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Related: About this forumMaggots Will Soon Be Sent to War Zones to Heal the Injured
By Laura Geggel, Senior Writer | January 10, 2019 05:30pm ET
Maggots can be creepy, crawly and medicinal? In a new effort to heal wounded people in war zones, the U.K. government is sending maggots to places like Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, according to The Telegraph.
Once these larvae often those of green bottle blowflies are connected with patients, they get right to work, keeping wounds contamination-free by gulping down dead human tissue and spreading their antibacterial saliva.
This macabre treatment may sound unusual, but it's actually a remedy that dates back to ancient times. For instance, the Australian Aboriginal peoples used maggots to clean wounds. And during World War I, soldiers in trenches also used the critters. [Coffee to Maggots: Top 10 Bad Things That Are Good For You]
Now, this therapy may help people with festering wounds stay free of infection. The $250,000 project may even help wounded people keep their limbs, as secondary infections from injuries and operations can lead to amputations.
More:
https://www.livescience.com/64473-maggots-in-war-zones.html
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Maggots Will Soon Be Sent to War Zones to Heal the Injured (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
Jan 2019
OP
Solly Mack
(90,792 posts)1. K&R
Onyrleft
(344 posts)2. They can also help with food scarcity.
Javaman
(62,534 posts)4. Yup, I've had some fried...
they were actually really good. had a nutty flavor.
virgogal
(10,178 posts)3. Makes a lot of sense, the old remedies work.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)5. an ancient remedy that works
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)6. Too bad we can't send MAGAts to war zones to BE the injured!