Free Medical Care

From Steal This Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Return to original Table of Contents


Contents

Kitchen Cabinet Pharmacy

Here are ways to take care of your body even if you are very short on funds. Some information is from our experience and some is from our favorite wellness and treatment guide "Where There Is No Doctor" by the Hesperian Society see the PDF link below.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a Miracle Drug, and it is one of the cheapest things in the grocery store. Rubbed into your underarms and pubes it slows the growth of bacteria that make you smell all funky -- you can use it to have at least a cleanish day if you're not carrying any deodorant. Rubbed on your face it is very effective against acne. It can also be used to treat all sorts of skin infections, from crotch rot to athletes' foot. Warm vinegar water is a good soak for skin infections, but if your skin is tender from an advanced infection, it will sting like fire, so fold a bandanna or washcloth, wet it good with water, and put a small sprinkle of vinegar on it, and gently pat yourself down if your skin is red and tender. Sluice down your feet with it and rub the vinegar in hard between your toes if you have, or even might get, Athletes' Foot. It works in about three good applications over a couple of days, on even advanced infections, much faster than drugstore creams. If your skin is cracked and bleeding, though, you're screwed and you need the drugstore creams or even medical assistance. Vinegar is a powerful food acid, and will sting the living shit out of raw, tender skin, so test out a goodly dab on you first to see how bad off you are before your screams echo in the bathroom, or behind the church, or wherever....

Baking Soda

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a good wet or dry deodorant for the crotch and armpits it is also easy on the skin. Baking soda is also a toothpaste powder, a quick effective antacid, add to your wash bucket with the soap to deodorize your clothes and bedding. Just don't try to combine baking soda with vinegar. They produce a great deal of foamy bubbles when mixed.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol can be used for cleaning out wounds and cuts if you don't have iodine solution but it burns like hell and is not as effective. It can bring relief from a cold or fever when rubbed down after a bath. Just remember that it is a combustible liquid, and has been denatured to keep people from drinking it (You WILL get violently sick if you do!) and you can use it as fuel if you make a soft drink can stove.

Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is an excellent (and cheap!) astringent, and is good for stopping up shaving cuts and reducing hemorrhoids.

Zinc Oxide

Zinc Oxide can be used to make a sunblock cream like old school lifeguards would wear on their nose. Oil of cloves is good to numb a sore tooth. Mix oil of clove and zinc oxide into a clay, stuff it into a dry lost filling cavity, then bite down on a cotton ball for a half hour to make a well fitted temporary filling good for up to six months.

Charcoal

We are not talking about the commercial nuggets you buy in stores, most charcoal in stores has chemicals added to it to help it burn. We are talking about burning a slice of bread to cinders on a stove top (wait until there are no more orange flames coming from it). Both can either be chewed(when cool) and swallowed or crushed and mixed into a glass of water and drunk(gritty but quick). The charcoal absorbs the toxins from an intestinal infection giving your bowel a rest.

Taking charcoal when you have diarrhea is the answer in addition, to drinking clean or purified water and light soup, for returning to health. Be careful not to take anti-diarrhea medications unless you have a very mild case. The idea is to let your body eliminate the bad stuff inside you instead of hardening it up and leaving it in you to keep you sick.

Acidophilus

If you have a fungal infection on any part of your body give acidophilus a shot before seeing a doctor. It works wonders by displacing the fungal organisms and then staying to defend their new territory. Acidophilus is either available from health stores as a powder in a capsule which is either eaten or broken open and applied wet or in active culture yogurt which can be rubbed onto to unbroken skin.

Salt Water Soak

While epson salts are best even regular table salt and very warm (not burn yourself hot) water is a great way to soak out an infection or stiff joint or muscle. For a hand or foot just use a bucket and add salt until a drop tastes very salty

If you need to soak your body and have no bathtub get the smallest kids inflatable pool you can find or a wash tub, place it on an insulating layer of cardboard or sleeping mats, inside a tent if it is winter. Add a gallon or two of cold water to protect the pool and boil up a gallon or two in a metal bucket over a camp stove or hotplate (you might need to wrap the outside of the bucket with many wraps of foil and cardboard and make some kind of lid so it will hold it's heat) add cold water to the pool until water is cooled to the hottest you can safely stand then add salt. Have a friend heating more water to keep your soak warm.

Natures Pharmacy

If you are out in the country or even near a park or woodlot you can access the bounty of nature to heal your body.

  • Diarrhea. Drink tea made from the roots of blackberries and their relatives to stop diarrhea. White oak bark and other barks containing tannin are also effective. However, use them with caution when nothing else is available because of possible negative effects on the kidneys. You can also stop diarrhea by eating white clay or campfire ashes. Tea made from cowberry or cranberry or hazel leaves works too.
  • Antihemorrhagics. Make medications to stop bleeding from a poultice of the puffball mushroom, from plantain leaves, or most effectively from the leaves of the common yarrow or woundwort (Achillea millefolium).
  • Antiseptics. Use to cleanse wounds, sores, or rashes. You can make them from the expressed juice from wild onion or garlic, or expressed juice from chickweed leaves or the crushed leaves of dock. You can also make antiseptics from a decoction of burdock root, mallow leaves or roots, or white oak bark. All these medications are for external use only.
  • Fevers. Treat a fever with a tea made from willow bark, an infusion of elder flowers or fruit, linden flower tea, or elm bark decoction.
  • Colds and sore throats. Treat these illnesses with a decoction made from either plantain leaves or willow bark. You can also use a tea made from burdock roots, mallow or mullein flowers or roots, or mint leaves.
  • Aches, pains, and sprains. Treat with externally applied poultices of dock, plantain, chickweed, willow bark, garlic, or sorrel. You can also use salves made by mixing the expressed juices of these plants in animal fat or vegetable oils.
  • Itching. Relieve the itch from insect bites, sunburn, or plant poisoning rashes by applying a poultice of jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) or witch hazel leaves (Hamamelis virginiana). The jewelweed juice will help when applied to poison ivy rashes or insect stings. It works on sunburn as well as aloe vera.
  • Sedatives. Get help in falling asleep by brewing a tea made from mint leaves or passionflower leaves.
  • Hemorrhoids. Treat them with external washes from elm bark or oak bark tea, from the expressed juice of plantain leaves, or from a Solomon's seal root decoction.
  • Constipation. Relieve constipation by drinking decoctions from dandelion leaves, rose hips, or walnut bark. Eating raw daylily flowers will also help.
  • Worms or intestinal parasites. Using moderation, treat with tea made from tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) or from wild carrot leaves.
  • Gas and cramps. Use a tea made from carrot seeds as an antiflatulent; use tea made from mint leaves to settle the stomach.
  • Antifungal washes. Make a decoction of walnut leaves or oak bark or acorns to treat ringworm and athlete's foot. Apply frequently to the site, alternating with exposure to direct sunlight.

Infections

If the infection is making you feel sick go to a clinic or emergency room! If there is a red streak going up your arm or leg or the lymph nodes swell up when you have an infected wound this is a sign of an advanced infection again get help! Some infections require intravenous antibiotics pils are not enough and to not get them may kill you once the infection gets systemic in your blood.

Treat all infections immediatly with antiseptics, vinegar, hot salt soaks, or antibiotic ointments while they are small; pimples, ingrown hairs, scrapes and cuts, ingrown toenails, etc. these can all get serious nasty and take you out of action.

Antibiotics

If you need antibiotics for an infection or illness and you really know what you are doing there is currently(2007) an exemption for veterinary fish antibiotics. These are available both at pet stores and online, do research and find about the brand before buying, some just divert regular meds from the human antibiotic supply chain, you can run the numbers found on the pills to find out more. If the antibiotics are expired it is usually not a problem it will just be less effective two or more years after the printed expiration date, the exception is tetracyclene which becomes somewhat toxic. Obtain a few bottles or packs of these meds before you or a friend needs them, this is better than being unable to find a free clinic or depending on unresearched stuff from the neighborhood pet shop.

Urinary Tract and Bladder Infections

If you have cloudy urine, pain in urination and frequent need to urinate you likely have a urinary tract infection. The most likely cause is you have become dehydrated, even in cool weather, you need to drink more clean water. If these are the only symptoms try chugging water and pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice or crushed cranberries, if you can't get unsweetened cranberry juice you can add lemon juice or vineger to your water to make it very tart, this will acidify your urine and help fight the infection, sugar in you food or drinks will just feed the infection.

If you begin to feel abdominal or lower back pain, blood in the urine, feever or chills, or worse yet swelling of the feet or face you are in trouble, the infection has gotten to the bladder and possibly the kidneys, you need antibiotics NOW!

Skin Afflictions

  • For afflictions and infections which are hot and painful treat with hot moist towel (Hot Compresses) elevate and treat if infected.
  • If the area itches, stings, or oozes treat it with ice water soaked(cold compresses), if scabs form add two tablespoons of vinegar per litre of water, once it begins to heal salv with a talcum powder/water paste, as it begins to thicken or flake you can soften the skin with vegetable oil. For bad itching an oatmeal paste or dyphenhydramine (Beandryl) might help.
  • If a rash or redness appears where it is regularly exposed to sunlight cover it until it heals
  • If a rash appears in an area which is normaly covered from sun, let it sun for 20 minutes two to three times a day

Sores and Abscesses

Infected Sores

  • Use warm (salted if possible) water to soak, soften, and remove infected yellow scabs
  • Leave the sores open to the air or cover with light dry bandages
  • You can apply topical antibiotic (like Neosporin and the like) or vinegar
  • Watch for swollen lymph nodes or lines running up your infection this is a danger sign, you need a doctor and antibiotics.
  • Don't scratch on infected sores or around them, it can spread the infection to other parts of your body.

If you get an abscess which is a deeper skin infection with pus you are already in trouble. Abscesses are common in IV drug users but stepping on a nail or getting a deep thorn or wood sliver wound can cause them too.

  • Put a hot compress on the wound as often as possible or give it a hot soak several times a day.
  • Let the Abcess break itself open and drain the pus
  • NEVER try to pop or squeeze an abscess! it can cause a local infection to go into the blood!
  • Watch for swollen lymph nodes or lines running up your infection this is a danger sign, you need a doctor to lance it and antibiotics.

Tooth Abscesses

If you get a cavity that becomes a tooth abscess and no dentist will see you, try to at least get on antibiotics. The tooth will probably have to come out before the infection destroys your jaw, spreads to your other teeth, gives you blood poisoning or an infection that can spread to your skull bones or even your brain (Yes, really). If the old string pull method doesn't work look, for a strong friend and filed down dull horizontal side cutter wire snips that will grip around the base of a molar. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so remember to brush and floss your teeth every day.

Cold Injury

People forced out into the streets are at high risk to cold injury, many hospitals will illegally turn away the homeless and there are few other places that will allow them to even remove their shoes to rewarm and dry their feet. Alcohol and many drugs contribute to cold injury as does malnutrition, diabetes, dehydration, and low calorie diets.

Trench Foot

Affected feet become numb and then turn red or blue. As the condition worsens, they may swell. Advanced immersion foot often involves blisters and open sores, which lead to fungal infections; this is sometimes called jungle rot. If left untreated, immersion foot usually results in gangrene, which can require amputation. If immersion foot is treated properly, complete recovery is normal, though it is marked by severe short-term pain when feeling is returning. Like other cold injuries, immersion foot leaves sufferers more susceptible to it and frostbite in the future due to damaged capilaries in the extremity. Immersion foot is easily prevented by keeping the feet warm and dry, and changing socks three to four times a day when the feet cannot be kept dry. As quickly as possible get to a warm dry place where you can keep the feet elevated.

Frost Bite

Frost bite is the result of freezing fluids in the body. Most at risk are the fingers toes and ears followed by other parts of the extremities. DO NOT RUB OR SLAP FROZEN EXTREMITIES this will greatly reduce the chance of successful recovery. Get to a hospital for treatment. If there is no possibility of proper hospital care thaw the frozen areas in lukewarm water only if there is no chance of refreezing, this will be very painful. There is a danger of gangrene and some damage might need to be amputated. There has been some recent clinical success in using leaches to draw blood through damaged capillaries to the finger and toe tips.

Stretching and Massage

Many lower back problems and knee pains can be greatly reduced or eliminated with proper stretching and calesthenics in the morning. Most important in calisthenics is situp crunches whick build the abdomenal muscles supporting the lower back. Hamstring muscle stretches where you slowly touch your toes when standing and calf muscle stretches where assume the lunge postiion will reduce many back and knee problems. Stretching the trapezius muscles of your upper back and neck by arm cross overs will help with upper back strain.

Learning the science and art of massage is a good way to keep your friends in good health, especially considering the places we sometimes have to sleep. Olive oil is good massage oil, you can heat it with scented herbs for aromatherapudic properties then filter and place in a squirt bottle. You will quickly be able to feel the tensed muscle fibres that need to be worked, some people need a hard massage others require a more gentle touch. Practice makes perfect. It is nice to teach the art so you can trade off with your friends.

Winter Blues

Unless you are in a tropical location winter is the hardest time to survive any of our alternative or low income housing strategies. Besides freezing our asses off and dealing with moisture, mold, and illness there is another problem that often leads to many depression, drug use, and even suicide.

SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder strikes in the months of the year when clouds, short days, and staying indoors reduces our sunlight exposure. Even worse is when we are often forced to cover over our windows to prevent detection of our squats or to replace broken windows. Alternatively the cheapest apartment rooms often have little natural lighting denying needed sunlight.

SAD may set in so slowly you don't notice your sluggishness until you find yourself almost confined to bed or badly depressed. Here are some non corpgov drug treatments, if these don't work see a competent doctor or natural healer.

  • Spicy food is thought to increase endorphans giving a temporary break from the depression symptoms.
  • Full spectrum lighting, find light bulbs that produce full spectrum lighting known to help reduce SAD.
  • Light box, for the worst sufferers a prescription to spend half an hour or more every morning in front of a light box to stimulate the somatic centers of the brain. We knew a guy who made a portable lightbox setup, he stuck two bright white LED's in a pair of cheap sunglasses, he claimed they really helped when used in the morning during breakfast.
  • Exercise, we have found this to be the best answer, force yourself out every day for a run or long bike drive up several steep hills(whatever drives up your pulse), exposure to the sun and aerobic activity are both good treatments for SAD.
  • The English and Cascadians are famous for their rainy winters and their tea and coffee, caffeine runs up the metabolism and helps you wake up.

Watch out if you are working on quitting a drug habit, this will be the hardest time of the year for most drugs even if you have been successful so far, plan ahead coping strategies.

Childbirth

In modern Amerika childbirth is treated as a major medical and surgical emergency. A c-section is often recommended to give both the doctor and healthy mothers a way to avoid a painful and messy birth that might happen at an inconvenient time. Women are forced to push a baby up into the air so the doctor can easily catch the baby and the glory. Few mention the lasting pain and damage that even the most modern c-section does to a woman.

Home birth is the natural alternative, good medical care through the whole pregnancy is essential, but giving birth to a baby in comfortable and familiar setting is much better for many women in most cases than having a baby in a super-germ infested hospital. Unless you are certain that there is a problem and need to have surgery, giving birth in town near a hospital will have you as close to emergency surgery as someone actually in the hospital.

Find a competent midwife and begin working with her as soon as possible in the pregnancy. Make sure you are getting enough protein and green leafy vegetables. Keep track of your urine output and baby motion. It is a big problem if you start getting high bloodpressure, puffy face, or seizures you might have eclampsia. It is nice to have your own quality stethescope to monitor babies heartbeat.

When the big day comes be sure you have at least one competent helper preferably with pediatric advanced life support training. Have plastic sheet or tarp and be ready for a mess. Most women like to give birth on their bed but many first time mothers need a gravity assist like pushing while sitting on a stool or toilet. Don't worry about breathing or timing, your body almost always knows what to do especially if you are in good shape. Again it is a good idea to have an experienced midwife and probably a good friend and a apprentice midwife.

It is a good idea to have oxygen and intubation equipment if there is someone skilled in their use (if you are unskilled don't attempt to use a laryngoscope or airway equipment) , airway problems are the most common problem at birth. If baby comes out purple before you panic try rubbing the baby with a towel or blowing at their face forcing them to take a deep breath. In a rare worst case you can start CPR and consider epinepherine IV or in the endotrachial tube. A bulb syringe is good for cleaning out the nostrils and mouth of mucuous. If there is black bits in the amniotic fluid it could be an emergency that has to come out if it was sucked into the lungs.

As the baby is borm be careful not to pull on either end of the umbilical cord, a few minutes after birth it is time to cut the cord. Keep baby level to the mother so blood doesn't flow back into the placenta from baby, clamp or tie string about three to four inches from baby to close the blood vessels. Cut the cord on the mother side of the knot! To make it easier you might tie or clamp twice an inch or two apart on the cord and cut between the clamps.

Get baby nursing as soon as possible, this will help the uterus contract and slow bleeding. There are herbs and medications that the midwife may give to assist in this contraction as does massaging abdomen over the uterus. Piece together the placenta and look for any missing pieces, if these remain inside they can cause very serious problems.

This information is in no way a substitute to a good midwife or doctor who will walk you through your pregnancy and birth. Talk to your midwife and assemble or buy a basic birth kit. After you experience your bright eyed natural home birth you become an excellent candidate to begin learning the important skills of midwifing and birth coaching. If you feel there is an emergency you can always try to call 911 and hope they show up.

Nursing

If the baby doesn't want to nurse for up to 36 to 48 hours don't get too stressed, especially in larger babies they have lots of stored food and water, being born is tiring for them. First time mothers might need to manually pop out inverted nipples or use nursing shields at first if baby has trouble latching on. If all fails and formula is needed try to avoid bovine or soy based mixes, we have used a mix of brown rice syrup, goat milk, vitamin drops, flax seed oil, ask your midwife what she recommends. Don't fall for WASP slave propaganda it is OK to nurse for two or three years if you and baby like, many women are without their period during this time and enjoy natural birth control for around a year and a half, it is good for bonding and great nutrition for baby. Keep your nippples clean and if your baby is sick it might be smart to wipe your nipples with vinegar after nursing to help prevent mastitis.

Old Vitamin Names

You may come across old medical books or even cookbooks that list several Vitamins that you can't find in stores. This is mainly because some vitamins were either reassigned as B Vitamins or proven not to be vitamins at all. Here is a list of the old vitamins and what they're called now:

  • Vitamin B4 (Adenine)
  • Vitamin B8 (Adenylic acid)
  • Vitamin F (Essential fatty acids)
  • Vitamin G (Vitamin B12 or Riboflavin)
  • Vitamin H (Vitamin B7 or Biotin)
  • Vitamin J (Catechol or Flavin)
  • Vitamin L1 (Anthranilic acid)
  • Vitamin L2 (Adenylthiomethylpentose)
  • Vitamin M (Vitamin B9 or Folic acid)
  • Vitamin O (Carnitine)
  • Vitamin P (Flavonoids)
  • Vitamin PP (Vitamin B3 or Niacin)
  • Vitamin U (S-Methylmethionine)

Links

You can really take control of your own health care, it is your responsibility to study and research when you have a personal medical disorder, the doctor has only so much time to spend with a patient.

Some tools to help you are the book Where There is No Doctor by the Hesperian Society, it uses simple language to explain treatment of most common injuries and disease. The Merck Manual of Medical Information is the corpgov standard reference book for medical treatment and is available in most large book stores and on-line; ask in a doctors office for their last years copy, you will have symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment at your fingertips for most common medical problems. Merck also offers a number of other medical books on-line for free.

The Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/index.html
The Merck Manual of Health & Aging: http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/contents.html
The Merck Manual of Geriatrics: http://www.merck.com/mkgr/mmg/home.jsp
The Merck Veterinary Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

Ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of medicine. Download and print these books from the Hesperian Society:

Where There Is No Doctor: http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php#wtnd
Where There Is No Dentist: http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download_dentist.php
Where Women Have No Doctor: http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php#wwhnd
A Book For Midwives: http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php#midwives

You can buy paperback copies of these books as well. If the main site is down we host a copy at Hacker Labs but it may end up out of date trust the copy at http://www.hesperian.org first as they request. Link http://www.hackerlabs.net/downloads/stw/PDFs/Where%20There%20is%20No%20Doctor.tar.bz2 unzip with 7zip or similar program.

Most of the equipment and medications can be obtained over the internet. If you want to stock antibiotics and medications the best way to buy them is to find a veterinary supply who will sell you standard human antibiotics and explain them as for use on fish, there is no difference in the meds except you do not need permission from a doctor to treat your illness. Oral antibiotic use is safer compared to intravenous antibiotics with rash and allergy being the most common side affect of the oral antibiotics, contact a doctor and have Benadryl ready if this happens. Yogurt and probiotics are a must if on antibiotics to keep your body from being totally stripped of its microscopic defenders and helpers.

An EMT course which takes about one term is a valuable course to take, time in the field as a volunteer will teach you even more, you will be better prepared to treat protesters as a medic and you will be much more educated about your own body.

If you prefer more natural care there are plenty of remedies that you can make for yourself with common plants, many practitioners give free classes on natural health care to gain patients.

Links

Government Run Health Clinics For Free : http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/
Find a government run health clinic that will see you for free or reduced cost.

Unite For Sight Free Clinics: http://www.uniteforsight.org/freeclinics.php
Find a free eye care clinic in your area.

Planned Parenthood Locator: http://www.plannedparenthood.org
Find a Planned Parenthood Health Center near you.

List of Hotline Numbers: http://www.coolnurse.com/hotline.htm
A list of 1-800 numbers that you can call for many situations you may face.

Find a Covenant House: http://www.covenanthouse.org
1-800-999-9999
A free physical if you decide to check in.

Low-cost and free dental clinics:

Check the phone book or at the local library for Dental Schools. Ask if they will allow you to volunteer as a subject in exchange discounted (maybe even free?) dental care. You will have to fill out a legal disclaimer.

Free Condoms:

If you live near a university, go to the health services office and ask for some condoms. Also worth noting: many universities have 1-800 numbers (nurse lines) for their students to use to get medical advice. Find the number for the university near you and call it if need be.

Original Free Medical Care

Due to the efforts of the Medical Committee for Human Rights, the Student Health Organization and other progressive elements among younger doctors and nurses. Free People's Clinics have been happening in every major city. They usually operate out of store fronts and are staffed with volunteer help. An average clinic can handle fifty patients a day.

If you've had an accident or have an acute illness, even a bad cold, check into the emergency room of any hospital. Given them a sob story complete with phony name and address. After treatment they present you with a slip and direct you to the cashier. Just walk on by, as the song suggests. A good decoy is to ask for the washroom. After waiting there a few moments, split. If you're caught sneaking out, tell them you ran out of the house without your wallet. Ask them to bill you at your phony address. This billing procedure works in both hospital emergency rooms and clinics. You can keep going back for repeated visits up to three months before the cashier's office tells the doctor about your fractured payments.

You can get speedy medical advice and avoid emergency room delays by calling the hospital, asking for the emergency unit and speaking directly to the doctor over the phone. Older doctors frown on this procedure since they cannot extort their usual exorbitant fee over the phone. Younger ones generally do not share this hang-up.

Cities usually have free clinics for a variety of special ailments. Tuberculosis Clinics, Venereal Disease Clinics, and Free Shot Clinics (yellow fever, polio, tetanus, etc.) are some of the more common. A directory of these clinics and other free health services the local community provides can be obtained by writing your Chamber of Commerce or local Health Department.

Most universities have clinics connected with their dental, optometry or other specialized medical schools. If not for free, then certainly for very low rates, you can get dental work repaired, eyeglasses fitted and treatment of other specific health needs.

Free psychiatric treatment can often be gotten at the out-patient department of any mental hospital. Admission into these hospitals is free, but a real bummer. Use them as a last resort only. Some cities have a suicide prevention center and if you are desperate and need help, call them. Your best choice in a psychiatric emergency is to go to a large general hospital, find the emergency unit and ask to see the psychiatrist on duty.

Birth Control Clinics

Abortions

Diseases Treated Free

Personal tools