DIY Antiseptics for Washing Wounds

When society collapses and ushers in Doomsday, Doomsday is going to mean DIY or do without for many of the items we use every day.  If we haven’t prepared antiseptics for washing wounds or if the traditional supplies have been exhausted, we’ll have to DIY.  Doing without may spell doomsday for those with even the most minor of wounds. 

Fortunately, there are several DIY options for antiseptic wound washes.

Before going any further, it bears repeating what has been previously addressed here on the blog:  Wounds should never be washed out with rubbing alcohol, Betadine, hydrogen peroxide, or similar antiseptics.  These fluids kill bacteria and viruses, but they also kill living tissue.  Dead tissue in a wound can lead to infection.  In addition, most of the time gentle irrigation with clean water will be sufficient for cleaning a wound.  However, with particularly dirty wounds or in individuals with compromised immune systems, we may want a little more.

Quarter-strength Dakin’s solution, which is made with water, baking soda, and bleach, is a good wound cleaning option that’s been in use since WWI.  It’s a simple DIY.  A link to the directions is included below.

Making a colloidal silver solution is apparently a simple DIY for those who are even slightly technologically inclined.  Michael provided the basics of assembling a colloidal silver generator in the comments to last week’s “Is It Infected” article.  And there are loads of sites on the internet that provide information as well.  It’s also something I should write about here, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t do a good job.  My family still doesn’t allow me to play with sharp, pointy objects.  Electricity and batteries are totally out of the question. 

Using essential oils, diluted in water, as an antiseptic wound wash is covered in Dr. Alton’s Survival Medicine Handbook.  I’ve read that book several times, but when information comes at you like a firehose, sometimes you miss a few drops of water.  This is one of those drops.  According to Dr. Alton, the following oils are excellent antiseptics:

• Eucalyptus
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Tea tree

Make your antiseptic wash by adding a few drops of any of the above oils to a liter of water.  Use gentle pressure, and perhaps a curved tip of a syringe, to irrigate the wound well—and using the whole liter of wound wash on even a small wound isn’t excessive.  Infections are always bad, but they’re even worse when antibiotics and supplies are limited.  Water is cheap.  Use it liberally to clean out the wound. 

In a collapsed society, dirty wounds will become much more commonplace than they are now.  We’ll be working outside more in the garden, cutting wood, walking, etc.  Children will play outside much more than they do now.  Opportunities for injury will explode, and so will the potential for infection.  Hopefully, we will have prepared the necessary supplies.  But not everyone will have done so, and many will exhaust their supplies quickly.  We need to have options, if not for us, for those around us.

 

Links to related posts:

Skin Preps and Washes

Rubbing Alcohol

Betadine

The Right Way to Clean Abrasions

Lacerations

Dakin’s Solution

Essential Oils

References:

Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 269.

 06.05.23

Expanded Food Storage--Swedish Pancakes

As I am most definitely not a morning person, prior to getting married I hadn't spent much time learning how to make breakfast foods.  For me it was toast, cold cereal, or yogurt.  So I was thoroughly impressed when my new husband whipped up a batch of Swedish pancakes.  He was not so impressed when our children started arriving and I still didn't cook breakfast.  At least I was able to stay awake while reading them bedtime stories.  Dad, on the other hand, almost always fell asleep first.

Swedish pancakes are pretty similar to crepes, just a bit thicker.  My husband generally sprinkles his with powdered sugar, rolls them up, and tops with maple syrup.  That's just a little too much sugar for me, and I've always liked cheese blintzes.  So I spread a bit of cottage cheese down the middle of my pancake, followed by a bit of jam, and then roll.  Or sometimes roll and then put the jam on top.  The children pretty much follow Dad's example, with more sugar.

It didn't take me long to realize that Swedish pancakes were an ideal recipe for adapting to long-term storage foods.  While my husband is the one who usually makes them, and he always uses fresh everything, I've adapted the recipe below for long-term storage foods.  The kids all noticed a difference, which in all likelihood was much more due to the fact that I also used whole wheat flour instead of white.  But they all said the pancakes were quite acceptable.  (Honestly, with the amount of syrup and powdered sugar they use, cardboard would probably taste the same.)

One of the reasons that I really love this recipe is that it is high in protein that is more easily digested for people who are ill or recovering from injury.  When anyone is healing from a serious wound, the body requires much more protein to repair that tissue.  Swedish pancakes not only have the eggs for protein, but also wheat and milk, which make a complete protein.  Throw some cottage cheese in the middle (or some bacon on the side), and you've got a seriously protein-packed breakfast.

Swedish Pancakes

1/4 cup powdered eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry milk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
 
Put the water and powdered eggs in a bowl and whisk until well blended.  Whisk in the dry milk, warm water, sugar, salt, and almond extract if desired. Then add the flour, continuing to whisk until the batter is smooth. You may need to add more water or flour to get just the consistency you desire.

Use cooking spray to coat a hot pan and pour about 1/3 cup of batter in the pan, using a spoon to quickly spread batter into a circle and thin out the middle if needed.  Pancakes should be pretty thin, but you'll develop your own preference for how exactly you like them prepared.  When the first side is done, flip and cook the other side.  Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Links to related posts:
Dietary deficiencies and protein   
Powdered eggs
Dry milk

20 april 2019 

Copycat Rice-A-Roni Mixes

Plain white rice might get a little boring after a while.  To prevent food fatigue, we may need to shake things up a bit.  But I'm not a huge fan of the so-called convenience foods, prepackaged mixes, canned soups and such.  There are just far too many preservatives, additives, and who knows what else for my comfort.  I don't know if the discomfort I feel after eating them is due to the artificial ingredients or just my imagination that those artificial ingredients could be doing bad things to me and my family.  And besides, they're ridiculously expensive and not rodent- or insect-proof.

But those boxes are really convenient, aren't they?  There's pretty much no thinking involved, just follow the directions on the box.  And that's something that can be important in a crisis situation.  Or even when it's just been one of those days of running crazy around town or everyone barfing everywhere.  These seasoned rice mixes can come in handy.

Chicken Rice-A-Roni Mix

1 cup rice
1/2 cup angel hair or thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces

In a small baggie:
2 tablespoons parsley
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon thyme

To prepare:  Melt two tablespoons of butter or coconut oil in a skillet, add rice and pasta, and stir.  Cook until lightly browned, and then add seasoning and 2 1/4 cups water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Beef Rice-A-Roni Mix

1 cup rice
1/2 cup angel hair or thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces

In a small baggie:
1 tablespoon dehydrated carrots

2 1/2 tablespoons beef bouillon

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dehydrated soy sauce

1 teaspoon dehydrated Worcestershire sauce

To prepare:  Melt two tablespoons of butter or coconut oil in a skillet, add rice and pasta, and stir.  Cook until lightly browned, and then add seasoning and 2 1/4 cups water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Spanish Rice-A-Roni

1 cup rice
1/2 cup angel hair or thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces

In a small baggie:
2 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon

1 tablespoon tomato powder

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

To prepare:  Melt two tablespoons of butter or coconut oil in a skillet, add rice and pasta, and stir.  Cook until lightly browned, and then add seasoning and 2 1/4 cups water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.r is absorbed, approximately 20 minutes.

Rice Pilaf

2/3 cup rice

1/3 cup orzo pasta

In a small baggie:

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

scant 1/4 teaspoon dried lemon zest

dash pepper

To prepare:  Bring two cups water, 2 tablespoons butter or oil, and seasonings to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add rice and pasta and return to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.  Fluff with fork and serve.

 24 may 2019

DIY Baking Powder

Baking powder is one of those baking essentials that, unfortunately, has a pretty short shelf-life once it's been opened.  If you don't use it often, your baking powder may deteriorate before it's used up.  So if it's been awhile since you've done some baking with it, it's a good idea to check it prior to adding it to your recipe.  It's a total drag when you're making some quick bread, or biscuits, or muffins and they don't rise because your baking powder has lost its punch.

The simple test is to put a teaspoon of baking powder in a cup of hot water.  If it bubbles vigorously, the baking powder is still active. 

If your baking powder fails the test, and you don't really want to run to the store (because there is no store), there are a couple of DIY options.

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon plain yogurt; OR
• 1 teaspoon baking soda plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Neither of these is a great option from a prepper standpoint.  The lemon juice and yogurt both require refrigeration.  Fortunately, there is a third option.  The individual ingredients are very shelf-stable; it's only when they are combined that deterioration becomes a problem. 

Baking soda and cornstarch are inexpensive at the grocery store; cream of tartar gets to be a bit high in price for those tiny bottles.  You can get it on Amazon for a little over $8.00 per pound, or at San Francisco Herb for $6.00 per pound. 

If you are using the baking powder immediately, substitute the following for every teaspoon of baking powder that you need:

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

If you are mixing a larger batch to have ready to use:

2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Store in a sealed container.  Cornstarch absorbs water and prevents the baking soda and cream of tartar from clumping and reacting too soon.

Simple, right?

Bear in mind that this is single-acting baking powder.  It is activated as soon as it is combined with the liquid ingredients in your recipe.  If you forgot to preheat your oven or your batch is large and you need to bake in shifts, you're susceptible to a recipe failure here.  Double-acting baking powder is what is most commonly sold in stores.  It is activated a little bit when first mixed, but most of the action occurs due to the heat of the oven.  So double-acting baking powder is much less susceptible to recipe failure.

Now you know.

Links to related posts:
Alternative Medicine--Cream of Tartar

4 april 2019 

Is It Infected? How Do I Treat It?

Last week, in a comment on the article on removing sutures, Michael asked about how to determine whether a wound is infected.  It’s definitely a topic that merits coverage.

Many years ago, during the period when the History Channel was evolving from a really great source of entertainment and information to the aliens, Vikings, and Hitler channel, they had a show on about what would happen in America following an EMP.  (I think it was an EMP.  Could have been an economic collapse or something else.  It’s been a while.)  Anyway, life’s rough, people are losing weight, and one of the main characters cuts himself while working outside, I believe.  It gets infected.  He has no antibiotics.  He dies. 

In the real world, when I was in college, I had beautiful hands and long, strong fingernails.  And every once in a while I’d get a hangnail.  I hate hangnails.  They catch on things and drive me crazy.  So I yank them out.  Which is exactly what you are not supposed to do.  I have taught my children not to do this, but I have yet to break myself of this habit.  I tell myself I will behave when things truly fall apart.

Anyway, I pulled out one of those hangnails in college.  Like most of the hangnails I yanked out, it hurt.  But unlike the others, this one continued hurting.  And then my finger started to swell and throb.  Not only that, but the red streak I’d read about in my pre-med classes had started up my finger.  There was no delaying the doctor visit now. 

What was an annoyance then and only involved an antibiotic prescription will instill great fear in the future for many and death for some. 

Risk factors

The risk factors for developing an infected wound include a compromised immune system which may be due to a medical condition or which may arise due to malnutrition and/or poor hygiene.  These latter can be avoided by preparing well.  (And while prices continue to escalate due to inflation, some prep items can still be found on sale.  At the grocery store just yesterday, I found over a dozen bottles of rubbing alcohol more than 60% off.  That was on the heels of deep discounted hydrogen peroxide, hand sanitizer, and surgical masks.  However, I’m not holding my breath about canning lids being discounted anytime soon.  They still aren’t even on the shelves here.)

Prevention

Beyond avoiding injury in the first place and mitigating the risk factors, there are measures to take to prevent wound infection.  The first is to take the time to disinfect and clean wounds properly.  There is a link below to an article on this topic.  The second is to use the right suture pattern when closing a wound, assuming that you are the one providing care.  Interrupted sutures (where each stitch is individually placed and not connected to the others) are preferable to a running (whip) stitch.  Choose a good suture as well.  If the wound was particularly dirty, a monofilament suture may be a safer choice.  Braided sutures are more likely to harbor bacteria. 

Proper stitch removal, as addressed last week, is also important.  However, even in the best of circumstances, wounds will get infected.  The current rate of infection of surgical wounds is 1%; the incidence of infection in wounds closed in the emergency room is 3-4%.[i]  In a collapsed society and austere conditions, the rate will likely be higher. 

Signs and symptoms

• Redness at the edges of the wound
• Sometimes pus or yellowish scabs on or exuding from the wound
• Increased tenderness at the site
• Skin is warm or hot
• Swelling[ii]
• Fever, chills
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Red streak from the wound (if it’s on an arm or leg) towards the torso

Differentiation

At this point, it is important to differentiate between a simple wound infection and other conditions.  While insect stings and bites can result in an infection, this is not normally the case.  A reaction to a bite or sting will generally occur more quickly and doesn’t spread after the first 24 hours.  (This is why infections on the skin are outlined with a Sharpie.)  Unlike an insect bite or sting, an infection on the skin will continue to spread.

Treatment

If sutures are in place, they must be removed.  Antibiotics do not kill bacteria on sutures.  And wound edges will not grow together if infected.  Any bandages or other dressings must also be removed.  Clean the wound again and be sure to remove any dead tissue.[iii]

The above procedures are usually sufficient for clearing up a wound infection, assuming the infection is not cellulitis, which may be difficult to differentiate in an austere situation.  Cellulitis will be covered in a future post.

The decision whether to use herbs or antibiotics or anything will be a judgment call.  As noted, simple but thorough cleaning of the wound may be all that is required.  However, the body of an immunocompromised or malnourished individual may not be able to fight off the infection without assistance from antibiotics or herbs.  Then again, do you want to risk wasting precious antibiotic tablets when they aren’t needed? 

You may wish to begin simply with an antibiotic ointment applied a few times each day.

Herbal options:

• Calendula 
• Echinacea 
• Japanese barberry 
• Japanese honeysuckle 
• Juniper 
• Lavender 
• Mullein 
• Oak 
• Oregano 
• Plantain 
• Raspberry 
• Rosemary 
• Usnea 
• Yarrow

Conventional pharmaceuticals often prescribed:

• Augmentin, 250-500 mg, 3x per day 
• Cephalexin, 250-500 mg, 3-4x per day

If neither of those work, switch to or add:

• TMP-SMZ, 1 DS tablet, 2x per day 
• Doxycycline, 50-100 mg, 2x per day

If those are still ineffective, a doctor will try ciprofloxacin or Levaquin. [iv]

So how do you determine whether your chosen approach to treatment is working?

• Day 1.  Redness may not decrease, but it shouldn’t increase much either, no more than ¼” beyond outlined border.  
• Days 2-3.  Reddened area should be much smaller.  If not, add 2^nd herb or antibiotic. 

Links to related posts:

The Right Way to Clean Abrasions

Wound Closure Options

Calendula

Juniper

Usnea

Yarrow

---

[i] Surgical and Austere Medicine, 3^rd Edition, 2017, 274.

[ii] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 206.

[iii] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 206.

[iv] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 206.

 06.28.23