One of the most important aspects of self-reliance is being prepared to deal with the variety of medical issues that will inevitably arise, ranging from inconveniences to emergencies.
Back in October, the Israelis learned a nice object lesson in the way of self-reliance. Why they—the government and the people, situated as they are surrounded by enemies, could not foresee the need for individuals and families to be able to defend themselves with their own guns boggles my mind. In the aftermath of the brutal October 7 attacks, the Israeli government executed an about-face, and suddenly most everyone could acquire a weapon. Of course, there weren’t enough to go around. Even Stevie Wonder could have seen that coming.
One month before those attacks, The Spectator published an article on the first aid crisis in Ukraine, revealing that many wounded soldiers who could have been saved were dying due to the lack of trained medical personnel, lack of supplies including antibiotics, and inferior equipment (read Chinese-made) failing, especially tourniquets.[1] It was also noted that many of the volunteers there purchase care essentials with their own money.
Earlier this month, NPR (yeah, I know, NPR…) ran an article on how unprepared the US military is to treat casualties in a hot war that will likely begin in the not-too-distant future.[2]
And finally, this quote from The Great Influenza:
In the meantime the military’s appetite for doctors and nurses only grew…. So the military suctioned more and more nurses and physicians into cantonments, aboard ships, into France, until it had extracted nearly all the best young physicians. Medical care for civilians deteriorated rapidly. The doctors who remained in civilian life were largely either incompetent young ones or those over forty-five years of age, the vast majority of whom had been trained in the old ways of medicine. The shortage of nurses would prove even more serious. Indeed, it would prove deadly, especially in civil society (p 143).
From this period in history we learn what will happen when war breaks out: NO MEDICAL CARE FOR US. And I am not suggesting that doctors and nurses shouldn’t treat soldiers; I am just stating the facts. They will be taken from the civilian population to serve the military, leaving the people at home with little access to care. Things are already bad now with astronomical wait times in many emergency rooms around the country. What will it be like when half the doctors and nurses are drafted to serve in the military? What happened back then? There were few doctors and nurses at home to treat the sick when the influenza pandemic began. Many died for lack of care.
Now consider that we have an invading army of military aged men larger than the number of active duty soldiers in the US. Consider the other “refugees” and all the diseases they bring. Free medical care for them eventually develops into NO MEDICAL CARE FOR US. As we witnessed with COVID, doctors, nurses, and other support staff burned out and quit. NO MEDICAL CARE FOR US. When we go to war with China, they’ll probably stop shipping medical supplies and medications. Just a guess on my part. And what will that mean for us, Johnny? NO MEDICAL CARE FOR US.
The Post Millennial ran an article last year stating that half of the invaders in New York City were not vaccinated against polio.[3] CNN reported an outbreak of tuberculosis in Long Beach, CA, earlier this month. And did you see that leprosy is making a comeback in the US?[4]
When “free” medical care for everyone bankrupts hospitals, where will that leave us?
That’s right. NO MEDICAL CARE FOR US.
As history has shown, when things collapse and the only medical supplies to be obtained are on the black market, exorbitantly priced and of dubious quality, doctors can usually be found. Like most of society, they will not be prepared, and if they do happen to be prepared, they probably didn’t prepare for you. You’ll have to bring your own bandages.
Links to related posts:
The US Depends on Drugs from China. Should You Also?
Colds, Influenza, and Illnesses That Look Like Colds
Polio: What Are the Risks in a Collapsed Society?
Tuberculosis
in a TEOTWAWKI Society
[1] https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ukraines-real-killing-fields-an-investigation-into-the-wars-first-aid-crisis/ I was first made aware of this article through a post on TimeBomb2000.com. You may wish to read the thread if you are looking for more suggestions (in addition to the link above) for tourniquets. https://www.timebomb2000.com/xf/index.php?threads/ukraines-real-killing-fields-an-investigation-into-the-wars-first-aid-crisis.637625/
The monks' herbal gardens and luffa grown because it makes good bandages seems almost reasonable, yes?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your efforts to research for us.
With the medical field today and Big Pharma, I've developed more confidence in herbs. I haven't ever tried luffa sponges, but that may well be something to put on the to-do list. Anyone with experience growing and/or using them? Anyone want to write an article on it?
DeleteDoctor Steve recommended a supply of rayon gauze because it was reusable--it could be washed and autoclaved numerous times to sterilize it.
Luffa can be boiled to make them surgically clean (note I didn't say sterile). They are too rough to apply directly on a wound but as a adsorbent pad wrapped like a peri pad they can handle the often high volume from honey-sugar dressings.
DeleteRayon dressing are nice but not very adsorbent of serum fluids in my experience. If your using honey or sugar for its anti-biotic effects on wounds they will be messy wet until healing occurs.
Also as mentioned useful for peri pads.
When (not if) China cuts off our access to medicines the we will see massive societal issues. Currently 19% of the US is on anti-depressants, many of which have some pretty horrible side effects if you go cold turkey, in some cases violent mood swings.
ReplyDelete7.8 million Americans use Insulin and the vast majority of that supply is made by US companies but a lot of it is now made in China.
Exile1981
Insulin here, insulin there, but is there insulin where you need it?
ReplyDeleteAs Jennifer said war time needs and massive influx of illegals makes our currently strained medical system even more fragile.
Let alone the politics involved.
A stand alone solar kit plus a small fridge seems prudent for diabetics.
Absolutely.
DeleteI should add, several methods of refrigeration should some fail, and a plan and the protocol for DIYing insulin should life come to that.
Delete