Like your complete survival kit, your firstaid kit should be customized
for the area you’re visiting and (to a lesser extent) the activity you’re doing.
Herbal Medicines and Healing Plants
WHILE IT’SAPPEALINGTOTHINK that you might be able to heal yourself with
plants in the wild, the chances of your doing so are even slimmer than the
chances of your finding safe plants to eat. Nor is using plants to heal as
simple as picking the plant and either eating it or applying it to your skin.
In many cases, complex concoctions require careful preparation.
Healing plants are also region specific and the product of genera
tions of experimentation and use. Near Georgian Bay, Ontario, jewel
weed grows right alongside poison ivy and can be a great traditional
remedy as a preventative wash for poison ivy. But to use it effectively,
you need to learn how to recognize both plants. When I was in the Ama
zon, Waorani medicine was helpful in curing the fungus on my feet, but
it came from a native woman who drew on her own experience and that
of her people.
The Importance of Hygiene
SURVIVAL IS DIRTY, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore basic hygiene,
which is an important way to ward off infection and disease, and to pre
vent minor injuries from becoming major.
If water is available, try to wash yourself daily, with or without soap.
Your hands, hair, feet, and armpits are the likeliest areas of infestation and
infection; pay special attention to them.
Always keep your hands clean, since germs found there can infect
you and your food. Wash them frequently, especially after a bowel move
ment. Your hair should also be kept as clean as possible to prevent infesta
tion by fleas and lice.
Another significant aspect of personal hygiene is keeping your
clothes clean. This may mean making like your ancient ancestors and
scrubbing clothing in a river with rocks. If you don’t have a water source
(^302) | Survive!