Injections of Olive Oil to Treat Pneumonia?!?!?

In this month's final page in Science News Magazine, there is a very interesting article about the past success in the treatment of pneumonia with olive oil at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London.

It is an article from their archives. It is re-printed from the March 30, 1935 Science News Magazine. 

“The oil is emulsified and then injected into the veins. The high temperature of pneumonia patients dropped to normal within 23-hours after the olive oil injections and three weeks later the patients were well.”

At the time, they believed the effect of the “oil is due to absorption of the pneumonia or other toxins circulating in the blood. These poisons lose their potency after adhering to the globules of the oil.”

Turns out the roots of this experiment goes back to the times before antibiotics. “Serotheraphy, a popular treatment in the 1930’s, involved injecting animal-derived antibodies to a specific strain of bacteria into people.”

Sounds weird but seemed to work. Thank goodness for antibiotics! Imagine, getting olive oil injections to treat pneumonia!

If you want more information, it is in the November 5, 2011 Science News Magazine. Page 32.