What should be in the first aid kit?

[forestgnome]

Whoa!!!

Thanks for all the info, everyone. I've added a couple things to my kit, which I'm refreshing today.

Off to the alpine zones tomorrow for flowers

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Crazy Glue or Super Glue is toxic. It you use it on an open sore to seal it closed you run the risk of posioning yourself.

From the wilderness medicine group that I belong to.

In part, this was due to a tendency of the early compounds (made from methyl-2-cyanoacrylate") to irritate the skin as the glue reacted with water and cured in the skin, releasing cyanoacetate and formaldehyde. A compound called "butyl-2-cyanoacrylate" was developed to reduce toxicity, but suffered from brittleness and cracking a few days after application. Finally an improved cyanoacrylate glue was developed for medical applications called "2-octyl-cyanoacrylate." This compound causes less skin irritation and has improved flexibility and strength--at least three times the strength of the butyl-based compound

They are researching the Dermabond type which are of the 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate type adhesives. Less toxic than the methyl-2-cyanoacrylate and stronger then the butyl-2-cyanoacrylate for use in the wilderness setting. Like I said before though. There can be substantial risk of infection if debridement isn't done aggressively enough. I will wait and see what their research comes up with.

Just another side note. Not only does the regular glue methyl-2-cyanoacrylate generate posions as it hardens it also generates heat. Enough heat, according to other studies to cause tissue damage. Just another reason you may not want to use regular crazy glue.

Keith

 

[ripple]

Crazy Glue or Super Glue is toxic. It you use it on an open sore to seal it closed you run the risk of posioning yourself. 2nd skin is almost does the same thing, but is a lot safer for you. There is also an arosal can spray 2nd skin that works great.

According to the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for Krazy Glue it is not toxic. Should you ingest it ,... No. Do you want it in your eyes... No way. Should use stick it under your nose and huff it... absolutly not. Can you use it to seal a cleaned cut on yourself... Sure can. Here is the link. For the mild health hazard that it is, I will continue to use it to seal minor to moderate cuts.
Here is the MSDS check it out.

http://www.krazyglue.com/products/mkg0483.htm

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Incorrect.

Crazy glue used as listed or standard contact, which is what the MSDS sheets are for is correct.

Applying it inside your body generates poisons (cyanoacetate and formaldehyde). These are byproducts of the application inside your body.

Look up cyanoacetate and formaldehyde in the MSDS or the DOT book and see what it says about those chemicals. My DOT book is in my truck. I will get it later and check.

Keith

 

[ripple]

Who said anything about using the glue inside your body. The amount that would enter your body from useing the glue to seal up a small cut is next to nothing. Sure formaldehyde is nasty stuff, Besides a being waster water lab manger I also work at my cousins funeral home. I know formaldehyde is not somethjng you want to ingest. Formaldehyde is used in science classes across the country, Any body ever disect a pig in bio class. Formaldehyde is absorbed thru the skin and it's vapers. Long term exposure is what will hurt you. Not the nanograms you would have enter you body from a bead of glue on a cut. I am not advocating using krazy glue every day or showering in krazy glue. Using it to seal a small clean cut will not affect you anymore then breathing in car fumes on the highway to the mountian.

 

[Chip]

Aspartame (NutraSweet) breaks down in your system and one by-product is formaldehyde.
I'm pretty sure we've all consumed a lot more NutraSweet in our careers than Krazy Glue.

 

[DougPaul]

Super glue

IIRC, super glues were originally developed as surgical glues (as an alternative to stitches).

However, this does NOT mean that the OTC glues are safe for medical use.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Aspartame (NutraSweet) breaks down in your system and one by-product is formaldehyde.
I'm pretty sure we've all consumed a lot more NutraSweet in our careers than Krazy Glue.

Not an apriori good argument: the same substance in different parts of our bodies or delivered differently can have very different effects.

For instance, inhaling elemental mercury is far more dangerous than drinking elemental mercury.

Doug

 

[SAR-EMT40]

IIRC, super glues were originally developed as surgical glues (as an alternative to stitches).Doug

While it was used early on for this in the military as a spray, it wasn't it's original intent.

Superglue history

Also, I agree whole heartedly that route is very important in the delivery of a medicine or poison.

Ripple, by saying "inside" I thought that we were talking about closing an open wound. Therefore these byproducts (poisons) are being created "inside" the body. I don't know how much of these poisons is small enough to not cause harm so I cannot tell you how harmful it is or isn't. Even the MSD sheets don't address that for this route of entry into the body. I'm just giving some information out. Not forcing you to use it.

I probably won't speak more on this subject as it has probably strayed from the original thread and I would hate to have this thread locked or removed.

Keith