FM 21-76
Diarrhea
This is caused by such things as a change of water and food, drinking contaminated water, eating spoiled food, becoming fatigued and using dirty dishes. You can avoid most of these causes by practicing prentive medicine. If you get diarrhea, however, and do not have antidiarrhea medicine with you, you may find one of the following treatments is effective.
Limit your intake to fluids for 24 hours.
Drink 1 cup of a strong solution of tea every 2 hours until the diarrhea slows or stops. THe tannic acid in tea helps to control diarrhea. Tannic acid is also found in the moist inner bark of hardwood trees. Boil the inner bark for 2 hours or more to release the tannic acid. Although this solutation will have a vile taste and smell, it will stop most cases of diarrhea.
Make a solution of one handful of ground chalk, charcoal, dried bones and treated water (the solution should have the consistency of kaopectate). If you have some apple pomace or the rinds of citrus fruit, add an equal portion to the mixture to make it more effective. Take 2 tablespoons of the solution every 2 hours until the diarrhea slows down or stops.
Drink lots of liquids to replace lost fluids.
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