Dr. Paul Auerbach is the world's leading outdoor health expert. His blog offers tips on outdoor safety and advice on how to handle wilderness emergencies.
Jul 01 2013
In Advance of a Wildfire
The tragedy of 19 firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshots from Prescott, Arizona being killed attempting to control the Yarnell Hill fire is beyond measure. The hot and dry environmental conditions being experienced by this nation have l...
Feb 11 2013
Topical Ivermectin Lotion for Treating Head Lice
In a situation of poor hygiene and shared living quarters, particularly overseas, you may acquire head and/or body lice, which make their homes predominantly in hair-covered areas of the body. The overwhelming symptom is itching. To search for...
Feb 04 2013
Public Health Interventions and Snowmobile Fatality Rates
Snowmobile fatalities are tragic events. Advocating speed limits, particularly at night (when riding in darkness) and not drinking alcohol are policies that have been attempted. Snowmobile accidents continue to occur. The American College of Em...
Jan 28 2013
Physician Warnings for Persons with Impairments
As a physician, I sometimes identify persons with conditions that make them vulnerable to accidents and injuries. Physical or emotional disabilities, a pattern of substance abuse, forgetfulness, dementia, poor physical condition, and many other pr...
Jan 21 2013
Computer Modeling and the Risk of All-Terrain Vehicle Rollover
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have been associated with accidents. For the uninitiated, they may appear safe and easy to operate, but the fact is that they are heavy and powerful machines that must be carefully operated to avoid mishaps. The Amer...
Jan 14 2013
Death From a Brown Recluse Spider Bite
“Emergency Department Death From Systemic Loxoscelism” (Annals of Emergency Medicine 2012;60:439-441) describes the unfortunate death of a 3-year-old child resulting from a brown recluse spider bite. In this case report, the child died from sev...
Jan 07 2013
Comparison of Snake Bites in Adults and Children
Adults and children are bitten by snakes. The traditional wisdom is that children may be more at risk for a severe reaction because they have a smaller volume, and so may be more affected by the venom, which can have its effects on a smaller pe...
Jan 02 2013
Impulse Buying for Safety
One of the best perspective pieces to come appear in a long time was published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine (367;15:1381-83, 2012). Authored by Deborah A. Cohen, MD, MPH and Susan H. Babey, PhD and titled “Candy at the Cash R...
Dec 19 2012
Skiing and Snowboarding-Related Head Injuries
I’ve written a number of times about the utility of helmets in preventing or mitigating traumatic brain injuries associated with skiing and snowboarding. Which groups of people who participate in these sports would benefit most from education a...
Dec 10 2012
Risk Factors for Death within 30 Days of "Passing Out"
“Syncope” is medical jargon for “passing out” – becoming unconscious for a period of time, then waking up. This certainly happens to people from time to time when they are outdoors, and is always disconcerting. Sometimes the cause is easily det...