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The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way
The Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is a guide for those who want to be medically prepared for any disaster where help is NOT on the way. This book is written by Joe Alton, M.D. and Amy Alton, A.R.N.P., the premiere Medical Preparedness Professionals from the top ten survival website www.doomandbloom.net. The expanded second edition of the 3 category Amazon bestseller (Survival Skills, Disaster Relief, Safety/First Aid) is geared to enable the non-medical professional to deal with all the likely issues they will encounter in catastrophic scenarios. The Survival Medicine Handbook (tm) is not your standard first aid book. It assumes that no hospital or doctor is available in the aftermath of a catastrophic event. This book will give you the tools to handle injuries and illness for when YOU might be the end of the line with regards to your family's medical well-being. In circumstances where medical personnel are overwhelmed and access to modern technology is limited or non-existent, The Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is the essential reference book for every library. Written in plain English, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to identify and treat over 100 different medical issues. The second edition also covers alternative remedies for almost every possible medical condition in situations where modern healthcare is inaccessible.
588 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2013
161 people are currently reading
1358 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 18, 2023
Survival Medicine – a book which is not easy to get hold of in my country, and in retrospect, I wish I hadn’t made the effort. If you had Civil Defence/First Aid courses at school, consider it likely that you’ll learn nothing new, especially on the medical front.
By a rough estimate, fifty percent of Survival Medicine comprises of the author, doctor Joseph Alton, advising you to use essential oils at inappropriate times, for ailments they won’t cure.
The remainder of Survival Medicine is largely doctor Alton’s mindless rambling. He explains what a tornado is. He tells you to wash vegetables before cooking. He advises you to put a clove of garlic up the wizard’s sleeve, to treat vaginal infections. Did you know you could flush a toilet manually, with water from a bucket? Well, the author even provides a picture – there’s undeniably a toilet and a bucket of water. Look at that subtle off-white colouring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God. It even has a watermark.
Doctor Alton informs me that, under normal circumstances, you never want to remove a foreign object, like a knife, from a wound, until it can be done by a surgeon. I know that. Doctor Alton further informs me that, with no access to doctors or hospitals for months to come, I’ll have to remove the knife myself. I also know that. I’m reading Survival Medicine to find out how to remove the goddam knife. Doctor Alton warns me I’ll need a lot of gauze, aaaaand – wait for it – the chapter ends. I never find out.
In the chapter about amputation, doctor Alton states the procedure requires specialist equipment. What equipment exactly? You’re supposed to stitch the muscle to the bone lining. How exactly? Just like Bigfoot in The X Files, the practical details of procedures continue to elude me across the entire book.
At one point, doctor Alton explains the basics of medical triage, and invites the reader to perform a hypothetical triage exercise over a group of wounded people. He assures us immediately that, conversely the title of his book, help is on the way. A clinical nurse will take over from here.
Yet, wasn’t the entire premise of Survival Medicine built around the notion that, for years on end, there might be no qualified medical staff to save the day? No epidurals and no MRI? That you might be on your own – the first responder, the chemist, the surgeon and dentist, and if you have any stamina left, the undertaker? That you’ll be made to pay the ultimate price in health and sanity; in the lives of people you couldn’t save and those you killed with your amateurish interventions? How can the author suggest that apocalyptic vision, and only ever teach his readers to put in sutures, poorly, then mumble incoherently about a lavender oil massage?
One last practical suggestion: consider not prefacing your book with examples on how “preppers” are better than everyone else. You’re not making the case you think you are. People are rarely flattered by back pats, and will not take you very seriously.
By a rough estimate, fifty percent of Survival Medicine comprises of the author, doctor Joseph Alton, advising you to use essential oils at inappropriate times, for ailments they won’t cure.
The remainder of Survival Medicine is largely doctor Alton’s mindless rambling. He explains what a tornado is. He tells you to wash vegetables before cooking. He advises you to put a clove of garlic up the wizard’s sleeve, to treat vaginal infections. Did you know you could flush a toilet manually, with water from a bucket? Well, the author even provides a picture – there’s undeniably a toilet and a bucket of water. Look at that subtle off-white colouring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God. It even has a watermark.
Doctor Alton informs me that, under normal circumstances, you never want to remove a foreign object, like a knife, from a wound, until it can be done by a surgeon. I know that. Doctor Alton further informs me that, with no access to doctors or hospitals for months to come, I’ll have to remove the knife myself. I also know that. I’m reading Survival Medicine to find out how to remove the goddam knife. Doctor Alton warns me I’ll need a lot of gauze, aaaaand – wait for it – the chapter ends. I never find out.
In the chapter about amputation, doctor Alton states the procedure requires specialist equipment. What equipment exactly? You’re supposed to stitch the muscle to the bone lining. How exactly? Just like Bigfoot in The X Files, the practical details of procedures continue to elude me across the entire book.
At one point, doctor Alton explains the basics of medical triage, and invites the reader to perform a hypothetical triage exercise over a group of wounded people. He assures us immediately that, conversely the title of his book, help is on the way. A clinical nurse will take over from here.
Yet, wasn’t the entire premise of Survival Medicine built around the notion that, for years on end, there might be no qualified medical staff to save the day? No epidurals and no MRI? That you might be on your own – the first responder, the chemist, the surgeon and dentist, and if you have any stamina left, the undertaker? That you’ll be made to pay the ultimate price in health and sanity; in the lives of people you couldn’t save and those you killed with your amateurish interventions? How can the author suggest that apocalyptic vision, and only ever teach his readers to put in sutures, poorly, then mumble incoherently about a lavender oil massage?
One last practical suggestion: consider not prefacing your book with examples on how “preppers” are better than everyone else. You’re not making the case you think you are. People are rarely flattered by back pats, and will not take you very seriously.
August 10, 2019
When I read this, I was expecting an expanded first-aid book. Basically, if you were stuck somewhere miles from the nearest hospital and needed to set a fracture or something, what would you need to do.
This book was actually completely different. This book is in a genre I hadn't heard of before, for an audience I didn't know existed. Now, I've learned there's a "prepper" community out there, and this book is aimed very much in their direction.
Basically, if you believe:
1. Civilization (in general) will collapse within your lifetime
2. The resulting world will be a libertarian dystopia similar to Mad Max or any zombie survival movie
3. When this happens, you (without medical knowledge) will be the closest to a medical expert around
and are wondering how exactly you should prepare your post-apocalypse clinic, then this is the book for you.
I don't believe any of the above, so I had trouble reading it. It dips far more into survivalist fantasy than "what happens if I break my leg and can't reach the phone" levels of practicality I was hoping for.
This book was actually completely different. This book is in a genre I hadn't heard of before, for an audience I didn't know existed. Now, I've learned there's a "prepper" community out there, and this book is aimed very much in their direction.
Basically, if you believe:
1. Civilization (in general) will collapse within your lifetime
2. The resulting world will be a libertarian dystopia similar to Mad Max or any zombie survival movie
3. When this happens, you (without medical knowledge) will be the closest to a medical expert around
and are wondering how exactly you should prepare your post-apocalypse clinic, then this is the book for you.
I don't believe any of the above, so I had trouble reading it. It dips far more into survivalist fantasy than "what happens if I break my leg and can't reach the phone" levels of practicality I was hoping for.
September 25, 2014
The best thing about this book is that it has info that other books don't. In addition to the good Wilderness First Aid books I have, having a book that talks about tooth extraction is good to have. The worst thing about the book is that it was edited very poorly. Most chapters had sentences that had appeared word for word earlier in the chapter. Very redundant and repetitive at times. Still, I read through just about the whole book and am glad to have it as a reference. I gave it 3 stars, but it's probably fairly worth 4 stars to people until a better edition or separate book comes out. Absolutely not a 5 star book at this point.
June 16, 2019
Favorite things about the book:
1. It sets a healthy, realistic mentality of what to expect if shit hits the fan. The book goes beyond what is commonly considered 'survival medicine'.
2. The authors accentuate on practical survivability: It combines modern medical solutions with the reality of having to use all kinds of other alternatives when materials run dry.
3. Covers realistic issues that can be easily overlooked in a long-term collapse situation:
From dental problems to waste management, chronic disease management possibilities in a survival situation.
1. It sets a healthy, realistic mentality of what to expect if shit hits the fan. The book goes beyond what is commonly considered 'survival medicine'.
2. The authors accentuate on practical survivability: It combines modern medical solutions with the reality of having to use all kinds of other alternatives when materials run dry.
3. Covers realistic issues that can be easily overlooked in a long-term collapse situation:
From dental problems to waste management, chronic disease management possibilities in a survival situation.
April 25, 2018
Your ultimate guide to teach you tricks and alternatives to treat most common health conditions whether in a collapse situation or daily life issues, it also teaches you medical skills (which is an absolute bonus for me)
I recommend it for all medical students and even if you're not a med student but happen to be interested in becoming your own family medic whether you're on a trip away from any hospital or healthcare facilities or wanting to be ready for the day where medical care is simply not within reach, then go for it with all my respect ;-)
I recommend it for all medical students and even if you're not a med student but happen to be interested in becoming your own family medic whether you're on a trip away from any hospital or healthcare facilities or wanting to be ready for the day where medical care is simply not within reach, then go for it with all my respect ;-)
June 2, 2025
While there is Google, AI and whatever other number of assistants to help you diagnose various ailments I prefer to have a book to reference. This is more comprehensive than the first aid book I have.
It has helped me with a good number of accurate diagnosis. I am not a medical professional and would not be comfortable being the "medic for our group" if we devolved into a lawless society where there was no where to go to for medical care. I will say this continues to grow my confidence in doing so.
It has helped me with a good number of accurate diagnosis. I am not a medical professional and would not be comfortable being the "medic for our group" if we devolved into a lawless society where there was no where to go to for medical care. I will say this continues to grow my confidence in doing so.
March 8, 2024
A massive education on all things that a non-doctor should know. Not five stars only because about 2/3 of the illustrations are fuzzy and unreadable. Even the photographs (all back and white) are completely unidentifiable and completely useless. But, the text and content is excellent.
August 23, 2019
I'll be going through this book several times. Great information!
March 7, 2023
I have no issue with the photos being in black and white like I've seen others complain about. The info is solid and it's nice to have it all in one place.
October 30, 2024
If I could give it a sixth star I would. This book is built to save lives.
August 19, 2022
A wealth of wonderful knowledgeable. My only overall gripe is that some of the graphics were fuzzy. I would not peg this book as something for someone outside the medical field. As someone who knows medical terminology, I can easily read this. It's a worth addition to my library. I feel like I am the only one within my household who could benefit from it overall. I'd recommend it regardless.
February 20, 2017
Love this book
This reference book is a Wealth of information . Absolutely love it...a must for your medical stash! Definitely recommend to anyone.
This reference book is a Wealth of information . Absolutely love it...a must for your medical stash! Definitely recommend to anyone.
February 12, 2018
Survival Medicine Handbook by Alton, @ 2013, ISBN: 9780988872530, PB, Amazon 7/2013 New $36.76
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2014
Was wanting more herbal info but if I ever need to help someone in an apocalyptic wasteland, this would be the book to go to.
January 29, 2015
Excellent medical advice from a doctor. The information in this book might save your life if you are ever in a survival situation and need medical attention.
March 21, 2016
Very good start
Lots of really good open minded information. Does a lot to remind you just how things could be if things go south.
Lots of really good open minded information. Does a lot to remind you just how things could be if things go south.
April 29, 2016
Too much alternative mumbo-jumbo
December 29, 2020
a thorough treatise on alternative medical practices, when traditional medical care is not available.
May 23, 2022
Imperative
March 19, 2025
Good to have on hand in case.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews