Medicine Chest:
Outfitting the boat to be ready for all the bumps, bruises, aches and
pains that might befall us on our trip was a daunting task! After
consulting a half dozen cruising guides, our corpsman friend Tom
Eagles, and hours of "if/then" contemplation, we've done the best we
can to prepare our medicine cabinet. Luckily, the head has a ton
of storage space, so all our medical supplies can be kept together.
We're not huge pill-takers, and usually cure our ails with supportive
nutrition and rest. But the throught of having no corner pharmacy
to fall back on made us invest in a wide variety of pharmaceuticals.
If natural cures aren't doing the job, we'll call in modern
chemistry!
One thing that was stressed in the cruising guides was that the tropics
and skin problems go hand in hand. Spending most of one's time in
a damp bathing suit, battling the equatorial sun, and going head
to head with insects, coral, and stinging underwater creatures means
dealing with skin issues unfamiliar to a typical resident of the
Northeastern United States.
To minimize time spent searching for broken down into little kits
that are specific to the trouble at hand. Here's a list of the
kits, and what each one contains:
Pain, Allergies, Infections:
ibuprofen
extra strength tylenol
aspirin
naproxen sodium
benadryl
amoxicillin (a general antibiotic)
ciproflaxin (a powerful antibiotic)
analgesic sore throat spray
sore throat lozenges
Skin Problems:
Gold Bond medicated powder
clotrimazole cream (for ringworm)
hydrocortizone cream (for itchy rashes)
Wart remover
diaper rash cream
Lice shampoo
Stomach Problems:
pepto-bismal chewable tablets
loperamide anti-diarrhea pills
sturgeron pills (for seasickness)
scopolamine patches (for seasickness)
prochlorperazine maleate pills for severe nausea and vomiting
accupressure wrist bands (for seasickness)
Lady Problems:
birth control pills for one year
3 pregnancy tests
pain-relieving pills for urinary tract infections
miconazole nitrate cream
condoms
Small Boo Boos:
bactine first aid spray
alcohol prep swabs
triple antibiotic cream
neosporin
splinter kit
band aids of all shapes and sizes
waterproof tape
Big Boo Boos:
sterile gauze
SAM splints
ACE-style bandages
suture needles and filament
surgical clamps
surgical scissors
large waterproof bandages
surgical wound dressings
tourniquets
injectible lidocaine
space blanket
quick-clot infused gauze
quick clot powder
Burns:
burn gel
anti-stick wound dressings
instant cold pack
Diagnostic Tools:
thermometer
electronic blood pressure monitor
otoscope
mini-flashlights
tweezers
needles and syringes
Medical Reference Books:
"The Merck Manual" (18th Edition)
"Where There Is No Doctor" by David Werner
"Where There Is No Dentist" by Murray Dickson
"The Healthy Cruiser's Handbook" by Janet Loomis, RN and James H. Bryan, MD
General Supplies:
soap
hydrogen peroxide
rubbing alcohol
mineral oil
petroleum jelly
q-tips
tampons
cotton balls
gauze (sterile and non-sterile)
multivitamin tablets
vitamin A capsules
vitamin C tablets
vitamin E caplets
vitamin B-complex caplets
taurine caplets
potassium caplets
slippery elm bark powder
goldenseal caplets
Aloe Vera jelly
sunscreen
lip balm
dental floss
toothpaste
toothbrushes
deodorant/antiperspirant
shampoo
conditioner
razors