Re: [at-l] Leave your soap behind?

["W F Thorneloe, MD" <thornel@ibm.net>]

Yes, the idea is to use lye or potash (KOH) with fat, heat it up and render 
it into soap. Wood ashes are a rather good source of base, as the acidic 
parts of wood go up in smoke. Old fashioned soap often contained more lye 
than desired, hence soap was hard on the skin and people sought "pure" 
soap. The more excess ash made for a darker soap. Hence, Ivory was a winner 
with 99.49% purity, and it would float!

Still, soap is generally not necessary in the woods, although a strong 
iodine solution (Polar Pure) can be handy if you need to wash and clean a 
wound. Sand is great to remove the bulk of food particles from pots, cups, 
utensils and plates. A good rolling boil kills what ever critters attached 
to any "leftovers" at the next meal.

OrangeBug
Atlanta, GA

At 10:52 AM 8/9/1999 -0700, Cora Drake wrote:
>Whoa, kids!  Some better scientist backfill for me on this and correct 
>this resoundingly if t'ain't right but as I recall the active ingredient 
>supplied by the wood ashes is good old burns-you-badly LYE.

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