Vinegar No Longer Included In My Dive Bag

[vshearer]

kerosene

 

[DandyDon]

kerosene

Nope, according to the article in the Alert Diver magazine.

 

[Hank49]

I have heard that the cooling water output from an outboard motor can be used in a pinch as a source of hot water. Any truth in this?

Good idea. I would guess it's 110 to 130 F..?

 

[DandyDon]

Good idea. I would guess it's 110 to 130 F..?

It sounds like a viable idea, catch the exhaust water. If it doesn't have an oil film, should work ok. You won't have a thermometer in that range, but as warm as you can stand without injury maybe?

 

[DocVikingo]

Nope, according to the article in the Alert Diver magazine.

You are quite correct, Don Donaldo. There is no reason to expect that kerosene would be of benefit and it could make matters worse. Not only could it trigger unfired nematocysts, but it could irritate damaged tissue at the envenomation site(s).

This is a foolish suggestion.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[DocVikingo]

The original research on the use of Vinegar was published in the Medical Journal of Australia and I think it would date back to the late seventies or early eighties. If I recall correctly people had been advocating the use of methylated spirits for the box jellyfish prior to that, but the reseach showed that this caused further firing of the nematocysts. However when they tried vinegar they found it inhibited the firing quite effectively. As a result of this research vinegar became the standard treatment for the box jelly and 'vinegar stations' where even placed on beaches in northern Queensland so people could access it in an emergency.Dave.

Hi Blue Devil,

Over the years, the Medical Journal of Australia has contained numerous articles on the treatment of jellyfish envenomations with acetic acid and similar compounds.

I believe that the original work you have mentioned may be: "Hartwick, R., Callanan, V. and Williamson, J., 'Disarming the Box-Jellyfish. Nematocyst Inhibition in Chironex Fleckeri', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1980, pp. 15-20."

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[BlueDevil]

Yes... that sounds like it would be the article I am thinking of. I used to have a bit of an interest in venomous creatures quite a few years ago, and at one stage was hoping to do an Honours thesis in this field. However I have lost touch with things in recent times - but I still find it an interesting topic when I come across something of interest (such as this discussion).

Dave.

 

[DandyDon]

Okaaay, I am revising my thinking as I so often do after I start a News thread and we enjoy some discussion. My thanks to all, especially DocV, for the input - even those called foolish.

I'll keep the vinegar in my dive bag first aid for fire coral and similar but remember not to use it on jellyfish stings or man-of-war.
And replace the calamine with a larger tube of hydrocortisone.

Calamine felt good a couple of times, but I guess it's lost its place. My granddaughter just came down with a slight case of chickenpox in spite of the vaccine and they even told her mom not to use it for that. And from our Wiki friends...

Calamine is a mixture of zinc oxide (ZnO) with about 0.5% iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3). It is the main ingredient in calamine lotion and is used as an antipruritic (anti-itching agent) to treat mild pruritic conditions such as sunburn, eczema, rashes, poison ivy, chickenpox, insect bites and stings. It is also used as a mild antiseptic to prevent infections that can be caused by scratching the affected area, and an astringent for dry weeping or oozing blisters and acne abscesses.
(emphasis mine)
In 1992 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asserted that there was no proof the main ingredients in calamine (zinc oxide and ferric oxide) had any real therapeutic effect on rashes and itching.

 

[Jeanie]

I was always told NO to hot showers or baths (running or strenuous exercise) after diving -

Has this changed?

 

[DandyDon]

I was always told NO to hot showers or baths (running or strenuous exercise) after diving -

Has this changed?

Howdy and welcome to SB...!

No, that's just a different subject. What you describe is minimizing the risk of a Nitrogen bubble "bends" hit.

This article is suggesting it best to soack jellyfish and man-of-war stings in hot water, but the discussion for off on showers and hot tubs at some points. I think the article suggested 113 F, which is too hot for a tub, probly to hot for a shower anyway...