Survival Medicine

You know, we get dozens of questions from folks every week, and we do our darndest to answer as many as we can. You’re always welcome to send your questions to drbonespodcast@aol.com, we answer as many of them as we can. Sometimes, we answer them on the air, and that’s what we do with a few today. By the way, questions don't have to just be about COVID-19. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Don't forget to check out Nurse Amy's entire line of medical kits and supplies at store.doomandbloom.net!

Man, it’s hot. Summer is here with a vengeance and parts of the Midwest and Southern U.S. are experiencing record high temperatures in major heat waves. Officials predict a high-risk situation for 200 million citizens in the U.S. Joe Alton MD and Amy Alton ARNP discuss heat-related emergencies and what you can do to save lives this summer. Also, what do you do about keeping tabs on family and friends during the COVID pandemic? Dr. Alton answers some common questions that listeners are anxious about, with his own specific take on the subject. Plus, Chinese officials report 1700 deaths from a mysterious pneumonia in the neighboring country of Kazakhstan. Health officials there say that their report doesn't "conform to reality". Is there a new virus or is it all a bunch of hooey? The Altons give their opinion... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD     Amy Alton ARNP\ Become more medically prepared by checking out Nurse Amy's entire line of medical kits and supplies at https://s

Many people are concerned about what appears to be a second wave of COVID-19, the pandemic disease caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus. Indeed, some states that were relatively unaffected by the virus are now reporting high numbers of cases and people are getting concerned about hospitals’ abilities to deal with the more severe cases. Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy discuss what goes into pandemic waves and discuss a brief history of the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919. To forget history is to repeat its mistakes! Regardless of municipalities closing pubic beaches and pools, In warm weather, many folks head to the waterfront for recreation. Some wind up getting in trouble, and I’m not talking about Jaws, We're talking about something just as scary though: Drowning. Dr. Alton tells you what you need to know to stay safe this summer. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Show you support of Joe and Amy's mission by getting your family medically prepared with kits and individual items from store.

    If you’re reading the headlines, you’re probably hearing that, as the country slowly reopens, we’re seeing many more people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s getting coronavirus and a lot of fear about second waves. What does this mean for second and third waves? Are hospitals going to be overwhelmed? Maybe not, say the Altons. Hear why in this episode. Plus, wound closure is a basic skill needed by any medic in areas without modern medical facilities. Suturing is just one of the way you can close a wound, and judicious use can help accelerate the healing process. Learn more about suture needles with Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Amy Alton. Also, when you think of protester-police confrontation, you think of tear gas. What do you do to protect yourself if you're in an area of civil unrest to deal with tear gas exposure? Dr. Alton tells you what to do, plus some myths and misconceptions about treatment. All this and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy! Wishing you the best of

In the news, COVID-19 cases are again on the rise as a second wave of infections coincide with the reopening of many businesses throughout the United States. Perhaps the first thing I should mention is that a second wave occurring as society reopened is an inevitable event. Regardless of the timing or the measures taken, pandemics commonly have this pattern. Health officials and political policy can do little to stop it from happening, but do their best to lessen or delay its effect. Also, important facts about immunity, plus how something we call COVID Fatigue and mass demonstrations are fueling the second and third waves of SARS-CoV2 in the United States. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, The Altons Hey, be prepared for any number of waves of infectious disease, civil unrest, or other disasters with medical kits and supplies from store.doomandbloom.net!

The Altons are happy to welcome author Terry Blackmore of the Pandemic Series, the first book of which (called "Antigenic Shift") is receiving good notices. Unlike most post-apocalyptic fiction, "Antigenic Shift" is set in Canada! Also, if we didn’t have enough reasons TO social distance as it is, now we have rioting in dozens of major cities, makes you want to live outside the city, or maybe outside the planet might be safer. Well, if you live in Minneapolis, interesting things are going on there, like the majority of the city council wanting to dismantle the police department. Interesting to know that the majority is a veto-proof majority, even if the mayor is against it and vetoes it, he can be voted down. Mayors in LA and NYC are also cutting band funding for police departments. Great idea? Good idea? Terrible idea? In COVID news, the country of new zealand has declared that its last case of coronavirus has recovered, making it the first country to have no active COVID cases and declare the pandemic in

As Free Speech advocates, we support the people’s right to protest and make their opinions heard. Unfortunately, demonstrations in the U.S. these days are becoming more frequent and violent. After a short break due to the pandemic, people are again out in the streets. Some have legitimate concerns; others, however, have bad intentions. How can you stay safe if you get caught in the middle of civil unrest? Dr. Joe Alton gives his thoughts. With the violence we’ve seen in major cities, I’m sure there are quite a few people, especially law enforcement officers, that wound up getting hit by a brick or other projectile, and wound needing stitches. Lacerations of the skin can occur off the grid in survival scenarios, too, but there’s no hospital ready to close the wound. It’s up to the family medic, and that person needs to have a working knowledge of, not just how to throw a stitch, but when a wound should stay open due to risk of infection, and what type of suture materials would be best for the purpose. Some ba

As we reopen, some words will have permanently entered our vocabulary: Social distancing. Telemedicine. Self-quarantine. These are all words you didn’t hear just a few months ago, but now we are all hearing and using them daily. There is no denying that the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically changed just about every facet of life around the world. Amy Alton ARNP and Joe Alton MD discuss what you can expect in part 1 of a series on permanent societal changes due to COVID-19 Also, studies on chloroquines are turning up claiming it is ineffective or perhaps even deadly, but are they missing the most important ingredient? Zinc is an important mineral second only to iron in our body, and chloroquines only act to potentiate its anti-viral action. Yet, studies seem to not include zinc in their protocols, leading to results that you could predict would show chloroquine isn't effective on its own. Is there an agenda here rooted in politics rather than public health. The Altons discuss a controversial topic. All t

Recently, we came across an article about coronavirus myths on, guess where, the AARP website, where old folks like Dr. Joe Alton get their news (just kidding). There are quite a number of misconceptions about COVID-19 disease and the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV2. Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy, discuss what people think about coronavirus and pets, weather, vectors, and a troubling tendency for people to avoid hospitals even if they have significant medical issues. Also, Dr. Alton talks you through what you need to know about broken bones. 6.3 million fractures are evaluated in ERs, urgent care centers, and hospitals every year in the U.S., and in survival scenarios, the numbers will be greater. Learn about how bones heals, sprains vs fractures, casts vs splints, bone "setting", traction, and the materials used in placing casts. There's a lot more to learn, but this is a great start! Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD    Amy Alton ARNP Hey, be better prepa

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to steamroll populations of many countries, and drive efforts to find a treatment, cure, or vaccine. The drug most recently approved by the FDA for emergency use is Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug Remdesivir. What is Remdesivir and why is it considered to have potential against the SARS-CoV2 virus? Dr. Joe Alton and Nurse Amy Alton tell you all about it. Vitamin D is made in the body when the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit the skin. Vitamin D is important for many bodily function, including the absorption of calcium for bones, nerve conduction, and immune function as well. Now, it’s becoming clear that the worst COVID-19 patients seem to have more likelihood to be deficient in Vitamin D than other people. Recent studies are discussed by the Altons about whether Vitamin D makes a difference. Also, let's say you just got a blood test to see if you have had Covid-19. Many people don’t get symptoms, and so it’s possible you had it and didn’t even know, or maybe had some mild

Survival Medicine Podcast The daily headlines are chock-full of stories about the COVID-19 pandemic. If you read them, you’re probably left with the impression that society was unready for the ravages of the SARS-CoV2 virus. Surprise, Surprise…Yet, epidemic outbreaks of viral infectious diseases are relatively common: In the last few years, we’ve seen Ebola in West Africa, Zika in South America, and Chikungunya throughout the Caribbean. Tropical countries experience yearly malarial outbreaks, just as nations in cooler climates experience influenza every winter. A contagious and, sometimes, lethal disease that infects almost every country on the planet, however, is much rarer.  Dr. Joe Alton welcomes Amy Alton ARNP back to the podcast to discuss various origin theories for the current pandemic, plus the idea that people may wind up getting reinfected a lot more often than previously thought. All this and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton! Wishing you the best of health in

In the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, extreme shortages of personal protection equipment (PPE) have been a major issue for medical workers and home caregivers. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the problem, publishing guidelines for the extended use and limited reuse of disposable face masks and other materials. For those who didn’t include masks in their medical preps, the government says that homemade cloth masks or bandannas are acceptable, all after first saying that they weren’t effective a while ago. In this episode, Dr. Joe Alton discusses the use of UV germicidal irradiation to battle COVID-19. Also, Dr. Alton takes a break from COVID-19 to discuss natural disasters. Every year in the United States, we go through various natural disasters. During Spring, tornadoes become some of the most common deadly events in certain parts of the country. In Lee county, Alabama, a violent storm took the lives of 23 people. Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes are unpredictable and always a possib

Survival Medicine Podcast Are you going to survive this pandemic? If I asked America this question a month ago, I would have gotten more than 27000 people saying yes that, well, were wrong. They are no longer with us. In order to succeed in situations where everything else is failing, you gotta have training, knowledge, and supplies. You must also have a mindset that is, perhaps, the opposite of what you were taught in your first responder course: That some disaster or epidemic has overwhelmed conventional medical resources and you are now the highest medical asset left to your family. Joe Alton MD discusses some important aspects in staying healthy in times of trouble. PLus, social distancing is the main strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but is 6 feet enough? It's been reported that coughs can throw 3000 droplets with virus loads up to 19 feet, and sneezes 40000 droplets all the way to 26 feet away. Dr. Alton gives his thoughts. Lastly, the lab accident theory from Wuhan's Biosatety level 4 lab

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rampage throughout the known world, killing close to 100000 and ruining the economies of whole nations. There is no proven treatment, cure, or vaccine, a common but deadly problem whenever a new virus emerges. The lack of an option leaves scientists scrambling to find a medicine that works, immediately if not sooner. Dr. Joe Alton discusses a new treatment using an old anti-malarial drug, an antibiotic, and zinc. In infectious disease outbreaks, mundane chores like food shopping may become much more exciting (but not in a good way).  Yet, these activities are necessary to keep a family going. How can you avoid getting infected in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic? Joe Alton MD discusses CDC opinions and gives some of his own. Plus, how to deal with laundry if you're taking care of a COVID-19 patient at home. Guidelines exist that will decrease the chances of infection. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD Hey, learn more about viral diseas

COVID-19 tests are now available in larger numbers in the U.S. and the numbers of positives are jumping as a result. That means that it’s the testing that identifying the numbers that are there already, not that there are necessarily factors that are making the virus more contagious. Dr. Joe Alton and Amy Alton ARNP discuss numbers relating to cases and death rates, plus what it will take for Chloroquine, alone or in combination with other drugs or minerals, to be considered an effective remedy against the virus.  Plus, a discussion of official guidelines for caring of COVID-19 patients at home. Yes, even the government understands that overcrowded and understaffed hospitals may not be the best place for some of the milder cases of COVID-19, so they've put together advice that will help the home caregiver give sick patients the best chance of recovery. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad,   The Alton

Well, we’re in the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., with close to 1000 cases and 30 deaths. Other countries like Iran, Italy are a lot worse off, but the U.S. hasn’t hit its peak, and probably we can expect thousands and maybe tens of thousands more. Old folks like me are advised to stay away from crowds, and we might have to deal with more restrictions before things get better. All because of a bug that’s measured in billionths of a inch…How did we first figure out that viruses exist? Dr. Joe Alton takes you through the first scientific steps to identifying a major killer all the way to the current pandemic. All that and more in the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad!  Don't forget to check out Nurse Amy's entire line of medical kits, personal protection gear, and individual supplies at store.doomandbloom.net!  

In the last few weeks, we have found ourselves challenged by a new virus from a family that is known for being very unfriendly to humans: Coronaviridae. The coronavirus family mostly causes common colds, with four different strains accounting for 15% of more cases reported worldwide. Until very late 2019, there were only two other known coronavirus strains: SARS and MERS. These viruses, however, didn’t just give you a cold; they could kill you. Now, the current virus, called SARS-CoV2, is making the rounds of more than 60 countries and the disease it causes (COVID-1he9) is causing community-wide outbreaks in multiple regions of the globe. Amy returns from her Mystical Warehouse of Mystery to give her thoughts and to discuss the virus with Dr. Joe Alton. Can we expect more outbreaks? For sure. Can we control it? Maybe. Find out more in the latest episode of the Survival Medical Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton, aka Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy... Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, The Altons If

The latest viral epidemic has been given an official new name! Instead of 2019-nCoV, it’s now COVID-19. World Health Organization officials wanted a name that doesn’t refer to a geographical location, animals, an individual or a group of people, so I guess they’ll be changing the name of the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 one day in the name of political correctness. That’s ok, since that flu didn’t start in Spain but in Asia. Now you know there’s someone who being paid a salary to come up with catchy names for viral epidemics. There are currently 60,000 confirmed cases, almost all in China. 60,000 cases, that is, if you believe the Chinese government. It’s obvious that there are several times the amount of cases. Dr. Joe Alton puts the number likely to be well in the hundreds of thousands, and it could end up with millions of people getting sick. Dr. Alton tells you his thoughts in this podcast. Plus, what about COVID-19 in animals? Theories of viral lab accidents or deliberate release aside, there are coron

Unless you just got back from a trip to Mars, you probably know that there’s an epidemic going on in China. I first reported on it briefly in my article on “A new pneumonia” on Jan. 7, 2020, when there were only 60 known cases of an infection of unknown origin. It turned out to be a virus. Viruses are tiny, much smaller than bacteria, and barely meet the definition of a living organism as it must enter the cells of a host to activate and reproduce. Yet, they are able to cause the downfall of organisms much more advanced and complex than they are. This virus is in the family coronaviridiae, or coronaviruses. It's named 2019-nCoV, and it appears to be highly transmissable and kills about 2% of those that are infected. Just in the last 24 hours, there are 2500 new cases.  In this episode, Joe Alton MD (Amy's off making Pandemic kits for store.doomandbloom.net) tells you all about 2019-nCoV and a lot more you don't know about viral epidemics. Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe Alton MD

Survival Medicine Podcast Reports from Yosemite National Park in California reveal that at least 170 visitors and personnel have experienced a mysterious intestinal ailment. Lab studies have identified a virus called “Norovirus” as the culprit in at least two cases, with most of the rest consistent with the illness. Find out what you need to know about the most common cause of the stomach flu in the U.S. Also, Dr. Alton discusses the first new antiviral flu drug approved by the FDA in years: Xofluza. Xofluza is a one-day treatment that is meant to decrease symptoms and duration of influenza illness. Learn more about a drug that deals with a lot of flu symptoms, usually with one dose. All this and more on the latest Survival Medicine Podcast with Joe and Amy Alton Wishing you the best of health in good times or bad, Joe and Amy Alton Hey, find out about norovirus, the flu and 150 other medical topics in the award-winning Third Edition of the Survival Medicine Handbook, your guide for when help is Not on