were tampons invented for bullet wounds
were tampons invented for bullet wounds
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. xstat, a bunch of objects that absorb blood. According to Dr. Robert B. Laughlin, MD, The use of tampons as a means of controlling bleeding from gunshot wounds was an innovative solution to a difficult problem.. forgot to add that tampons were invented in the days of The Three Musketeers (Louis 14th) as a plug for the holes caused by musket balls. IF the wound is linear and tampon sized, then a tampon will work. Before then homemade tampons made of fabric were already in use. What were tampons invented for? Most manufacturers use gamma irradiation to sterilize their pressure dressings. I think the poster questions was fair. Just as sterile if not more so than those gauze pads and other medical stuff. He said when my husband and I sent the last care package Marine X came over to his cot picked up the box, started fishing through it, and said, "What'd we get this time?". In some cases, such as a .20 or .30, theyre smaller in diameter than a regular tampon. If you want to go the extra mile, add a 2-pack of vented chest seals, but I recommend that most folks leave the nasopharyngeal airways, surgical lubricant, and chest darts to the medical professionals. Bullets do funny things when they enter the body. I've seen people advocating for using them in medical kits. JavaScript is disabled. Quite possibly. Experts note that free bleeding has no proven health benefits. But the modern tampon faced a bit of an uphill battle. The History of Tampons and Their Use for Treating Gunshot Wounds, When Was the Rollercoaster Invented? Who invented menstrual pads? In the panic of a shooting you think a woman is going to holler back, I do! I can't tell you how many guys, with a straight face, will tell me that a tampon will plug a bullet hole. All youd need is a large and heavy bullet traveling slow enough, and it would poke a hole. Check the wound daily for signs of infection listed below. For ages, people have said that Hippocrates, the most famous Greek doctor of all, talked about tampons made of lint wrapped around sticks. You can use tampons on nose bleeds. Now lets talk about the type of bleeding one might come across from a single gunshot wound. When we talk about damage caused by a bullet, there are two main types permanent and temporary cavitation. There are several anecdotal ones, though. He is saying that using a tampon on an open gunshot wlund is a horrible idea because of the extreme difference between a gunshot wound and a period. As a woman, Im here to tell you that tampons dont stop your vagina from bleeding, they just absorb the blood. They use kotex and tampons because they dont have better on hand. i mai interesante suntcomentariile cu privire la acest subiect. 4 level 1 I am absolutely amazed by the ingenuity of our Marines, and can't believe that something that started out as a mistake ended up saving someone's life. But in most situations wounds are from other means and thus, low velocity. Additionally, there could potentially be gunshot wounds that will require anesthesia, open excision, lavage, cautery, ligation, and repair that is beyond the purview of the majority of even medically licensed preppers. Required fields are marked *. According to Carla Rice in her book Becoming Women , people objected to them for all sorts of reasons: religious leaders thought they'd make girls prone to erotic feelings, and parents didn't want their daughters' hymens ruptured. Innovation makes history. However, as my military medical career progressed and I gained more education and experience, this is one of several medical interventions that were either modified or removed. Thanks This does not mean it is in circulation. After all the hemostatic gauze is packed, pack regular gauze on top, the asterisk pattern no longer necessary. Soon after, they were used to treat gunshot wounds. The other type of tampon, the no-applicator kind, was invented by the German gynecologist Dr Judith Esser-Mittag, which is the reason they tend to be referred to in the literature as "o.b. In his treatise Illustrations And Proofs Of The Principle Of Population, published in 1822 the English thinker Francis Place advocated a tampon for contraception, in the same vein as a sponge. If it did stop bleeding women wouldnt bleed for a week. I had a double shooting at my Grocery store While it would have taken about 2-3 min response time for help they could have bled out. A bomb tech once showed me a cool trick using a tongue depressor broken in half to make part of a trip fuse. When were tampons invented? Hi Sherri. And even though using a tampon can occasionally cause a girls hymen to stretch or tear, it does not cause a girl to lose her virginity. To answer my own question it looks like it can be done. Lost me when you said they werent sterile. How long does it take for gun wounds to heal? The x large roll of gauze would be a MUCH more effective wound packing material but he chose the tampon because the gauze would never fit in his helmet and would take up a lot of space anywhere else in his kit. With bleeding now controlled, use a section of regular gauze to wipe away excess blood, blunt dissecting as necessary to locate and visualize the severed artery. A handful of tongue depressors were not used just for looking down someones throat. https://www.crisis-medicine.com/heavy-flow-is-not-massive-hemorrhage-tampons-dont-belong-in-ifaks/. Various devices made of dung, acacia juice, goosefat, and opium (used in different mixes) were wrapped in lint or linen and used for gynecological problems and even contraception. The tampon will swell, which creates pressure and stops the bleeding. Popping a tampon in a hole just doesnt cut it. The purpose of packing a wound is that while the medium used absorbs, it swells. The location where the bullet goes in to the body will cause an entrance wound and depending on whether the bullet leaves the body, theremayalso be an exit wound. Most will not serve on a battlefield, but even there, expedience of removing the wounded to a proper MTF is paramount. It was an effective way to stop bleeding and reduce the risk of infection. Some scholars believe that the name didn't come from its use as a bandage material for wounds in battle, but from its use as a menstrual material, possibly in tampon form, among medieval women. so there are restaurants, post offices, and stores known as exchanges that sell hygiene products (among other things), including tampons and sanitary pads. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It was originally posted in July 2004 to a message board hosted by the Houston Marine Moms, a group that sends packages to soldiers serving in the field. This was the whole point of the article. Im not sure if you are aware the military actually has invested in an a tactical approach using the same technology as the tampon (slight variance as the Militarys applicator uses beads of the same material instead of a large swab). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. This was the first commercial distribution of menstruation-related items. My point is that sometimes we may have to use a little ingenuity to save a life or two. Exactly. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Now, a bandage that has a quick clotting agent could experience some degradation in effectiveness the further past the expiration date it goes. I know for a fact a finger in the wound will plug it and possibly save your life. You guys dont really understand why using a tampon for bullet treatments actually works. In either case, the preferred method (aside from ligation or resection) is deep packing with gauze. And please explain how a tampon DOES work? If the king had gas, he got treated before a conscript who was bleeding to death. The are setrile. Later, Gertrude Tendrich produced the first commercial tampon brand . Another tampon story says nurses made their own tampons during World War I. 6. Tampons are no substitute for PPT: packing, pressure and tourniquets. The whole idea of the article is really more aimed at the fact that they are NOT ideal, and you should plan AHEAD and have legit pressure dressings available on purpose for emergencies, rather than assuming a tampon will be just fine and not preparing in advance. 18th century: The tampon was used as a medical device. If you have any further questions, please chat, email, or contact Customer Service at 1-855- . Is this not the central reason why people think tampons would work, because most people would assume that a bullet wound cavity (at least that of a smaller caliber round) would lend itself to be filled by the expansion of a tampon? If youre dealing with a gunshot, what exactly and how are you packing it in the field? They'll come out eventually. He swore by them, so I tried them, and they worked great, so now I wont carry anything else!. But for the record blood-letting was a good idea back in the day too. Ancient Japan: Paper Tampons (Maybe) One of the first civilizations to use tampons for apparent menstrual reasons may have been the Japanese. Throughout history, women dealt with their monthly bleeds in the privacy of their own homes or farms. Contents When were tampons invented? That's what tampons were developed for, believe it or not. 4 yr. ago Bullshit. If you are making love with your regular partner, he may well feel a difference (because he knows you so well physically). The brain requires several of these things in order to keep the rest of the body alive. In a no S*** real world situtaion, who cares if you have a few pieces of sterile cotton in your arm. In no world would the 9g of absorption be beneficial tostop an arterial bleed, capable of pumping out 1000 mLs in just over 3 minutes. Some mention Quick Clot, QC is great but isnt perfect. Cutting up potatoes for a pot of stew. Yeah that is real life and periods dont compare. The challenge is trying to stabilize until evac is available. Deal with it! According to a report from the National Institutes of Health, In 1966, the Army implemented the use of tampons for the treatment of gunshot wounds. The tampons were soaked in antiseptic solutions and inserted into the wound to stop bleeding and protect against infection. He told me not to worry about Marine X because every time I send something to him, Marine X thinks it's for him too. This article will explore the history of tampons and how they were used to treat bullet wounds. Only it wasn't just the king. If you get stabbed, open a tampon and whack it in the wound. She believes that female care package was sent to Marine X to save our Marine. It strongly resembled a green kotex and I would guess that they probably were made up in a factory that originally or mainly manufactured womens sanitary napkins. Most skin wounds heal within 10 days. I would use a tampon and or sanitary pad in a gsw if thats all that was available. Where can these items be purchased in the New Orleans area? We are interested in fact, not supposition. Need a safe place to go? I had one put in a wound I received, in my side. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? Ill say maybe in Las Vegas. "Inventive GIs Make Do in the Desert." Ask any woman. Cellucotton, the substance used in Kotex (sanitary napkins), was devised for the purpose of improving bandages in World War I. Tampons are typically associated with feminine hygiene, but they have also been used in more unexpected ways throughout history. A tampon is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation.Unlike a pad, it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal. It sounds like what started as truth got modified or adulterated a little each time it was retold until some of the stories circulating today bear little resemblance to the original. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As a former nurse LPN I have to agree with a lot of what this article said. The shelf life of organic tampons is also believed to be about five years, because cotton is susceptible to bacteria and mold. YOU have to USE whatever is immediately available before someone begins to bleed out and die in the backcountry! Changing . Compression, elevation, pressure points, and even tourniquets if necessary. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Unlock exclusive member content from our industry experts. The theory is that tampons soak up blood so they should be good for hemorrhage control. First of all my opinions of whether to use or pack Tampons and/or maxi pads in my own first aid kit comes from 2 seperate sources which I believe have more than enough knowledge about gun shot wounds and shtf scenes. Very different kind of bleeding, too. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Tampons are not staying the same, as physicians and manufacturers learn more about the female body, and adjust to the many different occupations women hold in society. 2nd they are not sterile, which maybe true however infections are easier cured then the outcome of uncontrolled bleeding. Put the fear of total civilizational cowabunga into your friends and family today! Pushing a tampon into a gunshot would does damage going in , maybe tearing up a damage artery of vein. Nor are these menstrual fluids needed to sustain life to other organs of the human body, for example the brain. Stitches should be removed from the face within 5 days. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. The modern tampon (as in a tampon with an applicator) was patented in 1933 by a guy who then sold the patent to a woman who founded Tampax. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? This pesky topic seems to rear its ugly head semi-routinely. It was a tight fit and the guy probably should have did more than just grunt and grit his teeth if he wasnt so out of breath. Much ado about not much. Using a tampon and stuffing gauze in the wound, to me, is exactly the same less the more sterilized gauze (preferable, but tampons are lightweight, take up less space, and the application for insertion to the wound is much easier). However, it is believed that the idea came from the militarys need to find an effective and efficient way to treat wounds in the field. (Its the childrens game where you whisper a message into someones ear, and they pass it to the next person, and its surprising how few times it takes to get changed into something that barely resembles the original sentence.) But the tampon has a fascinating and somewhat disgusting history in human medicine. Sometimes it better to say nothing than let everyone that works trauma thi nk your speaking out of turn. Call a doctor if you think you may have toxic shock syndrome. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The use of tampons in treating gunshot wounds has also helped to reduce the cost of medical supplies, which has saved the military millions of dollars. Soldiers tell each other things like "use tampons to fill bullet wounds" as a way to slightly bolster morale in a bad situation. Did you get triggered? Makes sense. The use of tampons as a medical treatment has also allowed doctors to treat more patients in the field. Instead, they were medical devices, designed to treat prolapsed pelvic organs, much as a modern vaginal pessary would today. If the stone (bullet) enters the water (tissue) with a lot of momentum, however, the surrounding molecules have to act a lot more quickly and violently, resulting in a splash (temporary cavity). What might not fly as civilian medics is not the same with soldiers in a combat situation. Is it perfect by no means, but in a SHTF ya gotta do what ya gotta do. BUT! Lets take a look at what the original tampons were used for (and made of), how they evolved into menstrual devices, how they developed over time, and lastly since history is ever growing how innovation has entered the industry. Materials used in the manufacture of feminine products are especially well suited to wound care. There are now sponge and crochet tampons made of bamboo, make-your-own-tampon tutorials, and organic cotton versions. Myth: busted. Suppose you are putting together a trauma kit, stock it with trauma dressings, compressed gauze, a tourniquet or two, 2 tape, gloves, and some BZK wipes. Amputation Doctors began sawing off limbs to prevent the spread of infection. I've seen a scary and common misconception that it's just fine to put a tampon in a bullet wound to stop the bleeding. Of course, they werent called tampons in Ancient Egypt, which was where the first similarly-constructed device was recorded. The point is that we have to control the bleeding first, in order to ensure blood circulation. In the Napoleonic Wars, the most used firearm in that conflict was the Charleville a smoothbore musket of .69, .70, or even.71 caliber. Plus, there's also been a thorough backlash against the stupid woman-leaping-in-white-trousers theme of tampon ads throughout the decades, with modern tampon ads now far more straightforward (helped by the fact that there isn't as much TV censorship nowadays). They were initially made of cotton and were designed to be inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood. And t.p., like tampons is clean, not sterile. Have there been cases where a tampon, feminine hygiene pad, or diaper may have served as a dressing in a pinch? EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Gunshots do create large wound tracks so it might not be the best answer but put a few together and that might work fine, all dependent on the wound. Another case of "possibly, maybe" in tampon history comes from blood moss, a European plant with pretty unique astringent and blood-stoppering qualities. Of course having a cool guy A-Bag full of Gucci medical gear is preferred but might not always be available. 30 April 2003. Only it wasnt just the king. Step 5: Secure a snug pressure dressing and transport. A student stocks a bathroom with free pads and tampons at a high school in Falls Church, Va., in 2019 . Yes, medics use them on the battlefield, and yes, they are used in the street. A tampon is one or two 2 x2 or 2 x4 sections of gauze rolled up on a stick, whereas a 4 trauma dressing is usually comprised of a strip of gauze 4-wide and 12 long, z-folded, and compressed into a pad and topped with a gauze pad. So they do not provide any hemostatic assistance.
