Wound Odor: The View from Ancient Greece

Philoctetes fanning his malodorous foot wound with the wing of a bird in a painting by Jen-Germain Drouais, 1788. The fascinating history of wound care dates back to the earliest human cultures, where prehistoric bones and cave paintings left hints of wound-healing knowledge.  A major problem associated with wounds is odor, a phenomenon recognized for millennia.  In today’s practice, when examining and documenting wounds, the standard of care requires noting the presence of odor.   Odor associated with a wound can result from necrotic tissue and metabolic by-products of certain bacteria.  Pseudomonas, for example, can yield a fruity scent, while anaerobic bacteria emit a foul smell. Any chronic wound can emit odor, including pressure ulcers, and wounds associated with vascular disease and tumors.  Wound odor can cause psychological distress and lead to social isolation and depression in addition to morbidity associated with infection.  Many products and techniques are recommended to fight the odor of wounds, including topical and systemic antibiotics, debridement of dead tissue, and compounds containing silver or charcoal. The phenomenon of wound odor was well documented in Classical Antiquity and writings of the ancient philosophers.  For example, one episode from the Iliad of Homer which took place in the 12th or 13th century BC concerns a malodorous wound.  Philoctetes was a Greek hero who set out to win the hand of Helen of Troy – the most beautiful woman i...
Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Featured Medical Articles Pressure Injuries & Wound Care medical history medicine and art pressure sore pressure sores pressure ulcer pressure ulcers wound healing Source Type: blogs