First Aid Kits

[kernelkrink]

Originally Posted by hcpookie

Also read that some of the quick-clot stuff is shellfish based, and some people like my wife with shellfish allergies could have reactions. Any options that aren't shellfish-based?

Quick-Clot branded stuff is a type of clay, it forms a solid plug and must be removed by mechanical means when the wound is properly treated. It also heats up in contact with blood, very painful from what I understand, both application and removal.

Celox branded stuff is made from the chitin contained in the shells of shellfish and processed into chitosan. It forms a solid gel type plug. It produces no heat and removal is done by rinsing with water. It doesn't have to be removed, if any is left the body eventually absorbs it. IIRC, there is also a Hemcon brand which is the same stuff applied to bandages.

Dunno about allergies, if the chitosan is what the allergy is to, sure. But they are used so widely and shellfish allergy is relatively common, so I would think not. Of course, new products come out every day so that info may be out of date.

[tanvil]

Band-aids, 4x4s and compresses. If there is an Ollies store in your AO, stop by there and see if they have any Dr. Gameday brand bandages. If they do, buy them out. These are the best band aids I have ever seen. They will amaze you by how well they stay on.
4x4s are great for sopping blood so you can see what you are dealing with.

I have the Quik Clot and HemCon brand blood stoppers but I have never used them.

What I do use from time to time is called Kwik-Stop Styptic Power. It is in powder form, in a small plastic container roughly the size of a 35mm film can (remember those?) and you can buy it in pet stores. It might be a throw back to Benson Ragners' Ditch Medicine but I've used it for years. It works great and is inexpensive. I have never seen it cause any infection or side effects. It does sting a little.
The label says Do Not use on deep wounds, body cavities or burns.
Ingredients;Ferric subsulphate, aluminum chloride, diatomite, bentonite, copper sulphate,
ammonium chloride and benzocaine.

I handed it to a church member who cracked his head open on ice in the church parking lot one winter and started to explain to him what it is. He is a doctor. He abruptly interrupted me and said, 'I know exactly what it is', as he dumped a small pile in his palm and applied it to his wound. It washes out with warm water.

Only use a tourniquet for the squirts. You should get some training with them aslo. Risky business if you just strap it on like you see in the movies. A marker in your kit is better for the 'T' than blood because if he rubs his bloody hands on his forehead, he is no longer marked.
I've only needed to use them twice, both times were for table saw accidents. ( not mine, I still have all my digits)

Human flesh and bone stand no chance against a 40 tooth carbide blade.

[FyredUp]

Throw a couple of chemical ice packs in your kit. Add more gauze pads, and trama dressings, and cling gauze wrap.

[tanvil]

Agreed.

Also, a cool trick for the duct tape. I think I got this from Backwoods Magazine years ago.
As opposed to taking up all the extra space with the roll and core, chuck a 3 or 4 long inch nail into a drill press or hand drill. Put the end of the tape on it, square it up and hit the power switch. It will transfer your tape onto the nail and save a lot of space in your kit.
You won't be good at it the first time but after a little practice,....

[Rikoshay]

Superglue for cuts that need to be stitched!

Hemcon bandages can be found on Amazon.com for fairly reasonable prices.

On turniquetes there is a myth that if you cinch off a limb the victim is going to lose the limb. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!!

This came from a surgeon in Iraq who worked at the MEDIVAC in Tallil. He told us that they can save an arm or leg if it's within a reasonable amount of time, so if in doubt and if you know that somebody can be evac'd to a trauma center just go ahead and cinch it.

I know this will probably start an argument, but in the surgeon's words "have you ever woken up and your arm was asleep? You don't lose your arm from that, even if the blood is cut off for quite a long period of time".

On the flip side of that if it's going to be 6 hours, then you may want to try pressure bandages first.

[tanvil]

I'm not a surgeon, so no argument from me. Thankyou, that's good to know.