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First Aid Kit / First Aid Book

6K views 36 replies 16 participants last post by  dave6330 
#1 ·
Over the weekend I found myself with a nasty cut. Because I was about 3 hours from the nearest medical services, I pulled out my on board first aid kit. I found that I had plenty of things to clean the cut out but no way to close the wound. I could cover the wound with Band Aids but because this cut was wide open, Band Aids only soaked up the mess instead of closing the wound. (ick...I know)

It made me think about the kit that I keep. It's apparant that it's not adequate, even for short sailing trips.

I see the there are nice kits available that range from around $20 to more than $1,000. It's hard to know what will be essential.

Can anybody recommend a good kit? I'm looking for one that would not only work for short weekends but also be good enough for off shore sailing.

I'm also wondering if anybody can recommend a good first aid book. I have no medical background so it has to be easy to read and understand in an emergency.

Thanks!
 
#31 ·
Interesting, Michael. I'd noticed that QK had disappeared from a couple of drugstores and pharmacies and they said "it was discontinued" but a call to the maker last week revealed it is very much still in production. I wonder if that issue is causing distributors to drop it?

Necrosis is not a good thing, but bleeding out kills faster, so perhaps the problem is one of training and judgement--not the product. When I mentioned sugar to a doctor he was apopleptic. Then he thought it over for a while and realized that in the context (uncontrolled bleeding in an location where no care would be available) he conceded that it might work. Emergency field medicine is a bit different from what you do in a deluxe facility.<G>

Somewhere I'll try to get time to look into that. IIRC there are at least three totally different products competing for clotting aids, some in military use.

No offense taken! And my thanks for taking the time to come back on that.

An irrigation syringe is a great idea--that's why they are sold under that exact name. Heck, 20 years ago "they" said to disinfect with peroxide. Now, "they" say peroxide turns flesh into bacteria-chow, so it should only be used when a deep gash can't be cleaned by better means. And that the breathing part of CPR is apparently a waste--the time is better spent on just compressions.

I try to keep up on these things, but if they tell me to carry leeches, I'm just not going to listen!<G>
 
#32 ·
I appreciate the list, Michael. I'll be adding items to our first aid kit.

One thing I've done is made up a very simple everyday first aid kit. Most often when we go for the first aid kit it's for something very minor, when all that's required is tweezers or a little antibiotic cream and a band-aid. Having duplicates of the most basic items keeps them more accessible and keeps the other kit organized and complete if we need it for more serious injuries.
 
#34 ·
Silvadene is something well worth carrying. Burns are a risk, especially on a small sailboat galley...where pots can move of their own accord. It's pretty stable stuff IIRC.
 
#35 ·
"Necrosis is not a good thing, but bleeding out kills faster, so perhaps the problem is one of training and judgement--not the product. When I mentioned sugar to a doctor he was apopleptic. Then he thought it over for a while and realized that in the context (uncontrolled bleeding in an location where no care would be available) he conceded that it might work. Emergency field medicine is a bit different from what you do in a deluxe facility.

Somewhere I'll try to get time to look into that. IIRC there are at least three totally different products competing for clotting aids, some in military use."


I completely understand your point HS, and agree. I just returned from a wilderness medicine conference and the topic of clotting products was a hot debate. We also had an Air Force flight surgeon in our class and yes the military is looking closely at the products as well. I think it is a great technology that will be developed into a safe useable product very soon, current products are very exothermic. The point of my list was to create a set of products that could be used by a lay person safely, QuickClot may have a role, but the concept of uncontrollable bleeding to a layperson and a medical person sometimes differs greatly and I would hate to see someone set a wound up for massive infection on a something that time and good pressure dressing would handle. Remember "First do no Harm." IMHO of course :D

As for Silvadene....I love the stuff, but one of my caveats was no prescription meds, Antibiotic cream is a good OTC replacement.

Michael
 
#37 ·
We built our own, stored in a tupperware type container and stocked it ourselves. I think that's the best way to ensure you know what's in it and, more importantly, how to use it.
 
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