What a wonderful thing our skin is. No other organ of the human body is able to withstand the abuse, neglect, or daily beatings that our skin has to endure. It is truly a most remarkable organ. The protective layer that holds us together, skin keeps the good things in and the bad things out. It is waterproof, stretchable, washable, wrinkle-resistant, and self-repairing. Withstanding frequent insults, it is constantly repairing the daily ravages of abrasions, wounds, burns, scratches, and insect bites, while it is continuously resisting invasion from various disease-causing microbes, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. And, all the while, this covering prevents dehydration, provides thermoregulation, and provides vitamin D that is necessary in the absorption of calcium in the small intestine. Without intact skin, we would quickly die from dehydration, heat loss, and infectious disease.
November/December 2005 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 18, Number 6
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Burns
/in Burns/by WMN EditorsWhat a wonderful thing our skin is. No other organ of the human body is able to withstand the abuse, neglect, or daily beatings that our skin has to endure. It is truly a most remarkable organ. The protective layer that holds us together, skin keeps the good things in and the bad things out. It is waterproof, stretchable, washable, wrinkle-resistant, and self-repairing. Withstanding frequent insults, it is constantly repairing the daily ravages of abrasions, wounds, burns, scratches, and insect bites, while it is continuously resisting invasion from various disease-causing microbes, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. And, all the while, this covering prevents dehydration, provides thermoregulation, and provides vitamin D that is necessary in the absorption of calcium in the small intestine. Without intact skin, we would quickly die from dehydration, heat loss, and infectious disease.
November/December 2005 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 18, Number 6
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Avian Flu—Bird Flu—Avian influenza A—H5N1
/in Avian Flu/by WMN EditorsSeptember/October 2005 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 18, Number 5
Avian Flu—Bird Flu—Avian influenza A—H5N1: What’s up with that?
By Frank Hubbell, DO
With all the press about the concerns over avian flu and its potential to become a human pandemic, it seemed appropriate to take the time for a look at this viral illness.
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Diagnosis & Management of Eye Injuries
/in Eye injuries, First Aid Kits, Specific Injuries/by WMN EditorsMost people would agree that vision, our ability to see, is probably the most valued of our senses. The other senses of touch, hearing, smell, and taste are all obviously very important, but somehow, they do not quite measure up to the importance of vision. Most of us take our ability to see for granted. We rarely think about what it would be like to have impaired vision, unable to fully see and appreciate the world around us. As a result, eye injuries can not only be painful, or even vision-threatening, but also particularly emotional if the patient feels that their vision is at risk.
September/October 2005 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 18, Number 5
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Malaria
/in Disease, Malaria/by WMN EditorsMalaria—who cares and why is it being discussed in the Wilderness Medicine Newsletter? Why, simply because we care. Whether you are an international traveler, a professional ecotourism guide, or if you potentially do disaster relief work, then if nothing else, you need to understand how to minimize the risk that you could contract malaria.
Malaria is one of the most significant diseases in the world today. It also has a very special place in history, as it has influenced wars and the outcome of wars, population densities, and has forced unique human adaptations to malaria, such as Sickle Cell. Its influence can be felt yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Approximately 6 billion people share the planet Earth, and of those, greater than 2 billion, or 40% of the worldwide population, are at risk for getting malaria. It is estimated that there are at least 500 million new cases of malaria each year with about 2.5 million deaths.
July/August 2005 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 18, Number 4
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