An open letter to Angelina Jolie

Dear Angelina,

I heard the moving story you told at the Clinton Global Initiative about two Syrian refugees. You spoke of a young boy who cared for a man who, for religious reasons, had been tortured and left in a trash can to die. The man’s wounds were infected and riddled with maggots and the impoverished boy nursed him back to health.

Angelina, this is a good story, and a heartbreaking one, but I know something you don’t. Maggots actually promote healing because they eat the bacteria in open wounds. Maggots are natural debriders of necrotic tissue – they precisely remove the bad and leave the good. Meanwhile they disinfect wounds and assist in the healing process. So Angie, next time you want to cry about something, don’t cry about maggots. Maggots are on your side. Maggots are humanitarians too. Maggots were in Syria helping people way before you were. Keep up the good work though.

xo

Wistar

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