[kellyhound]

russian soldier.

[SavageGlow]

That's gnarly!

[William May]

The maggots are probably why he survived. During the Crimean war in the 1850's, the doctors and nurses noted that soldiers who had maggot activity on their wounds actually healed and recovered, whereas those who just had infection activity and pus wounds but with no maggot activity, typically died. Hospitals apply maggots now to severely burned patients, or those who are developing gangrene, as the maggots only consume dead tissue, thus leaving the wound area very clean and relatively bacteria-free. They usually cover them with a light dressing now-days, so the patients don't have to watch the maggots work. I think I would find it interesting and would want to watch their progress.

[Pyramid_Head]

I know they help but I just can't with maggots.

[Mr.NoCredit]

Originally Posted by William May ↗

The maggots are probably why he survived. During the Crimean war in the 1850's, the doctors and nurses noted that soldiers who had maggot activity on their wounds actually healed and recovered, whereas those who just had infection activity and pus wounds but with no maggot activity, typically died. Hospitals apply maggots now to severely burned patients, or those who are developing gangrene, as the maggots only consume dead tissue, thus leaving the wound area very clean and relatively bacteria-free. They usually cover them with a light dressing now-days, so the patients don't have to watch the maggots work. I think I would find it interesting and would want to watch their progress.

I don’t think I could even handle the feeling of them moving around in me/on me. I’d be so creeped out I wouldn’t be able to stand it…

[theamazingkort]

Originally Posted by Pyramid_Head ↗

I know they help but I just can't with maggots.

Right? I assume you're still gonna feel them moving around inside the wound; wouldn't that drive you nuts? I mean, I get weird feeling a mosquito anywhere on my body, much less rhe idea of having maggots infest an open wound.

But then again, if one has a wound that's bad enough to require the use of maggots in the healing process, perhaps how it feels while it's happening is the least of their concerns.

[Elizabeth76]

My friend and I had a conversation about this, and about 25 years ago her aunt had a open wound on her foot that needed maggots. Well her Dr. told her to sit outside in her lawn chair with her wound exposed so that flies would land and lay their eggs. If she didn't do this she would have had to get her foot amputated.
My mother in law who passed in October, had diverticulitis and spent about 5 months in the hospital with her stomach completely open so they could monitor the healing after removing a large amount of her intestine. Anyway, she needed maggot activity so I guess the hospital orders lab maggots in mesh pouches and they can lay the pouches in the wound so there's not just a pile of maggots.
When she was closed up, she no longer had a belly button it was strange. This was about 15 years before she passed.