spiderwebs for wound closure


itsbaker

itsbaker

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I was talking to a woman at my bar today. She is a retired farmer who now does organic consulting. She told me about using spider web to stop a cut from bleeding.

As in take some web ball it up and pack it in the wound. This should stop the bleeding. She told me of a friend of hers who uses this in her first aid kit with premashed bundles of web.

Anyone here of this?
 
Old time NA and western technique, never tried it, but been aware of it for years.
 
Cool link. I have to say it sounded cool. I might still just wrap it in my shirt and cry. That seems to work.
 
Sure never heard of that one but its a very cool piece of knowledge if it works. Wonder what you can catch from a spider web though???
 
i've heard of it, but every time i've been cut badly enough to need something like that, i've had to stop the bleeding NOW, not 'go find a spiderweb in the woods'... i've used a bandana, the rag i wrap my stove in, or cut off a piece of t-shirt (yeah, ok... 3x. maybe i SHOULD get another hobby).
 
Irrigate the wound apply a dressing, and direct pressure. That will stop a bleed
 
Maggots, leeches, and honey are still used in some wound care medicine today. That doesn’t mean I’d scrape a few maggots off a road kill and sprinkle them on a festering wound. The creatures used in medicine are raised in sterile conditions and known to be disease free. Gauze is made of cotton, but I would not pick a cotton plant and put it straight on a wound.
Don’t invite infection by adding stuff to a wound.

Wolf
 
Spider silk is sterile when still fresh. Old webs with dirt and stuff in them would scare me, howsumever early in the am I can always find fresh spiderwebs with the dew still on them. Still I carry a good first aid kit, but always something to keep in the thought locker if necessary
 
As the afore mentioned article states, it dates back to the first century CE and specifically to the Romans, who actually adopted it and the use of sphagnum moss as a wound dressing, from the Germanic/Celtic tribes. It was said that a Roman soldier would carry several spider webs in his kit just for this purpose. As the article states, spider webs and the moss have antiseptic qualities, You wring the moister out of the moss before application.
 
Heard about it for years but never tried it. Sounds much better than burning it with black powder though.
 
Falstaff said:
As the afore mentioned article states, it dates back to the first century CE and specifically to the Romans, who actually adopted it and the use of sphagnum moss as a wound dressing, from the Germanic/Celtic tribes. It was said that a Roman soldier would carry several spider webs in his kit just for this purpose. As the article states, spider webs and the moss have antiseptic qualities, You wring the moister out of the moss before application.
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As Falstaff stated it has been used for centurys all over the world.
In mimics the bodys way of causing a wound to coagulate.
Commerical copys of the "spider web" where used I know up in to the late '70
medicaly to help stop bleeding/oozing of a wound.

fourdog

www.fourdog.com
 
Forgot to add that leeches and maggots are only used for infections. Maggots eat the infectious flesh and puss (they won't touch healthy flesh). Leeches can be used to clean infection from the blood. Still in use today in some hospitals here in the states.
 
Heard about webs many years ago. Also Puffball Mushroom spores when the 'shroom looks all leathery. When they're white n firm, into the frypan they go. :-] There are 5 commonly obtainable materials to aid clotting around here.

Maggots from roadkill would cause more harm than good. Eggs laid directly on the wound could be considered in some areas. In the Amazon, bots n green flies cause way more harm as they only eat live flesh. Know all the parameters before jeopardizing anyone's health!

As mentioned earlier, why introduce possible vectors of infection? I carry a small vial of styptic powder plus gauze, vet wrap, saran wrap n duct tape everywhere I go. Often super glue n a 50:50 mix of Isopropyl n white table vinegar as well. The mix is my universal panacea. Cleans our shallow wounds n my dog's ears. I still use Peroxide on deep punctures. Rarely need Neosporin anymore.

Buy the styptic in the horse section. It's like $6 for each, only the size varies: 1/2oz for humans, 2oz for dogs n 7oz for horses. Used the horse stuff on me n several other people as well as atleast a dozen dogs over the last decade. Great for tail n ear bleeds.

Disclaimer: Seek qualified professional, you are responsible for your own actions, do your own research, blah blah blah.
 
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i've read of it never seen it done....would make sense that'd it'd work least on a minor cut imho.
 
I've heard of it...It originated in the Middle Ages I believe. And I agree with most of the other's here...Another, "good" way to stop bleeding is to stick a handful of dirt over it. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to do it unless I just got shot and was going to die of bloodloss either way. Besides, spiders have eight legs, teeth and are furry and the webbing comes from one of the two possible ends. So...
 
The material that arachnids produce for webbing is primarily protein. If you could find a web large enough, say from Argiope(Garden Spider), you could obtain enough material for a small compress. Not sure of the medicinal virtues. Israelli bandage is quicker.
 
Heard of it, never tried it. I keep it filed with bleeding into the dirt to make mud to pack it with...only if I have nothing better...but it's good to know. Better than bleeding out...but man, you'd need a LOT of webs!

I dislike spiders enough I think I'd just bleed out...or use mud.
 
I have used spider web somewhat like this before. Out camping I got a gash on the back of my finger which wouldn't stop bleeding. I foolishly didn't have any bandages that would stick to it and no sutures so I did something I read (I think) in a Tom Brown book: I chewed up some yarrow, put the paste into the cut, then "sealed" it with fresh spider web. It sealed up so well the doctor said no stitches were needed when I got to him two days later! I didn't pack the web in. I just put the yarrow paste in then covered it. (It left a big scar though)
 
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Atheris said:
I have used spider web somewhat like this before. Out camping I got a gash on the back of my finger which wouldn't stop bleeding. I foolishly didn't have any bandages that would stick to it and no sutures so I did something I read (I think) in a Tom Brown book: I chewed up some yarrow, put the paste into the cut, then "sealed" it with fresh spider web. It sealed up so well the doctor said no stitches were needed when I got to him two days later! I didn't pack the web in. I just put the yarrow paste in then covered it. (It left a big scar though)
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Just so you know, putting stitches into a two day old wound is generally a bad idea anyway. It's best to let such old wounds heal by 'secondary intention'; that is, let them fill in with scar tissue on their own. Hence your big scar. Leaving the wound open lets it slough out foreign material, pus, and tissue fluids that would only impede healing if they were trapped in a closed space under the skin.

Given how many anaerobic bacteria there are in the human mouth, and how likely human bite wounds are to become infected, I would be really reluctant to get saliva into a deep cut. I'm glad that your experience turned out well, though.
 
i never heard of it till i got with my wife . her famly has used them for years spiderwebs or cobwebs both work
 
There is a few spiderweb tricks I tried, one a willow frame roughly the shape of a snowshoe take a walk early in the morning and the webs are all dewy. set the frame on the web and push till it breaks away wraps around the frame repeat cross hatching... the net did work in getting some minnows in the few places I tried...
I learned the Spider bandage trick from a guy from the Yucatan when I did Tree work I got a Good saw cut on my finger the guy saw me do it and walked away came back with a stretched web. I rinsed with some water and he placed mashed piece of web on, not in it, and wrapped the rest around my finger it held good and healed with no problem.The membrane from Onion and wild garlic work well too atiseptic but need to be wrapped
the waxy membrane of Agave also worked well as a natural bandaid/cover but the juice of some act as a anti coagulate so be careful there.
The Bannana Spider has a strong web, Ive seen birds caught by those things, so a few wraps will keep a good sized cut closed...Not as good as a well stocked kit But it will work.
Sorry for the long ramble lol


The zig zag part under the beast is the part used very tough

Take care
M/BK
 
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So styptic powder from a farm store or somethin would be a welcomed addition to a kit? Just trying to clarify cuz I'll be goin to Tractor Supply later today anyway....
 
Most of the discussion has been on the use of spider web, which can be difficult to come across in any large quanities. I think Sgt. Mac's suggestion of irrigation, dressing and direct pressure is the way most of us would go. But since this is about the use of some kind of web, would the web of the tent worm be a possible option? I really have no idea, but around here, at the right time of year, there is all kinds of it to be found in the trees, shrubs and bushes. It would seem it should have some kind of use.
 
Spider webs will for a fact stop bleeding not for a major vein or artery have used it also flour. used it also old-time remedy
 
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