

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Brenda at Mountain Brook Foods (one of our former advertisers) mentioned that since they have relocated to Idaho, they still need to close out their warehouse in Tracy, California. This is a great opportunity for anyone in Northern California to save on the cost of shipping. Until May 28th, they are selling full cases of storage foods (in nitrogen-purged #10 cans) with discounts of 40% to 75%. All orders will be shipped the last week of May, from California. Please indicate on your order if you would like to pick-up your order in person during the last week of May.