Table Of Contents - Section Five

Medical Equipment

Medicines

GURPS "wonder drugs" in Trek

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT:

More than anything else, the gadgets in Trek ship sickbays distinguish that era’s practice of Medicine. Doctors can heal wounds in seconds, view a patient’s internal anatomy in real time, and examine genetic codes for irregularities.

Most of these devices require a saving throw on Electronics Operations: Medical to use successfully.

ANABOLIC PROTOPLASERS

These devices are used to heal internal and external body damage without the need of opening the body cavity of the patient to effect repairs. They use small forcefields, phase-modulated lasers, and anabolic accelerators to quickly heal injuries without scarring. They come in a variety of sizes for different repairs.

Smaller units are useful for fine work involving the eyes and ears, while larger units heal cuts and even broken bones.

They temporarily confer the advantage of Instant Regeneration to the area treated, but cannot replace surgery in serious injuries. For example, if used on a very deep stab wound, they could seal the damaged tissues and prevent further blood loss, but a subcutaneous hole would remain unless closed with surgery.

Within these limitations, Protoplasers can restore 1 point of lost HT damage per turn. Weight is 1 pound. Cost is $1000.

After treatment, the patient should make an additional roll on HT. If it is failed, the area injured is still tender and needs to be favored for an extra day each time the HT roll fails.

This device will not repair incidental damage resulting from the original injury. For example, an officer who has been stabbed may have the wound repaired in sickbay in 15 minutes, but will still have to deal with the blood loss.

BANDAGES

Starfleet’s Medical department has a wide variety of bandage options. Simple bandages made of sterile, inert materials that do not bind with clotting wounds are common. Dermapatch is available in a spray applicator, or in larger pre-formed pieces. Dermapatch has the same capabilities of Sensa-Skin (GURPS: Space pg.70).

BIOBED

This is an orthopedically-designed hospital bed which has an array of biofunction sensors that monitor all bodily systems. The bed is raised to allow the doctor to comfortably examine the patient. It has a graphic display at the head which gives the patient’s current status. Restraining fields are available on some models. This is essentially the same as the Diagnosis Table described in GURPS: Ultra-Tech (pg.65). Biobeds give a modifier of +4 to the physician’s Diagnosis skill roll.

CARDIOSTIMULATORS

This is a defibrillator that can also restart a stopped heart. It will add +2 to each attempt at revival of a patient who has suffered some form of coronary dysfunction. Unlike current defibrillators, this device will not damage surface tissues.

HYPOSPRAY

The Hypospray is a hand-held device used for subcutaneous and intravenous administration of carefully-controlled dosages of medication on a subject. The Hypospray injects the subject by use of a pinpoint, high-pressure, low-volume, microscopic, aerosuspension stream. It allows medication to be given through the skin or clothing (as long as DR is 1 or less) without mechanical penetration. In itself, it adds nothing to any skill rolls, but the medicines used will have different effects. It takes one second to remove and one to replace a medicine vial. The air cartridge is good for 100 injections. It takes one second to remove and one second to replace the air cartridge. Weight is ½ lb. Cost: $125. Replacement air cartridges are $10 each.

MEDICAL TRICORDERS

The Medical Tricorder is a modified TR-580 with an extra external medical probe and scanner attachment. As a computer, consider it to have a complexity level of 3. It also has the following capabilities and software on board:

For its size, the Medical Tricorder can maintain and store vast amounts of data in its own memory, which it uses to help evaluate conditions on site.

The Medical Tricorder has an external hand-held sensing device.

This peripheral contains over 100 sensors, and the Tricorder contains a specialized medical database that provides detailed medical diagnostic tools in the field including tomographic and micrographic imaging. A small diagnosis wand fits into the top of the peripheral and is occasionally used by the physician to provide close high-resolution scans. Medical Tricorders add +4 to the physician’s Diagnosis skill when successfully used. Use Elec. Oper.: Medical skill for this.

Together, these sensors allow the Medical Tricorder to make very detailed diagnosis on known species. On unknown species, it is limited to telling if the life-form is sick or dying. A detailed analysis is not possible in such a situation. Effective range is about three yards.

NANOSURGEONS

A suspension of nanotechnological assemblies that are typically used to survey cellular genetic damage and effect repairs.

They report to, and are monitored by, the attending physician, and successful use requires a saving roll on either Genetics or Surgery-4. Nanosurgeons are useful to repair additional damage that drugs (for example) cannot affect. Their use adds +4 to attempts to repair internal damage that is unaffected by medications and standard treatment.

NEURAL STIMULATOR

This device "jumpstarts" the Central Nervous System of patients who has suffered some form of neuro-synaptic failure. This is particularly useful to treat a patient who has suffered CNS shock from the higher settings of a Phaser. The Neural Stimulator requires one turn to set up, and one turn to calibrate. Then, a save on Elec. Oper: Medical will add +2 to resuscitation attempts with either First Aid/TL or Physician/TL.

NEUROLINK

Allows a healthy "donor" to take over autonomic functions for a patient suffering from brain stem damage. One link is attached to the head of the "donor" and the other on the head of the patient. Upon activation, the autonomic functions of the donor control the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, etc. Note that calibration by the attending physician using Elec. Oper.: Medical is necessary. This is at -4 if the physician lacks a specialty skill for either the donor’s race or the patient race, and -8 for both. Failure causes either the donor or the patient to go into autonomic fibrillation unless they save on HT minus the amount the physician missed by.

OSTEOTRACTORS

These are medical tractor fields used to set and immobilize a broken bone prior to treatment with a Protoplaser. They act as a temporary cast during treatment.

PHYSICIAN’S MEDIKIT

The Physician’s Medikit is a small, strap-on case designed to carry emergency medical supplies.

A Full Standard kit would include:

and the following medications:

All doses of any drug type are contained in vials that must be inserted into the Hypospray. The standard kit may be altered to suit missions or situations, but must be altered before the mission begins. For example, if the doctor knows that he is going into a combat zone, he may replace the 3 vials of Panamyacin with more Hyronalyn or Analgine.

Almost any drug in GURPS: Ultra-Tech should be available on any Starbase, and may be synthesized quickly on most larger Federation vessels. The amount of doses per vial is left to the discretion of the GM. A separate list of medicines available can be found elsewhere.

SCALPELS

There are three varieties to choose from: traditional cutting blades with a monomolecular edge, laser scalpels that cauterize as they cut, and nanotech scalpels that separate tissues along cellular lines without damage. Each has different uses.

Laser scalpels add +1 to the doctor’s Surgery skill because of bloodlessness, but can dazzle anyone unwary enough to look into the beam, even though the scalpel can only cut within its focal length.

Monomolecular blades require no power supply and quickly slice through most matter with minimal effort.

Finally, Nanotech scalpels cause minimal disruption of tissue (-1 to recovery rolls) but operate slowly.

An interesting storyline might involve the development of an experimental scalpel that utilizes some form of Transporter technology.

SICKBAY OVERHEAD SENSOR CLUSTER

This is a circular arrangement of sensors located above the primary Bio-Bed in sickbay. It augments the sensors of the Bio-Bed, and also provides an emergency containment field to prevent contamination. The OSC provides +3 to Diagnosis rolls in addition to the Bio-Bed’s +4.

STASIS FIELD GENERATOR

This device is used in emergencies when a patient cannot be stabilized and requires treatment that is not immediately available. It significantly slows all biological activity within the perimeter of the field, placing the patient in a sort of suspended animation. Note that this is not the same device as in GURPS: Ultra-Tech: it does not change the flow of time, but merely slows all metabolic processes. Thus, a patient placed in stasis is not protected from outside attacks. The patient will not be aware of any passage of time while under the influence of a stasis unit, since the biochemical activity of the patient’s brain is effectively halted.

STERILITE

Some interpretations list this as a medicine. If you subscribe to this theory, then list it as such, with the same general capabilities of Panamyacin. Its use by Dr. McCoy in TOS seems to indicate that it is a field effect that prevents any and all contamination during surgery. If you prefer this theory, then it will add +2 to recovery rolls, since the patient has no infections to fight off during recovery.

SURGICAL SUPPORT FRAME

Surgical Support Frames attach to Bio-Beds providing aid and assistance during surgery and emergency life support. Littered with biosensors, the SSF has a large display of the surgical area and adds +4 to the doctor’s Surgery skill (including all nanosurgery).

Alpha Wave Inducer

The Alpha Wave Inducer is a device meant to induce sleep in most humanoids. It is not meant to replace natural sleep, and cannot be used frequently. Consider it to be an electronic version of an anesthetic. There is no save possible. Subject enters a deep dreamless sleep during which surgical procedures can be carried out without causing pain to the subject.

Autosuture

An Autosuture is used to close wounds in patients. It has the same function as today’s 20^th-century sutures. Consider it to be similar to the Anabolic Protoplaser.

Bioregenerative Field

A Bioregenerative Field is an energy field used to accelerate cellular growth. Consider it to temporarily confer the advantage of Regeneration on the patient. A sterilite unit is typically used during this procedure to keep infection from being multiplied by the Bioregenerative Field.

Cortical Stimulator

The Cortical Stimulator provides a method of resuscitation for patients. It is particularly effective for head injuries and comatose patients. Consider it to be an electronic version of Tricordrazine.

Dentronal Scanner

(seeking info on this :^)

Exoscalpel

An electronic relative of today’s 20^th-century scalpel. Consider it to be an electronic knife. Doctors do not need to roll to-hit due to the anesthetized condition of patients.

Genetronic Replicator

An experimental medical device used to stimulate the genetic code of an individual into growing whatever types of cells are needed by the patients. It temporarily confers the advantage of Instant Regeneration on patients.

Microtome

An electronic instrument used to cut very thin sections of organic tissue for microscopic examinations. Useful to acquire samples of diseased tissue for medical analysis. It is essentially the same as today’s Microtome.

Motor Assist Bands

An electronic strap attached to damaged limbs of patients which increase the neurological impulses provided by the patient to the damaged limb. Useful for rehabilitation.

Neural Transducer

Medical devices that provide the same function as the Motor Assist Bands above, but are temporarily and/or permanently implanted in patients to increase transmission of neural impulses from the brain to whatever area of the body the Transducers are attached to. They are frequently used for spinal cord damage patients.

Neural Stimulators

An instrument used to stimulate the Central Nervous System of a patient. They are frequently used to help in attempts to revive unconscious and/or comatose patients.

Physiostimulators

Used to increase metabolic functions in patients that show a decrease of those functions.

Plasma Infusion Unit

An instrument used for transfusions of blood, blood plasma, and/or electrolytes into patients that need them. It is used the same way blood transfusions are today. The Plasma Infusion Unit also provides filtration of the material to be delivered.

Protodynoplaser

A device used to help in patient condition stabilization.

Consider it to have the power of Healing.

Psychotricorder

Similar to the standard Tricorder, the Psychotricorder can also be used to record past memories of a patient. Typically it is used to retrieve memories within the last 24 hours. See info on the Medical Tricorder and/or Tricorder for any further info.

Somnetic Inducer

A device used to induce sleep. Otherwise similar to the Alpha Wave Induction unit above.

Sonic Separator

A device used to separate tissues into very fine bundles. It is primarily used in brain operations, but is also useful in other areas of the body which have very small or very delicate parts.

MEDICINES

The variety of medicines available in the Trek universe is staggering. Just consult recent "Physician’s Desk Reference" volumes, and extrapolate a few hundred years, mixing in the contributions of several dozen alien civilizations, and the list is truly astronomical. Medicines available will probably range from traditional chemicals to substances that stimulate natural functions to tailored bacteria and viruses to nanotechnology. The following is a small sampling of the kinds of medications that are available to the Chief Medical Officer. Unless otherwise noted, medicines are generally effective for about 24 hours per dose. The GM and the CMO should feel free to add to this list as new medicines are developed, either in the campaign, or in the shows. In cases where there is more than one type of drug for similar conditions, the "other" drug is used if the patient is known to have an allergic reaction to the first drug.

Anesthezine

This is an inhalant that can be used as a general anesthetic, but is more often used by Security as an intruder control measure. The victim saves versus HT minus the number of turns of exposure or immediately falls unconscious. They will remain unconscious for 30-HT minutes after exposure to the gas ceases. If the victim remains awake, he will lose one point of Fatigue per turn until unconscious.

Benjisidrine

An anti-arrhythmic used to regulate some heart conditions. Adds +2 to First Aid/TL or Physician/TL rolls when trying to stabilize a patient suffering from an irregular heartbeat.

Chloromydride

A cardio-stimulatory drug used where Inaprovaline is ineffective or may cause allergic reactions. Adds +2 to First Aid/TL or Physician: (race) attempts to revive a very recently deceased patient. It is usually used in concert with cardial and neural stimulators for additional benefits. Successful use by the physician allows the "dead" character a new roll on HT to revive.

Cordrazine

A powerful stimulant that will usually revive a stunned or unconscious patient completely. Roll versus HT+5 to regain consciousness. Additionally, the drug restores a full 1d of Fatigue loss. Cordrazine also adds +2 to the skill rolls of doctors using First Aid/TL or Physician on injured patients, as it helps to stabilize the patient’s condition. Cordrazine is "tricky stuff" - overdose can lead to delusional paranoia, and the drug is addictive. Treat overdosed patients as having +1 ST and DX, and the added (temporary) disadvantages of Paranoia (pg. B35) and Delusion (pg. B32). At the end of 24 hours, the patient immediately makes a save on HT to come out of it. On a success, the patient immediately loses all effects, and suffers 1d+2 Fatigue. Critical failures may mean that the condition is permanent.

Corophizine

A general purpose antibiotic. This adds 1d/2 to the effective HT of the patient attempting recovery from an illness. This drug also adds +5 to HT rolls against infection in wounds. It has minimal side effects and is non-addictive.

Delactovine

A common stimulant with few side effects. It is mildly addictive. It restores 1/2d Fatigue loss and adds 1 to Speed. The medication remains effective for a number of hours equal to the amount by which the roll was made, but by at least one.

Dexalin

This is used to treat oxygen deprivation. If the patient has suffered per the vacuum rules (GURPS: Space pg. 75), then Dexalin will allow recovery from Fatigue (pg. B134) at 1 ST per minute, with an immediate recovery of 3 points. Dexalin will also add +2 to HT rolls to avoid brain damage. See the sidebar on Holding Your Breath (pg. B91) for related information.

Dylamadon

This is a powerful neuroinhibitor used for painless euthanasia. Dr. Crusher used this to kill Counselor Troi in the TNG episode "Man of the People". Whether this is an accepted practice in the Federation, or simply an alternative use of the medicine is up to the GM. Note: Dr. McCoy also used euthanasia on his own father, and apparently incurred no punishment (other than his own guilt feelings).

Formazine

A common stimulant that can cause irritability with prolonged use (more than three days). Otherwise, it has the same effects as Delactovine.

Hyronalyn

This medication protects against radiation sickness. One dose halves the effective amount of radiation received, and a second dose further halves that, and so on. Each dosage beyond the first risks Hyronalyn poisoning, which could lead to permanent loss of 1 HT unless a successful save against HT+4 (minus the total number of doses) is made by the patient.

Inaprovaline

A cardio-stimulatory drug that can also be used to stabilize a weak but living patient’s condition.

Kayolane

This drug causes immediate unconsciousness unless the patient saves on HT-4. The patient will remain asleep for 16-HT hours.

Leporazine

A general resuscitative.

Lexorin

A neurotransmitter inhibitor. This drug temporarily diminishes IQ by 1 point per dose, but each dose also makes psychic and psionic intrusions 1 point harder. Lexorin can also calm excited or agitated patients. In greater dosages than 3 in 24 hours, the patient also begins to lose DX, as the Central Nervous System begins to lose control of voluntary functions. If IQ drops below 3, the patient must save versus HT for each additional dose or go into CNS failure and die. If IQ drops to 0, failure is automatic, and only emergency resuscitative procedures can save the patient. Lexorin is mildly addictive, and causes the patient to feel overconfident and happy.

Melorazine

This drug causes immediate unconsciousness unless the patient saves on HT-6. The patient will remain asleep for 18-HT hours.

Memory Blockers

These are used to permanently block specific memories in a patient. This is useful if a patient has seen something unpleasant, or has been exposed to information that may violate the Prime Directive. The administering doctor must save on Physician or Psychology for each particular set of memories to be blocked. The patient may choose to remember those blocked memories with a save on IQ-2 (minus the amount that the doctor made his roll by).

Metrazine

Cardiac anti-arrhythmic. See Benjisidrine for guidelines.

Morathial

A general resuscitative.

Stokaline

A mild stimulant that will revive an unconscious or stunned patient on a HT roll. It has no major side effects and is non-addictive. However, patients quickly develop a tolerance to it. Each time Stokaline is not effective, all future uses on that patient will be one point less. This effect is permanent and cumulative.

Tricordrazine

A refined version of Cordrazine that lacks the delusional paranoia side effects, but will only revive on a HT+2 roll. It is still addictive.

Tri-Ox Compound

This drug helps to provide oxygen to blood in thin atmospheres, or in cases of oxygen starvation. Treat as a respirator (pg. S49) for the purpose of eliminating the Fatigue penalties in thin atmospheres, and allows a +2 bonus to all HT rolls in oxygen poor environments.

Tryptophan-Lysine distillates

These are more powerful antibiotics. They add 1d to the effective HT of the patient, but at the cost of a slightly Fatigued state (1d/2) that lasts until the treatments end. Tryptophan-Lysine distillates add +6 to HT rolls against infections.

Vertrazine

Combats vertigo. This adds +2 to fight the effects of any situation that causes dizziness. Characters who take this drug prior to entering a zero-G environment make their space sickness roll at +4 (instead of +2). If the character is already space sick, a new roll can be made with the Vertrazine bonus without having to wait another 24 hours. Only one dose will have effect in a 24 hour period. It has no side effects.

GURPS "Wonder Drugs" in Trek

Adders

These drugs raise a basic attribute. They could be interpreted as a form of stimulant, but nothing like this has ever been seen in Trek. They may be covert medicines used by some Special Ops forces, or they may be seen as unethical by Federation scientists, or they may simply not exist at all. The GM must rule on their inclusion.

Analgine/Painaway

We have seen painkillers administered, but I don’t recall any names mentioned. Analgine is as good a name as any. I have included it in the standard medical kit.

Anagathics

Available, but very rare. The Federation frowns on their use.

Ascepaline

Temporarily restores HT to full. There appears to be nothing like this in the show.

Anti-Rad

This is called Hyronalyn in the standard medical kit.

Crediline

This drug makes the user more likely to believe anything that they are told. Its use has been superseded by more effective memory blockers.

Genericillin

A powerful general purpose antibiotic. A wide range of antibiotics is already available, although there is nothing about Genericillin that makes it incompatible with Trek. If this antibiotic is needed, use the rules given. I have given this drug the name of Panamyacin in the standard Medical kit.

Gravanol

Gravity tolerance in a bottle. I haven’t seen anything like this, and I’m not sure how this would work. I would say that this doesn’t exist, but individual GM’s may rule that there is a stimulant designed to do something similar.

Hypercoagulin

-Stops bleeding very quickly. This is unnecessary when using Anabolic Protoplasers, although a version of this drug for localized use on wounds in the field may exist.

Memory-Beta

This drug stimulates the users memory. It allows the user to attempt to remember something that has been forgotten. Trek uses Memory Blockers, so this would have to exist as a method for reversing the effect of those drugs.

Morphazine

Puts patients into deep, dreamless sleep for 3d hours. Other Trek drugs have similar effects.

Neurovine

This drug is an antidote for nerve poison. A drug similar to this one has never been seen, but it would probably be easy to synthesize a similar medication.

Purge

This drug cleanses the user’s systems of foreign biochemicals, and neutralizes active drugs (including recreational drugs and alcohol) within minutes. It is up to individual GM’s to decide whether this drug is available or not.

Quickheal

Heals 1d of wound damage. This function is also duplicated by Anabolic Protoplasers.

Rage

This drug gives the user double ST and the Berserk disadvantage for 1dx10 minutes. This drug would probably be considered unethical by Federation standards.

Revive

These wake up someone who is unconscious. I have chosen Delactovine to have this effect. Smelling salts could probably still be around somewhere.

Shaker

This is an experimental neurotransmitter enhancer which increases HT, ST, and DX every 15 seconds, but decreases IQ by a similar amount. Users also temporarily gain the Overconfidence disadvantage and the High Pain Threshold advantage. This drug has not been seen during the show, and would probably be considered unethical by the Federation.

Soothe

This drug tranquillizes the user. They are -2 to DX and IQ, and -1 to Move. There are probably much better tranquillizers that have been developed by Trek’s time.

Superstim

This restores 1d of Fatigue loss. The drug I have chosen to have this effect is Tricordrazine. Cordrazine would have a similar effect.

Suspend

Slows down all biological functions. This would be similar to a Trek Stasis Field. It -might- even be effective after death. In sickbays, a Stasis Field is used.

Tempo

Effectively gives the user the advantage of Combat Reflexes. No drug similar to this has been seen on the show, but the GM can rule on its use for Special Ops troops.

Torpine

Heals all damage after a 24 hour healing trance. Nothing like this seems to be in use in Trek, although the Vulcans have a healing trance that they use to do much the same thing for serious injuries.