｡?Introduction
A wide variety of emergency cases may occur during a voyage. Initial treatment for an emergency case begins with a Health Supervisor's recognizing the symptoms and signs. For this, the Health Supervisor must accurately observe the symptoms of the patient, recognize the vital signs, make a diagnosis as far as possible, administer available treatment on the spot, and communicate with a physician on land.
It is not difficult to make a diagnosis of all cases, a Health Supervisor may be able to diagnose most cases.
Early initial treatment requires early consideration of diseases suggested by the major symptoms. We have decided to present here a flowchart type pamphlet about diagnosis based on symptoms as an aid for this.
Please utilize this pamphlet to obtain information as quickly as possible, give initial treatment, and know what information should be transmitted to a physician on land when an emergency case occurs on board.
｡?Before Using the Flowchart
The flowchart presented here includes diseases classified by the symptoms seen ordinarily on a voyage, but does not cover all diseases.
It focuses on diseases that develop in men aged from 20 to 60, with emphasis on diseases likely to affect people working in the special "on board" environment. The main diseases included in the flowchart are those requiring emergency treatment, with the inclusion of chronic diseases kept to a minimum. Rare diseases have been excluded.
Bed rest is excluded from initial treatment on board, as it is an obvious treatment. Hospital admission is divided into hospitalization requiring special emergency and other general hospitalization.
With reference made to diseases encountered in radio medical care and emergency care on board, simple types of initial treatment readily available during a voyage are mainly included.
March 2000
Japan Seamen's Medical Affairs Corporation (JSMAC)
Editors:
Yoshihiko Hachiya, M.D.
Maritime Medicine Research Board,
Sempo Tokyo Takanawa Insurance Hospital
Masataka Shoda, M.D.
Yokohama Seamen's Insurance Hospital
Hiroshi Kawashima, M.D.
Maritime Occupational Physician
Note: Some of data included is taken from the "Handbook of Advice on Radio Medical Communications" published by the Seamen's Insurance Foundation.
