Farm Toxicology: A Primer for Rural Healthcare Practitioners

by William J. Meggs (ed.), Ricky L. Langley (ed.) This book provides healthcare workers practicing in rural areas with the practical knowledge necessary to diagnose and treat farm workers who develop an acute or chronic illness. In rural settings, distances and travel times may be prolonged, leading to delays in assessment and definitive treatment. Healthcare providers must be prepared to rapidly assess the ill farm worker, formulate a differential diagnosis, and initiate treatment. The volume begins by teaching the reader to formulate a comprehensive differential diagnosis of farm worker illnesses, including stings and bites, green tobacco syndrome, infections, and heat and weather-related events, as well as exposures to the numerous chemicals found on the farm. The toxicity of various farm products, such as insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, and petroleum products, are each discussed in their own chapter, enabling the reader to rapidly obtain vital information on their mechanism, clinical signs and symptoms, and differential diagnosis. The reader will learn to utilize information on pesticide labels and safety data sheets, including proper use of personal protective equipment. Chapter authors discuss a variety of other topics, including toxic gas exposures on the farm, disease associations with chronic chemical exposures, illicit drug use, and miscellaneous conditions that a rural practitioner should be familiar with that may occur on the farm, such as heat and cold injuries, lightning strikes, allergies, and asthma. Farm Toxicology: A Primer for Rural Healthcare Practitioners will be an invaluable resource for rural healthcare providers, including paramedics, triage nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and physicians, who need to quickly evaluate and treat ill farm workers.