When was stitches invented

Internet Explorer is no longer supported by this website. For optimal browsing we recommend using Chrome , Firefox or Safari. Today's Top Reads. By Hallie Levine October 05, Today's Top Reads Close. Did you like reading this story? Click the heart to show your love. Did you enjoy reading this story? Galen of Pergamon Wellcome Library, London. Image courtesy of Ethicon Archives. Image courtesy of Ethicon.

Stratafix Suture Image courtesy of Ethicon. Check it out. And yet the need is there; on average, 11 percent of surgical wounds develop an infection in low- and middle-incoming countries, according to the World Health Organization , compared to between 2 and 4 percent of surgeries in the U. In some African nations, up to 20 percent of women who give birth by C-section then develop surgical site infections.

Research has also shown that health centers in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi have similar or lower rates of infection, at between 2 and 10 percent, following C-sections than the U. But smartphone access is markedly different.

A BBC survey published in found that in Sierra Leone, about 53 percent of people own mobile phones, and about three-quarters of those owned basic cell phones, not smartphones.

For the four months leading up to her first regional science fair in February , Taylor committed Friday afternoons to research under the guidance of her chemistry teacher, Carolyn Walling. Healthy human skin is naturally acidic , with a pH around five. But when a wound becomes infected, its pH goes up to about nine. Changes in pH can be detected without electronics; many fruits and vegetables are natural indicators that change color at different pH levels.

Bright red beet juice turns dark purple at a pH of nine. So beets is where it's at. Next, Taylor had to find a suture thread that would hold onto the dye. She tested ten different materials, including standard suture thread, for how well they picked up and held the dye, whether the dye changed color when its pH changed, and how their thickness compared to standard suture thread.

After her school transitioned to remote learning, she could spend four or five hours in the lab on an asynchronous lesson day, running experiments. After winning some local science competitions, her research was entered into the Regeneron Science Talent Search where she won the Seaborg Award.

The 40 student finalists choose the winner of this prize, which goes to the participant who best represents the spirit of the competitors and the dedication of Nobel Prize-winning chemist Glenn Seaborg.

She enjoys cooking, yoga, reading, music and walking her two rescue dogs. Follow her on Twitter to see her recent stories. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Share this —. Follow today.