tangent
11-28-01, 21:51
Sugar Therapy
Sugar therapy involves packing the wound with granulated sugar,
ensuring that all recesses of the wound are filled. Surface
wounds (abrasions, etc.) may be treated using a dressing which
has had a sugar past applied to the side which will face the
wound. The paste on the dressing should be thick - about a
centimeter. The wound is inspected and, when the sugar is
diluted by wound exudate so that it is syrupy, the wound should
be washed out and fresh sugar introduced (note that dilute sugar
solutions can support, rather than hinder, bacterial growth).
Replacement of the sugar will ordinarily be required 1 to 4 times
a day, depending on the nature of the wound.
Sugar therapy should not be used on fresh wounds as it may cause
additional bleeding; rather, sugar therapy should be begun 1-3
days after the wound was inflicted.
Mixtures of sugar with povidone iodine may also be useful, and
can be easily prepared by mixing the components; prepared
mixtures of sugar with povidone iodine are commercially
available. Adding oil of cloves in small quantities (0.4%) to
sugar may also produce some useful effects.
Honey Therapy
Honey can be used in a manner similar to that for sugar. Honey
has some advantages over sugar; some honeys appear to contain
natural antibiotic materials, and the fluid nature of honey may
be useful in ensuring filling of puncture or other irregular
wounds. Honey-impregnated dressings may be used with shallow
wounds and burns.
Unprocessed honey may be used; it should first be filtered
(cheesecloth followed by a narrower mesh material) to remove
comb fragments and other debris; it should also be heat
pasteurized.
Maguey Sap
Maguey sap can be used in a manner similar to that for honey.
Selected References:
Honey
Efem, S. E. "Br. J. Surg.," 1988 (Jul), 75(7), 679-681.
[Clinical report - 59 cases]
Willix. D. J.; Molan, P. C.; Harfoot, C. G. "J. Appl.
Bacteriol.," 1992 (Nov), 73(5), 388-394
Honey vs. Sugar
Bose, B. "Lancet," 1982, i, 463.
Sugar
Chirafe, Jorge; Herszage, Leon "Lancet," 1982, 157.
Chirife, J.; Herszage, L.; Joseph, A.; Kohn, E. S.
"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.," 1983 (May), 23(5), 766-773.
[in vitro experiments to determine mechanism]
Herszage, L.; Montenegro, J.L.; Joseph, A.L. "Bol. Trab. Soc.
Argentina Cir.," 1980, 61, 315.
[Clinical report, 120 cases]
Sugar and oil of cloves
Briozzo, Jorge; Nunez, Lidia; Chirife, Jorge; Herszage, Leon;
D'Aquino, Miguel "J. Appl. Bacteriol." 1989, 66(1), 69.
[on the antimicrobial activity of clove oil dispersed in a
concentrated sugar solution]
Chirife, Jorge; Nunez, Lidia; Ballesteros, Sonia A.; Bonzzini,
Juan P.; Herszage, Leon; D'Aquino, Miguel "Rev. Argent.
Microbiol." 1992, 24(1), 32.
[in vitro study of the bactericidal effect of clove oil dispersed
in a concentrated sugar solution]
Maguey sap
Davidson, J.R.; Ortiz de Montellano, B.R. "Ethnopharmocol."
1983, 8, 149.
> Yep. Honey (no sterilization necessary, like you said, nasties can't live in
> it)
I'll respectfully disagree with this statement - there are organisms
that can live in honey - it is a good idea to pasteurize it prior
to use in the same way you would water (solar pasteurization techniques
will work just fine). Commercial honeys are usually pasteurized,
and can be used without additional treatment.
Sugar therapy involves packing the wound with granulated sugar,
ensuring that all recesses of the wound are filled. Surface
wounds (abrasions, etc.) may be treated using a dressing which
has had a sugar past applied to the side which will face the
wound. The paste on the dressing should be thick - about a
centimeter. The wound is inspected and, when the sugar is
diluted by wound exudate so that it is syrupy, the wound should
be washed out and fresh sugar introduced (note that dilute sugar
solutions can support, rather than hinder, bacterial growth).
Replacement of the sugar will ordinarily be required 1 to 4 times
a day, depending on the nature of the wound.
Sugar therapy should not be used on fresh wounds as it may cause
additional bleeding; rather, sugar therapy should be begun 1-3
days after the wound was inflicted.
Mixtures of sugar with povidone iodine may also be useful, and
can be easily prepared by mixing the components; prepared
mixtures of sugar with povidone iodine are commercially
available. Adding oil of cloves in small quantities (0.4%) to
sugar may also produce some useful effects.
Honey Therapy
Honey can be used in a manner similar to that for sugar. Honey
has some advantages over sugar; some honeys appear to contain
natural antibiotic materials, and the fluid nature of honey may
be useful in ensuring filling of puncture or other irregular
wounds. Honey-impregnated dressings may be used with shallow
wounds and burns.
Unprocessed honey may be used; it should first be filtered
(cheesecloth followed by a narrower mesh material) to remove
comb fragments and other debris; it should also be heat
pasteurized.
Maguey Sap
Maguey sap can be used in a manner similar to that for honey.
Selected References:
Honey
Efem, S. E. "Br. J. Surg.," 1988 (Jul), 75(7), 679-681.
[Clinical report - 59 cases]
Willix. D. J.; Molan, P. C.; Harfoot, C. G. "J. Appl.
Bacteriol.," 1992 (Nov), 73(5), 388-394
Honey vs. Sugar
Bose, B. "Lancet," 1982, i, 463.
Sugar
Chirafe, Jorge; Herszage, Leon "Lancet," 1982, 157.
Chirife, J.; Herszage, L.; Joseph, A.; Kohn, E. S.
"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.," 1983 (May), 23(5), 766-773.
[in vitro experiments to determine mechanism]
Herszage, L.; Montenegro, J.L.; Joseph, A.L. "Bol. Trab. Soc.
Argentina Cir.," 1980, 61, 315.
[Clinical report, 120 cases]
Sugar and oil of cloves
Briozzo, Jorge; Nunez, Lidia; Chirife, Jorge; Herszage, Leon;
D'Aquino, Miguel "J. Appl. Bacteriol." 1989, 66(1), 69.
[on the antimicrobial activity of clove oil dispersed in a
concentrated sugar solution]
Chirife, Jorge; Nunez, Lidia; Ballesteros, Sonia A.; Bonzzini,
Juan P.; Herszage, Leon; D'Aquino, Miguel "Rev. Argent.
Microbiol." 1992, 24(1), 32.
[in vitro study of the bactericidal effect of clove oil dispersed
in a concentrated sugar solution]
Maguey sap
Davidson, J.R.; Ortiz de Montellano, B.R. "Ethnopharmocol."
1983, 8, 149.
> Yep. Honey (no sterilization necessary, like you said, nasties can't live in
> it)
I'll respectfully disagree with this statement - there are organisms
that can live in honey - it is a good idea to pasteurize it prior
to use in the same way you would water (solar pasteurization techniques
will work just fine). Commercial honeys are usually pasteurized,
and can be used without additional treatment.