Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Ask your pharmacist
- Jim Latona (22 December 2000)
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My Blood Stain's removal Remedy
- Kirby F Sebro (22 December 2000)
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H2O2 and blood stains
- Read Weaver Schusky (2 January 2001)
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How cold is cold?
- Susan Wearne (11 January 2001)
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cost
- Amy Hopkins (7 March 2001)
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Jim Latona, Hospital Pharmacist Royal Lancaster Infirmary
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Sir CK Pager is correct in identifying the mechanism of blood staining as being erythrocyte lysis. The correct mechanism to prevent permanent staining is to prevent erythrocyte lysis. The lysis occurs when erythrocytes are exposed to hypotonic solutions like water. The correct way to treat blood stains is to apply a hypertonic saline solution and provide gentle agitation in order that the cell structure is preserved. The cells can then be rinsed away to rupture somewhere else. I would reccommend that all doctors be equipped with a strong salt solution to apply immediately to the offending stains. I am in no way connected to or sponsored by the salt industry. Yours faithfully Jim Latona |
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Kirby F Sebro, Final Year Medical Student, University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Port-Of-Spain General Hospital
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Dear Sir, My congratulations to the authors on a well written article. As a final year medical student, required to wear white shirts, I have unfortunately been splattered with blood on rare occasions. I have discovered, through trial and error, that the best remedy, is normal strength Hydrogen Peroxide applied within 24hrs to the stained area. The stain immediately bubbles up, and slowly dissipates. Normal washing in hot or cold water results in a pristine white shirt. At present I am unsure how this method works, and my medline searches have proven unsuccessful. Perhaps the authors could try this revolutionary technique on their bed sheets in the future. I have no competing interests nor any affiliation to any hydrogen peroxide companies. Yours Respectfully,
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Read Weaver Schusky, Private practice
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I believe oxygen acts as a bleach for many pigments, yes? And I believe hydrogen peroxide reacts with hemoglobin resulting in rapid degradation into H20 and O2, i.e., liberating free oxygen. The rule I was taught about temperature didn't have to do with washing, but with soaking--soak the stain in cold water, then wash it however you normally would. |
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Susan Wearne, GP Educator Centre for Remote Health
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Last year I moved from Yorkshire to Alice Springs. One unexpected challenge was finding that removing blood stains from clothing became difficult. A long soak in cold water doesn't work any more. Why? Is Australian blood different? The answer seems to be that the cold water is different - it isn't actually cold. The warm climate means that the water in the tank, is similarly warm. Pager does not refer to the temperature of the water on the cold water cycle. Was it cold, as it would be in Yorkshire, or tepid, as in Alice Springs? It costs more to use hot water - perhaps this otherwise neat piece of research should be repeated in colder climes, including a check on the water temperature, before we all turn up the heat. |
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Amy Hopkins Sandpiper Consulting, LLC
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Is it just me, or are these drugs a tad bit expensive to be used for this purpose? While having blood stains on clothing may be annoying, I don't see how it represents a source of "morbidity" as stated in the article. |
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