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Discussion: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
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StrangerKXH |
What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 1:55 PM EST
Years down the road, drugs are going to lose their potency (depending on how they're stored). So what do we do when we run out of penicillin? Can't make more without sterile equipment and a medium to culture it in.Will I have to resort to learning voodoo magic? Or do we have to accept a shorter life span? Does anyone have any better ideas? 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?
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Ready_For_Z-Day |
1. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 2:16 PM EST
For lack of a better response, it would totally suck. And I think accepting a shorter life span is our only option.Do you find this valuable? |
IthroZada |
2. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 2:25 PM EST
We probably would have to accept a shorter lifespan, but there are brilliant ways of still harvesting antibiotics and such. They found antibiotics in the beer of ancient civilizations, which had to be on purpose. And the Bedouin were actually able to harvest penicillin from their saddles. It's gross, but you have to work with what you can get. I'd say keep a survival book on plants handy.
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Dr.Wheatie |
3. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 4:26 PM EST
From 1800's-early 1900's sanitation, immunizations and public health improvements raised the life expectancy from 25-30 years to approx. 60 years. The introduction of antibiotics really only added about 5 years. Will life expectancy be shorter? Yes. But I don't think the lack of antibiotics will be the biggest factor. Accidents, poor nutrition and hygeine will probably be a bigger factor. From a disease standpoint the return of things like polio, whooping cough, and tetanus due to lack of immunizations will play a bigger role. More doom and gloom...even if we can figure out a way to produce natural penicillins the vast majority of common infections are or are becoming resistant to it. Still good for syphillis though. See my post on pre-Z antibiotic use in "Antibiotics and Disease in a Zombie Apocalypse" section. Do you find this valuable? |
Eritsukukun |
4. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 4:47 PM EST
I am positive by nature. lack of medication wont do much to the lifetime expectancy because of the fact that there are flipping zombies out there eclipsing all other causes of death.
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John_234 |
5. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 9:46 PM EST
Insulin, some basic antibiotics and various others can be found in nature, aspirin in tree bark being a good example, but there's a large degree of very high-tech medication in any developed nation, and we're not going to be able to replicate all of that.I know a guy who needs dialysis twice a week, and he openly admit any long term disaster is a death sentence. Medications will put it off for a couple months, but not forever. Anyone dependent on medications will be in a similar situation. To a somewhat lesser degree, you have those who are prescribed to blood pressure medications, anti seizure meds, steroids, antibiotic treatment... even if they don't die right off the bat, they're going to be very vulnerable. While we're not going to experience a significantly shorter life span because of lack of factory produced medications, understand that it isn't some harmless change. People will die in droves. Realistically speaking, even with a non-existent infrastructure, I don't think the life spans our generation, the one immediately affected by the disaster, would be shorter. With a disaster widespread enough to be considered apocalyptic would kill off so many people that simply put, there would overall be a fair abundance of resources and general space to throw our crap. We'll run out of bullets, gasoline, high fructose corn syrup and advil, but I'm pretty sure we'll won't have to build many structures, guns, or knives for the next hundred years or so. Unlike our turn of the century counterparts, we don't have to pave new streets, create new irrigation systems and construct railroads... it's all existing, just with the plug pulled, so to speak. The biggest threat, I think, really isn't general sanitation, but a very large disease, like another flu, plague... or, of course the zombie contaminant itself, like Erit said. Do you find this valuable? |
jdi35 |
6. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 14 2010, 10:04 PM EST
besides that, people have come up with herbal remedies for centuries, salves from garlic oil and beeswax for an example.http://www.altnature.com/gallery/ Do you find this valuable? |
cj1977 |
7. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Nov 15 2010, 1:58 AM EST
I'd better get to a library to get some books.
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VoodooHack |
8. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 6:13 PM EST
| Post edited: Dec 10 2010, 6:15 PM EST
Zombies are scary and life-threatening enough. However, we can't forget the mundane diseases that we thought we've eradicated. When the zombie attack and society breaks down, these diseases will come back and come back in strength. Waves of death will not be from zombies, but from the following: E-coli infection, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, dysentery and any upper respiratory infection. They will claim as many lives as the undead.People will huddle together for protection in primitive camps, especially in large cities where the "system" is inadequate to support them or has collapsed altogether. Dense populations in primitive conditions will result in poor nutrition, poor sanitation, poor ventilation... all causes of the diseases I mentioned. One need only look to recent catastrophes like the Haiti earthquake and hurricane Katrina for case studies on the phenomena of disease proliferation. When the SHTF, we'll need to be very mindful of cleanliness, good supply of water, nutritional upkeep, and general good health. When ill, we'll need to turn to herbal remedies, and dare I say, placebos, to get us through the day. Unfortunately, those that are dependent on maintenance drugs like insulin or special heart or upper respiratory medication will simply die when their medicinal supplies are depleted. Do you find this valuable? |
Whybother08 |
9. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 7:38 PM EST
"I'd better get to a library to get some books."I'd imaging making penicillin and other antibiotics isn't as simple as reading a book about it in the library. Maybe my batsh1t-crazy science teacher would be more useful than I thought...he said he was a pharmacologist/pharmacist back in New Delhi. Do you find this valuable? |
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zombiekiller96 |
10. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 7:53 PM EST
natural medicine is better than ever day medicine i have lived in the woods for 3 years and surviaved on herbs and nature alone Do you find this valuable? |
anninhilator |
11. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 7:56 PM EST
"For lack of a better response, it would totally suck. And I think accepting a shorter life span is our only option.nope. The short lifetime of people in past was because so many died under the age of 3. Insert wars and pandemics here. Note that pandemic was caused by lack of hygiene, not medicine Do you find this valuable? |
Mr_Jumbles |
12. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 8:18 PM EST
"natural medicine is better than ever day medicineno offense but you sound like a troll :\ and your profile dont help FILL IT OUT BUDDY! 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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John_234 |
13. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 10:39 PM EST
"no offense but you sound like a troll :\Ironic. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
JunkCollector |
14. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 10:44 PM EST
That's what a good herb, and natural medicine book will come in very handy.
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Mr_Jumbles |
15. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 10:45 PM EST
"Ironic."how so Johny boy? 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
Frag-12 |
16. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 10:51 PM EST
posting to the thread...Well since modern day medicine most common side effects is kidney damage, maybe it will be a good thing to go back to nature for medicinal uses. Do you find this valuable? |
SasquatchJim |
17. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 11:36 PM EST
"how so Johny boy?"HEY! I'm the only one that says "Johnny-boy!" And, what did you say on the other thread about implied messages not working? Do you find this valuable? |
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John_234 |
18. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 10 2010, 11:36 PM EST
"posting to the thread...Often beats the alternatives. Do you find this valuable? |
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zombiekiller96 |
19. RE: What do you do when the world runs out of medicine?
Dec 11 2010, 5:30 PM EST
"no offense but you sound like a troll :\IM NOT A TROLL IM A GOD DAMM SURVALIST Do you find this valuable? |
