Actually, you could use a stirling cooler, not incredibly advanced technology, could easily make solar icemakers & even some other earlier forms of refrigeration that do not require electricity, depends on the temperatures required of course.
Electricity is all pervasive now & many have forgotten the technologies that did not require it.
Also 1940's technology was not that advanced, it could be reproduced depending on how far we regress, how quickly it happens, how much knowledge is preserved beforehand & what particular event causes the collapse of civilization.
As for knowledge & skills, it matters not how or where you obtain them but that you acquire the right knowledge & techniques.
Lets also face the fact that certain areas will survive & any intact equipment can be salvaged from other areas, while it lasts a lot could be accomplished provided there are enough survivors to do the required tasks.
It is a pity that we did not develop natural medicine to the same level as synthetics, we may have been in a better situation now if we had, however salvaging what we can will at least offer options.
Thanks people, I look forward to reading more.
