jvalhenson

for a cut or minor puncture(major puncture of course seek medical help asap) i would say sterilize with either peroxide or clorox as both will kill anything that might be in it then cover completely with some type antibacterial/healing agent...neosporin or something similar....and wrap it tightly with gause and some type of wrapping be it bandgages, cloth, tape anything to seal out the nasty stuff......if its going to be more than a few hours say 5 or 6 i would say at that point unwrap it and repeat the sterilizing process then re-wrap it. I have on my boat at all times a first aid kit that I put together that contains gause, wrapping, peroxide, ibuprofen, Dramamine, sunscreen, bugspray, bandaids, neosporin, bottles of eye rinse stuff, antisting spray and sticks(think its just benadryl), lightsticks, immodium and exlax, tums, ace bandages and a regular ankle brace, flashlight, athletic tape and pre-wrap(very good for coveringanything asonce its stuck it holds very good evenwhen it gets wet), scissors, wire snips and a small knife, a suetering(spelling on that one? of course i mean stitches) kit to keep something closed up if necessary and a couple packs of that stop the bleeding powder in case something gets really nasty. There is a lot more stuff in the kit than listed here but i think thatsenough....put it all together in an old plano tackle box and keep it in the bottom of the console next to the flare and tool kits so its always there and enver in the way. Also when I know we might be wade fishing i also put a pot just big enough to fit your foot in, a propane bottle and one of the cooking burners that screws onto them in case of stingray sting. Only saw this happen once in about 1990 when my dad got stung at Horn Island but the pain I saw him in was ridiculous and even more ridiculous was that when we got him to the hospital the only treatment they gave him was to soak his foot in as hot a water as he could stand and some antibiotics for infection(the stinger luckily did not break off in his foot). But when his foot that hot water he said it was instant relief and had we just ahd that on the boat that day and known about it it would have saved him hours of agony. Sorry so long but this is something i am adament about in mine or any boat i go on.

fred

I would second the clorox if you don't have peroxide. I've used it for poison ivy and it works great.

About the hot water, it just occurred to me that you could use the hot water off your motor it you had a littleextension hose. I don't know. Anybody ever try that?

eddy2419

Ditto!



Neosporin sucks. Bleach does the trick. Didn't have bleach around on a trip down and had those pesky infections on both hands. Tried the neosporin for 3 days with no luck. Got home and one rinse with bleach killed all the infection.



I usually use it at 100%, wipe my hands like I was washing them then rinse off. This year I am carrying a 50-50 bleach-water spray bottle and will spray down occasionally, especially after cleaning fish.



There is some really bad stuff out there. Use a little bleach in a spray bottle and avoid it. There have been some amputations due to the bacteria off shore.

sealark

Jim, When I commercial fished a deckhand ran a circle hook through his palm. We removed it and took a tube of antibiotic ointment and stuck it in the hole from the hook removal and squezzed it until the ointment came out the other side. Put a bandade on it and he kept fishing for five more days without incident. We would keep the ointment on it and wash with a bleach solution every evening. He never had any more problem from it and it healed.

Sea-r-cy

If you don't have anything else, urinate on it. That's what the sailors of old did. :clap

Sea-r-cy

bamachem

well, your urine is sterile, so maybe that would work for a warm initial rinse. however, i don't think i'd let anyone pee on my no matter how bad something hurts. better just get that bottly of peroxide.

AUradar

another thing is make sure your tentisis shot is up to date. That stuff will kill you.

I'm not sure, but I think the shot is good for 10 years? however, if you get a wound after five years your protected but need a booster shot as you won't be protected on the next go around. I can't remember if its 10 and 5 or 6 and 3.

If you aren't up to date, you have something like 48 hours after the wound to get a shot in order to be covered.

mekell

I would cleanse the wound with what I had available and apply antibiotic ointment. If the wound was a finger i would use a finger cot to cover the finger. If the wound was on a hand...do the same treatment as the finger and use a surgical glove on the hand. I also carry a couple of pain pills in my gear for more serious wounds.

With the wound covered after treatment the odds of infection are reduced.

Small Wonder

Ammonia - We've used it since I was a little boy. I always keep a bottle of it on the boat. Not only will it dissinfect the wound, if you rub your hands in it at the end of the day, the ammonia will prevent soreness from fin wounds, cuts etc. It stings a bit when you first apply it to the wound, but it's worth it.

Good Luck!

Eddie