When we find ourselves in a survival situation, after the first rush of adrenalin, we find our health takes a low dive. It is this low that leads to stress with a great worry about what the future holds. The immune system has more or less collapsed.
It is now that we find all sorts of complaints hit us and in this article I want to deal with one of the possibles, the complaint is Staphylococcus.
Staphylococci (grampositive cocci) are among the most common of the pyogenic (pus producing) bacteria. They produce abscesses anywhere on the body, from pimples on the skin to infection of the bone marrow (osteomyelitis). Occasionaly, they cause endocarditis.
Staphylococcus produce many toxins and enzymes mainly to help them withstand phagocytosis (an engulfment and digestion of bacteria and other foreign particles by the human bodies defensive cells) by neutrophils.
They are among the most resistant of the pathogenic (capable of causing disease. The term is applied to a parasitic microorganism) bacteria. They are very hard to eliminate from the body and they are responsible for many hospital infections. Among these are some special strains that produce toxins, causing different types of disease, such as, food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome (TSS), MRSA and a disease, mainly of children, called scalded skin syndrome.
Staphylococci aureus (aureus means gold, due to the fact that it appears gold under the microscope) is a large gram-positive coccus that grows in clusters (just like a bunch of grapes under the microscope). It is one of the hardiest bacteria and can survive for long periods on dry inanimate objects. It is also resistant to heat. For these reasons, it is hard to eliminate once it has invaded the human being.
Diseases caused by Staphylococcus
- Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
- Furuncles and Carbuncles
- Wound infections. (Traumatic and Surgical)
- Cellulitis
- Impetigo (also caused by Streptococci)
- Bacteremia (frequently with metastatic abscesses)
- Endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart and valves. Temporary or permament damage to the heart may result. The mainfeatures are, fever, changing heart murmurs, heart failure and embolism. This requires plenty of rest and antibiotics. (embolus, a bloodclot, fat, air or a foreign body)
- Central Nervous System Infections
- Brain Abscess
- Meningitis (rare)
- Epidural abscess (epidural-the overcoat of the three layers covering the brain and spinal cord)
- Pulmonary Infections
- Embolic (see embolus above)
- Aspiration (withdrawal of fluid from the body by use of suction using an instrument called an aspirator)
- Pneumonia
- Musculoskeletel
- Osteomyelitis (infection of the bone)
- Arthritis
- Genito-Urinary Tract
- Renal Carbuncle
- Lower Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Other Diseases
- Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). A state of acute shock due to septicaemia
- Scalded skin syndrome
- Food poisoning – gastro-enteritis
There are a number of species of Staphylococcus and all can be dealt with by the antibiotic herbs listed in this article.
Staphylococcus share there environment with that of human beings. They live on people and survive on surfaces such as, bedding, clothing, furniture, etc. Humans are the major habitat of Staphylococcus aureus. They tend to colonise the nares (nasal passages) and on the skin, in theoropharynx and in the faeces.
Staphylococcus do not normally penetrate into deep tissue unless the skin or the mucous tissue damaged or actually cut. Causes can be burns, accidental wounds, lacerations, insect bites, surgery or skin diseases.
Local staphylococcal infections lead to a collection of pus called an abscess. An abscess in the skin is called boils, or in medicalparlance, furuncles. Multiple inter- connected abscesses are called carbuncles. They may spread in the sub-cutaneous or sub-mucosal tissue inflammation called cellulitis. In most cases they are caused by S. aureus and not by other species.
I could write a great deal more about Staphylococcus, but what has been written here, is what you will be able to deal with in a survival situation. Other problems and diseases would require more advanced medical treatment and surgery.
The Herbal remedies with antibiotic action that can be used to combat Staphylococci are these:-
- Accacia species. All parts of the plant may be used. They may be collected throughout the year
- Aloe vera and other Aloe species. Parts used are the fresh juice and the dried plant for internal use
- Echinacea angustifolia and purpurea. Use as tincture of the whole plant. Both species tinctured together are better than each singly
- Eucalyptus. The leaf tincture is used and the oil is inhaled for internal problems
- Garlic. Used internally and externally. Consume with your food or in capsules
- Ginger. Take in casules or as a tea
- Grapefruit seed extract. As per instructions on label. Purchase from pharmacy
- Citrus oils for inhalation and juices internally
- Honey. Internally and externally
- Juniper. Berries and needles as tincture or tea
- Licorice. Tea, capsules or tincture
- Wormwood. Tea, tincture or capsules
The following spices are also used:
- Rosemary and sage. Both as tinctures
Swabbing the skin with alcohol and disinfectants will be useful for external application.
excellent article just what I was looking for.
I’m doing penicillin on bread at the moment. “velly interlesting”….(you have to say the very interesting with a slight chinese accent you see, sounds much better than mancunian!!)
As you can see, I feel any aspect of survival should, however important be accompanied by humour of some sort, as an ex infantry soldier humour was very important, especialy with the equipment we were given…. looked like most of it had come from the local joke shop. ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaa!
Hello Mike, I am pleased that you enjoyed this article. We have a fairly good number of herbs that have an antibiotic action. There are many in Traditional Chinese Medicine as well. I will endeavour over time, to cover a great deal more in articles for preppers. If things go very badly wrong we will be back to the old ways, and this includes herbal medicine. Thanks for your post. Kenneth Eames.
I think even if things dont go t*** up as they say, its a good thing to be independent and to be able to look after yourself and your family come what may. Especially with the state of the NHS.I especially like the way a lot of our great grandparents and the old west pioneers etc looked after themselves, made their own soaps etc. theres a lot of lessons to be learned from them I think.
The old tribal ways of learning from elders are sadly lacking in the modern world, and Its a sad state of afairs if you ask me.
The government offer all sorts of courses for young people… but what about something useful like growing your own food or using herbs or preserving foods? thats a big no I think.
I love your definition of aspiration, the disease!
A good few tubs of amoxicillin will do me. Do any of the above actually works other than honey and alcohol topically?
Aren’t dodgy Internet pharmacies there for a reason?
w
Will,
Welcome.
Internet pharmacies have their place. I’ll avoid them if I can but there may be a time when it is worth looking at them.
Thank you. Good to be here, all very interesting!
I am pleased with the feed back this article has received. I will be writing more articles dealing with herbal medicine and particularly on subjects that are of importance to preppers. For instance, Lyme disease, which comes from a tick which is found on deer. This will be very important for hunters. I am thinking that there are many more very important herbal treatments that need to be dealt with. Search the site and forum for other herbal articles and notes. Valuable article by Belladonna. Kenneth Eames.
Ken,
I have learnt a lot myself from both of you. I look forward to reading whatever you produce.
Thank you SD, Next June I shall have completed 50 years as a Herbalist and 45 as a Homoeopath. It is my intent to pass on as much of this knowledge as I possibly can. It is up to individuals to take it on board or not. I know that many people haven’t any faith in alternative medicine but that is their own beliefs. I have had a successful practice and have had many satisfied patients and to see patients cured has given me great joy. Of course, some people can never be cured, but to see their problems alleviated is in itself satisfying. Kenneth Eames.
Faith, belief? Not words that I use in my medical career. Evidence and proof are what I prefer! I’d rather have a stash of drugs with known efficacy.
Will,
I agree but it is always wise to have something you can produce yourself when those supplies are depleted. There were no medicines only a few decades ago peoplemade do and medicines are based on those techniques.
I see this in two ways;
1) Something you can try now.
2) Something for when the medical supplies are depleted.
True! Herbal, honey and many other bits and bobs are amazing and I know many useful plants but I just can’t see homeopathy being of any use now or in anytime in the future to anyone other than the homeopath who makes a living from it. And I have studied it and read books and texts by homeopaths and looked into it in great detail with an open mind hoping I could see how it worked. Trust me, I’d love to sell bottles of water or sugar, with so little of anything in them that it equates to one molecule in the whole solar system (true) but I couldn’t do it to my clients, i’d feel like a fraud, and I doubt I could keep a straight face. Medicine is not about beliefs it’s about evidence based facts and using them to our advantage.
Hygiene has to be the number one focus, prevention is better than cure. A knowledge of how to use and make alcohols, honey, soaps, disinfectants etc is top of my list. Plants for a future provide a massive database in book and web form giving uses of plants for food medicine rope building etc etc etc. Worth looking up.
The above is full of article is interesting and useful info but full of mistakes and lacking detail to make it actually useful. How much garlic sage, honey, acacia etc do I need to reach the MIC?
Forgive my typos I can’t see what i’m typing on this tiny silly phone I’m using!
Thank you Will for your feed-back, I fully understand how you feel about Homoeopathy but if I have the time before a Survival situation occurs, I hope to endeavour to convince you that it does work. I know it will be hard. For dosages of herbs used for Staphylococcus, I would like to direct you to my first posting on the forum for Herbal Medicine. At the present time I am writing a great deal more material which will help (I Hope) with giving you a great deal more information on herbs and there medicinal uses. Kenneth Eames.