Radiation sickness
The principal ailment unique to nuclear warfare is radiation sickness. Its severity depends on the amount of radiation to which a person is exposed and on the length of the exposure time. That is because the body can take a certain amount of radiation damager and repair it without serious permanent injury. It is only when one gets too much too fast that sickness or possibly death may result. Radiation sickness is not contagious, regardless of how much exposure the victim has had. It is important to know that many of its symptoms may appear in anyone subjected at any time to anxiety and great stress.
Symptoms of three degrees of radiation sickness are: Mild – the especially sensitive person will show some nausea, lack of appetite and fatigue within a few hours after exposure. He should rest but can continue normal activities. Recovery will be rapid. Moderate – the same symptoms appear, but well within two hours of exposure, and more markedly. Vomiting and even prostration may occur. By he third day, recovery may seem complete, but symptoms may recur in the next days or weeks. Severe – again, all the early symptoms show up and may vanish after a few days. But after a week or more, fever, mouth soreness and diarrhea may appear; gums and mouth may ulcerate and bleed; and, in the third week, the patient's hair may start to fall out. Recovery may take seven to eight weeks. When exposure has been overwhelming, death comes in hours or weeks.
Treat symptoms this way: General rest. Aspirin for headache. Motion-sickness tablets for nausea. Liquids as soon as possible for diarrhea and vomiting, but not until vomiting has stopped (ideally, one teaspoon table salt to one quart of cool water, to be sipped slowly). For sore mouth, this solution can be used as a mouthwash.
First aid
Since doctors, medical supplies, and other aids may not be available to everyone for days or even weeks in some areas, it is important for at least one adult in every family to know standard first aid.
There are five basic first-aid rules that everyone should know.
They are:
How to stop bleeding. The average adult body contains only six quarts of blood; the loss of one quart is serious, so bleeding has priority over all other emergencies. Apply pressure to the wound at once – with your hand if nothing else is available, although a bandage, clean cloth, or sanitary napkin will help prevent infection. But don't waste time looking for them. Don't wash the wound. Apply pressure hard and fast, bringing the edges of the wound together if you can. You may have to continue the pressure for 30 minutes.
Never apply the old-fashioned tourniquet except as a last resort. It may cost the patient his limb.
Breathing difficulties. Getting air into the victim's lungs fast is vital. Remove throat obstructions such as mucus, debris, a jarred-loose denture. If he is breathing, place him on his stomach, head to one side so that blood or secretions will not flow into air passages. If he is not breathing, apply mouth-to-mouth respiration. Tilt victim's head back to "sword swallower" position (a blanket or pillow under shoulders will help), pinch his nose shut (see drawing), seal your open mouth over his, inhale deeply through your nose and exhale deeply into his mouth 12 to 16 times a minute for an adult, 20 for a child. Continue this for two hours, even if life seems extinct, before giving up. As he revives, adjust your breathing rhythm to his.
If the patient has a chest wound, cover it with an airtight dressing.
Handling fractures. Simple bone fractures show themselves by being tender to touch, or by the unnatural shape of the affected part, or by swelling and change in skin color. Compound fractures are indicated by broken skin, sometimes with the bone protruding. Splint the fracture wherever the patient lies before moving him, firmly supporting the broken limb.
Burns. Light burns (reddening of the skin) need not be covered, and can be treated with pain relievers or left alone. Deeper burns, where blisters and especially destruction of tissue under the skin occur, should be covered with a clean dressing. No ointments or salves should be used. Fluid that oozes from the burn and forms a crust is a good dressing in itself. Don't puncture blisters unless they are likely to break; in this case make a small slit at the edge.
If the burns are severe, get the victim to drink a salt solution if possible (one level teaspoon salt to one quart of water) in small amounts. A gallon during the first 24 hours is not too much.
Comfort. Reassuring the patient in a confident way is vital. Move him only if necessary and then as little as possible. It may be useful to place the patient in a slightly head-down position. Do not give alcoholic drinks as a stimulant.
Sanitation
In the limited space of a shelter, good sanitation is not merely a matter of comfort; it could be a matter of life or death. The familiar, old-fashioned diseases can still kill as surely as blast or radiation, and intimate living makes contagion easy. Probably the biggest single problem is the disposal of human waste, which can spread such diseases as typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhea.
The most elemental device is a metal pail with a tight cover/ A better expedient, especially where elderly persons are involved, is to make a commode by cutting the seat out of a chair and placing the pail under it. In either case a supply of plastic bags, obtainable at department stores, is needed, a bag being placed in the pail with its top overlapping the pail rim. A small amount of disinfectant (creosol or household bleach) can help control odors and insect breeding.
A larger can with a cover, such as a garbage can, should be available to store the plastic bags after use. After two days, the container can be places outside the shelter. At a later time, bury such waste under one or two feet of earth. Garbage should be handled and disposed of in the same way. It is best wrapped first in several thicknesses of newspaper, which absorbs some moisture and helps hold down odors. Then put it in a covered can.
Control of vermin
Measures to control vermin would be vital in the event of an attack, but some measures can be taken now. The shelter area should be painted or sprayed with a five per cent solution of DDT or other insecticides containing chlordane, dieldrin, Diazinon, or ronnel – taking the usual precautions against inhalation or skin contact. Repeat every few months. Lice and other body-infesting insects can be eliminated by dusting with a 10 per cent DDT dust which should be kept on the body and in the clothing for 24 hours. The shelter should be stocked with screening material, a fly swatter, mouse and rat traps. Do not use spray insecticides in an occupied shelter; there is danger of explosion or of injuring eyes or lungs.
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