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Morning Start: Ancient Greek and Roman doctors used spider webs as bandages

Here’s the start to your day for July 13
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Spider webs were thought to have antibiotic and healing properties in ancient times. (Claudia Wollesen/Pixabay)

Good morning and welcome to your Tuesday. Throughout the Okanagan-Shuswap, expect sun, haze, and mid to high 30s during the day and overnight lows of high teens.

Cool off at a lake or at a pool, but don’t forget to keep drinking refreshing water.

Interior Health recommends drinking at least two cups of water every hour during high-temperature days.

Fun fact: In ancient times, doctors used spider web as wound dressing

Ancient Greek and Roman doctors used spider webs to keep wounds dry and to protect them from infection, exactly how bandages function nowadays.

Ancient doctors also believed that spider webs have antibiotic and healing properties as well, but scientists with the American Chemical Society have said those properties have not been rigorously tested in modern times to prove that those beliefs are true.

Weather forecast

In Kelowna:

KEL

In Penticton:

PEN

In Vernon:

VERNON

In Salmon Arm:

SA

In Revelstoke:

REV

In case you missed it: Multiple deaths reported after ‘catastrophic’ crane collapse in Kelowna

Multiple people died after a crane collapsed in downtown Kelowna on the morning of July 12.

Kelowna RCMP can’t confirm the exact number of deaths as they are still working to notify the families of the workers who died.

Mission Group, the developer responsible for the 25-storey project, said it was a tragic incident. CEO Jon Friesen confirmed the workers dismantling the crane were contractors and were not direct Mission Group employees.

“Our hearts go out to the families involved,” he said.

Several streets around St. Paul, including Bernard Avenue and Bertram Street, were closed off and evacuated for safety reasons.


@twilamam
twila.amato@blackpress.ca

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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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