Medical items in are used to treat wounds and ailments of the player character Naked Snake in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. These items can be used if Snake receives combat injuries, suffers natural obstacles like falling, or is poisoned. Most injuries will heal over time, but some will drain Snake's Life or Stamina gauge if left untreated, sometimes replacing part of his Life gauge with an unhealable red portion, reducing his maximum Life, and will increase the longer the injury goes untreated. Medical treatment is administered via the Cure menu in the Survival Viewer, both medicinal and surgical. Most injuries will require treatment with several different items.