List of ‘Collapse’ Medical Supplies
Ken adds: This is a re-post of a guest article on Modern Survival Blog from ‘Nurse Amy’ of DoomAndBloom.net. This list is a good reminder that we should consider our medical supplies in addition to our other preparedness supplies.
Guest post: by ‘Nurse Amy’
Here’s my list of Collapse medical supplies with natural remedies included (we should have these as back-ups or for first use supplies to save commercially made items!). Dr.Bones and I spend a lot of time and energy researching “back-up” plans for traditional medicine. We want YOU to have the knowledge to provide medical help if we have a collapse. I have planted over 60 different medicinal herbs in my raised beds and am learning how incredible natural remedies can be.
Collapse medical supplies:
oral antibiotics- may also include garlic oil, honey,cayenne,thyme oil,peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil as herbal alternatives or fresh garlic or ginger
OR if you can’t acquire Rx antibiotics, see our 4 part series that discusses antibiotics/their fish antibioticequivalents and how to use them, this is part one:
Antibiotics And Their Use in Collapse Medicine(tm), Part 1
antibiotic ointment and/or antibacterial herbal salve ( with calendula/tea tree oil/lavender oils)
multi size bandages- lots of these in several sizes, spot, knuckle, size 1×3 is great to cover most lacerations
ace bandages- 3 or 4
steri strips and butterfly bandages to close minor lacerations
TONS of gauze/dressings (sterile and non-sterile 4x4s)
include lots of “telfa” pads( non-adherent-so healing wounds won’t stick to the dressing) and a xeroform petroleum dressing (non stick)
ABD pads (usually 5×9) also called combine dressings
10×30 trauma dressing
tapes- include duct, adhesive and paper ( for adhesive tape allergies)
quality bandage scissor/trauma shear ( ALL METAL, the plastic handle ones break cutting jean material!)
Pliable fracture material
mole skin- for blisters
scalpels
LOTS of nitrile gloves
a couple pair of sterile size 7 1/2 gloves
hand sanitizer
betadine swabs/wipes
BZK wipes-to clean hands/wounds
alcohol pads
masks- surgical(for sick people) and N-95s(for healthy people to keep them from getting sick!)
dermabond (Rx) OR super glue ( may burn the skin)
needle holder and sutures (2-0 nylon- don’t bother with 3-0 or smaller- higher the number=smaller the needle!)
curved kelley clamp ( to remove foreign objects from wounds)
tweezers
several large safety pins
magnifying glass
pen light
tongue depressor(s)
clotting powders/dressings- cayenne ppepper powder may help minor bleeding
styptic pencil- minor bleeding
quality tourniquet- only use in severe bleeding that will stop with a major pressure dressing or clotting agents
olaes modular bandage or Israel bandage
blood stopper dressing (dressing with 2 kerlix attached for wrapping)
Q-tips
cravet triangle bandages
snake bit kit
rubber bag (hot water bottle)
Re-useable GEL packs- can be cooled OR heated
aquatabs
Fels naptha soap- to wash off poison Ivy,oak or sumac from skin and clothes (also a great clothes detergent)
dental kit- toothpicks, dental mirror, cotton-tip applicators, dental filling material ( commercial or mix zinc oxide powder and 2 drops clove oil), pill cups for mixing the dental filling,
baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and 2 drops of peppermint oil make a great gum treatment and toothpaste
extra essential clove oil (numbs dental pain when applied directly
Eye cup
eye wash
eye pads/eye patch
an Ear oil natural remedy ( usually has garlic oil and mullein oil)- use 2 warmed drops in the affected ear and place a cotton ball over the ear canal secured with paper tape, repeat 3 times daily.
claritin (non-drowsy antihistamine)- hay fever/allergies
benadryl ( drowsy antihistamine)-allergic reactions to stings/medication/food/contact with irritants/this is the other ingredient in tylenol PM! It really puts you to sleep at 50mg dose, but this is a better dose for serious allergic reactions!
epipen (Rx), if needed for serious allergic reactions
sudafed-decongestant,
eucalyptus essential oil- also a decongestant and good for coughs ( direct or steam inhalation/ a good insect repellent
pain relievers/analgesics- aspirin (not for children) /Tylenol/ibuprofen
arnica essential oil/salve (great mixed with St.John’s Wort)- also an analgesic used externally in very dilute amounts (6-12 drops per ounce of carrier oil) see my articles (doomandbloom.net) on Natural Medical Kit:Essential oils. Great for bruises, joint and muscle pain, fracture pain, use ONLY on intact skin.
Other Analgesic Essential Oils -Consider 1 or 2 of these – lavender,chamomile,rosemary,eucalyptus, marjoram
Imodium-for diarrhea tx
hydrocortisone cream- anti-inflammatory, good for rashes
helichrysum essential oil- also anti-inflammatory and additionally an analgesic
Lip balm-I love carmex brand
zinc oxide cream-rashes and a sunscreen
zinc oxide powder medical grade- to mix with Clove bud essential oil, and make a temporary dental filling
Raw honey-externally for serious burns/internally mix with garlic oil for an antibiotic and sore throat tx
tea tree essential oil-antiseptic/antifungal/insect bite tx/burn tx
lavender essential oil-analgesic/antiseptic/calming effect for insomnia,stress/skin care-rashes and cuts
peppermint essential oil-respiratory and nasal congestion/Headache tx 1 drop to temples or inhale vapors/also good for digestive disorders/achy joints and muscle tx/ use 2 drops on toothbrush with baking soda
geranium essential oil- decreases bleeding when applied to wound/lowers blood sugar/burn tx /antibacterial
thieves blend essential oil- A mix of clove,lemon,cinnamon,eucalyptus and rosemary oils- Antibiotic/antiseptic/and a host of other actions.
chamomile tea bags- internally relaxing,headache tx and digestive problems/ external compress for burns,bee stings
ginger tea bags- internally good for nausea, stomachaches, digestive problems like gas and bloating, also good for motion sickness (crystallized ginger is an alternative, but weighs more)
echinacea/elderberry tea bags- supports immune system, decreases flu and cold duration
aloe vera
laxative tea bags- usually contains senna mixed with other herbs for a better flavor
powdered Gatorade-for rehydration drinks ( to tx dehydration)
multi-vitamins, extra vit c and zinc
With the above list you can treat:
colds/flu/cough/sore throat/lung congestion
aches and pains
allergies/allergic reactions
skin irritations and conditions
digestive upsets and nausea
constipation/diarrhea
bug bites/ bee stings/ contact dermatitis( poison ivy/oak/)
burns/sunburn
minor cuts. scrapes and lacerations-including suturing
headaches, sinus congestion
ear/eye/dental issues
stress and anxiety
oral hygiene and basic dental tx
surface disinfectant
insect repellent
and wash clothes!
I hope this helps, I have spent almost 2 years researching what would be really helpful and USEFUL in a collapse situation. Airways and ambu bags without a hospital to transfer the patient to, are mostly a waste of money. I would concentrate on the supplies you will need most and will likely be able use without too much training. Knowledge is power!
Nurse Amy
List of 'Collapse' Medical Supplies,
Great post! Thank you. I have been looking for a good list of supplies like this!
Something you might want to consider is in a true emergency many medical supplies that are used for non-invasive purposes should be fine well past the expiration date.
Obviously, if you have both expired and unexpired supplies, use the good supplies first. And use triage, a boo-boo on the finger can use an old bandage, a sucking chest-wound should get the new stuff.
Length of disaster and speed of societal recovery should also be factored in.
Suppose after a collapse and all the RX stores are Gone (looted), My wife has an allergic reaction to something and her Epipen is outdated or we don’t have it. What is and Alternative for a severe allergic reaction?
I know this is information not intended for Current Day Use, but after a collapse There may not be any one who will know and I am pretty sure the Net will be down/gone for any reference or questions.
@Salcor; If the epipen is outdated, use it anyway if there is no alternative, unless there is some obvious damage, mold, contamination etc. that would preclude using it. If you have no epipen and you have an anaphylactic reaction, you have two choices 1. do nothing 2. take two 30 mg Benadryl, chew them up and drink a pint of water to wash them down. Depending on the severity of the reaction it may be best to do nothing, but if the last time you had a reaction, you almost died, then you have to do something and the sooner the better, that’s just logical. If you’re still alive after 30 minutes but still reactive, you could chew another Benadryl and drink another pint of water. You can do that ONE more time for a total of 120 mg of Benadryl if needed. That’s all you should have for 24 hours and stay well hydrated. Of course you have to try to do what you have to do. Hope this helps. Please do not consider this medical advice. You should always contact your family medical provider to help you make ANY medical decision. Any choice you make should be considered your own decision as this information is for theoretical purposes only. Survive well. Enjoy.
A gallon of food grade hydrogen peroxide is a must. It purifies water and kills infections.
If you wish you can get Rx like antibiotics without a prescription. Legally. They are for your pets. I read about this over at Jim Rawles site. Apparently the FDA requires that the pet variety be medically equivalent to the human variety (taste and texture are probably different). Don’t know about cost and the like.
You could also talk to your MD to get prescriptions for the human variety. Just explain why you are doing so. He/she might even make suggestions. I’m pretty sure my MD would do so for me. Patient for almost ten years.
If you choose to do the pet meds thing please don’t self dose unless you have to or happen to be a medical professional.
In closing, I’m not suggesting that everybody and their brother dump this site for Jim’s site. Both have areas where they are stronger than the other.
Seems kind of weird replying to myself but this might help some of you.
JWR Adds: Dr. Bob is is one of the few consulting physicians in the U.S. who dispenses antibiotics for disaster preparedness as part of his normal scope of practice. His web site is: SurvivingHealthy.com.
JWR being James Wesley, Rawles. Have no idea what the story is behind the comma in his name.
I not sure what you meant by commenting “”dumping this site” . This is an awesome site! BTW, prescribing medications over the internet is not appropriate medical practice. Unless you actually examine a patient or they are established known patients and “call in” an Rx to a local pharmacy it is unethical. No one should be prescribing Rxs over the internet, ever! We won’t even call in Rxs for our family, let alone strangers.
There are several articles discussing fish antibiotics. We have many of them in our storage, and I have compared them side by side with our antibiotic storage, and guess what…they are exactly them same pills, same color, size, dosage, and markings. I do not condone taking them NOW, they are for dire post-collapse medical emergencies only.
We have had several pharmacists, researchers and someone who worked in a fish antibiotic facility send us information. They all have assured us of the same thing, fish antibiotics are from the same batches of human antibiotics. They are sent to the fish antibiotic facility, rebottled and labeled. That’s why they are the same dosages as human pills. Do you think a guppy needs 500mg of amoxicillin? We have raised tropical fish for 15 years and I’ve seen plenty of these pills. But, believe what you want. We are simply trying to help people prepare.
I will continue to read this website everyday, it is filled with sound advice, and I suggest everyone read it too,
Nurse Amy
Vaseline should also be in your medical kit. It has a multitude of uses from lubricating a thermometer for a baby, as a skin protectant to impregnating a guaze dressing to seal a sucking chest wound. There is actually a type of dressing used in the ER that comes pre-impreganted with vaseline but you can create the same thing by laying the 4 x 4 guaze on a sterile surface or as clean as you can make it in an emergency situation. unfold it so that you have one layer of guaze and then smear the vaseline into the guaze pressing it into the weave. When you are done fold the guaze back up. This will make a sealing bandage. But you have to have the guaze and the vaseline to do this. I used these alot during my days as a Trauma certified RN in the ER. I am now retired.
I would love to know your list of medicinal herbs you have planted in your yard. Thank you so much!
Karla, Since we’ve recently moved, we don’t have a garden yet – although we are anxious to plan and plant a new one once we situate ourselves in our final destination (we are looking for our ‘retreat’ and are in a temporary rental home at the moment). Having said that, we do plan to begin growing some herbal plants indoors by the windows, and we also may have a container garden or two on the south-facing back porch.
Which herbs are you planning to grow?
p.s. thanks for this article!
Karla, That’s a good question
Not exactly sure yet for this go-around, but I’m sure we’ll post on it when we do. Now that Spring is so near, we’re getting excited to do some gardening.
I have a portable garden.
I too rent my home.
I have over a thousand pounds of soil, all in pots! I call it my little half acre but it is more like my big half ton.
I grow 35 square feet of strawberries, a couple blueberry plants, an elderberry bush, a dwarf apple tree, and raspberries, (although most of them have escaped the pot and are now a permanent addition to this house.)
I grow summer squash, cucumbers, carrots, green beans, snap peas, artichokes, and lots of tomatoes!
This year I am finally going to do a raised bed and raise myself up some beets, garlic, and winter squash. If I move, I will dismantle the bed, shovel the soil into a garbage can and take it along.
In addition, I grow these herbs and harvest most of them at least three times during the summer: (except the ones that the roots are used)
Chives, Oregano, Marjoram, Parsley, Basil, Peppermint, Spearmint, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Sage, Green Onions, Lemon Balm, Sweet Grass, Valerian, Echinacea, Comfrey and probably a couple more I am forgetting…
Happy gardening!
In your “list of medical supplies”…what does “tx” mean
@ Ann: Hi Ann, after having worked in the medical world for 20 years, you learn a whole new language (most of which is actually Latin in origin)! ‘tx’ stands for ‘treatment’, ‘dx.’ for diagnosis etc…Stay well, Lauren
Thank you for putting this together! This list is exactly what I was looking for!
There’s one point I’d nitpick about. I have a vertigo disorder. Ginger is great to treat nausea, but it doesn’t stop vertigo. Some meclizine and a little Epley knowledge will go a long way. I’m surprised she didn’t mention raw garlic to treat colds.
Garlic is a great all around substance for good health. Fortunately, I like the taste of garlic and use it in as many meals as possible. One of the Readers on our site even posted this… http://modernsurvivalblog.com/health/how-to-make-garlic-syrup/
In our house, when we feel a cold coming on we chew on a raw garlic clove. If you catch it early enough, the sickness will be gone overnight.
I heard Dr. Wallach say that chronic vertigo is caused by osteoporosis of the bones of the skull. There’s no magic bullet for that. I’m sure he would recommend Calcium plus all the minerals.
Cervical vertigo comes from damage in the neck, but that’s not the only kind of chronic vertigo. I have some kind of problem that causes a recurring case of BPPV. I keep fresh ginger in the kitchen to control nausea when I have a flare-up.
It wouldn’t hurt to give Dr. Wallach a call on his radio show. He received an international award for having cured Cystic Fibrosis and Muscular Dystrophy. He can surely handle a simple case of Vertigo.
http://www.gcnlive.com/programs/deadDoctors/
Great List
Great list posted by admin. Nice to watch this article, The experience we had with you through the IVF treatment was awsome…good infrastructure facility with all advanced techniques…. thanks to all and God bless you…
Epsom Salts are excellent for constipation and make a great poultice for drawing boils and such things to a head. Cheap and keeps forever. Also, activated charcoal in case of poisoning.
all you really need is food and water to live on and i think i can learn from this site
Water first (you cannot survive more than about 3 days without it)
Food second (you can survive for many weeks without food)