Rubbing Alcohol

[Scythe13]

I'm sure many of us know that alcohol can be used to clean wounds, sanitize utensils, and the alike. Yes, it's a good old germ killer.

Has anyone taken into account what would be required to get alcohol to the purity required for these kinds of uses?

I don't drink, and the idea of brewing alcohol has never appealed (kombucha aside), but this thought suddenly hit me. It would be so unbelievably helpful as an anti-bacterial! You would be able to literally GROW your own Detol haha.

It would be good to get views, ideas, thoughts, and experiences on this subject.

[CharlesHarris]

Better for wound cleansing is Dakin's solution. Directions for mixing and use are in the links below:

Description:

Dakin's solution is used to prevent and treat skin and tissue infections that could result from cuts, scrapes and pressure sores. It is also used before and after surgery to prevent surgical wound infections. This is a hypochlorite solution made from bleach that has been diluted and treated to decrease irritation. Chlorine, the active ingredient in Dakin's solution, is a strong antiseptic that kills most forms of bacteria and viruses.

How to use Dakin's:

Dakin's misc is used to treat the following: Skin Disinfection

Pour, apply or spray onto the injured area. When used on wounds, Dakin's solution can be poured onto the affected area as an irrigation or cleanser. It is also used to wet certain types of wound dressings (e.g., wet to moist dressing). Follow your doctor's instructions exactly. The body's own wound-healing tissues and fluids can decrease the antibacterial effect of Dakin's solution. Therefore, this solution is often used only once daily for minor wounds and twice daily for heavily draining or contaminated wounds. Use this product as directed by your doctor. Protect the surrounding healthy skin with a moisture barrier ointment (e.g., petroleum jelly) or skin sealant as needed to prevent irritation.

Side effects and precautions:

Redness, irritation, swelling, and pain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, remember that he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this product do not have serious side effects. A very serious allergic reaction to this product is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Inform your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens. Discuss other treatment options with your doctor.

Before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to any chlorine compounds; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This product is for external use only. Do not swallow. Do not use in eyes, ears, or nose. If the solution gets into the eyes, flush the open eyes immediately with clean water for at least 15 minutes.

Do not share this product with others. This product may bleach clothing and other items.

References:

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-62261-Da...n%27s+Misc
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/loo...48bb5e42d5
http://www.virginia.edu/uvaprint/HSC/pdf/09024.pdf

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Most medical professionals do not use alcohol to clean wounds. Not only is alcohol destructive, it's also ineffective at sterilizing wounded, open skin. According to a report in Dermatology Clinics Journal, "…studies have demonstrated little benefit in [alcohol and topical antiseptics] disinfecting open wounds. Antiseptics are inactivated by organic matter such as clotted blood, serum, pus, and foreign bodies." Although alcohol disinfects skin, which is why the doctor or nurse often swabs your skin before giving you a shot), applying alcohol to an open wound is incredibly harmful—physicians clean wounds with either sterile water, saline solution, or iodine.

The consumer's go-to site for medical advice, WedMD, states that, "rubbing alcohol to clean an injury can actually harm the tissue and delay healing."

[Mortblanc]

The problem with this rationale is that I can not make bleach, I can make alcohol, and even if it is not quite as good I still have it.

and I can not see alcohol harming tissue any more than a solution of bleach and water. Bleach can do nasty stuff to raw tissue.

Besides, both patient and myself are going to need a stiff shot after I treat any medical condition worse then a paper cut, and I'm not drinking that bleach stuff!

[Straight Shooter]

I have Iodine in my preps....lots of it.....this was always used when i was a kid.....its no longer easy to get hold of....pharmacies do not sell it...i tried four, but they no longer stock it....got mine from Amazon....however you can get it from farm supply outlets ...so i am told.

[Mortblanc]

I switched to betadine way back in the 1970s when I was in the service. They used to pass out little 1/2oz plastic squeeze bottles and we used it like the old iodine.

In the jungle any scrape or scratch has the potential of going septic so we used the stuff on every bump and mosquito bite.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povidone-iodine

[Tartar Horde]

(23 April 2014, 14:36)Scythe13 Wrote: I'm sure many of us know that alcohol can be used to clean wounds, sanitize utensils, and the alike. Yes, it's a good old germ killer.

Has anyone taken into account what would be required to get alcohol to the purity required for these kinds of uses?

I don't drink, and the idea of brewing alcohol has never appealed (kombucha aside), but this thought suddenly hit me. It would be so unbelievably helpful as an anti-bacterial! You would be able to literally GROW your own Detol haha.

It would be good to get views, ideas, thoughts, and experiences on this subject.

Simply look into home distillation, very easy to do, the Still/s are easy to source, there are ample instructions how to do it, and you will never be without Alcohol in its various strengths.

[Mortblanc]

The backwoods hillbilly method is to run your product, knowing the first run will not be used. You pour off the methyl and run it again.

The second run will be tested for strength by the old gunpowder and match method. If it does not burn and flash the powder it is not strong enough. Run it again.

When it flashes off the powder it will be usable. The quicker it flashes the powder the stronger the proof. If you want it stronger run it again.

For killing germs, especially virus, you want it up above 100 Proof at the 50% level. That is going to take a couple of runs and you loose a little each run.

[Tartar Horde]

(27 July 2020, 21:52)Mortblanc Wrote: The backwoods hillbilly method is to run your product, knowing the first run will not be used. You pour off the methyl and run it again.

The second run will be tested for strength by the old gunpowder and match method. If it does not burn and flash the powder it is not strong enough. Run it again.

When it flashes off the powder it will be usable. The quicker it flashes the powder the stronger the proof. If you want it stronger run it again.

For killing germs, especially virus, you want it up above 100 Proof at the 50% level. That is going to take a couple of runs and you loose a little each run.

We use Hydrometers and refractometers these days Mort, much more reliable than Hillbillies, gunpowder and High proof hooch, which I'm sure you agree is a volatile combination.

[Mortblanc]

Yes and the medical professionals do surgery in operating rooms under sterile conditions too. That does not mean that what they know can not be put to use in the basement of a bombed out building.

If you are at the point where you need to make alcohol for medical and cleaning purposes you might not have access to technology that has only been available for the short term and is only in the hands of dedicated hobbiests and liquor factories. Humans have been distilling spirits for 1000 years without those nice devices that produce a repeatable precision product.

I doubt that anyone ever blew themselves up on a pinch of gunpowder and a spoonful of white whisky. I take that back I do know some people that could do that. You people are so far absorbed by the risk aversion thing I don't see how you get buy sometime.

At any rate the alcohol can be produced by anyone that took secondary school chemistry, or even less education, but they are not likely to have a hydrometer out in the garage or stuck back in the garden shed even though they might have the makings for the still if they rub their brain cells together.

The ability to make rubbing alcohol at home was very close to being put in use just a few weeks back when practically the world supply went dry. Even now hand sanitizer is difficult to find as is high concentration rubbing alcohol in my area. There is a factory down the road that is working three shifts seven days a week trying to fill that demand but it took them almost a month to get their raw materials sourced.

There was no high strength alcohol and aloe jell to make it from.

We were out. OWT! out!

Remember that bog roll scramble, the debates over proper use of the butt rag, shelves empty of kitchen roll, no disinfectant anywhere, bath soap stripped from the shelves?

And yes, there was a run on our liquor stores also. Their shelves got a little bare just after they called for the now seemingly forgotten "lockdown".

[Pete Grey]

I keep plenty of methylated spirit in our medical preps, for wipes and to sterilise instruments. It also kills covid-19 ( everything coming in to the house is wiped down with meths). If TSHTF alcohol could also be a useful fuel source. Amongst our preps we have some basic school chem lab equipment (originally collected to possibly make medicines or even penicillin) so we could distil a limited amount of alcohol but a proper still would be better.