Dealing with Burns or Cuts

Personal injury is always possible in the bush. Bad cuts and burns must be dealt with immediately. A natural antiseptic is the sap that forms in the blisters on the bark of white spruce or balsam fir trees.

To deal with a burn, cool immediately with cold water to reduce the severness of the burn. After it has been cooled the sap can be placed on the burn. Add the fluff from a cottonwood tree or the fluff from a cattail.

The sap and fluff will create a second skin or gauze to protect the burn. The same thing can be done with a cut. Apply the sap and then add the fluff to create a bandage.