If they do not you will normally find that by the second or third day of the illness, the symptoms and signs are sufficient to allow you to make a diagnosis. General advice on nursing the patient while he has to remain in bed will be found in Chapter 3. Finally, if you have to obtain radio medical advice or evacuate the patient, you should read Chapter 13. In seeking advice from a radio doctor it may help to refer also to Annex I which describes briefly how the body works and gives the names of the main bones, muscles, etc. The dying and the dead Chapter 12 tells you how to care for patients who may be dying, how to decide if a patient is dead, and what to do if he does die.
Prevention is always better than cure.
Every master should therefore take heed of the advice in Chapter 5 about such matters as the cleanliness of the ship, ensuring that the food and water can be safely consumed, and isolating a patient who has an infectious disease. The Guide is intended for use with these medicines and equipment, and regular checks on stocks of medicines and their expiry dates should be carried out. Site disclaimer applies.