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Debugging

August 17, 2007 · Print This Post Print This Post · Email This Post Email This Post


How were insects once used in the diagnosis of a serious disease?

Let me know if you need hints.

Last 5 posts by David

Written by David · Filed Under Lateral Thinking 

Comments

10 Responses to “Debugging”

  1. Jason on August 17th, 2007 2:50 pm

    Well… back in ye olden days… if a person was covered in lice, flies, maggots, etc., People would say “That person has a disease.”

    These bugs were very helpful in that respect.

  2. Wade the Fade on August 17th, 2007 4:29 pm

    Wasn’t there something like leeches or parasites that wouldn’t latch on and suck you blood because you had a disease and they were used to tell you if you had one? Oh wait… diagnosis… something like… they sucked your blood and if they died you were diseased.

  3. David Scifres on August 17th, 2007 5:41 pm

    nope

  4. Leslie P. on August 17th, 2007 8:43 pm

    Is this related to Chagas disease? I know it’s a bit gross, but I’ve read where one way to diagnose it involves having uninfected bugs feed on the patient and then checking for the parasite that causes the disease in the feeding bug’s waste products or intestines a couple of weeks later. (This is what comes of having a child who reads the “All About Poop Book” for disgusting facts.)

  5. David Scifres on August 19th, 2007 8:41 pm

    Nope, and ewwwwww.

  6. David Scifres on August 20th, 2007 9:17 am

    Ok, it is Ants. That is your first clue. What did they diagnose and how did they do it?

  7. Pat on August 20th, 2007 9:36 am

    Weren’t black ants used to diagnose diabetes way back? They were attracted to the urine of the person(s) with the disease.

  8. Genevieve on August 20th, 2007 11:03 am

    You cover the ants in chocolate. If the person wants to eat it, they have a disease.

  9. Jason on August 20th, 2007 11:15 am

    I gotta get me that “All about Poop” book.

  10. David Scifres on August 20th, 2007 11:52 am

    Pat wins, yet again. When is he going to get some competition.

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