Hello: Has anyone heard of a splinter from an exotic wood causing an infection with some far out germ or fungus? Has not happened to me but the idea just popped up in my mind after getting a small nick with my hands covered with Ebony dust.
KDM
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Replies
I have had ebony splinters, and they quickly became painful, but I cannot comment on the infection issue. They were like no other splinters I have had.
Alan
http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com
http://www.2spi.com/catalog/tweezers/locate-style-number.html
they sell all styles of tweezees. I have used #3 and #5 with great success in chasing slivers in myself as well as my kids. These are so sharp and fine that you induce very little pain.
Steve
Several years ago I bought several sheets of Luan plywood that was very red in color and any time I got a sliver, within two days it would become infected and I would have to use a anti-bacterial salve to cure it. On occasion I have had a few other woods cause the same problem but they are rare.
For some reason, Doug Fir splinters causes infections for me about 1/2 the time. I just let them fester and it generally works itself out.Regards,
Boris"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
In 1980 I was working in a shop that used mostly oak and some maple. I got a splinter in my right index finger. Having no desire to stop working to pull out the splinter, I stupidly leaned my finger briefly against the drum sander I was working on with the thought that it would sand away a bit of my skin and the splinter at the same time. Very Stupid. My finger became infected and I wound up in the hospital for a week with some surgery to clean it out. I did not lose the finger or its function but it was a close thing. The infection was bacterial and not fungal. It took a few months to totally recover. By the way, the antibiotic they put me on afterwards cost $3.00 a pill and I had to take 60 of them. Ouch. Lost a lot of time and money just to avoid stopping and taking care of the splinter. Older and wiser now and thankfully I can still count to ten when I look at my hands!
Doug Fir resins are very irritating. There was another thread somewhere on this site about it.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
duke ,
To answer your question , some species are more toxic then others . Several species are really bad even in domestics , such as Cedar and Redwood , and as was mentioned some of the Mahogany's can make for nasty splinter material.Besides the splinters the dust from some exotics can be toxic and in some people cause nasal cancer and respiratory problems with as little a a few weeks exposure to the dusts .
dusty
Mesquite thorns always cause an infection, but not the wood.
Varies with the wood. Infections from fungi are nasty, but if you wear a good (ANSI-rated) respirator you should be ok as far as lungs go.
If you're working with spalted wood, make sure the respirator you're wearing is rated for it -- nuisance dust rated protection won't do much for fungi spores and a lung full of fungal infection can be life threatening, as well as very difficult to treat.
Regards,
Good point Leon, no pun intended. Do you know the formal name of the fungus that causes spalting? I'd like to cross check it in my medical books (another hobby of mine). While were all talking splinters here is a good one: Once apon a time I was an electrician and one of the stories that made me shiver was what would or could happen if you were climbing a utility pole and slipped down: That could be a Real splinter(ouch!!!)
KDM
Edited 2/11/2005 9:26 pm ET by duke-one
Duke, I've no idea which fungus causes spalting. May well be one or several, they're part of the decay process, that I know, but not much more than that.Roger on the utility pole -- when I was a kid, my friend Ralph slipped while climbing one, wound up with a six-inch splinter in his belly. Fortunately, it was subcutaneous, didn't penetrate the abdominal wall.Made a heck of an impression on the rest of us, I can tell you!Then there was the hiding he got from his dad -- made several impressions on the lower portions of Ralph's anatomy.Regards,Leon Jester
I can answer that one, 23 years in the power business, lineman, troubleshooter, now utiliyman.....try anywhere from 10 to 100 splinters ranging from 1/8 to 3in long embedded in your forearms and your chest. Along with the burn of rubbing that pole for 10 to 20 ft. Creosote poles are the worst, not because of the Creosote but because they are the "older" poles out there and were climbed for years before the advent of bucket trucks. Lots of burrs....We don't call them splinters, we call them imbedded sticks.....
Been there, done that, didn't get no t-shirt.....
Jimmy
as always I wish you enough
For you, it sounds like the best instrument for splinter removal would be a pliers!!Ever been seriously injured with one of those big splinters? Makes me cringe to think about it.....
I have not "cutout" for many years now. I did have a 2in or so one go in my bicep years ago. I actually "Rambo'd" it out with a pair of 9in Kliens. I was about 28 or so and back in the day you had to tough it out. Pulled the thing out, put some alcohol on it and went back to work. Luckily that is the only biggin' I ever got. Only climb now if I can't get a bucket to it. When we're young we do stupid things and somehow get by. If that were to happen today, I probably shoot myself...lol
Gotta say I haven't got a splinter wwing that I couldn't deal with. But I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Have a good one and stay splinter free...
Jimmy
as always I wish you enough.
I've not heard of an exotic wood causing an infection with some imported fungus or bacterium, but I would say it is possible. More likely is thatthe agent of infection will be domestic and already living in your shop, but many bacteria and molds can form spores that are incredibly durable (survive heat, dryness, vacuum of space, etc.), and could have survived the kiln and the transport to your local lumber yard.
All wounds should be treated with equal care--remove the splinter or as much as possible, wash it out, and use a topical antibiotic under a bandage (sticking plaster for you Brits). Wash and watch all wounds.
I've been getting a number of splinters from the Pau Amerello I've been working with, and indeed they can be nasty. I had a mildly infected cut, but Bactroban (scrip required) solved the problem, along with digging out the remaining splinter pieces after a week.
One note, if you have an embedded splinter or other foreign object in a wound, try to make the wound bleed a little by squeezing around it. That gets the white blood cells and other parts of your body's defense system to the point of infection.
When I had an infected finger from a splinter I was told it might have been due to the use of poison on exotic woods prior to importation.
I certainly agree with everyone about dealing with splinters immediately when you notice them -- no matter how trifling the splinter may be, and whatever the wood species.
Years ago, I stood next to a guy at a check out counter in a tool store. His hand was bandaged, and I asked him what happened. He said he had just come out of his second surgery for an infection that started with a tiny splinter he had neglected for a few days (thinking it would work its way out). According to him, any infections in the hand are particularly difficult to treat with antibioltic meds, so surgery is often necessary.
Sometime later, I happened to meet an orthopod hand speciialist at a party, and she said the same thing.
Since then, I always keep needles, tweezers, antiseptic, and antibiotic cream around -- and always take the time to dig out a splinter straight away.
I also keep a collection of this stuff in my tool box to deal with any splinters that come to me on a job site.
Gee Whiz: I didn't think this little post would cause so many responses. I kept at it after the "nick" I mentioned in the original post and did get some blood on the table top I was working on. It is Mahogany so I don't think it will show much. I will certainly take care of splinters now with more speed.
Thanks all, KDM
One more thing... the very best tweezers I have found are "uncle bill's tweezers"
A guy in Albany California makes them. I've had a pair for years and they are the best. I think woodcraft supply carries them and possibly Lee Valley. They look like a folded over piece of sheet steel with sharpened points. They really work!
Iv'e been using "Twezzerman" (no kidding!) brand.
Two years ago.. I got a BIG splinter that broke off and could not get it out..
I think a new lady doctor (not bashing a woman).. Well, gave me a shot in the finger for the pain... She polked an prodded for ALONG time!. I asked her to CUT it out!
She said I can't do that... ??
While She wasent lookin' I grabbed her scaple and CUT! She just looked at me and took out the hunk of wood.. Really.. She just walked out of the room...
As an ER doctor I guess I've a bit of experience removing splinters. First off any wood foreign body will cause an inflammatory reaction. Resulting in redness pain and pus. If the wound is contaminated with bacteria it will become infected. There will be redness pain and pus and spreading symptoms beyond the local area of the splinter. As for weird bugs rose thorns are known to have a fungus sporotrix. I'm unaware of any in furniture wood.
To remove splinters you need magnification great lighting and fine splinter forceps. Most splinters are too deep to grasp so a sharp instrument comes in handy. I use an 18 ga. 1.5 in needle. It's edges are as sharp as a scapel. I use it to "unroof" the tunnel the splinter is in. If the splinter is large you can spear it and pull it out. If it is fine use the fine forceps and pull gently. A quick pull usually just shears off the splinter deeper in the wound, so you have to dig further. You can tell when it is all out as the "patient" will no longer feel like there is a splinter in the finger.
Soap and water to clean and a dry dressing is all that is needed. Special soaps and ointments don't hurt (except your wallet) but they also don't help. Save the money for tools. A little tube of Bactroban cost $30!
Remember to keep your tetanus shots up to date. Any problems see your local ER doc....we do them all the time.
Next time how to remove a tick.......
Roger
Well, I got a big splinter in the thumb several years ago while working on an old window sash. I dug aroung for several days and couldn't get it. So I finally worked up enough guts to go to the Dr. knowing he would stick it with a needle and open it up. To my suprise he didn't want to do that. He sent me home. A few days later I was tighting a c-clamp with that thumb when I noticed a little piece of it sticking out. . . grabbed the tweezers and pulled out a 7/8" jumbo. The pressure on the thumb from the clamp was just right. I think the idea of letting it fester a little works. I think the idea that it was in there all that time worked on my mind as much as anything.
On the other hand, when I was a kid, the other thumb got a very small dewberry sticker embedded that I ignored and got infected. Red streaks running up my arm. Had to have it lanced and then soak it for a week. That was a needle I'll never forget.
Roger, that's exactly the method I use, except I use a 23 ga needle. I have a decent collection of tweezers and strangely the best I've found are rather blunt suture removal tweezers. I disinfect the field first by sticking my finger in my mouth. I find screaming and cursing helps a lot, too.
I stuck a black locust thorn in my finger the other day and within a day or two it got inflamed and there was pus. A neighbor told me "they always fester".
I think some of the redness and pus is inflamatory rather than infectious and represents an immunologic reaction to the proteins in the wood.
Of course no one has clean hands when they are working and some of this may be inoculation of bacteria.
Frank
Well, Frank, by my count, you're the third doc that has signed in on this thread, so the Knots cup is running over with good medical advice. So how do us lay people tell he difference between an infection and an inflamation -- when it comes to a splinter?
What the hell, I'll join in.
Also a doc (Internal medicine trained with an emphasis in critical care and infectious disease), I agree that the number one treatment for these things is getting rid of the foreign body. Bugs love to set up shop in these things. Antibiotics, whether oral or topical, are of little use when a foreign body is present, and of little help when the foreign body is removed. The inflammatory response will remain for a few days, but the infection will (in most cases, in the abscence of an underlying immune disorder) clear itself.
Before the days of antibiotics, "laudable pus" was a frequent term in medical texts- referring to the spontaneous drainage of an abscess- which typically heralded the patient's recovery. Getting the thing to drain is the goal.
I do not recommend peroxide for anything, really. Though it was used for years as surgical wound therapy, it has been recently shown to slow wound healing. Soap and water do a good job of flushing debris, but alcohol or betadine are good choices for antisepsis.
As far as "exotic" bugs- I would highly doubt it. Most skin/soft tissue infections are caused by the bacteria which normally live on the surface of our skin when they are introduced into the soft tissue along with the object causing a puncture. A couple of notable exceptions include the afforementioned tetanus toxin producing clostridia and the fungus sporothrix- both of which are soil bugs and are seen in wounds that are contaminated with dirt (even if it's a microscopic amount- why most puncture wounds will earn you an extra td booster).
Oh- and remember that free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. ;)
do you concur with your colleagues' recommendations for needles and scalpels for splinter removal (earlier in this thread)? What if soap and water is not available? Just today, a colleague took a splinter on a job site where the water was off. Fortunately, I carry a first aid kit, so we removed the splinter with a sterile needle, and irrigated the puncture with betadine. Was that the best thing to do?BTW, is it true you can sterilize a needle (for splinter removal) by heating it with a match or cigarette lighter?
Sterilization with an open flame works, but you must be sure to get all of the needle sterilized. Cleaning it with a gauze or cotton ball soaked in Betadine should be effective -- if you want to be really clean, use three gauzes in sequentia, make sure you wipe in one direction only. Give it a minute or three before you start poking around, that will let the Betadine kill all the bugs it can.Less exotic and more available than a hypodermic needle is a sewing needle -- a couple of packets in a first aid kit, combined with a jeweler's loupe will let you see and remove even the smallest splinter. I've used them for years.I keep Betadine around for cleaning wounds -- regardless of whether or not you like brown skin, it's one of the most effective of the anti-microbials.You might want to pack a small flashlight -- I use a 2-AA cell Maglite -- in your first aid kit, they can come in handy.http://www.websoft-solutions.net/ These folks have a variety of things that would be useful in making up a first aid kit, all appear to be OTC items. Their splinter forceps (fine tweezers) look to be decent, and far less expensive than what would be used in an OR. http://www.websoft-solutions.net/product_p/922-00139.htmThis is what we'd use in a hospital: https://secure.2spi.com/catalog/tweezers/zer4.shtml -- as you can see, they're a tad expensive. One-off and hand made stuff is like that, eh?I'll leave the finer points to the docs, this is about all a beat-up radiographer is up for.Leon Jester
RE: Surgical Dissecting Tweezers for $235So do you think these things will remove a splinter better than a pair of $5 Mr. Bill's?
They may not do a better job on a "regular" splinter but as a tool junkie I want a pair. Do they come in sets? How about a catalog? :) KDM
Believe it or not I have used both! I have a friend who is an er nurse. He got me a pair of the fancy ones. They didn't work as well as the Uncle Bill's tweezers. Amusingly, when I have offered the use of my tweezers on a job site to someone suffering from a splinter, they invariably claim that the tweezers they are using are just fine. Eventually they try mine and are amazed that they work so well. Now I ususally let folks torture their flesh a good long time before I offer. It seems as though the frustration level has to rise to a certain point before a new tool is an option. Odd that this doesn't hold true with most woodworking tools! Quite the opposite.
Edited 2/16/2005 10:34 am ET by Tony
To the docs here -- Is it really true that (and I have this on very good authority) that most woodworkers could benefit from a brain transplant?
Well you're not having mine!
IanDG
Nahhh -- we need good ones.
Mine's hardly been used.
IanDG
We only accept proven components, you see.
It's "Made in Britain", pre-war when they really cared about quality -- none of your post-war utility rubbish. It can even do cryptic crosswords ................. eventually.
It also has a grasp of geography, unlike the average American brain that thinks the Baltic is an insect found on a toilet seat.
View Image
Anyway, I've grown attached to it so I'm keeping it -- perhaps you could look for a suitable domestic animal? View Image
IanDG
I'm thinking about it...I'm thinking about it! Not much is happening, but I'm thinking about it... with my [currently] disfunctional left side, forgetting for the moment that that the right side is the liberal one, the left the opposite. If we could find a cerebral organ that consisted of only one single functional unit and omit the connecting cortex, that might be the answer to a lot of things, woodworking puzzlements and geography included. I've noticed the English are over-sexed (Middlesex not withstanding), so there's probably a connection (though NOT through the cortex). So, giving up on the transplant idea may be a bully one. For the moment, however, I'm still thinking about that toilet seat comment....
I've noticed the English are over-sexed
No, no -- you've got it wrong, we're famous for keeping a stiff upper lip is all.
IanDG
I'd say not. Most on this forum seem to be balanced, wry and have a sense of humor. I tend to associate that last attribute- no matter how warped- with intelligence...
Glaucon
Not necessarily. They're precision surgical tools, designed for __very__ close work. Honed both dead flat and to a sharp point.Leon Jester
Surgeons don't use dissecting tweezers to remove splinters. They use splinter forceps. Decent splinter forceps from Pakistan are often to be found at flea markets for a few bucks. There are two types: tweezers and pliers type, the latter for heavier splinters.
Tom
Thanks for info.Unfortunately for me, the flea market scene is pretty dismal in my area. Don't know why; it seems to be booming in other parts of the country.
I had a splinter from some exotic wood ( the type escapes me). Within a couple of days the flesh aroung it turned white and looked dead. I pulled it out and everything healed, but the flesh in that area just sloughed off. I had heard some woods with decay resistance have a natural insecticide in the wood. It was always my thought the inflamation was your bodys reaction to the chemicals in the wood. It does seem like the exotic ones cause the most trouble.
FWIW
JMC
I don't know what the practice is in America, but exotics into Oz are fumigated and the fumigation chemical could be nasty if it gets into the flesh.
IanDG
Thanks, Doc. One of my favorite books is "Medical Parasitology" by Markell et.al. My neurotic little brain couldn't help putting the exotic bugs in that book together with exotic woods from the same neighborhoods.
KDM
P.S. Is Bactroban more effective then Neosporan?
Edited 2/11/2005 9:15 pm ET by duke-one
Neosporin, bacitracin or triple antibiotic ointment are much cheaper than Bactroban. But good wound cleaning and removing the foreign body are far more important. Antibiotic ointment is more for the cerebral cortex than the wound.
Roger
Bactroban is a superior antibiotic compared to Neosporin and other neomycin types. It required a prescription the first time I got it, and I'm not certain if it is available OTC yet.
Other posters who have mentioned cleaning as important are quite right, but the use of a topical antibiotic is better than just good cleaning. For cleaning, use hydrogen peroxide (not rubbing alcohol, as one poster suggested) and be sure it is reasonably fresh. A bottle you bought two years ago is not going to be fresh, and most of the peroxide will have degraded.
Repeat cleaning 1-2 times a day, followed by applying antibiotic and covering.
How about Betadine as an antiseptic?
Betadine is a fine antiseptic. Peroxide is a good one because it cleans, disinfects and activates parts of the immune system. It's also cheap and doesn't turn your skin brown.
I used to use peroxide, but some doc told me that it can kill off some skin tissues. Is that true?
Peroxide is a strong oxidant, but the 2-3% solutions are unlikely to cause much harm. The last couple of times I was treated for wounds (one planned surgery, one unplanned router-assisted surgery) the physician recommended peroxide. I use it when I get a nasty enough cut or splinter in the shop along with leftover bactroban.
At last a question that I can answer (I'm also a physician). I agree with Roger: save your money on potions and ointments and buy tools.90% of the problem with splinters is "foreign body reaction", i.e something that is under the skin that doesn't belong there. The solution is to get it out. Using a sharp (#23 g) needle, or a scapel blade, bright light and magnification all help. Some woods are more irritating than others, but none are inert. Any chemical treatment or natural resin is likely to make things worse. As long as the foreign body remains, the problem continues. If you're wondering, some foreign bodies can be inert- such as high velocity ordnance (bullets and shrapnel), and some times they are left in place. During the Civil War, the large bore, relatively low velocity balls tended to trap clothing and other non-inert materials in the wounds with predictable results (amputation or worse).The main reason that ointments don't work is that they don't get to where the problem is- they stay on the surface (for this same reason treatment for other skin infections such as acne or nail fungus is usually given orally, not topically). Worse, if the foreign body reaction is complicated by superinfection, you get pus under pressure (abscess or other closed space infection). The pressure inside the infected wound impairs blood supply and its hard to get antibiotics in even when they are given orally or by injection, so the wound must be surgically drained to permit healing.Roger's advice is best: 1) Keep your tetanus tox up to date 2) Try to remove (or have someone else remove) the splinter as soon as possible (don't wait a few days) 3) Wash the affected area with soap and water, iodine soap or similar ("surgical scrub" available at most pharmacies) and dry thoroughly. A good wash should last 5 minutes, which seems like a long time 4) Don't waste money on fancy ointments 5) if it is not healing within 24 hours, head to the ER and have it dealt with. A little lidocaine and the area will numb enough to explore without you feeling it. A hairline incison with a scapel blade will expose the wound which can then be explored and irrigated, removing every particle. In 3 days you'll think it was a paper cut and you'll be back cutting dovetails...Most splinters are minor, but an infection in your hand, if it occurs, will definitely get you admitted, and there are no Lee-Nielsen planes in that big white building...
A few questions, if I might (I love getting free medical advice, especially from someone who knows what they're talking about):1) Is lidocaine an OTC item, or do I need a perscription? Even a little numbing action would make removing splinters less of a teeth grinding experience. 2) I would imagine there are dozens (if not hundreds) of scapels. Can any lay person get access to this equipment? If so, where? And, is there some generic number (or designation) for the kind of scapel you would suggest for this sort of operation?Unless the splinter goes straight down, you usually have to cut away some skin to get at it. Usually, I just rip it away with the needle. But obviously a tiny scapel would be a better way to go. You recommended a #23 needle, and I have put that item on my list; I assume any place where I might buy this stuff will know what I am referring to. 3) I understand about washing the wound with soap and water after the splinter is removed. But where do you come down on then using an antiseptic, such as betadine, hydrogen peroxide, etc. after the would has been cleaned? As you know, sometimes despite your best efforts, a piece of the splinter will break off and remain in the wound. Would the antiseptic be of any value in such a case?4) After care: I have always assumed that the application of some generic triple antibioltic creme (2-3 times a day) for a day or two after is good practice. I was assuming this would prevent any bacteria (or whatever else) from crawling into the wound until it is entirely closed. Is that not a good practice -- or perhaps something that is simply unnecessary?5) Bandaids never seemed of much use, and I have taken to glopping some of that liquid bandage stuff over the wound for a day or so. Is that a good or bad idea?I am sure I speak for many when I thank you and Roger for your willingness to step in here with your expert advice. Now about that little pain on the left side of my back ................
Insulin can be bought without a prescription but the needle to give it requires a perscription. If your in the know with a doc, nurse, or paramedic. They might give you a few. I prefer an 18 ga. to cut open a wound a smaller ga is great for smaller splinters. So try to get a 25 ga, 23, ga and an 18 ga. 1.5 inches is nice as it give you a little distance from the wound to see what you are doing. You can probably get scaples at a craft store or a surgical supply (or a medical friend). Both a #15 which has a curved edge and a #11 which has a straight edge and very sharp pointed tip are all you need. Liquid bandaid is much like super glue gel (which is cheaper) and works great. You can't leave any foreign body in the wound. If there is a little piece left continue the "search and destroy mission". Salves and ointments are like boiling water and tearing sheets....it gives the men something to do while the women deliver the baby!
Roger
I agree with Roger.Lidocaine is a prescription item, but you can get some OTC topical numbing items- or use an ice cube.I agree that a #11 blade works best (it looks like a very pointed triangle). They should be available OTC at a surgical supply store or over the Net. They're not very different from Xacto blades, but they are sterile.Soap and water (or a betadine soap scrub or something similar) are as good as anything fancier. There is no incremental benefit to peroxide, antibiotic creams or ointments. By washing the affected area on a regular basis, you will probably keep the bacterial colony count down more effectively than with a cream. If the splinter, or a piece of it remains buried, you will still get a foreign body reaction, and it will still need to come out. An ointment or antibiotic won't really help.Once the splinter is out and the wound is washed, an occlusive bandage (e.g. super glue) is OK, but if you are not sure that you've gotten it all out, don't seal the wound.Bottom line, some times we make things more complicated than they really are: the deal here is that you must remove the splinter and wash the wound. Everything else tends to be marketing...Now about my problem with handcut offset hidden dovetails in teak...Glaucon
Thanks to you -- and Roger -- for all the good information.
You're more than welcome. Who'd of thought that splinters would inspire so many responses...
G
I think the risk from exotic woods is small.
I've removed an awful lot of splinters from various parts of the human body. I'm in favor of immediate removal, and if both ends are buried professional help will probably be needed.
It makes a lot of sense for a wood-worker to keep in his shop a pair of splinter forceps. There are two main patterns: tweezer and pliers types, the latter for more substantial pieces of firewood. I've seen inexpensive but useable instruments from Pakistan at flea markets.
Cleanliness is very important.
Tom
Ipe is a horrible wood to work with in this respect, the splinters are so tiny that you almost never feel them until they get infected, which in my case is all the time.
If you think Ipe is bad, don't ever work with one of the eucalypts like Tallowood or Spotted Gum. They are extremely hard with a long fibre so handling the timber is like juggling with a porcupine.
The splinter penetrates almost to the bone then snaps off to leave 1/2" or so embedded far out of reach of anything that doesn't involve excruciating agony.
I had one Tallowood splinter actually nail a leather glove to the palm of my hand.
IanDG
I don't know a thing about medicine. But I can tell you that Wenge is absolutely diabolical to work with. It has splinters that are just dying to get into your hands, and they inevitably cause an infection that needs antibiotic cream (at the least) to clear it up. I've tried working it with cheap cotton gloves that take most of the splinters, but you have to throw them at the end of the day.
I find that soaking the wound in epsom salt and warm water for a half hour or so morning and evening over a couple of days or more depending how deep the splinter is will bring it to the surface and and it also seems to end the infection .I also apply antibiotic salve and cover with bandaids.The worst case of infection i've ever heard of involved a splinter from pressure treated lumber where the infection started up the man's arm after a couple of day's.that type of splinter you don't want to ignore and if you can't get it out yourself immediately get help.
What are "epsom salts"?I have heard about this stuff from way back, but I never knew what it was or what it could be used for.
Chemical name: Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate ( or Hydrated)
Chemical Formula: MgSO4 + 7H2O , (Hydrated Magnesium Sulfate)
Mineral Name: EPSOMITE (MgSO4 + 7H2O)
IanDG
Yes, but is it a naturally occuring product (like borax), or manufactured?And, what is it used for?
I don't know about America, but in England it was the sort of old-fashioned remedy that your Gran insisted was good for curing anything up to and including the big C.
Apparently, so I was told, it was especially useful for treating bad behaviour in little boys and you'd better believe it worked because you'd do anything to avoid a second dose.
I don't know if it occurs as a natural deposit anywhere, but if does I'm not going there!
IanDG
It is sold in the pharmacy section. It is used as a soaking aid for bruises. (My Dad is a big fan of it for that.) You can also use it to soak wounds to keep them open. I stepped on a nail once, and that was my self prescribed treatment. It did work well. Primarily, it is sold as a laxative. You mix it in a glass of water. Pretty narly!!
Cheers
Kyle
Yes, it does occur naturally. Epsom is the name of a city in England where a mineral spring included the salt.Googling "epsom salt" will bring you a wealth of information.
A warning on the box says if you are diabetic check with your doctor before using epsom salts for a soak.The Professional Termite
I see this is a very old thread but I just started working with black walnut and got several blenders embedded in my arms and legs and not only did I develop a fungal infection that got so severe cause swelling on my brainstem but I developed a bacterial infection it's spread my entire body he was scared and I've been absolutely miserable all summer. In my case, I have several chickens and part of my time was spent building the second coop and mocking about in the woods extending their run so I'm sure that the bacterial infection is probably picked up from something having to do with them going pretty sure the fungal infection was caused by the way itself being rotted call the problem is that I didn't feel any of these winners until after it was already too late and they are all too fine to try to pull out and all I can do is wait till I feel another I'm trying to work its way out and help it alone with some brown stuff that's great drawing salve, I've got hundreds of them. It sucks I don't want to go through this again but I really enjoy working so I'm just going to do it in the winter only from now on and even then only until we move back to Arizona I don't have to real long sleeves boots and layers in 5 months out of each year. The phone go infection I got was actually a version of candida which is the yeast infection fungus except it's in my skin and not my well you know. Don't play around with it if you get one, they can wait to meningitis and it can kill you. As it was I was experiencing neurological symptoms such as severe anxiety in confusion, weakness in my ankles and hands so that I would be tripping over things constantly and dropping things, and both of myself and my husband thought I was going batshit crazy until we found out the root cause and was able to treat and it took or it's taking so far at least a month shirt recovering and I'm still pulling wood out on an hourly basis
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