How to Clean and Sew an Open Wound

You're deep in the woods on a sightseeing or camping trip. You're walking along when all of a sudden something slashes your leg wide open. You're miles away from a hospital but this wound needs stitches. Here's what you do.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fire
• Needle
• Something thread-like
• A makeshift bandage

1. First thing to do is clean out the wound. Doctors say to flush it out with clean water for at least 3 minutes. If you have a first aid kit, use some iodine to help clean it out.

2. Next, take a needle and hold it over a flame. Thread the needle with whatever you can use. Fishing line would be great here.

3. Okay, time for the real pain. Take your needle and begin sewing as far away from the cut as the wound is deep. Cut it off and tie a knot every 1/4 inch.

4. Now, take whatever you have for a bandage and wrap the wound.

Tips & Warnings

• When you get back into civilization, don't try to be Rambo. Get to a doctor as soon as you can.
• If you're camping for the next few days after you've been cut, make sure to clean and re-wrap the wound every day. Otherwise you risk infection and possibly gangrene.