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Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: "Essence of Maggot" Ointment to Heal Wounds Faster?


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Battlefield medics hundreds of years ago were the first to notice that bloody wounds infested with maggots actually heal faster than "clean" wounds. (Above, maggots crawl across a raw steak.)

In June 2009 scientists announced that they had found the key to maggots' healing properties: an enzyme in the fluids the larvae secrete to help them prepare dead tissue for consumption.

Photograph by Polka Dot Images via Photolibrary