Re: First Aid kit - expiration of items?

On Tue, 06 May 2008 02:34:05 +0100, Nick Temple-Fry
<Nick@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

Oh dear - what a lot of antagonistic fuss a simple post has produced.

Look at the contents of a typical 'first aid' kit rated as offshore:-

1 First aid guidance leaflet 
1 Blanket silver foil 
1 Lip moisturiser 
1 Eye bath plastic 
1 Thermometer clinical 
1 Fingerstall 
1 Saline eye wash solutions pad 
10 Dioralyte sachets 
2 Triangular bandage 
40 Assorted plasters 
1 Leukostrip (packet 4) 
1 Safety pins (packet 12) 
2 Paraffin gauze dressing 
1 Pair disposable gloves 
2 Large sized dressing 
2 Medium sized dressing 
1 Extra Large dressing 
1 Bandage conforming 10 cm 
1 Bandage conforming 7.5cm 
1 Bandage conforming 5cm 
1 Bandage crepe 7.5cm 
1 Waterproof strapping 
1 Eye pad with bandage 
10 Alcohol free moist wipes 
2 Gauze swabs (packet 5) 
1 Pair scissors 
1 Forceps, splinter 

with the exception of the dioralyte sachets (for help with rehydration
in the event of prolonged sickness etc) (and which may have a
meaningful life expectancy), the contents are mostly stable
non-volatile products which if kept sealed/dry are unlikely to decay
over time.

Now consider what these contents are actually mainly suited to
treating - that's right, minor cuts/abrasions/bleeding and, loose
material irritation on the surface of the eye. And the means of
treating it provides is by cleaning out contamination, closing if
possible (eg a slice wound using the Leukostrip) and
covering/protecting.

How about reading this link

http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/wounds-and-bleeding/bleeding.aspx

Of course you are right to say you should not remove an 'embedded'
object of any size/depth, but that is different from saying you should
not attempt to remove loose/small foreign contamination.

So let's take it easy and not panic.

Nick