ATTENTION: All information posted on this page is for purposes of creative writing and is not intended to in anyway to be a guide to medical treatment. Always seek professional medical attention.

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Here will be a list of various medicinal treatments for a wide range of health problems.

Many of the following articles assume a very basic knowledge of first-aid and human anatomy.


Broken Bones and Fractures
A broken or cracked bone is known as a fracture. Fractures can affect any bone in the body.

"It is very difficult to be sure whether a joint is merely sprained or a bone is broken. If the pain and swelling of a sprain do not dissapear within a few days, keep on resting the [area], applying splints if necessary. Do not let the patient use the limb. Minor sprains do not have to be rested but should be bandaged. The joint should be used as usual short of causing pain." Citations #1 (see endnotes)

The symptoms of a fracture depend on the bone affected and the severity of the injury, but can include:

• pain and swelling.
• bruising or discoloured skin around the bone or joint
• the limb or part of the body being bent at an unusual angle.
• being unable to move or put weight on the injured limb or part, and
• a grinding or grating sensation or sound in the bone or joint
  

Unless it is essential to do so, you should not move a person with a fractured limb until a splint has been applied by a doctor or paramedic to prevent movement of the injured part and the joints above and below the fracture.
Obviously during the apocalypse one with medical experiance may not be around. The next section will explain how to correct broken bones yourself.

There are multiple different types of fractures, ranging in severeity, required treatment, and even prognosis. The follower is an excerpt, and the additional entries have been made relevent to the worse-case survival scenario.

"How to Respond to a Fracture

• Do not give food or liquids.
• Do not try to exert pressure on suspected broken bone or have patient "try out" the injury.
• If bleeding, place cloth (clean if possible) in wound and exert gentle pressure to stop bleeding."Citations #1 (see endnotes)
  

If the wound is significant, refer to approrpriately more significant first aid treatments.

"Closed Fracture
A closed fracture is a break in the bone without a break in the overlying skin. In a closed fracture there may be tissue damage beneath the skin. Even though an injury may be a dislocation or sprain, it should be considered as a closed fracture for the purposes of applying [immediate] first aid." Citations #1 (see endnotes)
These type of fractures can be devestating, and although many commonly are temporary fractures resulting in short-term immobilization, these fractures can also be significant and crippling, requiring setting the bones. This is a difficult and painful procces, requiring medication, skilled expertise and proper medical equipment.
All gunshot wound should be treated not only as flesh wounds but also a skeletal fracture. Assuming this will help treatment.

"Open Fracture
An open fracture is a break in the bone as well as in the overlying skin. The broken bone may have come through the skin. An open fracture can be contaminated and is subject to infection." Citations #1 (see endnotes)
This type of fracture is extremley significant, and usually required surgery to correct. In a worse-case survival situation this may be, for obvious reasons, impossible. This injury also needs to be treated as an open flesh wound. These too should also be splinted for immobilization. Prognosis for this type of injury is very poor and amputation may be the only viable alternative. These types of untreated wounds are prone to infection leading to death. Euthanasia may be an option considered by all parties involved.

If a fracture requires setting, consult another guide. This is simply how to apply FIRST-aid.

Splinting materials can be procured and salvaged easily in most settings, required only a length of reasonbly firm board, cardboard, wood, plastic or metal, and several lengths of bandage acquired from fabrics and clothing. To apply a splint correct, it is recommended that one be in possession of a first aid guide. Bad splinting can cause blood flow problems, nerve damage and even tissue necrosis.

"Rules for Splinting
If the fracture is open, first stop the bleeding, then apply a dressing and bandage as you would any other wound.

• Apply the proven principle "Splint them where they lie". This means to splint the fractured part before any movement is attempted and without any change in the position of the fractured part. If a bone is in an unnatural position or a joint is bent, do not try to straighten it. If a joint is not bent, do not try to bend it.
• Collect appropriate splinting material and padding for the body area involved.
• Apply a splint so that the joint above the fracture and the joint below the fracture are immobilized.
• Used padding between the unjured part and the splint to prevent undue pressure and further injury to tissue, blood vessel, and nerves. This is especially important at the crotch, in the armpit, and in the places where the split comes in contact with bony parts such as the elbow, wrist, fingers, knee and ankle joint.
• Bind the splint with bandages at several points above and below the fracture. but do not bind so tightly to interfere with the flow of the blood. At least two binding points above and two below. No bandage should be applied across the fracture. Tie bandages that the knot is against the splint, and tie them with a square knot (reef knot)
• Use a sling to support a splinted arm which is bent at the elbow, a fractured elbow which is bent, a sprained arm, and an arm with a painful wound." Citations #1 (see endnotes)

Obviously not all situations allow the immediate stationary medical attention required by this guide. In the situation of a combat injury, the injuried person would likely need to be evacuated immediated from the location. In doing so, make as best an attempt as possible to rend the fractured body part immobile.

Treatment of some broken bones including ankle, knee, collar bone, rib, elbow, jaw, and skull required varied treatment. Please refer to a more specific reference to these body parts in the event of a fracture.

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If someone has knowledge of Bone repair; please share it, thank you.


Wound Care and Bleeding

"Common Bleeding
Is a welling up of blood from the depths of the wound in a slow steady stream. The blood comes from numerous blood vessels, except large arteries, of all sizes that have been severed. Usually it is not dangerous but it may look alarming. It can be controlled by a firm dressing.

Large Artery Bleeding
If a large artery is damaged, bleeding may be severe. The blood spurts from the wound in a pulsating stream and several pints may be lost in a few minutes. This is the type of bleeding which can endanger life, but it is fairly rare.

Severe Arterial Bleeding
Immediately apply direct pressure with the thumbs and fingers over the part of the wound from which the blood is coming. Continue pressure, while a suitable pad and bandage is being found, will help to reduce the flow of blood pending the application of a pad and firm bandaging. On the very rare occasion when these measures fail, and it is obvious that the wound is continuing to bleed, a tourniquet should be applied.*" Citations #1 (see endnotes)

* Tourniqueting can be very dangerous and should be preformed only by a knowledgable and skilled individual.

From an email I received, byates
1. Eight First Aid Fallacies It’s easy to confuse medical fallacies with facts when an emergency occurs. And knowing the right thing to do is more important than ever because emergency room waiting times get longer and longer — the current national average is almost one hour, and some patients actually have to wait an astounding twenty-four hours. When you add in the time it takes to get to the ER to begin with, proper first aid can be critical. Here’s a list of eight “Fallacies and Facts” from expert sources such as the Mayo Clinic to always keep in mind. (And never forget that the first rule of first aid is the same one physicians follow: “First, do no harm.”): 1) A severe burn. The usual error is to try to put something on a burn, whether it’s ice or butter. The best thing for a minor burn, or even a first or second-degree burn, is to immediately cool the area down with cold running water. Cover the burn with loose gauze — not cotton or anything fuzzy — and go to the ER. 2) Electrical burns. The potential fatal error here is failing to go to the ER immediately, since there is often no evidence of injury. Electrical burns, however, can cause hidden injury deep within the body. Just remember that electrical burns are double-barreled, causing injury by heating as well as by the passage of electric current itself through tissues. 3) A knocked-out tooth. A common mistake is to scrub the tooth. The best thing is to drop the tooth in a glass of milk and head to the ER, where it might be reimplanted. 4) Severed finger. In these days of chainsaws and electric carving knives, it’s easy to lop off the end of a finger. The error here is to put the severed part on ice. The correct procedure is to put the part in a water proof bag, and then place the bag itself on ice before going to the ER. 5) Nosebleed. The fallacy in treating nosebleeds is to lean back. The proper treatment is to lean forward instead of backward, and to pinch your nose just below the nasal bone and hold it for five to ten minutes. If bleeding persists, go to the ER. 6) Ankle Sprain. The wrong thing in this case is heat — put away the heating pad and get out the ice pack. Also, ibruprofen or other NSAIDs are recommended to help reduce inflammation and swelling. If your ankle won’t bear weight, you may have a fracture, and you may need a trip to the ER. 7) Poison. The biggest fallacy is to administer syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting. The right thing is to get the victim to the ER together with the container of whatever poison was ingested. These days, ER doctors will often give the victim activated charcoal to bind the poison in the stomach and keep it from entering the bloodstream. 8) Seizures of Any Kind. The worst error is to put something in the victim’s mouth. The recommendation here is to put the victim onto his or her side, and call 911. Important Note: Other times you should immediately call 911 instead of trying to transport someone to the ER are cases of chest pain, profuse and uncontrollable bleeding, shortness of breath, and confusion.
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Endnotes & Citations:

1. "Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book", Paul Tawrell 1996. ISBN 1-896713-00-9.