there are some basic things that you should have that can be purchased far cheaper at a good farm supply store with vet supplies. Some that come to mind are: Wound powder which is also a blood stopper. Vet wrap which is like ACE bandage but is paper and adheres to itself. You can pay 3 times as much at the drug store for the same thing. BETADINE is exactly half the price at farm supply store. Tape, in all colors and water proof. Much better than adhesive for 99% of your use and soooooo much cheaper. Be in true fashion and buy coordinating colors with your vet wrap. You can buy 7% iodine at farm supply by the pint. Novalsan ointment is excellent for wounds. Get at least the one pound jar. Bag Balm will take care of all your chapped skin problems and minor abrasions. Get the one pound can.

A couple of other things to have on hand. Kotex or any brand, along with a roll of vet wrap makes an outstanding pressure pack for a wound. Tampons are great for a sucking chest wound. You probably already have lots of bleach on hand. This is great for any kind of fungus.

I would like to see more threads like this re things that can be used instead of the more expensive products. I am getting tired of the arguments and flaming that goes on on this forum. I think we who are on this forum everyday are getting burned out. The stress goes up as we get closer to 2000 and we have a tendency to express that stress in a non productive manner. Just my two cents.

Got tweezers and eye wash?

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 20, 1999

Answers

You're right Taz! I would much rather read useful information threads & updates on y2k. I'll be headed to the local farmers co-op for the things you mentioned. I have read the postings on this site for the last 6 months...started about the time Jimmy bagga donuts (?) was posting a lot. Even though you don't know me well....I am very familiar with the whole group.There may have been 6 or 7 nights in all that time that i was not here.......anyway lots of good info in the archives.l look mostly for preparation & y2k updates. I am a consultant for a major appliance manufacturer & am on the computer & phone all day, but I don't know anything about my computer other than typing & files.Most of you are programmers...I don't understand anything I read about the remediation. So,I would rather sit back & absorb all the info. I feel there are a lot of credible people here & have based my preparation on the info from this forum. If things don't get as bad as what I have prepared for....we won't have to grocery shop for a hell of a long time...& I can always donate the excess. customer service for a large appliance manufacturer.I type & talk on the phone all day....but don't know anything at all about programming or lately....I'm still 8 on the scale.Just don't trust all the military exercises that have been going on & feel the gov is gearing up for the panic. I just don't see how it could possibly be less then a 6.

-- Raven (Raven@deepwoods.com), March 20, 1999.

oops! maybe this is why i don't post often....can't type afterall. Maybe you can figure it out. LoL

-- Raven (Raven@deepwoods.com), March 20, 1999.

Good post. Thanks, Taz.

What is Betadine? What is it used for? The rest of the stuff I can handle.

Yep, got tweezers, eye wash, and nearly a stocked medicine chest. You may have gotten me a little closer to complete.

Keep it up.

-- De (delewis@inetone.net), March 20, 1999.

Betadine is a surgical scrub and is very easy on the tissue. Many surgeons fill the wound with it before sewing it up. You can use it on surface wouonds and also on deep puncture'penetrating wounds where you would not use harsh iodine. It comes by the pt. Will cost $10-12 at drug store and $5 to6 at farm supply. Novalsan ointment can also go into open wound and is great for preventing scar tissue. Hope this helps.DON'T FORGET THE MORTEN LITE SALT, BAKING SODA FOR ELECTROLYTE MIX. I am assuming you have sugar.

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 20, 1999.

Sorry for repetition, but some people may have missed it--get lots of those butterfly bandages to close lacerations. They work VERY well, will save you some stitches. Surgical tape is also very useful.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 20, 1999.

You are right, Git. Butterflies are great and the thing that I am finding where I live is that I have to special order them thru the pharmacy. They only have the real little ones. I hope this is not true everywhere. Usually people who work in hospitals can buy supplies at cost or cost plus 10% .

Another thing to have is a pair of those blunt sicissors (sp) that kids use for cutting paper. They make good bandage cutters without the sharp points. Can also be used for traches and chest tubes, but won't go into that as feel you need a real medical background. However, I can tell you how to do both if anyone feels they need to know.

got large bore plastic tubing??

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 20, 1999.

Forgot to mention that you should have a couple of rolls of duct tape in your first aid kit. You can use this to close wounds if you don't have butterflies. Also its good for making splints out of corrigated cardboard. Remeber that you do not need suture needles and medical suture to sew up a wound. A good clean needle and a strong thread is just as good, in fact better, if you are not used to using suture needles which are designed to be used with forcepts. You can get transparent thread which is like a lite fishline or you can get carpet or quilt thread at Walmart. Don't forget those bottles of alcohol for sterizing things (including the thread). You can get alcohol and hydrogen peroxide at the dollar stores 2/$. And if you are going to be in a hot area without AC, load up on some witch hazel. Swabbing this on an elderly person or a baby can be a life saving thing as it rapidly evaporates cooling the skin. And Gold Bond body powder is a must for heat rash. It runs $5 or $6. You can get the exact same formulat and amount at the dollar stores for $1. My husband used to use a lot of tinactin on his feet and sometimes scrotum when it was hot. He sprinkles the medicated powder in his socks and shorts everyday before putting on. It works better than the Tinactin and sure is a whole lot cheaper..

Get to you dollar store where most of your first aid needs are 1/3 the cost of drug store.

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 20, 1999.

Thank you Taz for a very useful suggestion. I just realized my medicine chest was still incomplete! We can use more of this kind of message, yes?

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), March 20, 1999.

Taz,

Your info is golden.

I use Bag Balm for cracked thumbs. It is fantastic. Heals in a day!

Thanks,

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 20, 1999.

Good info! One note of caution, though Betadine is an iodine base soluiton. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO SEAFOOD,CHANCES ARE YOU ARE ALSO ALLERGIC TO IODINE AND ITS RELATED PRODUCTS. It's good to be prepared, but be careful, too. Check any solutions like betadine on a small area of skin first to make sure you don't react severely. Iodine is a seafood based product, because seafood is loaded with it. I'm a nursing student - thought I'd pass this along.

-- luann (flataufm@hutchtel.net), March 20, 1999.

You did it again, Taz, thanks. This time it's the witch hazel for cooling old gits and babies. Got my butterfly thingies at Wal-Mart. Laid in a stock after I gashed my finger very badly and couldn't get to emergency room, had a few of those things on hand, worked like a charm.

-- Grateful Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 20, 1999.

try Jeffers Pet Center 1800-533-3377. They sell sutures,surgical scissors,BagBalm,and terramycin eye ointment.

-- Psboon (psboon@cybertours.com), March 20, 1999.

Betadine IS a surgical scrub used mainly on the outside of the skin. Yes, it can be pored into the wound but it is quite caustic and cause more damage. It should be diluted it this case. A better option is to use Hydrogen Peroxide mixed 50:50 with water.

-- lparks (lparks@eurekanet.com), March 20, 1999.

Don't forget the super glue! You can use it to "glue" the cracks in finger skin that come with cold weather and hard work. Probably on other stuff too...but nothing too deep or infected. Toothpics and dental floss. vasaline. MARY

-- Mary (CAgdma@home.com), March 20, 1999.

Also try places like Big Lots or Job Lots. We just got some good stuff there like guaze and roller bandages. Don't forget the rubbing alcohol wipes. Fits into a first aid kit much more easily than a bottle of the stuff. $1.36 at Walmart for 100 of them.

Don't forget to look for vitamins, herbs, etc too.

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), March 20, 1999.