First Aid and "Treatment Kits"??

[Loyalist Dave]

Folks,
I have had to put together several first aid kits both for myself, and a few for reenactment units. I call them "treatment kits" as I have found that small, commercially available, first aid kits come two ways..., those for cuts and burns, and military ones that are for plugging holes in folks. When I write "small" I mean in a container that is about 3" x 6" x 3" or so. Even medium sized kits of about 6" x 8" x 4" seem to be just larger versions of the smaller ones for cuts and burns. It's not until you get to the really large kits, the kind that alone would fill a haversack, that you find supplies for bee stings, bug bites, and blisters. In fact I just checked the one at my office, and it's just a big kit for all sorts of cuts.

Coupled with that is the fact the kits rarely have room for anything but what they have stocked from the manufacturer. So if you wanted to add a couple of small packets of burn cream, anti-biotic cream, or topical antiseptic, and some moleskin, you can't. Not to mention OTC meds.

Has anybody else found this problem?

So what I end up assembling, is a kit that can be used to treat cuts and burns, but also stings, bug bites, blisters, plus OTC meds such as aspirin, ibuprofen, antihistamine, and pepto bismal tablets. I mean I don't want to drive several hours, burn vacation time, just to turn around when I get there for symptoms of some "bug" or the green-apple-quickstep hit. Not to mention getting stung.

(OK so maybe I have bad Karma)

So the point of this thread..., have you needed to prepare a better all-around-kit as I have for trekking and living history, and do you as I do, wish you could buy a more well rounded kit that is better at supplying the needs of more than just cuts, scrapes, and burns? Perhaps, because of expiration dates, a kit not stocked with OTC meds, but how about extra room so the buyer can add what they feel is needed??

OR..., am I just looking in the wrong places, and can you suggest some kit provider that has a well rounded one with extra room?

LD

[pathfinder]

There are asmany different ingredients for first aid kit's as there are people! Each individual has their own need's for their particular condition. Stocking a kit for all would either be HUGE,or so many different kind's it would be almost ompossable to have them all.

I put together a couple of kit's for myself. The one in my haversack for trekking fit's into the Ted Cash "Tobacco Tin". It has a small tube of triple anibiotic ointment,a couple of fabric band-aid's,and 2 day's of MY daily med's,and some surgicle tape. In my "Redezvouse" box,everything needed to do up to trach's is in it,it pretty big!

With most of my kit for trekking,the gear you have can serve for most but the most serious of injurie's. Plenty of fabric for binding wound's and plugging hole's,small diameter hemp rope for tieing off thing's that need tying off,ect.....

For me,the most important is a good triple antibiotic ointment is THE most important item. getting a small cut or srape infected due to not having this small easily carried and concealed item with you seem's dumb.

I suppose my reason for being rather obsesed with  3AO is the same as my being OCD about my fire kit's,(I have at least 2 on me at all times),is from my early reading of history. Most death's "back in the day"was from simple infection. The Bess ball entering your body,if it didnt hit anything important,would drag dirty cloth and dirt with it,along with the residue from the ball itself,and start growing all those dirty little bug's that will cause intense pain and a protracted death,eventually! (the fire kit's is from a story about a guy in the mid 1700's surviving over a month in the Rainey river country with nothing but his fire steel with him!). Even a stick from a Thornapple thorn can infect and cause a lot of distress,real fast. If treated with 3AO,I haven't had it get hot,not once!

Death by miss-adventure IS H/C=P/C! There are many many way's to hide your modern first aid stuff in a totally authentic way. No matter how you do it,DO IT!

[rickevans]

Good thread. I have been pondering this on several levels. Like Path, my "always in the shooting pouch" kit is 3AO (as he says) a few flexible cloth bandaids, some tape and a couple aspirin and Naproxin.  Also have some super-glue. I have been playing with a treatment kit (good choice of descriptive words there LD) that I keep in my SUV as part of my bug-out-bag. My biggest difficulty is keeping it up to date. I remember lots from my youth as a Boy Scout, but keep a red cross first aid book in the BOB just as a good tool to have on hand.

[Ironhand]

As an RN my kit tends to be more complete than most folks but there are good kits available. Check the link below. These people have some good stuff.

http://www.galls.com/style-FK718-genera ... st-aid-kit

Ironhand

[Sean McKown]

I have 2,

 the one that is always in my vehicle is in a big orange "ammo can" with a red cross painted on it. everything from a headache to multiple gunshot wounds is covered by this.

I pray it never happens, but we are almost always at a range of some sort, so that type of wound is roughly 25% of the kit.

unfortunatly its in a modern pouch(with a redcross patch sewn on it) is a smaller version of the above, with 2 army trauma dressings.  

I also have 2 of those in pouches on my tac vest, 1 accesable from the front, the other in a pouch on the back that others may access.

[Riley/MN]

I too, normally have a decent kit in each of the vehicles, and a bigger one with lots of "cuts & scrapes" treatments that I take into camp - esp. if camping with the Scouts. And there are certain Scouts that just seem to well, be more accident-prone. You learn which ones those are fairly quick, and if they are along it gives the rest of the Troop a chance to bone up on their first aid skills....

[pathfinder]

I like the bug out bag and tac vest stuff,all very good info,but let's keep it to the primitive aspect of L/D's original question. Iron hand's link fill's the bill as to the question!

How and what do you all carry when Trekkin' or at rendezvous?




Holy cr**,I just learned how to use the color thing! LOOK OUT WORLD!!!!

[rickevans]

Maybe I need to make a horn container to hold the first aid kit for use in the woods?

[pathfinder]

That's a good idea Rick! I have one for a fire kit that would be perfect for a first aid kit.

[Ironhand]

What ever you carry your kit in I would strongly suggest that it be on your person rather than in your bag or pack. A kit that is in your pack, back in camp, will do you no good when you tumble down a hill on the way to the stream for water. I carry my kit in a belt bag. That way it is always on me.

[Rev]

I have two. A large one in the truck that will handle just about anything, & a smaller one in camp that fits exactly in a haversack marked with a red cross. The contents inside are in a pair of watertight high impact plastic boxes & is left outside in plain view 24/7. Almost any smaller injury can be handled with it, more serious injuries require a run to the truck (drive back, it's quicker even if its not PC. An injury requiring the big kit means for the time being we quit pretending to be mountain men & take care of the injury.) So far we have been lucky enough not to need the big bag, but when you are miles from anywhere with no cell phone connection it pays to be prepared.

[Riley/MN]

I have two. A large one in the truck that will handle just about anything, & a smaller one in camp that fits exactly in a haversack marked with a red cross. The contents inside are in a pair of watertight high impact plastic boxes & is left outside in plain view 24/7. Almost any smaller injury can be handled with it, more serious injuries require a run to the truck (drive back, it's quicker even if its not PC. An injury requiring the big kit means for the time being we quit pretending to be mountain men & take care of the injury.) So far we have been lucky enough not to need the big bag, but when you are miles from anywhere with no cell phone connection it pays to be prepared.

[Gordon H.Kemp]

Really good subject for discussion . One of the biggest problems we have today is the restrictions imposed by the goverment on certain items that were common place 50-60 years ago in most homes . The most complete First Aid Kit in the world isn,t worth a nickle if you don,t know how to make use of its contents . Another problem is the mental state of the victim . Yet another idea fostered on the general population by our goverment (surgen general , AMA , etc.) is your not capable of doing any serious first aib , only a medicle professional can make the call . Well, when you are required to make the call because your the only one that can , you,d best study up on determineing what action to take when its more then a coulple of hours to a doctor or hospitol . There are many local herbs and plants that can supplement your kit , but you need to study up on their use .
      All thing being equal , education is one of the most important items you can take in the wilds along with your kit . If you don,t feel secure in your abilitys . It would be best to carry your cell phone.

                                                :USA  

[Auldgoat]

Period first aid you may already have in your haversack or near-abouts:
Carry a yd of cotton for patches, cleaning, and bandage material/sling;
Cumin for indigestion;
Cloves for toothache;
Salt- make a paste for bites/stings;
     - with warm water for sore throat and mouth burns;
     - hot salt water for poison ivy;
     - cleans teeth;
Sugar- sprinkle in wounds to aid with healing;
     - fire starter;
Honey- to cover wounds, also aids in healing;
Cattail sap- for toothache; antiseptic;
Egg whites- to treat burns - first soak burned area in cold water, pat dry,  then coat with egg whites repeatedly. (the collagen builds up repairing tissue;
Witchhazel- for sore muscles;
Basswood (Linden) flowers dried for tea - cures disorders of colds,fever,cough,migraine,diuretic,sedative, etc;
Sassafras- Tea is diuretic.
Willow bark (inner)- make a tea for headaches.
Privet berries- emetic;
Powdered charcoal- can reduce the effects of mild poisoning;
Baking Soda- relieves indigestion,toothpaste;
etc, etc.
As always, some of these are carcinogenic if used to excess. Use with caution. These I have used with no ill effects.

Will

[snake eyes]

What ever you carry your kit in I would strongly suggest that it be on your person rather than in your bag or pack. A kit that is in your pack, back in camp, will do you no good when you tumble down a hill on the way to the stream for water. I carry my kit in a belt bag. That way it is always on me.

Ironhand,
             Good suggestion! Something to put in those large pockets in my camo pants.
             I have not seen it mentioned by name,but I always have peroxide
with me.
snake-eyes