The Prepper’s Medical Handbook

This book is intended to help people live off the grid, with no help from the medical institutions we usually rely on. The author is a trained physician, so there is little in the way of herbal medicine or natural remedies in the book, and the medical kit (last chapter) recommends over-the-counter medications.

The first third of the book is devoted to assessment, which is important for a correct diagnosis and treatment. After that, the chapters are divided according to the care required. The first discusses radiation (in case of a radiation-related disaster). The next concerns dental care, followed by orthopedics. Bites and stings are next, followed by bioterrorism and infectious diseases. Afterwards, there is a chapter on environmental injuries that covers heat and cold stress, lightning, and high-altitude illness. Finally, there is a chapter on what to include in a medical kit.

The book is well written and clearly organized. However, unless one is preparing for something akin to a doomsday scenario, large portions of it will not be applicable. The book tries to cover all areas, and in the process, limits itself in terms of the depth of its coverage.