Book Review--The Ship's Medicine Chest and Medical Aid at Sea

Conventional wisdom is just that—it works in conventional times.  Unfortunately, with the times we find ourselves living in, conventional wisdom may not serve us as well.  Sometimes we need an unconventional approach. 

One such approach involves different resources than those commonly mentioned by preppers.  There are the usual off-grid medicine guides, many of which I have and some of which I recommend.  Then there is the The Ship's Medicine Chest and Medical Aid at Sea.  It isn't written from the approach of a collapsed society, doomsday, or Armageddon. 

I had picked up this volume several years earlier based on a recommendation from an internet acquaintance but hadn’t even opened it after I got it.  It was old.  It didn’t have a glossy full-color cover like some of my other books.  And it looked like a textbook.  Probably reminded me too much of some of my college zoology texts.  Chloroform in print. 

I shouldn’t have been so judgmental.

This book is gold. 

It’s a publication of the US Public Health Service prepared for merchant ships crews that do not have a physician on board.  The 1978 edition, which is what I’m using, is an update to the 1955 version entitled The Ship’s Medicine Chest and First Aid at Sea.  While there are editions published in the 1980s and later, those volumes are written with the premise that a helicopter can always be called for evacuating patients in emergency situations.  The 1978 edition assumes that, for better or worse, the crew members on board the ship, who may have some medical training, are the ones providing medical care.  Just like when natural disaster, societal collapse, wars, etc., happen, and we are all we have.  There is no laboratory or x-rays or other equipment to aid diagnosis or treatment. 

Moreso than any other off-grid medicine text, which is basically what this book is, except that they operate under the assumption that there is clean water and electricity available, this book contains over 130 illustrations and photographs depicting proper bandaging, splinting of fractures, airway insertion, IV administration, various rashes, how to administer various injections, how to take blood pressure readings, how to perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, and so much more. 

Half of the information is devoted to emergency treatment of injuries and diseases; the other half deals with anatomy, patient examination, various medications, nursing care, birth and death at sea, and the prevention and control of communicable diseases.  The last chapter alone makes purchase of this book worthwhile.  (However, because it is a government publication in the public domain, I have reproduced that information here on the blog.) 

 

 

 

None of the usual off-grid medicine texts covers anything to do with these illnesses, other than to suggest getting vaccinated.  Unfortunately, we are approaching the time when vaccines may not be available to our most precious and vulnerable populations.  Where There Is No Doctor and Survival and Austere Medicine, 3^rd Edition have a few tidbits but not enough.  It was concerning.

When you turn to the index of The Ship’s Medicine Chest and Medical Aid at Sea, you will hit the jackpot. 

You may be wondering, “If this book is so great, why hasn’t she reviewed it sooner?  Why isn’t it widely recommended among other off-grid medicine texts?”  (Actually, I did review this three years ago.  Today’s run of it is a repeat/reminder in case you haven’t gotten it yet.)

There are three reasons:

• The topics I wrote about were pretty well-covered in other off-grid texts
• This book was in the first batch of books that got packed prior to our move—well over a year ago.  (I really regretted that, FYI.)
• It is out of print. 

Because it is out of print, it’s not going to be recommended by anyone who uses an affiliate program to boost sales and income.  And because it is out of print, there are not a lot of copies out there.  So it might seem kinda rude for me to recommend it at all.  But I really like it, especially for all the illustrations demonstrating how to splint various fractures and bandaging significant wounds.

Of course, some of the information is going to be dated.  This volume is over 40 years old.  Actually, anything more than two years old is now dated since ranitidine (Zantac) has been taken off the market due to being a potential carcinogen.  But honestly, a lot of the stuff we’re going to be dealing with is pretty well covered here.  The major exceptions are conditions dealing with infants and children, the elderly, and those with chronic medical conditions, groups unlikely to be found on merchant vessels. 

No one text covers everything.  It’s a really good idea to have at least two or preferably three medical texts.  If you come across a copy of the 1978 edition for less than $20, I’d highly recommend picking it up.  If you don’t have any medical texts and you don’t have individuals in the aforementioned groups in your family, I’d get this book before getting any others.