Pharmaceutical products can be stored and transported in a medicine cabinet.
Botiquín is short for apothecary : a pharmacy or a place where medicines are produced and delivered. A medicine cabinet, therefore, is a briefcase or piece of furniture that allows you to store and/or transport pharmaceutical products .
In order to know the meaning of the term at hand, it is essential to discover its etymological origin. In this case, it must be stated that botiquín derives from botica, which comes from the Greek apotheke ( warehouse ), plus the sum of the diminutive suffix -in .
The concept also refers to the set of medications and elements that are stored in this type of objects and the environment where they are deposited. For example: «Go get the first aid kit! Juan cut his finger on a broken bottle" , "Every time I go on vacation with my family I take a first aid kit with gauze, alcohol, bandages and painkillers" , "Don't worry, we have a first aid kit in the office" .
Importance of the first aid kit
Generally, a first aid kit allows you to perform basic cures and deal with accidents and minor ailments. They often have useful information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.) for cases in which the person needs more advanced care.
It is common for every house to have a first aid kit. In this way, when someone suffers from a problem related to their health , they go to the medicine cabinet to look for a remedy. If a child falls and scrapes his leg, his parent can go to the medicine cabinet for a disinfectant product and a dressing . In a similar sense, if a woman has a headache, she can go to the medicine cabinet to take an aspirin or a similar medication.
There are also first aid kits in workplaces (such as factories or offices), in spaces with large crowds of people (state agencies, shopping centers, theaters) and on public transportation.
A first aid kit allows you to give first aid in case of an accident.
Essential elements
There are several elements that are considered essential in any first aid kit:
- Material to perform cures such as gauze, tape, plasters or bandages.
- The presence of a product such as alcohol is essential to disinfect wounds.
- You must have scissors , to be able to cut the gauze and other materials, as well as tweezers and even a thermometer.
- Among the essential medications that should be in the first aid kit are antipyretics and also anti-inflammatories and even burn ointments.
First aid kit maintenance
In addition to knowing what basic elements are necessary in a first aid kit, it is also essential to take into consideration another series of aspects regarding its maintenance and use:
- It should be located in a place where it is not within the reach of children.
- It is important to avoid placing it in a room where humidity or temperature conditions may change considerably. That is, it should not be kept in the kitchen or bathroom.
- It is essential that all medications be in their packaging to prevent them from being used inappropriately or incorrectly.