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[cdn-nucl-l] Maggots need access thru OPEN wound

Title: Message
"Roger, Jer, the antibiotics will kill the bacteria, but leave behind necrotic tissue and residual bacteria (and their toxins), which take days&weeks to clear thru normal phagocytosis and, until cleared, remain potential sources for recurring infection  But, remember, that maggots (and surgeons!) need access thru an OPEN wound so they cannot work their magic in deep, buried infections below the surface--which is where hyperbaric oxygen and low dose radiation come in handy.  From now on, I expect you to be armed with a dosimeter AND scalpel (or Swiss Army knife!).  Gerry  "
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:14 AM
Subject: Use low doses of X-rays with maggots for treating infected wound

I just received a note from a colleague who pointed out that maggots are excellent for debridement (trimming way nonviable tissue).
So maggots are recommended as a very economical follow-up treatment, after the infection is stopped.
Interesting!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 9:37 AM
Subject: RE: Low doses of X-rays vs maggots for treating infected wound

Maggot therapy is well established. There are established commercial vendors. They remove necrotic tissue and leave healthy tissue.
 
But it wouldn't seem that maggots vs.. LDR would be a matter of preference. Consider that you couldn't very well use maggots for gas gangrene infection. Peritonitis? I haven't seen much on LDR in the kind of wounds that are typically shown that use maggots, but I haven't looked into the full range of applications. There may be some conditions where both would be applicable.
 
For more on LDR applications, see the Kelly and Dowell book:

Regards, Jim Muckerheide

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Fox [mailto:foxy1@owt.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 8:54 AM
To: Jerry Cuttler; RAD-SCI-L; cdn-nucl-l
Subject: Re: Low doses of X-rays vs maggots for treating infected wound

Jerry:
Just wondering have there been any replications of her methods and successes, in any controlled studies.  I'd hold off on the maggot treatment until then!!  In some worlds a single anecdote is worth a thousand adverse findings.
Mike
  
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 5:20 AM
Subject: Fw: Low doses of X-rays vs maggots for treating infected wound

Interesting correspondence with Pam Mitchell.
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 8:09 AM
Subject: Low doses of X-rays vs maggots for treating infected wound

Hi Pam,
 
Thanks for sending your message (below).
 
Why radiation?  It is "something in nature" too.  We receive radiation from the ground, the water, the air and the sun.
 
Every hospital has X-ray machines.  It's very easy to apply a low dose of 50 rad locally to the wound, to increase the activity of our natural damage-control biosystems, to destroy the infection.
 
In the 1930s, hundreds of patients with gas gangrene infections were treated in American hospitals with low dose of X-rays, and they recovered without the need for amputation.  I wrote an article about it.*  Are physicians afraid to use it today?
 
A dose of 50 rad (0.5 Gy) was applied to the wound area over a 3-minute period.  Most patients received this dose twice on the first day, twice on the second day, once on the third day, and once again on the fourth day.
 
The X-ray treatments are inexpensive.  A hospital bed for several days would be the major cost.  Wouldn't that be less than $40,000?
 
I'm pleased to learn that maggots work also.  I suppose the choice of X-rays or maggots is a matter of acquired taste and cost.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jerry
-----------------------------------
*  Cuttler JM. "Disinfecting wounds with radiation".  Annual Conference of Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, June 2 - 5, 2002
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 9:36 PM
Subject: Maggots

Hey why would you want to try radiation instead of maggots? Maggots are something in nature (but sterilized) work and extremely cheap!! About $80.00 for 1,000.  So how much does low dose radiation cost??? No one makes money on maggots either, they work for free. Oh yea, I am Pam Mitchell the lady in the article. The maggots also worked on my exposed bone and healed up the osteomyelitis I had been treated for 2 years. At a cost of about $40,000. The maggots costs, with application costs for the 10 treatments $2,000. I would highly recommend to anyone and I would definitely do again in a heartbeat!
 
Thanks,
Pam