African Hunter Published Books Hunter's Guide | Bush Medicine | Page 8

Hunter’s Guide To
Bush Medicine
Introduction
verything in Africa bites, so the old saying goes.
Growing up in the western United States, it seems now
we really had to go out of our way to get into any
meaningful kind of trouble. Sure, there were mountain
lions and black bears, and you considered yourself damned lucky to
ever see one; winding up as a snack was virtually unheard of. No
crocs – see water, jump in! No acacias – barefoot was fine, as long
as the ground wasn’t covered in snow.
Africa is much less hospitable for the unwary visitor, but perhaps
one of the biggest problems are infectious diseases which may not be
so easy to diagnose once a person is back in their hermeticallysealed, cellophane-wrapped First World environment. So the whole
emphasis is on simply being aware of what’s out there.
There is a lot to be said for preparation – and the CW on this
aspect of a hunting or a photographic safari changes as new
medications become available, and occasionally as a new vaccine
may replace a course of prophylactic tablets – your family physician
is the best one to go to for the latest up-to-date recommendations,
but tetanus, and typhoid inoculations would be recommended, and
probably cholera as well. Malaria prophylaxis is pretty much a
necessity, and the rest depends largely on where you will be going
and what you’ll be doing. A series of blood tests on your return
might not be such a bad idea either.
There is a big disparity in the term “emergency medical
evacuation” between First World and Third World countries, which
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