One interesting thing about that (generally good and useful) 100-items list is
that it does not mention several of the MOST valuable things, and things that will
be in the greatest demand (things that are in great demand NOW, and it will only
be multiplied as the crisis deepens). Namely: "drugs", i.e. substances that make
life more livable and make diseases more treatable/manageable.
Dry Observer and I discussed this some moons ago...
http://www.doomers.us/forum2/index.php/topic,33514.15.htmlalan2102
Hero Member
Posts: 689
Re: ----With Depression Looming -- Would this be a good
business to start?
® Reply #16 on: Today at 09:31:00 AM ¯
Quote from: Dry Observer on Today at 01:21:55 AM
> Are there local, drug-dependent patients with no recourse if
> pharmaceutical supplies collapse? Insulin was originally
> derived from the pancreas tissue of various animals, including
> fish, horses, cows and pigs. If you have livestock being
> regularly slaughtered and butchered, then your cows or pigs
> might be able to supply that insulin if you have the equipment
> and knowledge to extract it. Otherwise, a very large
> aquaponics operation, or several working in concert, might
> provide sufficient insulin. Other life-sustaining drugs might
> be at least partially replaced by herbal remedies and/or
> homeopathics. So identify the herbal alternatives to some of
> the most common and important drugs out there (probably
> including treatments for cholesterol, hypertension,
> depression, coronary problems, and so forth). Then plant those
> herbs (in a greenhouse or indoor sunroom, if necessary) and
> have them ready, preferably in substantial supply. And yes, I
> realize some of these ailments might be treated over the long
> term by lifestyle changes, but in practice, most people won't
> be able to alter their habits rapidly enough to compensate for
> a sudden cessation in their pharmaceutical supplies.
1. Extracting insulin from animal pancreases is tedious and
low-yield for the effort. It requires enormous numbers of
animals; it is/was really a product of factory farming.
2. Most diabetes, even type I, can be controlled with a
Bernstein-style low-carb diet (google for). Some herbs and
nutrients help, too.
3. How would aquaponics provide insulin?
4. I agree that more-local, lower-tech and especially MORE
AFFORDABLE medicines/pharmaceuticals are important.
Surprisingly, the most-useful drugs for the widest array of
conditions, both mental and physical, are the common "drugs of
abuse". Alcohol (make it and distill it yourself), cannabis,
opium and coca (all grown yourself; make alcoholic and other
extracts) would constitute the core of a new-age, post-crash
"pharmaceutical" company. Each of these plants, in spite of
the persistent propaganda, have broad and profound medicinal
properties; they truly are (should be) at the core of a
human-value-based (instead of corporate-profit-based)
pharmacy. And, not coincidentally, they are things that
common people can grow and extract and safely use on their
own, without the "aid" of a (doomed) multi-trillion-dollar
medical-pharmaceutical-industrial complex. In producing these
things, you would be doing a great service for the community,
while at the same time earning good personal profit. In
addition to those items, things like echinacea, hypericum,
passionflower, and many others would be useful. Also tobacco.
.........................
alan2102
Hero Member
Posts: 691
Re: ----With Depression Looming -- Would this be a good
business to start?
® Reply #25 on: Today at 06:33:21 PM ¯
Quote from: Dry Observer on Today at 02:10:44 PM
> I've heard quite a few people offer modified diets as a
> solution for these problems, post-crash. And to be sure, some
> changes will be taking place automatically, as soft drinks and
> corn syrup disappear from the shelves. But really, if you've
> had trouble educating people with all the advantages of the
> modern world, how easily do you think you'll reach these
> people with your suggestions post-crash?
Maybe you misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that I be the
source of health knowledge for everyone! I only said what I
said. There are ways to control diabetes without insulin. If
people want information about those ways, they can find it. If
they don't want to find it, or don't want to act on it, that's
their prerogative. I am not presuming to tell them what to do.
I was only pointing out that insulin is not an essential in
most cases. Though it might be essential in some (few) cases,
and might make life easier in many others. Also that it is a
pain in the ass to make, and depending on the depth of the
crash, there may not be sufficient energy (either human or
other) available to make it. Certainly, in a world in which
gold has no value, things will be far too constrained and
difficult for production of energy-intensive drugs like
insulin! Yes, many diabetics might die. But in that world,
the great majority of us non-diabetics would not survive,
either. Only the rarest of individuals -- maybe one in 10,000,
if that many -- can prepare and is preparing for survival in
such a world.
Quote from: Dry Observer on Today at 02:10:44 PM
> Hmm. I'm afraid I'd disagree with some of your prescriptions,
> but in the interest of science, I think the empirical facts of
> whatever results you get will speak for themselves.
They are not "my prescriptions", quite. My opinion does not
matter much. The medicinal effects of these substances came to
be known over many centuries (millennia, even) of successful
use. The empirical facts of the results have been reported
for that long, and -- just like the use of gold for money --
their record speaks for itself. "Time-tested" is the phrase
that springs to mind.
It is funny how surprising such things are to most modern
people. The "War on Drugs" propaganda, combined with all the
corporate and educational propaganda of the past century, has
succeeded in erasing from memory literally millennia of
hard-won folk and medical knowledge and wisdom. Pretty
amazing. A person from (say) the year 1700, suddenly showing
up here and now, would be astonished at the things we don't
know.
If the crash is nearly as deep as many here expect, then the
virtues of these common and easy-to-produce botanicals will be
rediscovered, inevitably -- whether or not anyone listens to
me, here and now. Inevitably because they are too good to not
be used, extensively, in an energy-constrained world. In a
"crashed" world with everyone much poorer than they are today,
much attention will be paid to the energy required to produce
things, as against their perceptible and tangible utility or
benefit. There will not be room for luxuries, and thousands of
exotic chemicals, extracts and drugs with subtle or
questionable benefits. Substances will have to have very clear
actions and benefits that justify the energetic expense. And
that is just what the species that I mentioned do have, in
spades. Those are not the only species, but they the main ones
-- "at the core", as I said.
If you are interested, you can find a wealth of info on the
medicinal uses of cannabis on the web. It is one of the most
useful of all medicinal herbs. Information on opium and coca
is more difficult to come by on the web. Libraries are better,
for those species.
I am assuming, of course, that if the crash is nearly as deep
as many here expect, then the goobermint (at least the feds)
will be gone or moot or otherwise not an inhibiting factor. I
am certainly not advocating that anyone do anything illegal
under the present circumstances.
......................
"Among the remedies which it has pleased Almighty God to give
to man to relieve his sufferings, none is so universal and so
efficacious as opium." --- Thomas Sydenham, circa 1650
--------------------------------------------------------------
PLUS:
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2519660#post251966009-21-2007, 01:08 AM
Alan2012
Contributing Member 285346
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 352
Quote: Originally Posted by Doc1 "So how does the little guy
give himself a little protection? Precious metals, ammo, guns
and food are all great, but they've been talked to death here.
I'd like this thread to involve serious thinking about small
scale entreprenuerial activities which might help us to
weather the storm."
Great question.
In brief:
As the collapse unfolds, people will be in a lot of pain,
mostly emotional/mental, but also physical. Depression will
increase dramatically -- even beyond the already-high
incidence. Stress will be super-high. Stress-related illness
will be super-high. Anxiety will be rampant. Psycho-somatic
illness will be rampant.
People will need pain-relievers, sedatives and mood-elevators.
Bigtime.
So, supply them.
The "regular" store-bought and pharmaceutical stuff may or may
not be available -- and, especially, may or may not be
available at an affordable price. You can do a great service
by making alternatives available at a decent price, or on a
barter basis.
Currently legal stuff:
1) Alcohol. You can buy a still cheaply and make it yourself.
This will be a great post-crash skill. Alcoholic beverages are
already expensive, because of high taxes. It will get worse as
the dollar collapses. Drink will be a great barter item and
have high value.
2) Tobacco. A great fast-acting sedative AND anti-depressant.
And you can grow it yourself. Post-crash, a lot of people who
had quit smoking will start again. Why? Because the stress
will get to them, and they will be drawn back to the habit.
Factory-packed cigs will be useful as money, but will be too
expensive as regular consumption item for most people. The
taxes alone are almost prohibitive, now. It will only get
worse. Tobacco is not hard to grow and process. Just stock up
on cig papers.
3) St John's Wort. Effective anti-depressant. Easy to grow.
Grows as a weed in many places. Easy to extract. Just use the
alcohol from your still operation to make a nice tincture.
Google for further info. This one will only be viable
commercially if there are major trade disruptions. St John's
Wort extracts are quite cheap today, but may or may not be
tomorrow.
Currently illegal stuff:
1) Cannabis. A great and universal remedy. Google for info. (I
am too lazy right now to dig out URLs and present the whole
case, as I should.) Of course you can grow it yourself, though
for obvious reasons this has to be done with extreme caution,
today. Tomorrow, as the collapse unfolds and as law
enforcement (especially federal) gets thinner and thinner, the
door will open for more aggressive efforts. But for now,
extreme caution.
2) Opium poppies. Another great and universal remedy. Google
for info. Same basic idea as with cannabis; see above. Not
hard to grow or extract. Alcohol is the key solvent, as with
cannabis.
3) Other sedatives, relaxants, analgesics and
anti-depressants, that I will get around to writing a detailed
post about, sometime Real Soon Now...
:-)
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