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The Court Jester Whose Wit Saved His Life

How a court jester slapped the king's butt, then brilliantly convinced him not to kill him Triboulet served as court jester under King Francis I, who ruled France from 1515 to 1547 . Triboulet's quick humor rescued him from Francis I's deadly wrath, not once, but twice. Court jesters hold a unique place in history. Playing the fool for kings and queens meant they were always in close proximity to royalty, but so very far from their rank and station. Comedians often like to push boundaries, but that can be a dangerous business when your job is to entertain the peope who have executioners at their beck and call. Especially when you forget your place—or purposely ignore it, as the case may be—and playfully smack the reigning monarch square on the behind. That little whoopsie was the claim to fame of Triboulet, a court jester who served King Francis I in 16th-century France. But it was how he got away with slapping the king on the butt and living to tell about it that earne...

Tilapia fish skin

Brazilian doctors use Tilapia fish skin to treat burn victims

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Doctors wrap a child's burnt skin with sterilised tilapia fish skin at Dr. Jose Frota Institute in the northeastern costal city of Fortaleza. Researchers in Brazil are experimenting with a new treatment for severe burns using the skin of tilapia fish, an unorthodox procedure they say can ease the pain of victims and cut medical costs.

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Doctors wrap a child's burnt skin with sterilised tilapia fish skin. Frozen pig skin and even human tissue have long been placed on burns to keep them moist and allow the transfer of collagen, a protein that promotes healing.

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A tilapia fish and tilapia fish skins are displayed in Jaguaribara. However, lack of human and pig skin supplies in the region has boosted the demand of Tilapia which is abundant in Brazil’s rivers and fish farms.

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In China, researchers have tested tilapia skin on rodents to study its healing properties, but scientists in Brazil say their trials are the first on humans.

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University lab technicians treated the fish skin with various sterilizing agents, and sent it to São Paulo for irradiation to kill viruses before packaging and refrigeration.

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Doctors wrap a child's burnt skin with sterilised tilapia fish skin. Once cleaned and treated, it can last for up to two years, researchers say. The treatment removes any fish smell. 

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The fish skin has high levels of collagen type 1, stays moist longer than gauze, and does not need to be changed frequently.

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Lucinete carries her daughter Ana who had 15 percent of the body burned and is receiving treatment with tilapia fish skin. 

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A patient with burnt skin exercises at the Support Institute for Burn Victims.

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The tilapia skin is applied directly onto the burned area and covered with a bandage, without the need for any cream.

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After about 10 days, doctors remove the bandage. The tilapia skin, which has dried out and loosened from the burn, can be peeled away.

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Tanks of tilapia fish are seen in Castanhao dam where the fish are cultivated.

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Packs of sterilised tilapia fish skin are displayed at Medicine Development Centre. The researchers hope the treatment will prove commercially viable and encourage businesses to process tilapia skin for medical use. 


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