A pinch of salt, a fistful of sugar, a half liter of water: save a child’s life
Diarrhea kills millions of children yearly. Oral rehydration therapy is as simple as the recipe. Mix a pinch of salt, a fistful of sugar, (any rough approximation to the ideal recipe works pretty well), and a half liter of water. Give it to the child. The additives help the stressed gut absorb the water, and water is life.
The recipe is so simple that anybody can learn it and remember it, it’s so cheap that even the poorest can afford it, and the ingredients are available almost anywhere. It’s saving lives by the bucket in Bangladesh, and the technique ought to be learned everywhere. Even in advanced countries, there are situations in which professional medical help may be out of reach for a time.