Natural Resources for Medicine/Insect Repellents

TOMBSTONE

TOMBSTONE

Joined
Oct 31, 1998
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One thing that this forums has done for me,is to stimulate my mind to think of survival situations and questions etc.I was wondering what types of tree's,plants,animal/fish products etc. found in the wild may have some medical benefits for such things as infections,diarhea,etc.How about a natural material that may have insect/bug repellent properties.I mean we all try our best to prepare.I mean everyone has an oh S***! bag and survival supplies and the trusty knife with firestarting stuff blah,blah.Suppose though it wasn't a planned hiking trip,some reason you find yourself in the wild without all these supplies.Let's just say your supplies were lost/destroyed whatever.Maybe all you have on you is your clothes and a knife,maybe fire making materials.Let's say you are out hundreds of miles from civilization and it will be many weeks before you get help from a rescue team ( I know,I know,not likely).You got a severe cut and no matter how much you took care to clean it out,it gets infected.
Is there a common plant or tree etc. that may be used or processed into an anti-biotic?I would also be interested in any other info on Naturally occuring product that has uses such as insect repellent,sun block,anti-diarheal etc.Another reason that made me curious is the fact that even though you can bring products with you or get a anti-biotic prescription.These products can get lost,destroyed,used up,or have a limited shelf life.When I think of surviving I think more long term,as far as being in reach of any type of help.I know I'm thinking of far fetched scenerios,but I have a good imagination :) plus maybe someday all this information might help someone.Thanks in advance for the responses.
 
Some one most have some ideas.Anyone here have a Native American backround?Any tribal remedies using plants,roots,or herbs that has been passed down to you? :cool:
 
I'm back after several months off the forum. Thanks for such a great topic! This is gonna be a long post, so bear with me.

So you're lost, isolated, ill-equipped, and wounded. To stop the bleeding, apply a poultice of Yarrow (Achillea sp.) It is a common herb (at least out here in the west) and is an all-around blood medicine. In my experience it also seems to ease pain, but that might just be a psychological thing goin' on.

As far as an antiseptic, we have had previous discussions here about boiled pine pitch. Most species of pine (fir, cedar, pine, spruce) will do fine. Juniper is the best. As far as washing the wound, I don't dare touch that one. Ask five different people and you get five different answers. However, if you decide to wash the wound, make a wash from elderberry leaves. Irrigate with the water and keep the boiled leaves to use as a soothing and healing poultice.

Assuming the wound is large, you'll probably want a bandage. Try the cambrium layer of the pine tree. Pull it off in long strips that can be wrapped around your wounded body part. Or try a two-in-one by stripping out the cambrium, boil it, then apply it as hot as you can stand w/o burning yourself. It will act as an antiseptic and a bandage all in one and will harden to a stiff covering that will protect the wound.

To repel the bugs, apply elderberry juice. Just grab some berries and rub 'em on. It lets off a strange odor, but I don't find it offensive. It doesn't turn you purple (maybe dark pink) and it isn't that sticky. Incidentally, if you are in an area w/elderberries, use as little as you can for bug repellant and put as much as you can to other uses. Elderberries are one of the best natural sources of vitamin C, plus a myriad of other important nutrients. If you eat them raw they'll loosen your bowels, but not make you sick. (CAUTION: Don't use the red elderberries, as they have been known to make some people nausiated. Use the blue variety only.)

If you get too loose in the bowels, make a tea of stinging nettle leaves. Once they are boiled they lose their sting, and a few cups will put you back in shape. But be careful - too much tea and you'll be right back to eating raw elderberries! :(

I hope this helps and that you find it interesting.

cv
 
Thanks for the reply.This is great info,perhaps you can fill me in on a couple of terms.What is Pine Pitch or what part of the tree do you boil?What is the Cambrium part of the tree?Thanks so much for the wonderful information.Ralph
 
Pitch is what many people call sap. It's the runny, oozy stuff that seeps from a wound in the tree's bark. Pitch the tree's blood. When it has hardened you can break it off in brittle chunks, or if it is still soft you can collect it by scraping it off with a stick. When you boil it it will turn into a liquid.

The cambrium layer of a tree is the thin, fibrous layer just under the outer bark. The cambrium is the main vascular organ of the tree and carries water and nutrients back and forth between the branches and the roots. Peel off the outer bark to expose the cambrium layer, then peel it off in long strips. Incidentally, these strips can also be boiled like spaghetti and eaten, although they are generally seen as a last-resort survival food.

When you are collecting bark or cambrium, be sure to not "ring" the tree all the way around. Remove the bark from one side only so that the vascular organ remains intact to nourish the remaining tree. If you "ring" the tree you cut off all circulation between the roots and the upper portion, thereby killing the tree.

I should warn you that most of what I'm passing on is from what I've read. I have experimented a bit with medicinal pitch, but not in a way that I would consider noteworthy.

Some excellent books that I take with me every time I go camping are:
Edible and Useful Plants of California
Wild Food Trailguide, by Edward K. Ball (or Balls), I believe
Edible Wild Foods, by Bradford Angier, I believe
Outdoor Survival Skills, by Larry Dean Olsen
Northwest Foraging

For medicinal purposes the best in this list are Edible and Useful Plants of California, and Outdoor Survival Skills.

If you come across any cool remedies let me know :)
 
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