Wilderness Medicine

Edited by Paul Auerbach

This remains the "bible" of Wilderness Medicine. It is very comprehensive and strongly recommended for Medical personnel interested in comprehensive details. The wide range of topics may surprise readers as their may be whole chapters on sub disciplines many practioner may not have even suspected to exist ( Jungle Medicine, Desert Medicine, First Aid for your Llama ect). Many of them may not be remotely relative to most practices but they still remain a compelling and fascinating read. I read this text end to end while backpacking through Cuba and later lent to a friend who also read it end to end. This remains a very good read even for laymen so this is the book to read if you ever want to find the best way to treat shark bites, bear bites and cougar attacks. It gives scientific based studies supporting what to do and not to do for snakebites, poisonings, mountaineering mishaps and scuba problems.

The only problem is this book is big and expensive for the average reader. Yet it remains a definitive classic resource.

Dr Auerbach also co-wrote another Wilderness Medicine pocket book guide, Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine . This little brother to the big text covers the basics nicely and may be more appropriate for casual readers and those who cannot read the full text. It is portable and practical as a reference manual for day-trippers and backpackers and more affordable for the casual outdoorsman.