survival medicine handbook

Survival Medicine Handbook

I first purchased the Survival Medicine Handbook when their first edition came out, way back when… Now, medical preparedness advocates Joe Alton, MD and Amy Alton, NP have released their 4th edition to this unique medicine handbook – especially for the preparedness-minded.

For when there is no doctor…

“There may come a day when emergency personnel may not be available to save your life or that of your loved ones. In this situation YOU will be the end of the line when it comes to the medical well being of your family. Do you have the knowledge and training to take on that responsibility?”

If a disaster took away the high-technology we take for granted, would you be prepared to keep you family healthy? Could you be an effective medic when hospitals are overcrowded and the ambulance is heading in the other direction? Can you take over if you were the highest medical asset left? 

Previous editions have been 1st place winners in the Book Excellence Awards in Medicine. This one has many more topics. Almost triple the illustrations to give you the info needed to keep it together, even when everything else falls apart.

I believe any one of their editions should be part of every prepper library.

It’s taken for granted in our modern world where most of us are assured of modern health care.

However in a post-modern world (e.g. collapse), things would be very different. Even a basic understanding of first aid should be a requirement for all preppers.

The 4th edition Survival Medicine Handbook contains 700 pages. It encompasses trauma care, first aid, chronic care, medical procedures, and much more. It’ll be an essential reference for anyone concerned about the uncertain future.

The book is unique in that it assumes that a disaster, natural or man-made, has removed all access to hospitals or doctors for the foreseeable future; you, the average person, are now the highest medical resource left to your family. The book’s goal is to make you effective in that role.

Survival Medicine Handbook Topics

Note: This 4th edition is in Black & White. Apparently to offer a lesser price to consumer. If and when they add a color version to their amzn storefront, I will include it here.

The Essential Guide for When Help is NOT on the Way 4th Edition
(get it at their amzn storefront)

With over 300 topics and 300 illustrations, the 4th edition of the Survival Medicine Handbook covers just about every situation the family medic will encounter in times of trouble.

This is only a portion of the table of contents:

PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS
BECOMING A MEDICAL ASSET
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
NATURAL MEDICINE
THE HISTORY AND PHYSICAL
HYGIENE AND SANITATION
HEAT, COLD, AND ALTITUDE ISSUES
NATURAL DISASTERS
RADIATION/BIOLOGICAL/CHEMICAL EVENTS
HEAD ISSUES
DENTAL ISSUES
RESPIRATORY ISSUES
HEART ISSUES
ABDOMINAL ISSUES
URINARY TRACT ISSUES
GENITAL TRACT ISSUES
BONES AND JOINTS
STRAINS, SPRAINS, AND OTHER INJURIES
-Wrapping a Sprain-Sprains vs. Fractures-Orthopedic Natural Remedies
FRACTURES
Reducing a Deformity
Traction
Applying Splints
Placing a Cast-Care of Casts and Splints
Open Fracture Wound Care-Long
Term Fracture Care
DISLOCATIONS
SKIN ISSUES
Cellulitis, Abscesses and Incision and Drainage
ANIMAL BITES, STINGS, AND OTHER ISSUES
ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND ANAPHYLAXIS
MINOR WOUNDS
BURNS
BLEEDING TRAUMA
BLEEDING CONTROL TECHNIQUES-TOURNIQUETS-HEMOSTATIC DRESSINGS
MAJOR WOUNDS
CHEST TRAUMA
-Rib Fractures
-Pneumothorax
-Needle Decompression
-Chest Seals
-Chest Tubes
BLUNT TRAUMA-STAB WOUNDS-GUNSHOT WOUNDS-SHOCK
OPEN WOUND CARE
WOUND CLOSURE
METHODS OF WOUND CLOSURE-HOW TO SUTURE SKIN-HOW TO STAPLE SKIN-DRAINS
MASS CASUALTIES
PATIENT TRANSPORT
PREGNANCY, AND CHILDBIRTH
OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS
PANDEMICS
NURSING CARE OFF THE GRID
MENTAL HEALTH
MEDICATIONS
ESSENTIAL OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS-PAIN MEDICATIONS-NATURAL PAIN RELIEF
ANTIBIOTICS
HOW TO USE ANTIBIOTICS-WHICH AND HOW MANY?-EXPIRATION DATES-PROPER STORAGE Of MEDICINES
When medical personnel are overwhelmed and modern technology is non-existent, The Survival Medicine Handbook is THE essential book for your home library.

When help is not on the way…

One day there may come a time when a pandemic, civil unrest or terrorist event may precipitate a situation where the miracle of modern medicine may be unavailable. Indeed, not only unavailable, but even to the point that the potential for access to modern facilities no longer exists.

Help is NOT on the way; therefore, you have become the place where the “buck” stops for the foreseeable future, at least when it comes to your medical welfare.

Few are prepared to deal with this harsh reality. To go further, very few are willing to even entertain the possibility that such a tremendous burden might be placed upon them. Even for those willing, there are few, if any, books that will consider this drastic turn of events.

15 Comments

  1. i have the 3rd edition and its a very informative book, i also have the when there is no doc, dentist, vet series.
    a person can’t have to much information. don’t just buy them and put them on a shelf, read them. it could save a life. got my med bag mostly refilled this morning. i could not find any Imodium on the shelves. Thanksgiving aftermath possibly.

  2. – nyscout,
    Around west Texas, the Dollar stores have a good supply of the individually packaged tabs. You might check those if you aren’t having any luck otherwise. Agreed on the books, also have a stack of Army TM’s and FM’S, Ditch Medicine by Hugh Coffee, and a few others. I’ll have to check on the other names.

    -Papa S.

  3. On Amazon it states that this is the black and white version. Is there a coloured version?

    1. Skeezix,
      Note: This 4th edition is in Black & White. Apparently to offer a lesser price to consumer. If and when they add a color version to their amzn storefront, I will include it here.

    2. Skeezix,
      When the new 4th edition first came out, if you were on their newsletter distribution list there was an option to purchase a full color edition directly from them, but it was nearly double the price. I debated about getting it then decided to put the the extra $$ into something else. The black and white edition is detailed enough to be able to benefit from the pictures, but next time I may spring for the full color version.

    3. Skeezix,

      I was just on the Dr. Bones website and noticed they’ve received a new shipment of full color versions.
      Adds $30 to the price.
      Does not appear to be available through Amazon in color.

  4. Kulafarmer I see your on schedule for a blizzard warning on your higher peaks and some crazy winds and rainfall for the rest of your islands.

    Hope you and yours are well snugged down for this weather event. Sounds almost like one of our Nor’easter’s around here.

    Be safe buddy

    1. Thanks NHM

      Is pretty much normal for this time o year, just with the 24 hr news cycle and a lack of real news they make a big deal out of a rainy cold front. 🙄
      Ever since i can remember winter season brought these through, much needed rains and the added bonus of snow on the higher peaks on the big island and sometimes maui.

      For us its no big deal, a good excuse to light a fire and watch some movies, life is so busy and stress levels up so is nice to watch the rain and chill

  5. I’m really trying to beef up my medical supplies. Just picked up a skin stapler, surgical toolkit, sutures. Get them before the FDA reclassifies them as a medical device and they become unobtainable. Also got trauma shears, butterfly closures, tourniquets and Israeli battle dressings. Most important thing was I picked up a good quantity of a variety of antibiotics through jasemedical.com. A little pricey but peace of mind knowing I have them. I recommend checking it out.

  6. I just happened to pick this book up last time I was at TSC – it had just come in. Good advice, nyscout! The time to be learning is *before* the knowledge is needed. We’re used to dealing with illness at home using mostly homegrown, herbal remedies, but very little experience with trauma medicine.

    There are already stories of people not being served at hospitals due to a number of factors, including choosing not to take experimental injections, so some of us may already be at the point where we need to do what we can at home.

    Burt G. mentioned jasemedical.com. Does anyone else have experience with this site for antibiotic orders? That is a hole we need to fill quickly. Appreciate any recommendations for the best place to check.

    1. I just used fishmoxfishflex dot com It was expensive but they had what my fish need.

    2. Hi Farmgirl. I was a bit hesitant at first because of the cost and I had never ordered antibiotics online before. But I heard about them on a YouTube channel that I sometimes watch. Provident prepped. Plus I already had accumulated a fair amount of antibiotics. But I went ahead and bought it. Took about 2 weeks to arrive. The order was correct. Decided to order another one for dw. They only allow one per person per year. Good luck.

  7. PNW Sal,

    Thanks! As responsible pet owners, it’s important to keep our fish healthy. :-)

  8. After having a discussion with a family member about medical training. They informed me they were able to locate a U.S. Army Special Forces medic to teach their group. I am not positive if it happened to be a one-day class, but the training was on trauma situations, how to deal with them when & if medical personal were delayed.
    If you have such an organization(s) in your area you may wish to ask the chapter president of any military group IF they offer this kind of training which may be available. It does not hurt to ask; these men & women do a lot good in the background which many are not aware of, their devoted time & effort to the communities in which they reside.

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