I'm trying to build a mini-emergency kit(s) to have handy if I were in a situation where some fruitcake was shooting up the locale and the police/SWAT teams were a distance away.

I heard that tampons were used to stop penetrating shots, especially in Vietnam.

Basically every site I visit, the "experts" say don't use tampons or other mostly non-answers. I just want to know regular or small or extra strength for the kit.

I suppose someone in Califonia will now sue you for practicing medicine without a license.

Sounds good to me. I wouldn't dream of going to hospital for a cut. I tripped over a chair leg before Christmas and despite taking most of the full-length fall on my side (so no broken arms or ribs), still managed to tear my earlobe on the concrete. You wouldn't believe how much that bled. It's healing nicely, I may have a slightly ragged ear but no big problem.

But to all the people who ask me "why didn't the doctor stitch it?", I have to answer "what doctor?"

Jim P, I've heard the tampon story before, but only in really bad fiction - so I don't know how good it is. Do you actually have a decent source for it?

I wouldn't dream of going to hospital for a cut.

I am weenie; hear me whimper.

Maybe once a month I'm in the shop using a tool, notice that the tool has a bit of blood on it, inspect my fingers to find where the cut is, then go to the tool chest drawer labeled "cyano" (as in cyanoacrylate).

Been doing this for years; great hack.

I wouldn't dream of going to hospital for a cut.

I might have felt the same way until my husband guillotined his foot. That required one trip to urgent care to close up two toes and surgery a week later to repair the tendons.

My problem with SuperGlue -- and you might get it too, Amy, since you also live in a dry climate -- is that I get one use out of it and when I come back later to use it again, I find it has all dried up in the tube.

Nurse here.

Super Glue is fine to use on minor cuts. The stuff we get in stores, however, is NOT chemically the same as the "super glue" we use in hospitals. Retail super glue is, for the most part, totally fine to use on occasion.

If you have a nice, clean cut...like from an xacto knife...absolutely. If you have a jagged tear, or if it is a deep cut, or if said cut is on the palm of your hand, head to a doctor. I say that because with those cuts, there is a higher risk of nerve involvement. You don't want to screw around with that.

I have actually used super glue on intact skin to act as a barrier to prevent blisters on my feet. Works great.

Tampons have been used by field medics to stop bleeding from bullet wounds. Tampons are sterile while packaged and now commonly carried by troops and medics in combat zones.

Just be careful with the nail polish remover. The acetone in it dissolves those types of glues.

There's a variant of superglue that contains a bit of a numbing agent so that when you apply the stuff it doesn't burn quite as bad. I forget what it's called, but you should be able to find it in the first aid section. NuSkin or something?

I sliced the back of my middle finger (figures) on a julienne slicer pretty viciously. Once I got the bleeding under control, I glued it shut. I know where to look, so I can see a bit of a scar, but most everyone else won't notice. And it healed up really fast.

I heard that tampons were used to stop penetrating shots, especially in Vietnam.

Also in Afghanistan and Iraq. My understanding is that you should stay away from scented or otherwise chemically infused products.

Tampons are cotton, absorbent, they are santized and portable. I mean, considering that it's already... well... basically... a hole plugger... it seems like a pretty good temporary bullet hole plugger, too. Worse case, you can tear them up and use the cotton itself to clean the wound...
I wouldn't trust myself to actually use one in a bullet hole, though; I'd be terrified of hurting the victim futher). But the idea of it seems pretty logical.

I had arthroscopic knee surgery. One of the stitches came out. Assuming I'd have to go to the ER or the doc to replace it...I called the doc and he said to use regular office tape, pull the sides together and and tape them.

That one scarred less than one of the ones that just had the stitch.

Now these are really small incisions and 1 stitch per incision. But was nice to not have to go back in.

Of course it's logical. My understanding of the average sanitary napkins were that they were an afterthought of nurses who were making bandages for the army.

The superglue thing is logical, too. I especially like the "spot welding" connection.

Or one could use army ants. I read they work well, in a pinch.

Amy,

Get with the times, the use of superglue for cuts is almost 50 years old.

What's new?

Finger tip, and other tissue regenerative regrowth powder.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-3960219.html

I have a home made version that I concocted from left overs from a butcher that's what I sprinkle on my finger cuts.

I had a broken leg that required hardware to be installed then uninstalled some time ago. After the plates were removed, the disolvable suture didn't follow it's intended purpose and needed a small incision to be removed. The doc glued his little hole shut. Told me about super glue and from there on out I was hooked.

As I'm a bit clumsy, on the day I was supposed to be the best man in a wedding, I punched a hole in my forehead with a set of keys. Don't ask. This was a wound that would not quit. I couldn't be bleeding out of my face while holding the rings so out came the super glue. Wedding disaster averted, no scar. A bottle goes with me everywhere I go.

"Also, I am a priss who sits at a keyboard all day, sometimes making cutting remarks. The danger of flesh wounds from this is pretty minimal."

Writers, especially, should be interested in finger growing powders.

Slice a small wound in the webbing between thumb and forefinger, add a little finger powder, and within a month timespan become 20% faster on the ivories!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-3960219.html

JTF - thanks for the link. Amazing. If I ever need a new bladder, I'll be sure to ask for extra-large scaffolding.