I purchased this book upon the high recommendation of both the reviews here & a few Youtube bloggers.

I'm happy with the purchase. I think it will help with my goal to treat more things at home & go to the doctors office less. This book is in plain English. Most of the time it's pretty blunt! There's little technical terms....it's not even PC : )

My favorite part of the book is the "general conditions of health" lessons. There are several pages on how to examine someone to evaluate the seriousness of their illness. There are specific instructions on what types of questions to ask, how to examine eyes, pulse, ears, nose & throat, skin, abdomen and muscles/nerves and look for any signs of illness. There are also pages on how to evaluate for shock and dehydration.

To me, this would be very helpful not only in times you can't get to a doctor, but in evaluating someone's condition to decide if a trip to the doctor is warranted. This knowledge could avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor, avoiding the expense, discomfort and hassle even when a doctor is available. In times of disruption of services or mass emergencies, such as a natural disaster, this information could prove to be invaluable.

There is also a great section on First Aid. Having the ability to evaluate & treat cuts of all sizes, burns and other injuries also could be invaluable at times of restricted medical access, as well as avoiding unnecessary trips to emergency rooms.

One of the best features of this book is the section teaching how to make your own Rehydration drink. In a situation with a serious illness where dehydration can be fatal, it would be a relief to know what to do. They tell you exactly what to use, and how much and how often to give it.

I marked this book down one star because I don't like the way it is organized. To me it is too hard to find categories of information I am looking for, although the content list in front is helpful. I think it's because it is laid out more like a book than a quick reference guide. The first chapter is on Home cures & beliefs and goes into everything from witchcraft to medicinal plants. I would like the first section of the book to be a quick reference to examination and triage. Then the subsequent chapters could go more heavily into detail on specific illnesses or injuries. Some of the pages in back are colored for easier reference. I think the rest of the book should be that way, or some other method of organization used. I'm going to use some sticky tabs to add my own markings for quicker finds.

There is a lot included in this book that I will likely never need as I don't travel much, and don't ever plan to treat or evaluate other human beings outside my family, but I understand it is largely written for areas with little or no access to professional medical services.
There is a lot of information in this book dealing with cleanliness due to lack of plumbing, etc. While obviously meant for 3rd world conditions, in a Katrina type situation, there may be some helpful tips or pointers. Most Americans already know the basics on sanitation, but might have a tougher time than we think with the practicality if ever faced with an emergency situation.

Lastly, I cannot help mentioning that I was a bit taken aback at first by a few of the illustrations in this book!! Most are just fine and helpful, but a few were a bit strange to me. For example, there are several illustrations of children and adults having diarrhea. I'm not sure who really needs a picture of that to understand the concept & accurately diagnose diarrhea! Other illustrations are just kind of comical.

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.7 (1880 ratings)
Price	$29.95
Category	Allied Health Professions

Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook (2024 Revision)