Learn sometin' new Monday - Horseshoe Crab blood saving lives

[packman]

Horseshoe crab blood is an irreplaceable medical marvel—and so biomedical companies are bleeding 500,000 every year

"Every man, woman, and child and domestic animal on this planet that uses medical services is connected to the horseshoe crab."

"Their distinctive blue blood is used to detect dangerous Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli in injectable drugs such as insulin, implantable medical devices such as knee replacements, and hospital instruments such as scalpels and IVs. Components of this crab blood have a unique and invaluable talent for finding infection, and that has driven up an insatiable demand. Every year the medical testing industry catches a half-million horseshoe crabs to sample their blood."


http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a26038/the-blood-of-the-crab/

[DFW]

1. No wonder we don't see them any more on the shores of Cape Cod.... n/t

[randr]

2. Causing one of the most ancient species to be endangered

[Fla Dem]

3. I guess relatively speaking if it saves lives it's better than killing cows, pigs, lambs

and other mammals for their meat.