Medicinal Uses of Vodka?

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I have read just that there are several medical uses of vodka, but can find no further information on this subject. Can anyone enlighten me? Am using herbal, colloidal silver, and any other reasonable alterntive medicine in stocking for next year. Thanks in advance!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), September 13, 1999

Answers

Makes a good antiseptic. Its high alcohol content means it kills the germs, so less infection risk. A footnote: everyone over here in quaint ol' England knows for a *fact* that all dogs overseas have rabies. In a First Aid for travellers book I saw it recommended you wash all animal bites with whisky. Makes sense, but just imagine the scene: "Agghghgh! That slobbering dog's just taken a chunk out of my leg! Would you be good enough to pass the cognac?".

-- Mooooo.... (moo@moo.mooooo), September 13, 1999.

It is the alcohol and relative absence of impurities that give it "medicinal" uses. Also some folks use it to make "tinctures" of herbal concoctions. Pure rubbing alcohol is better for most purposes and cheaper too (unless you plan on needing "medicine" to drink! :))

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), September 13, 1999.

Lack of impurities is a good point. That's also why it doesn't give such a bad hangover as darker spirits.

-- Mooooo...... (moo@moo.mooooo), September 13, 1999.

HEY, ELAINE, I THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER ASK. I've got plans for several kinds of alcohol stills. I need to make the stuff for GENERAL ANESTHESIA, if I do any post-y2k surgery. There won't be anything else around. (I mean like I'll have the patient DRINK it. And after the surgery, I'LL drink the rest of what's left!)

God bless,

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 13, 1999.


Thanks, all, for the info and the good laughs. Guess I'll stick to those Bloody Marys and vodka and tonic and Screwdrivers when I find myself in pain.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), September 13, 1999.


Kills some of the germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease. So swish it around between your teeth before you swallow.

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), September 13, 1999.

Instead of buying vodka, look for 190 proof alcohol under various labels, like Everclear. It doesn't matter about the label; what you want is 190 proof which is 95% alcohol/5% water, the highest grade available. It's much cheaper than brand name Vodka brands, why pay more for diluted alcohol. It's perfect for preparing herbal tinures or disinfecting, etc. Or it can be watered down for a trade item.

-- Sure M. Worried (SureMWorried@about.Y2K.coming), September 13, 1999.

Make your own vanilla. It's better than store bought, just drop 5-6 vanilla beans into a fifth of the strongest, cheapest vodka you can get, let it sit for several months in the dark pantry, and there you are.

Also, it doesn't really work very well as an anesthetic---In 1968 or so, a relative of mine had a cow kick him in the lower leg, and got a open, compound fracture in this far west place, they had no anesthesia, or a doctor. The other people in the village knew what to do though. They gave him a bunch of whiskey, gave him a bullet to bite on, and tied him to a door, and cut off his leg with a buck saw. He lived, and carved his own wooden leg, which he used and continued on with life as usual.

For pain relief, drive up to Canada and buy 222's. They are wimpy codeine things, and make you constipated, but will take the edge off the pain. It's legal to bring some in for your own use (222= tylenol+caffein+codeine)

-- (nobody@nowhere.com), September 15, 1999.


Sorry, gang, that was in *1868* NOT 1968. Sheesh!

-- (nobody@nowhere.com), September 15, 1999.

NOBODY:

In my experience that dose of codeine (better is hydrocodenone, but even that pales by comparison to a good anesthetic) only works for surgery if it's PSYCHIC surgery you're talking about. For many patients 222 doesn't touch the pain. (Of course other patients get considerable relief. It's a function of an individual's 'pain threshold' -- very variable from patient to patient.)

Haven't tried high doses of alcohol yet, but I have in mind saturating the patient with alcohol to where he's barely conscious -- then trying surgery.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 15, 1999.



Elaine, Back in the seventies a neighbor of mine went into premature labor. Her doctor prescribed total bed rest and she was to sip vodka every 10-15 minutes. She followed this advice carefully and stopped her contractions. It was very hard for her to do this because she was a practicing Mormon lady who had never tasted alcohol, but to save her baby she suffered through it. Just a little folklore I tucked away for future needs.

-- Juniper (silverfox@netutah.com), September 18, 1999.

Try experimenting with volk as a feul. I think it might work as wound fuel to use in a fondue for cooking. Just migtt work for other things. Most alcohols are clean burning. I know white whiskey is clean burning has a blue flame.

-- Et (bneville@zebra.com), September 18, 1999.

I've tried codeine (Tylenol 3's) and they didn't do much. I think the effects of opiates vary greatly from one person to the next.

I did use alcohol as a sort of general anesthetic once though. While camping out in the boonies I got a 2nd degree burn on my palm. YOOWWW!!!! I never imagined anything could hurt that much ! I wrapped it in gauze&tape so it wouldn't get dirty if the blisters broke (they didn't) and drank most of a half-pint of Jack Daniels. Passed out and didn't wake up till the next morning and felt fine, not even a hangover.

But to this day I can't stand the taste of whiskey.

-- John Barleycorn (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), September 19, 1999.


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