Camp chores, especially firewood duty, seem to lead to getting splinters in your hands and fingers. To remove these I use a diabetic lancing needle. These small devices are a very sharp needle mounted in a plastic holder for mounting in a spring loaded lancing tool. The lancing needle is sealed and remains sterile till opened. The plastic stick it is mounted to makes it easy to hold and control while removing a splinter. A box of 100 is only about five dollars.

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A truely successful life is mostly based on how well you handle PLAN B.

I like a good set of work gloves and head them off at the pass.

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Gun Control should come in three flavors: Safe, Semi and auto.

Another good method is to cover the area liberally with Elmers white glue or woodworkers glue, and then after it dries all the way, peel it off. The glue will bond with the wood and pull out the splinter.

I once had to give first aid to a guy who had a splinter bigger around and about as long as a square toothpick, right through his ring finger, sticking out both sides, in deep meat. It was right through at the middle joint. He said he had snapped a dead branch in half and it just shot in like a bullet. We could not pull that thing out no matter how we tried until it was just nubs on either side from using pliers, etc. Talk about a freak accident. He headed to the hospital then.

I have a small pair of hemo stats. they sell for abouto $2 at gun shows/flea markets. I use such for fishing hook removal, but have a clean pair in my first aid kit, for removal of thorns etc.

I like the diabetic lancet, I use two a day for the last 35 years anyway; but never thought of it.

The other thing that is in all my first aid kits is an eye-wash cup; gets the 'stuff' out of eyes in the field.

Another item I have added to my firstaid kit is a QUICKCLOT bandage. Placed over a severely bleeding wound, it will cause instant clotting to stop the bleeding. Lots of good soldiers have been saved by this item.

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A truely successful life is mostly based on how well you handle PLAN B.

I've read where flour or baking soda will work as a blood clotter. No personal experience doing it though.

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Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

Pressure stops bll\eeding. If the cloth, gauze gets bloody, leave it on the wound, just add another clean dry one to the wet bloody one.

Dont remove the bloody one. Substances from the blood, and ruptured red cells aid in coagulation.

I never head out into the bush without a couple feminine sanitary napkins. I've heard tell they'll get you out of trouble, and are also cheaper than most dressings for a gaping wound. Keep in mind, the only wounds you'd use them for, are the kind severe enough to have you not care about having a pad stuck to you...

Small 'scratches' need to be washed and some antibiotic oint applied, esp for diabetics.

Scratch=any break in the skin, cut, splinter, tree limb scratch, bites... body is covered with millions of organisms. They are supposed to be there but when they get into the body they cause all kind of problems.