As you read in Nurse Mike's post, “rehydration fluids [can be] fabricated from diluted fruit juice and salt.”

You said:

The "Simple Solution" - Home made Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) Recipe

Preparing 1 (one) Litre solution using Salt, Sugar and Water at Home

Mix an oral rehydration solution using the following recipe.

Ingredients:
Six (6) level teaspoons of Sugar

Half (1/2) level teaspoon of Salt

One Litre of clean drinking or boiled water and then cooled - 5 cupfuls (each cup about 200 ml.)
Preparation Method:
Stir the mixture till the salt and sugar dissolve.

While I do take what the World Health Organization says seriously, putting a bottle of zinc tablets in the first aid kit may not be an option. If we agree that including Oral Rehydration Salts in the kit is better than making something with what is on hand in a village, this is what I consider using:

http://www.chinookmed.com/cgi-bin/item/1...---------------

I can put two of these packets in a kit without removing anything. If I need more, I can remove the instant cold compress. At least six ORS packets can fit into that compartment, likely more. If diarrhea is a problem, I believe this would be a good tradeoff.

Jeanette Isabelle