First Aid Kits

Several injuries in the past month (I broke my hand a few weeks ago, I broke a toe yesterday, Kathleen got all scratched up in the pumpkin vines today, and a few other things.) have me thinking about the perfect first aid kit.  I looked on Amazon to see what they offer but they range from the almost useless (a red plastic case with five sizes of Band-Aids) to the simply bizarre (a very nice canvass bag containing gauze bandages, a Leatherman tool, and fishing hooks.)  Most of the first aid kits were very basic, and seem to anticipate getting the sick or injured person to a hospital within 5 minutes.  I think I can put together a better first aid kit.

This is what I think should be in a first aid kit.

- A triple antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin for minor abrasions and cuts and after-suture deep wound care. (Don't put it into to deep wounds.)
- A double antibiotic ointment to use on people who are allergic to neomycin, one of the antibiotics in triple antibiotics.
- Zinc-oxide cream for mild abrasions, rashes, chapped skin.  It increases the speed of healing.  It has some antibiotic properties but those are ancillary to the promotion of healing.  It is also used as a sunscreen but I don't know how effective it is.  What I do know is that my Mammy (my Dad's Mom) put it on every little scrape, rash, and cut I ever got.  Most Zinc Oxide creams come in 10% to 40% concentrations.  For example, Balmex is labeled for care of adults but only has 11%.  Desitin Maximum Strength, on the other hand, is marketed to parents of infants to treat diaper rash but it contains a 40% concentration of zinc oxide.  So, even though it has that funny smell I'd use Desitin Maximum Strength over other products of which I am aware. 
- Petroleum jelly.  A chemistry professor told me it is the same molecule our skin makes that causes our skin feel healthy, and if we have dry skin, probably, all we need is a little petroleum jelly.  (Ladies, don't waste money on expensive lotions.  Petroleum jelly is all you need.)
- A bar or bottle of pure soap.  In most cases you do not want to put antibiotics into deep wounds but you do want to clean out any dirt that is in them.  It is hard to find a pure soap. All soap needs to contain is oleic acid (usually from vegetable oil), potassium hydroxide (or sodium hydroxide), and water.  It is really difficult to find pure soap, even though almost all soaps you see for sale claim to be pure.  The best I have found in stores is Dr. Bronner's unscented.  For the first aid kit I recommend a small bottle of the liquid, just because it is hard to keep the bar soap sterile after it has been used.

- Adjustable arm slings.  Sometimes you need to elevate and immobilize your hand because you've fallen while feeding humming birds and have broken your hand.  

- Instant cold packs for breaks, sprains, or anything else that is swelling.  You can make your own, but it is easier to just buy them.
- Benadryl liquid, Zyrtec pills, and epinephrine to treat histamine reactions to things such as pollen, poison oak, and bee stings.
- Sterile pads for bandaging minor wounds.
- Cervical collar for immobilizing the neck.

- Adhesive bandages of various sizes.

- A few rolls of gauze.
- Clotting pads, Israeli bandages, and a tourniquet kit to stop bleeding.  You might be asking, why a tourniquet kit when all you need is a stick and two shoe laces to make a tourniquet?  Well, then just put those in a plastic bag, label it "TOURNIQUET" and put it in your first aid kit.

- Bottle of alcohol.

- Bag cotton balls.
- Penlight or other small flashlight

- Butterfly bandages for closing small but deep cuts.
- Sutures for closing big wide wounds.  You'll have to use veterinary sutures because human sutures can only be sold to licensed physicians. (It's a stupid law.)  But don't worry, they are still very high quality. (Watch a video on how to use them before you need to use them.)
- Hemostasis forceps for stopping bleeding while suturing.  Lets hope you never need more than three or four.
- Needle holder

- Scalpel handles and blades
- Inflatable splints to immobilize broken arms and legs.
- Kocher tweezers
- Medical scissors for cutting bandages and clothes
-A topical anesthetic for when suturing is necessary.
- Motrin, aspirin, and tylenol (one bottle of each) to control pain, fever, and inflammation.
- Though it might sound like something out of an old movie or a Sherlock Holmes novel, smelling salts are useful and should be included in the kit. They can mask a concussion but there are times when a person needs to be awake and alert to move away from danger or to help.
- Ace bandages to support sprained/broken ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows.

- A squeeze bottle of distilled water for cleaning wounds.
- Mylar emergency blanket and sugar cubes for treating hypothermia.  (FYI: When I took the California hunter education course a few years ago I learned that more hunters die from hypothermia than from gunshots.)
- It might be too big to fit in a reasonably sized first aid kit but a neck brace might be a good thing to have around after a serious fall or a car crash.
- Duct tape.  Because it works better than surgical tape.

That, just off the top of my head, is what belongs in a first aid kit.

Something that absolutely does not belong in a first aid kit is a snake bite venom extraction kit.