When out in the wild there are many potential dangers present and help may come later than expected. I have gotten plenty of cuts and scrapes while out in the woods but I never go out without a first aid kit or at least some isopropyl swabs but the majority of people go without them. Cleanliness is key to not contract infections that could make matters quite worse. With limited supplies out in the wild, you may use common items to clean out a wound or gash. With the Weiss improvised technique you can treat the wound on the spot with a plastic bag and purified water.
"Fill a plastic sandwich or garbage bag with disinfected garbage water and puncture the bottom of the bag with a safety pin or pointy knife." (Weiss, 83)
"Hold the bag above the wound and squeeze the top firmly to begin irrigating the wound" (Weiss, 83)
This method is very effective at cleaning out any dirt and bacteria from a fresh wound. "The moment skin is broken, bacteria begin to multiply inside the wound, and any blood or damaged tissue left behind will create a feeding ground for hungry germs"(Weiss, 82). With this method, the high-pressure stream gets rid of as much dead tissue and bacteria in a moments notice and greatly decreases the risk of infection. How have you handled injuries with limited resources and what resources were available to you?
Cleaning wounds this way is so clever and much more sanitary, especially when you're limited in resources. Just as a note, I thought it was really creative to draw on a mock wound. Hopefully this knowledge will certainly come in handy when the time calls.
ReplyDeleteThe technique is used for more on the go and adventurous lifestyles and I'm not sure how often you'll actually incorporate this into your routine of even when you're put into more compromised positions.
Delete