Oral rehydration salts

low hazard

Also: ORS, WHO formula, electrolyte mix

First aidWater

The thing that actually saves people with diarrhea, heat exhaustion, and the flu: water with the right salt and sugar, not a sports-dye bomb. Arizona heat makes this a first-line kit item.

Shelf life: 2–5 years sealed dry packets; homemade dry mix keeps if bone-dry
Container: Foil packets or a labeled jar of the dry mix
Grade: WHO / UNICEF ORS when you can. Homemade is a backup.

What it does

▸Replaces what vomit and diarrhea take out
▸Heat-stress hydration when food is not staying down

Store

▸Dry packets in the med kit and the glove box.

Hazards

▸Too much salt mix in too little water is harmful. Measure.
▸Not a treatment for bloody stool, high fever in infants, or a person who cannot drink — those are medical emergencies.

Never mix

No listed pairing among the den compounds.

In the field

WHO homemade backup in a clean liter of drinking water: 6 level teaspoons of sugar + 1/2 level teaspoon of table salt. Taste should be like tears, not seawater. A pinch of salt substitute (potassium chloride) helps if you have it.

This does not disinfect the water. Use safe water to mix it.

Arizona note

On every truck kit and every pack. Heat stroke is faster than most people think in the Valley.

Source

Pharmacy ORS packets (Pedialyte-style or WHO). Bulk sugar and salt already live in the pantry.