Wound powder for humans

[preparedsurrey]

I managed to slice a lump off my finger with a broken tile the other day which proceeded to bleed rather freely. I stopped the bleeding but what struck me whilst going through my first aid kit was if I was dealing with a horse I would have used wound powder to stop the bleeding and form a scab quickly.

For those who haven't come across it once the wound is clean you apply it liberally and apply pressure and the bleeding quickly scabs over.

I nipped into the chemist on the way home but they had no idea what I was talking about, the local agricultural merchants has it today in the equine section (obviously for animal use)

Is it a thing of the past? Any reason not to use the animal stuff, from memory it comes as individual sachets (which I would hope should be sterile)... Theres no painkillers in it so dosage etc isn't an issue

[womble]

AIUI, clotting agents like that are a life saver in trauma situations. Human-safe versions are available. A search for "bloodstopper" and then clicking through some links was informative. "Hemostatic agent" or "antihaemorrhagic" might get more response from your pharmacist (probably not from the till keeper though). But I don't know how available they are in the UK.

[Lanky Yankee]

Without knowing the name of the clotting agent it's hard to say if it's safe, but chances are it's very similar to the human use agents. Get the name and it would be easy to do a search online to see if it's the same ingredients.

Getting a human clotting agent is easy but expensive, so if they are the same it's probably better to buy the animal use version. You might want to explore natural clotting agents as a cheaper alternative(cayenne pepper).

[poppypiesdad]

They done away with wound powder years ago, the new "though" is to stop the bleeding by pressure / dressings , but allow the wound to "free drain " to allow it to flush it self to allow it to remove any contamination . Forming an artificial clot allows it to seal any bugs into it , leading to more problems

Vet wrap , purple spray and animalintex if that can't sort it it will be a call out.

J

[sniper 55]

Quickclot was issued (recently at least) to various armed forces, as far as I know it still used or carried by some.

[featherstick]

Haemostatic gauze is easily available - impregnated with fine mineral powder that removes liquid from the wound thus concentrating the clotting agents in the blood and allowing them to work more quickly. Should only be used with big holes when the casualty might bleed out before other help can arrive. With the current security concerns and my daily commute to The Great Wen I am considering buying some for my EDC FAK but am aware that with lack of training and practice I may do more harm than good (also the vanishingly remote chance of actually ever needing to treat a casualty with a massive bleed).

[poppypiesdad]

Update from poppypiesmum , purple spray is no longer available, it's now blue spray , like the purple version now it doesn't contain anything useful ...........

J

[Jamesey1981]

but am aware that with lack of training and practice I may do more harm than good (also the vanishingly remote chance of actually ever needing to treat a casualty with a massive bleed).

I thought like that once, but having been involved in a major rail disaster (I was a passenger, I've never been part of the emergency services) I would say that small chance as it is, it can happen, so if you have the space for it in your bag and don't mind carrying it then carry it.
It took a while for enough ambulance crews to arrive for the sheer number of casualties, (there were a fair few killed instantly or beyond help, one lad of about 15 had been literally ripped in half, that haunts me to this day, and there were hundreds injured) there weren't any where near enough first aid supplies in the kits on the train, and they weren't all accessible, and had myself and others not been prepared to improvise ways of stopping bleeding with anything we could get (including a tie and two credit cards to apply pressure in the case of one person that I got to that had a hole that went in one side of their thigh and came out of the other) there would likely have been a fair few more deaths, had we been carrying additional first aid supplies we'd have been able to attend to injuries much faster and got to more people.
I've had proper first aid training now, but back then I only had the little bit of knowledge that I had picked up in the scouts and army cadets, but training or not, being prepared to do something to prolong our own or someone else's survival rather than stand about looking confused is what generally sets us apart as preppers.
If there's someone more qualified than you to deal with a casualty then of course leave it to them and provide what assistance you can, but it isn't guaranteed that there will be by any means, and if someone is bleeding badly there's not a great deal you can do to make it worse, (with application of common sense obviously) and as long as anything you do is with the best intentions then you're not going to get in any trouble for it.

[digi]

im not sure if this is what youre talking about

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0055RUKQM?psc=1

CELOXTM (pronounced Cell Locks) is haemostatic agent that controls severe bleeding fast.

Does not generate heat.
Works independently of normal blood clotting factors.
Simple and safe to use.
Not Exothermic; will not burn the victim or caregiver.
Works in hypothermic conditions and clots Heparinised blood.
Safe for use on the entire body including, head, neck and chest wounds.

CELOXTM combines with red blood cells and platelets to form a gel-like clot that can be used to treat patients suffering from clotting disorders, or those with mild or severe injuries.

CELOXTM can be used as a fast, safe and simple emergency treatment for serious bleeding by first aid trained personnel.

CELOXTM is suitable for the military, first responders, hospitals, industrial first aid, emergency services, wilderness medicine, adventure pursuits, professional and amateur sports and of course, as a must-have for your home or car first aid kit.

theres also this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wound-Seal-Pow ... ords=celox

Stop Bleeding Instantly! Proven safe & effective for people on blood thinners! New! WoundSeal powder is specially developed to stop bleeding for people on blood thinners because it doesn t rely on the normal clotting factors in your blood. It forms an instant seal over the wound in seconds. The seal is safe to leave in place until it falls off naturally and the wound heals. Now you have confidence to know you can control bleeding wherever you are. Powder forms an instant seal over the wound in seconds and it's safe to leave in place until the wound heals. Specially developed to stop bleeding for people on blood thinners because it doesn't rely on the normal clotting factors in your blood. The 4-single use packets are easy to keep in your pocket or purse so you always have on hand for emergencies.

[featherstick]

but am aware that with lack of training and practice I may do more harm than good (also the vanishingly remote chance of actually ever needing to treat a casualty with a massive bleed).

I thought like that once, but having been involved in a major rail disaster (I was a passenger, I've never been part of the emergency services) I would say that small chance as it is, it can happen, so if you have the space for it in your bag and don't mind carrying it then carry it.

That's sounds properly horrible Jamesey. Well done for getting stuck in. You've convinced me.