March/April 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 2
DENGUE
FEVER
BREAKBONE FEVER, BONECRUSHER DISEASE
Dengue Fever (breakbone fever or bonecrusher disease)
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)
With the recent outbreaks of Dengue Fever in Brazil, it seems appropriate to review this very significant tropical illness. An outbreak is currently going on in Rio de Janeiro, and as of early April 2008, there were approximately 56,000 cases being reported and 67 deaths.
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DENGUE FEVER
/in Dengue Fever/by WMN EditorsDENGUE
FEVER
BREAKBONE FEVER, BONECRUSHER DISEASE
Dengue Fever (breakbone fever or bonecrusher disease)
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)
With the recent outbreaks of Dengue Fever in Brazil, it seems appropriate to review this very significant tropical illness. An outbreak is currently going on in Rio de Janeiro, and as of early April 2008, there were approximately 56,000 cases being reported and 67 deaths.
Read more
Laxatives
/in Laxatives/by WMN EditorsMarch/April 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 2
In this edition of the Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, we have added a new department: Common Expedition Problems. In this new section we discuss common traveling ailments and mishaps, whether on the high seas, on the trail in distant lands, or in a remote village. Since the first topic in this new section is constipation, it seems appropriate to elaborate on the use of laxatives as one of the treatments recommended for this common traveler’s malady.
THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF LAXATIVES:
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Constipation
/in Constipation, Laxatives/by WMN EditorsMarch/April 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 2
This it the first installment of a new department that will discuss the annoying ailments, afflictions, and mishaps that can happen to anyone who ventures away from the comforts of home. Whether you go for a day or a month, head for the tropics, the deserts, or the mountains, spend your time on cliff faces, among the bobbing waves, or exploring remote villages, at some point you will be glad you read this part of the newsletter. And so, we begin at the end (so to speak)….
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Improvised Traction Splint
/in Femur fracture/by WMN EditorsMarch/April 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 2
A fractured femur is a very painful injury due to spasms of the large muscles of the upper leg. It is also a potentially life-threatening injury because of the potential blood loss into the
area surrounding the fracture—typical blood loss is 1000 – 1500cc—as well as a risk of pulmonary emboli caused by fat emboli that can be released from the bone marrow. Proper splinting with a traction splint minimizes these risks and dramatically reduces the pain by controlling the spasms of the leg muscles. All fractured femurs should be treated with a traction splint, and one can be easily improvised. Read more