I have nothing against such kits - was a Corpsman once, and an MD now - but I think they need to be more practically thought out in terms of the actual situations that we will face, which will likely NOT include evacuation to a military field hospital, nor a need to mess with relatively useless feel-good stuff like Calamine lotion, alcohol wipes, a CPR mask, lip balm, instant ice packs, burn spray, first aid creme packages, ammonia inhalants, etc.
If SHTF, most who die will do so either immediately from trauma, or because the people where they live are not prepared for definitive or long-term recovery from serious trauma and illness. Few of us are going to be out running ops - at least at my age - and anyone living out of a bug-out bag or first aid kit for long has a poor prognosis with any but the most rudimentary illness or injury, IMO.
Many, perhaps most, who die will do so from diarrhea due to adequate safe food and water supplies. Lots of Imodium may help, but fluid replacement enemas (recipes available online) can be life saving when IV fluids are unavailable and oral fluids can’t be kept down. Preventive attention to sanitation and such are, or course, the best treatments here.
Serious wound and burn care requires at least some knowledge of debridement and wound care technique, which anyone can learn, and will entail frequent dressing changes with topical antibiotic ointments or silver sulfadiazine. Informed use of crude anesthetic agents and sedatives (even alcohol, in a pinch) and oral antibiotics, can be lifesaving.
Common communicable illnesses will be rampant, and many can easily kill when contracted by a person lacking adequate food, water, clothing, rest, etc. Most still retain enough susceptibility to common antibiotics, and a rudimentary knowledge of such, and a bulk supply via a sympathetic doctor, can make a huge difference. For exotic biologic warfare agents (and lots else) doxycycline is good to have around.
Hope that helps.
“Few of us are going to be out running ops “
Well, most of us regardless of age are not going to wait around for the bad guys to attack us.
Best post of the day!
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Assuming one had such a sympathetic doctor, a supply of cephalexin, suture kits/locals.... What else would you recommend - particularly in the way of antibiotics?
how does one find a sympathetic doctor