First Aid Kit

You do have a First Aid box in or near your kitchen, don't you?

Well, just in case you don't, and even if you do, let's go over the basic necessities of what it needs to contain. Remember, these are the basics. The list is by no means exhaustive but should be sufficient to deal with any domestic accident until professional help can be summoned.

Basic First Aid Kit

As a minimum any domestic First Aid box should contain the following:

· 3 packs of gauze swabs
· 3 individual hand towels or a pocket sized pack of tissues
· 5 band aids of assorted width
· 1 roll of adhesive tape
· 2 sterile non-stick dry dressings (4x4 ins)
· 1 No14 BPC wound dressing
· 1x2ins stretch bandage
· 1x3ins stretch bandage
· 1 triangular bandage
· 5 safety pins
· 1 pair blunt ended sharp scissors
· 1 pair splinter forceps
· 3 plastic bags
· 3 antiseptic swabs
· Disposable latex gloves

The box itself should be air-tight and kept where it can be reached by all the family (not in the bathroom with its damp atmosphere). A kitchen cupboard is ideal, since this is in an area where accidents are likely to occur and where there is an abundance of running water if needed.

Notice there are no creams, lotions, potions or other cure-alls in this kit. That's because in many situations they are likely to do more harm than good.

It's a much better idea to rely on good hygiene in the form of hand-washing and sterile bandages to keep an injury infection free until professional help can be sought.

I'll repeat that for anyone at the back who wasn't listening: do not put anything other than sterile dressings on an injury unless advised to do so by someone who is medically qualified to give such advice.