That incy wincy spider climbing up the wall may give you the creeps but some hundred years ago it would have been a godsend in Europe. You see, rather than treat old spidey with a whack of a slipper; early Europeans used spider webs to treat injuries.
Centuries ago, medication was based on trial and error with emphasis on herbal remedies. Natural remedies more or less reigned supreme along with the discoveries of the time but according to early records, cobwebs or spider webs were actually used to treat injury.
Back then, spider webs were used as guaze to cover injuries and wounds. Ancient Greeks and Romans especially resorted to such medical practices which observed the wound healed faster. Sounds amazing doesn’t it?
How was this possible? well it all boils down to science. A spider web is rich in vitamin K which is an ingredient that stops bleeding and promotes healing. Roman soldiers would use a combination of honey and vinegar to disinfect wounds and then cover it with spider web. If a web is clean, it’s antifungal and anti bacterial properties can minimise and prevent infection.
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First of all, don’t go looking for webs of Black Widow spiders, rest assured that’s not a good idea and in any case where you may live you won’t see any. BUT!! Be careful of brown recluse spiders as this is the most poisonous spider found in the US. Look for the common spiderwebs at home and make sure it hasn’t got anything stuck to it like dead insects and insect poop.
Now ball up a spider web and place it on your wound. You could apply a bandage to hold it in place. Once the wound is dry and healed, remove the web with warm water. This may sound corny and weird but scientific studies are discovering how you can use spider web to treat injuries.
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Research studies have observed that spider silk which is full of spidey protein and vitamin can heal ligament damage and injured knees. Professor Fritz Vollrath a zoologist at Oxford University keeps a greenhouse full of plump golden orb weavers and regards spiders as having miraculous healing powers. Having studied spiders all his life, he has published several groundbreaking studies analyzed from research across the world in regards to spider webs to treat injuries.
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In fact, a gel called spidweb to treat dental wounds has also been developed by medical students of Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia. Do you still think spidey webs are useless? Well think again because nature is full of amazing wonders and spider webs are one of them.
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