[at-l] 1st Aid Kit

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Looking at the list, I'd have a few comments. I'm not sure how much
will get truncated with the quoting limits, but here goes:

--- David Hicks <daveh@usit.net> wrote:
- Expedition Medical Kit
- Contents
- 
- OUTSIDE POCKET
- Rubber gloves
- Paper/notepad
- Pen/Pencil
- ..35 cents X 2
- Emergency phone numbers

I'd lose the coins. No pay phones, and the few available will take
collect calls or give free 911 calls. I'd take 4 pairs of latex gloves,
and expect to double glove. I use the gloves to help contain pills and
keep wound dressings dry.
 
- AIRWAY
- Pocket CPR mask
- Advanced airways (opa/npa/pins)
- RX - Epi: anakit or epipen
- OTC -Antihistamine 25mg
- Xtra rubber gloves

Nope, can't agree. Yes, I use latex gloves, but I just wouldn't bring a
CPR mask. It is too bulky and heavy. I am prepared to take the risk and
breathe directly. An antihistamine is too slow for anaphylaxis. An
epipen is too rarely needed. I could see bringing a single oral airway,
but probably wouldn't. If I couldn't get an improvement in 15-30
minutes in a respiratory arrest 3 miles from a road crossing, I'd
declare the victim dead.

 
- SOFT TISSUE
- Gauze 4X4's
- Roller gauze 2'' and 3''
- Moleskin/Compeed
- Large trauma pad (maxipad/combine)
- Athletic tape 3''
- Ace wrap 4"
- Non- stick dressing
- Aloe 100%
- Xtra ziplocks

Compeed only, or a larger permeable barrier wound dressing. A few 4x4's
or gauze - preferably gauze. Ace is good. Duct tape is good. Aloe is
not so good - I'd prefer something with multiple uses. Ziplocks are
always good, but again will be the containers for all of this stuff.
 
 INFECTION Control
- Iodine 1-3%  (potable aqua)
- Irrigation syringe 10-20cc
- Scrub pad
- Stainless steel razor blades X2
- Alcohol prep pads
- Tincture of benzoin
- Xtra ziplocks
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Q-tips
- Salt
- Hand wash

Platypus bag and hose makes an excellent irrigation kit.  I'd scratch
the alcohol pads and hand wash, and bring a 1 oz sample size Purell
hand disinfectant (alcohol based and a great fire starter). The benzoin
should be listed with wounds to help the tape adhere. Duct tape usually
negates the need. I'd rather have a sharp needle (or sharp safety pin)
than razor blades, assuming I'm planning to drain an abscess. I'd use
the Q-tips only for foreign bodies in the eyes, actually only use the
shafts to turn the eyelid. Along with triple antibiotic creme, I'd
bring petroleum jelly, diaper creme, mineral oil, or similar salves.
These would replace most of the lotions and cremes in the list.

 MUSCULOSKELETAL
- Ace wrap 4''
- Ice pack
- Large safety pins
- Cravats X 2
- SAM splint

Duplicated Ace bandage. No ice pack available on Rocky Top. I have 3
bandanas in my pack or on my person. I have frame stays in my backpack
that can do much of what a SAM splint would do, and hiking poles for
longer splints. If I need those splints, my hike has ended.
 
 TOOLS
- Tweezers
- Small knife
- Sawyer extractor
- Magnifying glass
- EMT shears
- Stethescope/BP cuff
- Dental floss
- Thermometer

Most of this is a Leatherman Micra. My ear on a chest works adequately
for a stethescope. There are plenty of ways to recognize shock. A BP
cuff would only worry me more. Ditto with a thermometer. Magnifying
glass is an essential, up there with a whistle. Wrap a lightweight one
in aluminum foil and you have a multifunction kit with signaling
equipment, fire starter, mirror and a way to view injuries and foreign
bodies. I also carry a silk suture set. This will repair me and my gear
in bad situations.

 EMERGENCY
- Whistle
- 50' 4-5mm cord
- Heavy trash bags X2/Space Blanket
- Electrolyte mix
- Lighter
- Matches in h20 proof
- Candle lantern candles X 2
- Pocket warmers
- Glow stick
- Cake icing tube (80gm sugar)
- Performance bars X 2

No glow stick. No pocket warmer. No performance bars or icing. Gatorade
is great for rehydration and sugar. Jolly Ranchers are great for low
sugar. Jello powder in warm water is a great way to treat hypothermia
and hypoglycemia. Either water proof matches or lighter - I prefer the
matches as cold fingers do not operate lighters well. 

 OTC
- Ibuprofen
- Tylenol
- Pink bismuth, Gas X
- Lip balm
- Imodium AD
- Laxatives
- Cold/Flu (Actifed/Dristan)
- Clove or tea tree oil
- Lotrimin anti-fungal cream
- Saline eye drops

I prefer Aspirin. No Gas X. No lip balm or Lotrimin. No imodium,
laxatives. I would have antihistamine only, and not decongestants that
may increase blood pressure. Clove oil or cloves are great for dental
pain. If I have salt and a platypus, I have saline (1 tsp salt in 1 qt
water) - which excellent for wound irrigation, foreign body extraction,
nose drops, etc. 
 
 RX MEDICATIONS
- Antibiotics
- Keflex (Cephalexin)  - general
- Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) - GI
- Erythromycin - lungs, eyes, gen
- Vicodin - for pain (narcotic)
- Percocet - for pain (narcotic)
- Phenergan - nausea and vomit

This gets very personal and hazardous. I would pack antibiotics only
with assistance of your real world doc. If they are used, you limit the
choices of docs who find you ill to figure out what the problem was
before you added the drug. I would not pack 2 cephalsporins. I would
pack only one opiate combination with tylenol. I would not bring
Phenergan, although I would miss it.

 
> Pertinent Vaccines

Vaccination history along with ID would be all that I would take. 

> 
> **Remember to pack copies of all prescriptions with your meds

This is important only if the county mounty has busted you for
possession and is trying to pile on charges with your narcotics.

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