Wound dressings

1. A wound dressing comprising honey and a moisture-absorbing agent, characterised in that it has a multi-layered structure comprising:

a wound-contacting layer composed of a mixture of honey and a moisture-absorbing agent that is sodium alginate, the wound-contacting layer being free from fabric;

a water-permeable fabric backing layer, the backing layer being free from honey;

and

an intermediate layer comprising water-permeable fabric impregnated with the said mixture of honey and moisture-absorbing agent,

wherein the same fabric forms the backing layer and intermediate layer and it has a weight of 100-200 gsm, and the total weight of the said mixture in the wound-contacting and intermediate layers is in the range 1500-4500 gsm, and said mixture comprises sodium alginate powder and honey in a ratio in the range 1:(2-5),

wherein the backing layer is a fabric layer that forms a continuum with the intermediate layer, and

wherein the dressing has a 24 hour moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 20 g per 100 cm 2 and a 24 hour total fluid handling capacity of at least 35 g per 100 cm 2 .

2. A wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein said wound-contacting layer and said intermediate layer form a first continuous phase and said fabric layer and said intermediate layer form a second continuous phase, and said first and second continuous phases overlapping to form said intermediate layer.

3. A wound dressing according to claim 2 , wherein said intermediate layer has a thickness of between 100 μm and 1,000 μm.

4. A wound dressing according to claim 3 , wherein said intermediate layer has a thickness of between 200 μm and 500 μm.

5. A wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of sodium alginate to honey is in the range of from 1:4 to 1:5.

6. A wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein the water permeable fabric backing layer is calcium alginate.

7. A wound dressing according to claim 1 , further comprising,

an adhesive layer attached to or integral with said fabric backing layer, said adhesive layer extending laterally outwardly beyond the periphery of said wound-contacting layer and being provided with adhesive material on such outward extension of its surface oriented towards said wound-contacting layer to provide adhesion of said adhesive layer to an area of the skin of a patient to whom the dressing is applied, surrounding a wound to be treated.

8. A wound dressing according to claim 7 , wherein at least a substantial portion of the fabric backing layer is not overlain by said adhesive layer.

9. A wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein the dressing has been gamma-irradiated.

10. A wound dressing comprising honey and a moisture-absorbing agent, characterised in that it has a multi-layered structure comprising:

a wound-contacting layer composed of a mixture of honey and a moisture-absorbing agent that is sodium alginate, the wound-contacting layer being free from fabric;

a water-permeable fabric backing layer, the backing layer being free from honey; and

an intermediate layer comprising water-permeable fabric impregnated with the said mixture of honey and moisture-absorbing agent,

wherein the same fabric forms the backing layer and intermediate layer and it has a weight of 100-200 gsm, and the total weight of the said mixture in the wound-contacting and intermediate layers is in the range 1500-4500 gsm, and said mixture comprises a modified cellulose polymer powder and honey in a ratio in the range 1:(2-5), and

wherein the dressing has a 24 hour moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 20 g per 100 cm 2 and a 24 hour total fluid handling capacity of at least 35 g per 100 cm 2 .

11. The wound dressing as recited in claim 10 , wherein said modified cellulose polymer comprises carboxymethylcellulose.

12. The wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric is made of a non-woven fibre made from calcium alginate fabric.

13. The wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein the backing layer is a layer of fibre substantially free of honey or any other substances and the fibre in the layer is integral to the intermediate layer and is not a separate plastic cover.

14. The wound dressing according to claim 1 , wherein the backing layer is constructed from a fibre that is liquid water permeable and the resulting dressing is impervious to liquid water and aqueous saline liquid.