The Ship Captain’s Medical Guide – Chapter 8 – Diseases of Fishermen

Fishermen are particularly prone to infections of the hands and fingers because of their working environment and the things that they are required to handle during their work. For instance, they may be injured by fish spines and bones, by broken ends of warps and many other things. Minor cuts and grazes often go unnoticed at the time of injury. Bacteria are carried into these wounds from fish slime and guts and also from pieces of metal etc. Infection then develops with inflammation of the infected area and the formation of pus. Prevention is always better than cure and it is recommended that Chlorhexidine Gluconate 20% (HIBISCRUB) is used to wash hands and forearms after handling fish of any kind. The Hibiscrub can be used as a soap or in solution.