# Dakins solution



## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

From the PDF:



> Dakin's solution is used to kill germs and prevent germ growth in wounds. This recipe for Dakin's solution may save you money and allow you to fix only the amount you need. Another name for this is diluted sodium hypochlorite solution 0.5%.





> Â© Copyright, (8/2002)
> Department of Inpatient Nursing
> The Ohio State University Medical Center


Dakins Solution; PDF


Another medical prep we can make ourselves.......

William
Idaho


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## Forest (Oct 14, 2010)

For prevention of wound infection- it's a little counterintuitive- 

The single most effective step to prevent wound infection is wound irrigation. Then disinfection. Then antibiotics.

So if you have nothing else, run clean water over the wound. It removes macroscopic dirt and grit, which decreases the number of contaminants by orders of magnitude. So we're talking about actually generously rinsing, not just moistening.

One step better would be sterile isotonic solution (like 0.9% NaCl, find a recipe for it online, boil it, or can it in a pressure canner).

The OP's solution includes disinfection, which would be the next step. However, if you haven't irrigated the wound, chances are very high there will be remaining contaminant particles in there. These will serve as "repopulation centers" for your wound infection germs, and although the wound was relatively clean for some time after you disinfected it, it will become repopulated now.

Antibiotics is really just the icing on the cake. if you take it as a pill it will reduce the number of germs that make it into the system from the wound (as in sepsis). However, it does not usually take care of your "repopulation centers", and the concentration reached in parts of the wound may be insufficient to kill the germs, and create resistance.

So: Irrigate first with clean (boiled) water/saline. Then once you have removed any visible grit, if you have it, use some sort of disinfectant- 70% alcohol, the above solution, iodine tincture, etc. Cover with clean/sterile cover. Then, if you have it, and you can spare it, you can top it off with a broad spectrum antibiotic.

Just my 0.02


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Irrigating a wound with 70% alcohol after a vigorous normal saline wash had better be done on either a completely restrained or comatose person. Because when they are able to they will hurt the person who held the bulb syringe. 
Not to mention that alcohol will damage tissue setting back normal healing. 

~~ pelenaka ~~


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

Moldy here - it's been YEARS since I've seen Dakins solution used. Even the nastiest wounds here are irrigated with saline (lots and lots of saline), then usually neosporin or bacitracin ointment, and oral antibiotics (like Keflex). Oh, and a tetanus shot.

Gotta agree with Pelenaka - alcohol after vigorous irrigation is gonna make the patient and the applicator have some new experiences with pain!


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## Forest (Oct 14, 2010)

True. Yet, better in pain than dead.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

When I was 9, I had some serious burns on my arms from a gas oven and was petting the cat when my older sister turned on the vacuum. (Probably did it deliberately, too, I'm sure!) Cat went berserk and scratched my burns badly. My father took me outside and poured a bottle of alcohol over the scratches. Talk about PAIN! That was 50 yrs ago and I remember like yesterday.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

rancher1913 said:


> Moldy here - it's been YEARS since I've seen Dakins solution used.


Obviously you have never met Dr. Dohnor.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40661...meet-small-town-doc-whos-charged-visit-years/


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## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

Dakin's solution is "old school", we have better stuff now for wound healing. It was used 20 years ago primarily for packing into wounds to debride them, aka, pull out the dead tissue. The idea was that you pack the wound with wet gauze, let it dry, then pull the gauze out bringing the dead tissue stuck to it. The bleach was hard on the wounds--mostly bedsores, but many healed this way. We used 1/4 strength, then over time, doc's started ordering 1/8 strength. Then the treatment disappeared. It's hard on healthy skin. But in a SHTF situation, I'd use 1/8 strength in a heartbeat. Bleach is cheap and easy to store dry.


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## StatHaldol (Sep 1, 2006)

I'm a hospital pharmacist, we still see Dakins solution sometimes from the older docs.

Is anyone here (nurses) old enough to remember when iodine mixed with sugar was used to pack decubitus ulcers in bed bound patients??


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## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

I've heard of it, but it was before my time. Got my license in '91. I'm so glad you don't see bedsores like those now--you know, those big gooey ones on the spine or hip that you could put your fist in all the way to the bone..yuck.


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