One area where preppers don’t necessarily do well is in medical preparation—most of us aren’t doctors, EMTs, or trauma nurses, so we don’t often know how to stock a first-aid kit with the latest and most effective tools.
In the field, your options for preventing blood loss caused by traumatic injury are limited: applying pressure to the wound or making a tourniquet being the best-known field options.
Some of you may have heard of or used QuikClot, hemostatic devices that stop bleeding significantly faster and are more effective than standard gauzes. It’s described in the video below.
Also, there’s a new type of field dressing that may be more impressive than QuikClot—VetiGel, which uses a polymer to interact with damaged tissue. The gel, made by Suneris, is composed of plant-wall materials.
Upon applying VetiGel to a wound, VetiGel mimics the body’s extracellular matrix and accelerates the production of fibrin, which enables the body to clot rapidly.
You can see it in action in the video below, if you have the stomach for it.
If the sight of blood, demonstrated below by cutting through a steak and pumping blood into it, makes you ill, you might want to pass. But in the video, you can watch the Vitagel instantly stop the bleeding.
The gel is not yet for sale.
@ Pete in Alaska.
Hey Pete: New, or maybe not(?)
A New product worth looking into called BloodSTOP iX Battle Matrix from LifeScience Plus of Palo Atlo, CA. (http: // www. lifescienceplus. com/). Thouugh a Rx Only Product and Expensive as Hell too ~$490.00 USD for a box of 12. There’s also a Amazon address (http: // www. tiny. cc/ kedm0x). Sec…
HEMOSTATIC SHAVING CREAM, which is literally available EVERYWHERE and without a Prescription…
Anyone contemplating getting “Liquid Nightmare”, be warned. Spill some in your Fish Aquarium, and your going too have a New Living Attraction in your House. The one that Doesn’t Move. Also for those who are looking at Long Term Fuel Storage, the Long Term will Apply, the Usability Part WON’T…
Just came from my, one of many therapy secession’s. And one of the Doctor’s there recommended a product called Surgipad Brand name or Adaptic Generic name, both cost less that $10.00 USD for (12) 5-inch x 9-inch Dressing Pads. Pads have a Petrolatum Emulsion to protect to wound from possible contamination. You can order them online or through Amazon.com…
Sorry, but I forgot something. Somebody suggested using Activated Charcoal for Blood Wounds, something about Absorbing Toxin’s in the Infected Blood. They recommended both for Treating the Wound and Swallowing it in Pill or Capsule form.
I don’t know if this helps any, but last year while stuck at the Fairbank’s International Airport. I meet a guy named Bruce C. Farmer of Eielson, Alaska. We talked for a while, and then parted company.
That’s his name, got to be him! I’ll see or talk to him one day, but I’m not going to Alaska, to see him! Thanks a lot, for the info., I’ll see him one day, and it’s usually when U least expect it!
Other methods and compounds to stem the flow of Bleeding are:
– Chitosan, which is used in QuikClot
– Zeolite (Side Note: Zeolite can also be used to chemically separate Hydrocarbons in Water in making Synthetic Fuel)
– MCH (Microfibrillar Collogen Hemostat)
– Styptics (Anhydrolus Aluminium Sulfate)…
@ The Preparedness Podcast.
Just exactly HOW! Unless your a Physician, Veterinarian, or Have A Prescription. HOW are you going to get it…
I had not heard that one about kerosene. I have use sugar and a bandage for pressure on the wound for several years. Seems to work quite nicely.
REALLY SUGAR ? I didn’t know that one
Kerosene does work well. I have it in my BOB as well as the medicine cabinet. It was used on the farms/ranches I worked on growing up as well as in the slaughter house when I was in college. It stops bleeding, cleans and sterilizes the wound and will prevent proud flesh. Use the gauze to bind the wound after using the kerosene and redress the wound each day. No scars of significance.
Kerosene, was a cure all, when we were kids, on the Grandparents farm, and yes, worked great!
There’s a company located in Bremerton, Washington called Shomer-Tec.
Which has a product call Liquid Nightmare, which Congeals any Water-Based Substance on Contact. Cost about $9.00 USD for a Vial…
@ Pete in Alaska.
I meant to ask you, but did you ever find your Long-Lost Bowling, Buddy Bruce Farmer from Alaska…
No I never did. Can’t even find anyone around, left, to ask! I know I’ll find out something one day, and it usually happens when U least expect it. Buried my Father, 2 weeks ago, with full Military Honor’s. I know he would have loved it, and it was truly a beautiful sight. Hope U had a great 4th, ours turned out to be pretty good. And thanks about asking about Bruce, I’ll find that nut one day.
@ Rodney.
If the guy is Bruce A. Farmer and wife Cindy R. Try Elmendorf AFB or the Eagle River Area. That was the last place, I was able to track the down too. They own money to me, too.
That’s him! Does he play a lot of golf. He must have changed a lot, not like him to owe money. I sure hate that he owes U, he use to always have his head on straight, but people, and things change. Is he still in the AF., I thought he’d be retired by now! Thanks a lot for the info., and if I get to talk to him, I’ll put a bug in his ear, about the money. Thanks, again! Rod
@ Rodney.
Actually wife owe’s money, Bruce ~58 yrs. old and wife ~55 yrs. old, I think. Both younger than 60, that I’m sure of.
Yeah, they would be younger than 60. The last time I talked with him, he said that he was gonna make Alaska, home, guess he has. Most of his people here, have passed away, guess there’s no reason to come back. Thanks again, for the info., and sorry about the money, they were both raised better! Have a great week, Sir!
@ Rodney.
I only knew him briefly, I wasn’t aware that he even played golf.
Cayenne Pepper is an excellent clotting agent. I was careless running cabbage through a slicer and cut my finger pretty good. I dumped cayenne pepper on it and stopped the bleeding. After a 4.5hr wait in ER the doctor used super glue to close it. I could have done that myself.
Cayenne Pepper has other uses also. Google is your friend.
Kerosene is one of the best clotting agent known to man,. When I used to be an assistant butcher, I cut my thumb pretty good, blood all over. Our chief butcher took out a bottle of kerosene, and took my hand and dunk it in the bottle of kerosene. Instantly the blood stop. Then I covered it a cheese cloth and went to the dr. The dr applied butterfly tapes, no blood loss, and went home. Kerosene is it.
@ Joel.
Never heard of that one. Don’t you need a Stabilizing Agent to keep the Kerosene (Paraffin in Brit. speak) from going bad…
Used this method all the time when I was a kid! It worked.
There’s another product called XStat, Micro-Sponge filled Syringe for stopping bleeding Gun-Shot Wounds, but probably has other applications to it too. Looks more like a Auto-Exrotica Sex Toy, then a Wound Applicator…
I recently was told that vettranery surgery supplies and vet drugs that are currently available thru “Grain and Feed” Supply stores, Farm and Ranch Supplies, on-line and so forth have recently come under the scrutiny of the FedGov. This apperetently has started a push to remove these supplies from retail availability to ” By Vetranary Prescription Only” if this is the case it will become difficult to get needles, syringes, penicillin, ampicillin, vet clot, surgical staplers,and so much more.
I do not have any other confirmations r that such an action is in the works but the original information was passed on to me by two Colorado Vetrenarians from two separate practices. I don’t know about the rest of you but many of the supplies I use for building and maintaining verious med kits I obtain either at my Local Feed and Ranch Store or on line. If this possible Goverment restriction should become reality I don’t know where I’d be able to find some of these materials.
If it hurts the people and makes it harder for us to be independent and prepared and take care of ourselves, then you can depend on the Feds to do it. They want us to be a nation of defenseless slaves utterly reliant on big brother to take care of us.
Precisely. I wish more people would remove their blinders and wake up to the fact that we are living under a tyrannical regime that recognizes no limits on its authority at home or abroad.
@ 50calAl
Just what Tyrannical Act has been committed, because I can’t Find One anywhere in this Country.
@ Pete in Alaska.
Sorry Pete, I meant it as a JOKE. Didn’t think it was going to go VIRAL Sec…
Amazon has IV tubing for sale, but I can’t determine whether it is sterile. It is sold as a “vet” supply. There are some supply houses that sell IV solutions, but saline is n short supply right now and is hard to find. East Coast Medical Supply has 250ml bags and that’s all.
I have asked my vet to get me some Ringers that has outdated and I keep two 1000ml bags with tubing around in a dark, cool, room. I would love to get my hands on a case of albumin. It will last forever.
@ Michael S.
Try USP, United States Plastics Corporation. You can by Bev-A-Line IV Tubing in 50-Foot Lots, -60(deg)F to +160(deg)F. 1/8-inch @ 43-cents/ft., 3/8-inch @ 96-cent/foot, sold in 10-foot increments. Other Larger Sizes available too…
I haven’t tried VetGel. My wife hacked the end of her finger off in a food processor and I applied a Quick Clot pad to it while I took her to the hospital and by the time we got there it had stopped bleeding, to be stirred up again when they cleaned it. Oh well! Troops have been using Quick Clot for some time and I haven’t heard of any serious hematological clotting issues after long term use. The other option of bleeding to death, to me, is not an option, that happened way too much in combat prior to the advent of Quick Clot.
The cost of Quick Clot is reasonable, I don’t know what the other cost is.
@ Michael S.
Your not going to find VetGel any time soon, it’s still being Field Tested in the UK’s Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals…
Hey Secundius,
Sanitary pads make excellent trama wound bandages. We used them in Vietnam As they were easer to get than actual FSN# bandages for large wounds. About the only difference was the color. One was white the other olive drabish. Both did the job intended extremely well.
Super glue, if I understand the story correctly, was originally developed as the better alternative to sutures in micro surgical operations, (primarily brain surgery) It’s value was quickly seen for a multitude of other applications as you know. You can buy “6 Pacs” of mini, “one use”, tubes which serve very well in every size med kit for closing wounds. If your going to use this technique add a small bottle of nail polish remover (NPR) to your kit as well. The NPR will desolve super glue if needed.
Super glue is the go to wound closer for small cuts and to hold 4×4 pads on when you don’t have tape. You will need some GooGone to get the bandages off though.
@ Michael S.
As a Tacking Compound, try either Clear-Coat Nail Polish or Loose-Fitted Rubber Bands. A Slide-Collar will work too…
@ Pete in Alaska.
Good to hear from you, Still Alive and Kicking I see. SuperGlue, has a potential “Down Side” too much and it can Kill You. Glue Tray’s come a assorted sizes, also a Different Glue Compound Mixture and Non-Toxic. I usually keep Three-of each sizes in my Med Kit that I always keep with me at all times. Hospital’s usually have either a Liquid or Spray Solvent that will Dissolve the Glue. A can of Aerosol Chewing Gum Remover work well to in Freezing the Wound and making it Clot Faster. Freeze-Away Wart Remover will work too. If you can get it without a prescription, get it. NDC-68462-0180-22/Mipirocin 2% Ointment (Bactroban). Works much Faster than Neosporin Ointment…
A Physical Therapy told me of two methods, which on the surface sound Ridiculous, but actually works. One, is to use Sanitary Napkins as a Trauma Bandage and the other is to use Glue Trays in place of Sutures, until you can get Emergency Medical Treatment…
Both are realistic and effective. I keep a supply of sanitary napkins in my emergency supplies, and when my wife had some surgery, they used glue and not sutures to close some pretty serious surgical incisions.
I’ve maintained QuickClot in all of my First Aid, and Field Med kits. VetiGel seems to have a much faster reaction time. Does it serve as well in the same wound spectrum as QC and what is the price per unit retail their going to ask for this new product? Are there any issues concerning sensitivity or algery that have been noted?
I still have my first aid pouch the one with the red cross on it on my web belt, not a lot in their and I have replaced most items in it. But I always keep a full size first aid kit in my car, home and were I work. It may not save somebody, but it will help until help comes. They would tell us in the field, try not to get shot and don’t treat the wounded( enemy ) and you won’t need it. I would reply you won’t feel that way if you got hit!
Looks really promising, i will be watching for it on the market..
I carry QuckClot on my M/C in several bandages along with several Israeli Battle Dressings. If you have massive bleeding you absolutely need a pressure dressing along with a clotting agent, no matter which one you use. Back in my Vietnam days as a Corpsman, we did not have clotting agents and they are a miracle today. I carry one in all of my car’s.
Thanks Michael. Does quick clot have a serious downside?
What is your thoughts on this new VetiGel?
@ Bill.
Yes there is, there a compound used in QuikClot called Kaolin or Kaolinite (aka China Clay) which react’s with the Human Body to allow Quicker Clotting of the Blood. Unfortunately, some people are Allergic to the Substance which an cause Severe Infections. A Blood Test should tell weather or not you are allergic, too the substance…
Agreed, Michael.
QuikClot and the excellent Israeli dressings are a critical part of any trauma kit.
My large kit in my home also includes clamps for clamping off blood vessels, scalpels, sutures sets, a sealed surgical stapler, a variety of dressings, Kerlix, TraumaDex, a wide range of antibiotics and pain killers, etc.
The one thing that is more difficult to obtain and store are IV fluids like saline and glucose, and the supplies to administer them. I was trained and had to do IVs in Iraq while working private security, and I would like to find a way to include them in my home emergency supplies.
I am tankful no one in my home has persistent needs such as insulin or allergies to foods or insect bites. Keeping supplies to address those needs would complicate things even more.