Spaghnum Moss Myth. Very interesting.

[demented dale]

This is a very interesting video that has challenged what I always thought about a subject that has been promoted everywhere in bush craft. This is well worth a watch.

 

[Pattree]

Excellent! I’d never heard of the moss cure but I totally agree with the video. Carry a wound dressing and learn how to use that.

Knowledge and learning never stay still. "The old ways“ often have a tight grip on history. We need guys like this but we need to check their sources too. He looks and sounds credible and what he says makes sense to me but if what he says might affect me then I’ll double check.

I would anticipate that most of us have already been on at least one fairly recent first aid course. They aren’t expensive given what you’re learning.

Just like some of the “old folk” (of any age) the internet has been known to be wrong.

 

[TLM]

Hmmm ... a faint recollection that it was used to store fresh fish for slightly longer. Never tried that though.

 

[Toddy]

As a little boy (he was born in 1911) during WW1, with Uncles away at the Front, my Dad went with his Grandpa to collect sphagnum moss from the moor. He said they collected three sacks full when he visited. The sacks of sphagnum then went to be processed to make field dressings for the soldiers.
Grandpa Reid had six sons, all in Highland regiments, all away at war, and he went every week to collect the moss. Only five of his sons came home. Two others were injured and they did use the field dressings. Both healed very well.

I know of sphagnum moss as the traditional packing for babies nappies, for women's sanitary wear, especially after childbirth, as well as for bandages.
It was just an easily available, generally at hand absorbant material. It's mildly antibiotic, it can lower the pH enough that it can help stop food spoiling, or wounds festering.
But it was just used much like we use cotton wool or paper.

Pick it, squeeze it a bit and pick it clean of debris. Lay it out to dry and then it'll keep for ages, ready for use.

 

[Wildgoose]

I didn’t watch the whole video because he took too long to get to the point.

Moss was used in the First World War, not because it was the best dressing but because it was available.


If you have a purpose made dressing use that, obviously.

 

[Kadushu]

I like to remind people that when moss is wet it could be covered in its own sperm.

 

[Pattree]

…… Same as lots of things

 

[Toddy]

Like the pollen filled air we breath.

 

[Toddy]

Meant to say on the sphagnum moss. Do not introduce it directly into or onto any wound. Cover it in hankie and fold it into a pad.

Honestly though, if you have a sterile dressing and you're in need, use the dressing.

I think it's right to remember our traditional plant uses; that their modern extracts are still very viable, very useful, but like the old fellows using spiders web to seal a cut.....well it works, but.....

 

[demented dale]

He does say in the video that there are only two types of spaghnum moss which are useful as a dressing and these were indeed used in WW1. but there are hundreds of different spaghnum mosses in Europe so unless you know the exact ones the chances of finding the useful ones are slim. I did some more research on this and was able to find out there are 9 varieties with medicinal qualities in North America. Again there are hundreds that aren't. It's good to check things out and discuss.

 

[Tony]

all about knowing the right materials and the application they're suited for.
There's so much great, useful knowledge thats been lost. The familiarity isn't there these days, nor for the most part the need so it's hard to devote the time.

 

[Toddy]

all about knowing the right materials and the application they're suited for.
There's so much great, useful knowledge thats been lost. The familiarity isn't there these days, nor for the most part the need so it's hard to devote the time.

I think so too. I know that you get your eye in for the 'right' plant though, but it takes experience.