|
Walter & Group...
[GH] This is an off topic message on first aid for marine stings. Fortunately, (or unfortunately) some of us have had lots of experience with these problems.
Fresh water fly fishers are taking trips to tropical salty venues in increasing numbers, now. So these messages may be of future value for them. Also of value to those who advise their students or customers as FFF instructors and fly shops in fresh water places book salt water trips.
Then back to casting.
Gordy
[GH] Question from Lewis Hinks in followup to Jim Penrod's message on SW injuries from Tides 2. (3/01/12) :
Hi Gordy,
The first aid advice in this message is very valuable. Is there any sort of reference guide/book/website that has information similar to this, that those of us in the northern climes can get to use when we make a trip to the south ?
I had no idea that heat could inactivate many marine toxins. Good to know when you are miles from the dock on a small cayo chasing bones or permit.
Lewis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[GH] Lewis:
You may wish to check out these links :
Although various marine creatures in tropical waters are capable of causing stings, some of the truly deadly ones exist in waters of Northern Australia and South Africa.
When I dove the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, Au., our dive master insisted we wear wet suits which they called, "stinger suits" as protection even though it was not their "jellyfish season".
I've found that the "meat tenderizer" treatment only works for painful skin surface wounds such as non-deadly jellyfish stings. I mix it with a bit of fresh water (not salt) and apply it as a paste. It's enzymatic action slowly helps deactivate the poison. No where near as fast or efficient as the application of heat. Not much use for poisonous penetrating wounds inflicted by sting rays, hardhead salt water catfish, etc.
Children who are unaware, sometimes get stung when they pick up and play with "pretty purple things" on the beach. These are dead Portuguese Man-O-War jellyfish. Even touching these dead tentacles can cause painful stings.
Even when a diver or swimmer brushes against "fire coral" in our tropical waters, a nasty painful rash can result.
The use of vinegar only stops the continued production of poisons from tentacles or pieces of them which have stuck to the skin. It does NOT deactivate the toxins already produced, and does nothing to relieve the pain or inflammation.
Antivenin has been developed for some jellyfish stings. Below is one jellyfish in Queensland, AU. waters for which none has been made to date :
The link, below, contains no reference to the use of heat. I suppose they made the assumption that heat wouldn't be available (??)
When on a mother ship, yacht, etc., we found that taking a black frying pan from the galley and exposing the bottom to a blistering hot tropical sun will provide surface heat for these skin stings. Heat from the manifold of a diesel engine will do the trick, too if you don't have a galley stove available. Even a sun-hot aluminum beach chair frame can be used. The trick we used on camping trips to make fire with a magnifying glass on a sunny day when our matches were soaked also works. The lenses in some glasses used to thread small flies can be used as well.
# The String Trick :
Your fishing buddy has just been stung on the tip of his ring finger. The pain is mounting and the finger swelling and turning blue. You don't have anything such as a "ring cutter" or even a pair of salt water fishing pliers with a wire leader cutter.
If you don't get that ring off in a hurry, your buddy could lose the finger as the swelling beyond the ring cuts off the circulation.
Take a piece of fishing line (even running fly line) and slowly wind it over the finger starting at the ring and carrying it firmly over the knuckle winding toward the finger tip with the winds close togethr. This squeezes out the swelling just enough.
Now, unwind the string starting at the ring. As you do this, advance the ring over the knuckle and beyond 'til the ring is off.
If you have some soap/water or oil available, that helps lubricate and makes it even easier. If you don't, use saliva.
Gordy
|