The ultimate minimalist first aid kit!

Urinating on a wound probably wouldn't hurt, but I doubt it would help, other than to irrigate it. Urine should be sterile, unless you've got the clap or a UTI, (which is extremely uncommon in men who would be involved in rendering trauma first aid........!
at least I hope! I really don't know, I've never had to piss on a wound. I wouldn't use it to irrigate an abdominal wound, since I do know urine will exacerbate peritonitis. It belongs in the bladder, not the abdominal cavity. In the field, the major concern would be to achieve hemostasis, as cleanly as possible. Urine contains an enzyme (Urokinase) which DISSOLVES clots. So, I wouldn't advocate that, in initial first aid situations. If you can keep someone alive, and get them to a hospital in under an hour, odds are in their favor for survival. We learned this in VietNam, and it is referred to as the "Golden Hour." I'll have to pass on the Golden Shower!

BTW WarriorSociologist...that was a joke!:p
 
Hey…I’m not that fragile! ;)

- Though I am not exactly sure what part was supposed to be a joke...or what I supposedly may have though should have been a joke. Don't let the latter half of my screen-name make you think I only play with kid gloves or that don’t enjoy a little good humor. I just wanted to make the point that even though I have a Ph.D., I firmly believe that when a man tries to be too "sharp", he often cuts himself...especially when he tries to extend his/her expertise to fields for which it is inappropriate…

Me, I have heard the "piss theory"...but I would likely be a bit weary of doing it...I guess the circumstances would dictate…

No hard feelings. :)
 
Urine IS be sterile, if you are health, BUT it tends to develop an odor quite quickly. I believe (guess) that urine has cell waste products that bacteria like. In short: It would do a very good job of cleaning and disinfecting the wound but unless the urine is cleaned out it will tend to fester. Some cultures do use urine to clean themselves but after it dries they wash it off. No idea if they use it on cuts but apparently good for boils, zits, and other skin conditions.

I started this thread thinking about what I NEED in a first aid kit. Almost everything on sale has some gimmick that is little more than a glorified band-aid. OK, so I over-simplify my point, but still what do we NEED?

The question I now have is 1: What should every first aid kit have? (I am talking emergencies here, no band-aid/aspirin stuff)

2: What should we carry with us for an emergency? It should be small and light so we can always carry it. Sure, a portable hospital is nice, but it will be at home when my buddy has compound (open)-type broken leg when we head out to his parent's farm in the middle-of-nowhere. Or when the diner I an eating at gets riddled with bullets because a "drive-by" just happened outside. Not trying to be paranoid, but after Sept, many people in NYC and DC look at first a whole lot different now. Yes there will be people around with things to help and "proper" gear, but what if I can't rely on other people?

In short, I want to be able to do more than just apply direct pressure with my hand and wait for help!
 
If you're going to carry a dressing, buy some sterile ABD pads and a sterile triangular dressing. Some airways can be very useful PROVIDED you know how to use them. Take the AHA Basic Life Support course, and learn CPR. Carry your cell phone, because the BEST thing you can do IS call for help! Don't knock what was said earlier in this thread because this is the best way to manage serious injuries in the field. Don't move a victim with spine trauma. Direct pressure and proximal control is the standard of care for managing bleeding until you get to the operating room, so you really might want to carry some latex or nitrile gloves. Your fingers are your first and best tools. If you look at even the "serious" boxes that EMTs have in their trucks, they don't really have much more than what we've already talked about, except for things like I.V. fluids, oxygen, defibrillators, splints, backboards, and meds. You certainly can't carry that stuff around. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, training and knowledge are the key pieces for an effective first responder :). I would also add a "throw-away" space blanket. You can use it in shock situations, as a barrier from the gore, signal, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top