!!! Homestead medical supply reference list; who's got one?

It's time to go through and update/expand my store of medical supplies.

Not having any particular background with this field, I'm looking for a good reference list.

Anyone have one to suggest, or your own version?

How about unexpectedly useful items; what weird thing has helped you with a medical situation?



I've got a tabletop makeup mirror with a light, and standard/magnifying sides. This came amongst a basement worth of junk that I bought for the tools, but it's proved quite helpful when dealing with eye issues; the combination of light plus magnification is very useful when trying to see if there is still something stuck in my eye, or I've washed it out and am just feeling the leftover irritation.

The other helpful items I lacked in my first iteration were:
-Extra strong tweezers for stubborn splinters
-Sterile scalpels for the same, and for opening up infected minor wounds
-Serious painkillers. I find off the shelf stuff to be nearly useless most of the time, and I've had multiple occasions where the issue needs rest and time, but the pain is too intense to allow for rest or sleep, and prevents safely/easily getting to a hospital. And then you sit there for many hours only to get a prescription and get sent home..

Obviously these are tough to come by, and need to be used with due care, but if you have the option for have a small supply on hand, they can be of tremendous value.

Maybe would help:

https://permies.com/t/128483/personal-care/Homestead-Farm-Medical-Kit

The "Patriot Nurse" on you tube. Great medical and herbal information. In with the good out with the dross if your political leanings don't align. I remember college professors who in a broad sense we collided but they still had knowledge I needed. Learn what you can from whomever you can.

I recently sliced my arm quite deeply, doing DIY at home, alone. I realised that my neat first aid kit, with its zip up case, and ziplock bags of individually wrapped wipes and dressings was pretty unhelpful for someone to access quickly, especially with one arm bleeding and the other trying to stop it! I now have a pull out tray, with easy to grab first aid supplies in sections - including an empty section for used wipes etc.

So, as you think through what you need, also think about how you will store it.

I don't have a good list, so I'm glad to read through the suggestions.

Not just kit, but knowing how to do some rudimentary skills. Many of us with animal husbandry skills have stitched or stapled a cut, lanced and drained an abscess. Sutures are becoming less common with staples and the new wound glues. Knowing how and when to close a wound is helpful skill. IV protocol for animals transfers over to people. Things that used to be easily accessible have become difficult. Blood clotting dressings, powders and syringes are now affordable. An IFAK though not an ideal answer to everyday first aid is in every car we drive in case of a trauma incident, smaller than a cell phone and stashed in the glove box.
Anticipated circumstance and skill will guide the construction of your medi-bag,. Readily and easy accessible an important consideration

If you are shy on knowledge, get a couple books. I have both of these....

The Survival Medicine Handbook And Where There is no Doctor.

If you can only choose one, get the first one. The second one is more for a third world country.... Which we may become if shit continues to hit the fan. Be careful out there everyone!

Oh! And don't forget to get some antibiotics from here for your pet bird, or fishies! See the first book for more details....

Do read them several times and again every six months or so. I'm more than a bit overdue.

If you aren't familiar with hebal medicine, get this book by Dr Sharol Tilgnor. This one teaches all about the body systems, and has lots of featured herb monographs. Hmmm... It doesn't seem to have instructions how to make medicines. BUT! She has that information available free at her site. Do print those instructions out! I have 3 of her books, the other 2 do have detailed info on making medicines. All are very much worth the money! (Says this squeeky cheapskate.)

Here's a handy list   [url=https://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/FirstAidKitChecklist.html[/url]
Although it's suggested for Australian conditions, it applies anywhere.
I would make the tweezers really pointy for that stubborn splinter or thorn,  and add a paste of magnesium sulphate + glycerine for putting on a band-aid to draw out the stubbornest splinters/thorns (and things like boils, 'point' skin problems).  In the "Olden Days" this was Pasta Mag. Sulph.  Possibly available to purchase if you're lucky, otherwise do-it-yourself. Maybe add steristrips if they are available - good for pulling together the sides of a cut.  
Real Outback medical kits have prescribed remedies that are used under the guidance of the Flying Doctor - best kept that way, for obvious reasons! but any medications prescribed to you should be in it, if away from the homestead.

Anne Miller wrote:Maybe would help:

https://permies.com/t/128483/personal-care/Homestead-Farm-Medical-Kit

Thanks! I was sure there's be some similar thread but didn't find that one when searching.

Ali Green wrote:I recently sliced my arm quite deeply, doing DIY at home, alone. I realised that my neat first aid kit, with its zip up case, and ziplock bags of individually wrapped wipes and dressings was pretty unhelpful for someone to access quickly, especially with one arm bleeding and the other trying to stop it! I now have a pull out tray, with easy to grab first aid supplies in sections - including an empty section for used wipes etc.

So, as you think through what you need, also think about how you will store it.

I don't have a good list, so I'm glad to read through the suggestions.

Good point. The old kit lived in a tote under the bed in the tiny house, and this was certainly not ideal. We now have more space, so the new iteration will get new packaging and live somewhere easier to access.

Thinking about medic-ing with limited hands, I am going to keep a good headlamp with the kit, and something it came mount to.

Robert Ray wrote:Not just kit, but knowing how to do some rudimentary skills. Many of us with animal husbandry skills have stitched or stapled a cut, lanced and drained an abscess. Sutures are becoming less common with staples and the new wound glues. Knowing how and when to close a wound is helpful skill. IV protocol for animals transfers over to people. Things that used to be easily accessible have become difficult. Blood clotting dressings, powders and syringes are now affordable. An IFAK though not an ideal answer to everyday first aid is in every car we drive in case of a trauma incident, smaller than a cell phone and stashed in the glove box.
Anticipated circumstance and skill will guide the construction of your medi-bag,. Readily and easy accessible an important consideration

Absolutely. I've watched videos and read guides, but as usual for me it doesn't see really lodge in my head for the long term unless I've actually done it, and mostly I haven't yet done these things. I've got a medical stapler, but I'm sure gonna be nervous the first time I go to use one.. we should probably do some practice on wound closure on the next animal we process.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:If you are shy on knowledge, get a couple books. I have both of these....

The Survival Medicine Handbook And Where There is no Doctor.

If you can only choose one, get the first one. The second one is more for a third world country.... Which we may become if shit continues to hit the fan. Be careful out there everyone!

Oh! And don't forget to get some antibiotics from here for your pet bird, or fishies! See the first book for more details....

Do read them several times and again every six months or so. I'm more than a bit overdue.

If you aren't familiar with hebal medicine, get this book by Dr Sharol Tilgnor. This one teaches all about the body systems, and has lots of featured herb monographs. Hmmm... It doesn't seem to have instructions how to make medicines. BUT! She has that information available free at her site. Do print those instructions out! I have 3 of her books, the other 2 do have detailed info on making medicines. All are very much worth the money! (Says this squeeky cheapskate.)

Thank you; books are definitely lacking. I am fortunate that I have a couple friends who are much more onowledgeable, but I cannot count on them answering the phone in an emergency.

Fortunately, I am for the first time in 14 years able to unpack and inventory my books, a good time to add as needed.

Unfortunately, animal antibiotics are not so easy to come by in Canada these days. There has been a substantial tightening of access to animal medications, many things require a good relationship with a helpful vet, which I do not have..

Jill Dyer wrote:Here's a handy list   [url=https://www.ritas-outback-guide.com/FirstAidKitChecklist.html[/url]
Although it's suggested for Australian conditions, it applies anywhere.
I would make the tweezers really pointy for that stubborn splinter or thorn,  and add a paste of magnesium sulphate + glycerine for putting on a band-aid to draw out the stubbornest splinters/thorns (and things like boils, 'point' skin problems).  In the "Olden Days" this was Pasta Mag. Sulph.  Possibly available to purchase if you're lucky, otherwise do-it-yourself. Maybe add steristrips if they are available - good for pulling together the sides of a cut.  
Real Outback medical kits have prescribed remedies that are used under the guidance of the Flying Doctor - best kept that way, for obvious reasons! but any medications prescribed to you should be in it, if away from the homestead.

Nice, thanks! I've been looking at lists meant for long distance sailing, but another perspective is great.

Steristrips and good tweezers I've got, but I have not used drawing paste, and I can think of a dozen times it would have been useful.

Given how insanely slow access to healthcare can be here Canada, perhaps we ought to institute a similar system of having drugs available to be used under the guidance of a remote doctor.. but it certainly won't happen.