Licking as an out-of-hospital burns treatment-An isolated cultural phenomenon?

Seoighe, Deirdre M; Baker, Joseph F; Conroy, Frank · Burns · 2011

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

Wound management in burns is a potentially complex issue. Salivary constituents have been shown experimentally to be of benefit in the treatment of thermal injuries. In our clinical experience we have encountered patients who have saliva directly applied to the burn wound prior to presenting to the national burns service. The practice is known as "Licking". We report two cases to illustrate the presentations we have encountered. We believe that these illustrate an isolated phenomenon unique to the Republic of Ireland.

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