Wilderness And Expedition Medicine : The Wilderness Medicine

Folk medicine is an important aspect of the Appalachian region. According to Mathews, folk medicine is known in involving diseases or illnesses “which are the

Sixty days of carrying 80-pound backpacks, sleeping under a tarp for shelter in the Utah winter – welcome to “wilderness therapy.”

The medicines and medical techniques used during the Civil War were very primitive for their time. Extremely little was known about germs and the dangers of infections. In Recovery, it is stated that, “Treating wounds and illnesses with medication had become common—opiates, stimulants, sedatives, diuretics, purgatives, and more were widely available and used. The first pills had been made in the early 1800s. The stethoscope and the

We had numerous required crew planning meetings to plan for the expedition, to pick our itinerary based on the mileage and activities while on the trail, to elect crew leaders and to plan to procure crew and personal gear. Since we had to carry lot of weight which included personal gear, food for 3-4 days and 4-5 liters of water, we had to plan and buy personal gear that did not take up too much volume and heavy, so there was enough room and weight available to carry the crew and Philmont gear, which included tent, clothes line, 3 stoves, fuel tanks, cooking pot/pan, rope, bear bags, tent stakes, trowel/shovel, dining fly, toilet paper, iodine tablets for water filtration, collapsible water jugs, etc. We met again in January and March to finalize the details of what we were expected to carry, to elect crew leaders, quartermaster and crew guide; we also went over trip planning and other details. I was elected the “Wilderness Guia” (Spanish for guide) for the crew, which involves helping the crew understand the principles of the Philmont Wilderness Pledge, following the leave no trace principle while on the trail, and ensuring that campsites are left clean. I also read the handbook for Philmont which covered the safety measures, necessary gear, and rules to abide while on the trip. I reviewed the Philmont website for information on do/don’ts, what to expect, physical fitness and conditioning required to take such a strenuous hike and how to prepare for the trip. Philmont participants are required to be physically prepared to carry a 35 to 50 pound pack over steep, rocky trails at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet. This requires a regular program of physical conditioning for at least three to six months prior to taking a trek is essential. So, my dad and I started to go on a 6+ mile practice

Stevenson, J. (2010). The complete idiots guide to backpacking and hiking. New York; Penguin Group.

Have you ever wondered how medicine during the Civil war is different than how it is now? During the Civil War there wasn’t much medicine. It was known as the Middle Age of Medicine. Diseases went through the camps really fast which was the main cause of death. Doctors didn’t know much about diseases and medicine at this time.

Alaskan Tribal Members are a prime example of just how difficult it is to provide accessible healthcare to Native Americans. In a study about improving the oral health of Alaskan Natives, published on PubMed Central of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it was stated that “Disregarding the 3 largest population centers in Alaska [Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau], the state has a population density of about 0.5 people per square mile,

"Native American medicine is based on widely held beliefs about healthy living, the repercussions of disease-producing behavior, and the spiritual principles that restore balance." -Ken "Bear Hawk" Cohen (Chrisman 1).

“We are only as good as our equipment” or at least that is how the saying goes, but what happens when we have the best equipment and our bodies no longer tolerate atmospheric conditions? Into Thin Air, written by Jon Krakauer,  shows how individuals vary greatly in how well they can tolerate changes in pressure, temperature or oxygen content of the air. This allows them to be one with themselves by bounding with survival, while simultaneously displaying how slowly environmental changes set in, but how rapidly the effects take a toll on the body. Despite breaking down the climb into camps the climb’s structure was one that was also hard to tackle. There was the base camp, camp one, camp two, camp three and camp four. Krakauer, notes that all of the clients going up the mountain have difficulty adjusting to the environmental changes, and though

Historically medicine was practised within the confines of an individual’s culture and ethnic group. Community doctors generally treated people of similar cultural and ethnic beliefs in their local town, clan or extended whanau group. Often religious beliefs dictated what treatments were provided and tribal influences included the

Assessment is our introduction where we begin to discover our new patients. The health care professional begins to build a care plan that is based off the patient’s background and history. American Indians are not only a different culture there are approximately 500 different kinds of American Indians (Flowers,2005). Barriers that exist within this population consist of poor living and the villages are located away from populated cities. The roads are not developed making it difficult to get to the villages of American Indians. Poverty is a major concern understanding the basic income is $20,000. The lack of money and underdeveloped areas of living make transportation difficult. Due to poverty and barriers the lack of health

Medial Anthropologist have discovered that the best treatment to health challenges are not what most people go to first. Many people do not have access to health care. Even in Western countries where we have access to health care we do no always go to a medical professional. Most people around the world apply their personal medical knowledge for dealing with disease, illness, pain, and discomfort.

- Other limitations include the equipment, smal sample sizes and time with patients was a result of it being an undergraduate university conducted and supervised study.

Plant as a source of Medicine: The traditional medicine system that involves use of medicinal plants for curing various human and animal diseases is as old as human society. Most of the people living in rural areas depend on herbal medicines for treatment of some common diseases such as cold, cough, fever, bronchitis, asthma, stomach ache and many more. This is because people in rural and semi urban areas are devoid of proper medical facilities and since plants are easily available for them, they use plant based formulations for curing these common diseases. People accept plant based medicine because of its long history of use its less side effects.

Rural health care has many challenges. Patients in rural areas struggle with health care plans, transportation, and accessibility to doctor care. Getting emergency and specialized care can be particularly challenging. Being aware of limitations allows healthcare providers and patients to assess and plan for possible problems. Training enough staff to deal with a variety of medical situations can relieve these sparse areas. The staff should also know the resources that are in the area in order to send patients to the appropriate facilities that can care for their needs.