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View Full Version : Worms nits, Leeches. Old time solutions?



Nanbobber
05-18-2011, 09:37 AM
So you have survived ? and your family are happy, sheltered, a nice warm fire. As time passes, you get parasites. Its the small issues, that could cause very large problems, after the first impact of survival with no medicine.

Anyone know any bushcraft, medical recipes, for dealing with those things? Worms and nits? Been looking up google, but its hard finding answers. I dont want modern day medical answers. We all know those. of course :)

Survival guys/gals. Someone in your party has nits and they are in terrible discomfort.
Someone in your party, has worms. There is no help forever, Gov is destroyed, no shops ect.

Anyone want to have a go at the answers? Sorry for the nastiness of topic.

crashdive123
05-18-2011, 12:44 PM
Well, not to pick a nit, but how about dropping by the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks.

Rick
05-18-2011, 01:28 PM
And if you'll use the search function above you'll find a lot of wilderness meds have been discussed.

edr730
05-18-2011, 08:06 PM
In Michigan they aren't much of a problem. I did have pin worms as a kid. I don't recall what I was given. In Central America they are a problem and I've found that I had them there when I went in for a complete checkup. I took the recommended medicine and went in for a follow up. At that time I check on the net and here are some of the things I found: cloves, pumpkin seed, raw garlic and onions, green black walnut hulls or oil, wormwood, honeysuckle, pine needle oil, goldenseal, oregano oil, coconut. Often tinctures or oils are recommended and in combination. The problem is having them return because everything isn't completely killed. Kerosene coconut oil and olive oil as well as other oils have been used for head lice but their safety has been questioned so they use pesticides today.

LowKey
05-18-2011, 09:39 PM
I had a Botany professor that used to do sabatical in the tropics. She told a story of when her son had pin worms.
The local cure is to turn the infected person bottom up and wait for the females to emerge at night to lay their eggs. They lay those eggs by puncturing the skin on the outside, not shed from the inside. You kill the females, the males eventually die and go away.

Careful with the home remedies of wormwood, goldenseal and honeysuckle. The wrong dosage might be worse than the worms.

Cousin-IT
10-21-2011, 11:46 PM
leeches..... hot poker -they kinda scream and just let go
nits.... keep your hair dirty, or remove it all -they hate filth and aggs stick to the hair
worms..... i haven't got a clue, but if i had a last resort it'd be metho, nothing likes metho

your_comforting_company
10-22-2011, 05:30 AM
Any astringent tree bark can be boiled into a tea and drank. Natives in particular used several drinks to cure worms of several types. There are many natural cures for lice AND their nits, the most wholesome of which were hygiene and conditioners. Many natural soaps are found in plants, probably the most prolific of which were soapberry and yucca in my area, and conditioners were made of fish oils and other animal fats. The fat not only adds aminos back into the hair, but also will suffocate any eggs.
Leeches were more of a consequential pest, as they live in water. A stick with a hot coal on the end will rid you of them quickly, although they were used medicinally to remove infections from wounds and sores.

I have to say right now, that I haven't tried any of these myself but I have done some reading on the matter, so feel free to experiment should you get any of these ailments. Be particular with the teas from tree barks because some contain high enough levels of tannins and astringents that they could do harm to your liver and kidneys.

Rick
10-22-2011, 10:34 AM
Leaches are of little consequence unless you spend a lot of time in the water.

For worms see: http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?17230-Getting-rid-of-Worms&highlight=worms

For body lice, you shouldn't have to worry unless someone in your group is infected. They can only live on a human host and will die if they don't have one. You will not become infected alone in the woods. You must get them from another human. Head lice is not the only concern. There are three types of lice: head, body and pubic that humans can be infected with.

Body lice is probably the easiest to get rid of since they mostly live in clothes and feed on people. Wash clothes in at least 130 degree water and detergent. That includes bedding and linens, too. That's often enough to get rid of the vermin. If that doesn't do it then permethrin, malathione, or benzyl alcohol will get rid of them.

Head lice is a bit more difficult because head lice is most common in kids and the treatments use chemicals like permethrin that can have side affects. But washing the hair with dish soap can help dissolve the glue that binds the nit eggs to the hair follicle making their removal a bit easier with a nit comb. Avoid sharing common articles like brushes, combs and hats that can pass the head lice from person to person.

Pubic lice are even more difficult because of their size and the fact that they can cause an eye infection in kids. Again, a wash using permithrin can rid them but kids need to have their eyelashes closely inspected with a magnifying glass to ensure there are no lice or nits on the eyelashes. Nit removal is the same as for head lice.

Because lice require human hosts to feed on any clothing, bedding, etc. can be kept in a closed plastic bag for 2 weeks to kill the pests if washing isn't possible for whatever reason. That will destroy the adult lice and any eggs that hatch.

Cousin-IT
10-23-2011, 11:59 PM
....just to be helpful

"Astringent Herbs And Tannins: Medicinal And Costmetic Uses.

Astringent herbs draw together or constrict body tissues and are effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. They are tightening, healing and drying. Herbs that contain tannins, like tea, coffee, roses,wine and oak bark are astringents as are tart fruits like lemons. Harsh astringents, like alchohol and witch hazel can cause unwanted dryness of the skin when used in excessive amounts" -anniesremedy.com