Spinal Protection in the Wilderness: What We’ve Been Doing Wrong for Decades

The latest Wilderness Medical Society Guidelines for spinal cord protection have been released (SCP Guidelines). The results are nothing short of dramatic. If you have been a victim of a traumatic injury over the past 50 years, you have been quickly placed in a cervical collar and strapped to a backboard to “protect your spine”….

Pre-Hospital Care in Mass Casualty Shootings–An Update

Update: In September of 2019, shortly after my post below, Capt. Brad Bennett published an update for the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) in the WMS magazine article titled, “Committee on Combat Casualty Care Updates and Expands Recommended Tourniquet List”. I wanted to repost my article with some updates and add a link…

The House of Jesus: A Book Review

Having just finished reading this novel while on a cruise through the Caribbean, I had to write a review of this marvelous work. This book truly has something for every reader. If you are looking for a romance, the blossoming relationship between two of the main characters will keep you enthralled. If you are looking…

Altitude: It May Not be as High as You Think

For many, the thought of going “to altitude” brings images of Mt. Everest or similar mountaineering peaks. Physiologically, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Depending upon susceptibility, humans can begin to experience symptoms of altitude illness as low as 1500 meters above sea level. The chances increase after 6,500 feet and further still…

Hydration and Rehydration

Hydration aka water…essential for life. We take for granted this vital substance which we cannot live without. In much of the world, however, clean drinking water is a luxury. In a previous post, I have discussed how to make this water safe to drink. In this post, I want to examine what you might be…

Medical Preparedness

The news is full of stories that are forever reminding us that we have to be prepared for just about anything these days. Some may choose to take this to the level many think of as being a “prepper” while others have done little to nothing expecting all needs to be met by local or…

Dengue Outbreak in Nepal

It is being reported that dengue is stretching Hospital resources in Kathmandu with 1170 cases since May 2019. Nepal has seen 5095 cases with numbers expected to be underreported. This disease has not traditionally been an issue in Kathmandu and the public has not been prepared to take the illness or precautions seriously. It is…

Angelica archangelica

Also known as wild celery, this medicinal herb was a favorite for Colonists to the Americas from Britain. Used for thousands of years by medical practitioners on both sides of the pond, this herb has been advertised as, essentially, a cure all. Current scientific studies have not supported such wide ranging uses. However, there are…

Pre-Hospital Care in Mass Casualty Shootings

You will likely recognize the above picture as a CAT tourniquet. As programs such as Stop The Bleed and others have focused on the use of tourniquets in the field, these have become a popular item for most to carry in our kits. This is for good reason too. Studies and data coming from military…