When we seek modern medical care it is comforting to know that bizarre and gross procedures used in medieval times have completely disappeared. Or have they?
Surprise! Some treatments that we consider archaic are still in use today or have recently regained popularity. Some treatments have even won enthusiastic approval by the FDA.
Lets start with a treatment called
Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT). MDT therapy was popular since its inception around 16 century c.e. You may may wonder how on earth someone figured out that maggots were a great way to treat infection. They are so disgusting that it will make you wonder why someone would even try them out on a patient. Let alone a patient agreeing to the treatment. Well, it turns out that many soldiers returning from the battlefield for treatment already had some of these disgusting little critters at work in their wounds! Lo and behold these poor dudes recovered better and faster than their pals who were not, um, so lucky to play host to a maggot infestation.
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| Maggots in a wound CDC photo |
The use of maggots to treat infections went out off vogue in the 1940's because of the effectiveness of more aesthetic antibiotic treatment. However, in 1989 some medical studies discovered that maggots were more competent than antibiotics in treatment of some serious infections. Apparently maggots only consume dead tissue and don't touch the live, healthy tissue. During their work maggots expel matter that slows down or kills bacteria (to preserve their meal) and the treatment gives a patient no more than an itching or tickling sensation. As an extra bonus, once they have eaten up all the gross stuff, they pack their little suitcases and leave on their own. The FDA approved
Maggot Debridement Therapy in 2004.
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| Biopharm Leeches - UK |
Not to be outdone by maggots the humble
leech has reared it's ugly head as another form of wound treatment. Introducing the science of
Hirudotherapy! Folks that normally avoid popular fresh water swimming holes because they are terrified of leeches, may willingly submit to Hirudotherapy. It seems that leeches promote better healing by draining blood from swollen areas post surgery, therefore increasing circulation.
A practitioner applies leeches to the problem area where they commence sucking excess blood to reduce swelling. This process allows fresh blood to reach the tissues promoting healing while the leeches anticoagulant prevents premature clotting. While they work, leeches also give you a shot of antibiotic from their gut and their spit acts as a local anesthetic that numbs any pain.
Let's look at one last wiggly critter type of cure before we move on. Enter the parasitic intestinal worm, ugh, pun intended! Apparently scientists have found that intentionally releasing an appropriate parasitic worm into a patient has been beneficial in the treatment of asthma, multiple sclerosis, eczema, ulcerated colitis, Crohn's disease and even some allergies (you may prefer a neti-pot). This treatment is called
Helminthic therapy.
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| Hookworms - CDC photo |
As far as I know the treatment is not approved or offered in the United States or Canada. There are clinics that offer this treatment such as one in Tijuana, Mexico. The clinic claims that the treatments have been highly effective despite some unpleasant side effects. I know that you are likely asking yourself an obvious question and one that I also pondered when I started to write this post.
How long do you have to keep these little beggars wiggling around in your intestines and even possibly poking their heads out of obvious hidden places at night? Not so long; only for your entire life!
Alright already! Enough of the freakish parasites! After all, even writers have to sleep at night!
I applaud researchers that have the intestinal fortitude to dig around in the most curious of places for possible cures of various illnesses. There is a strain of bacteria named Clostridium Difficile that due to overuse has developed resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. The bacteria has a tendency to kick into overdrive in a patients intestines. The end, no pun intended, result is systematic destruction of the infected bowels. Statistics indicate that there are more than three million patients a year infected with this bacteria during stays in US hospitals. The most common infection picked up during hospital stays is C. difficile. This bacteria is responsible for the death of several hospital patients in the US each day.
Enter
Fecal Bacteriotherapy, which entails the transplant of fecal matter, yup I said poo, from healthy donors in to the colon of a person suffering from Clostridium Difficille infection. This revolutionary treatment has had an amazing success rate of 97% in a recent study where more than 1500 patients were treated by
Bacteriotherapy. Typically the donor of the good stool is a close relative who endures testing to ensure that they are free of a wide spectrum of viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Not surprising for this therapy, there is often reluctance on the part of patients to allow the procedure due to a perception that it is r
epulsing. However, when the other choice is serious illness or possible death its time to man up and find someone that really loves you to help you out.
Until next time: I leave all possible jokes and puns up to you, my readers.
running loose seeking the necks of beautiful women for a quick meal. In this case Galveston County police were vigilant and finally rounded up one of Satan's undead servants clad only in boxer shorts sporting little images of Batman
. Just guessing about the motif on his boxers. :-)
