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symbioidljJungle Survival Tips: Infections
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Shows the whole process with pics: up to and including gangrene. :)
In the jungle, any open wound — abrasion, puncture, avulsion, incision, or laceration — is an invitation to infection. To understand infection, and how to tell if you have one, it is helpful to understand the normal process of wound healing, or inflammation.
When you are cut, the tissue around the wound immediately constricts, compressing the small vessels and slowing blood loss. In fact, for about ten minutes, all the blood vessels in the body reflexively constrict, reducing blood flow even more. Platelets in the blood are attracted to the site of injury and form plugs in the torn vessels. Tissue clotting factors activate the clotting cascade; within minutes, clots of elastic protein fibers fill the wound. This is why, with the aid of direct pressure and elevation, almost all bleeding, even from serious wounds, will stop within ten to fifteen minutes. Over several days, the clot surface dries, forming a natural bandage in the form of a scab.
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Shows the whole process with pics: up to and including gangrene. :)
