First, here’s the column link: Can coconut juice be used as blood plasma? Plus: Are oil space heaters more efficient? - The Straight Dope
In the biography of combat photographer/journalist Neil Davis, One Crowded Hour, it chronicles that in Cambodia during the Viet Nam war, transfusions were made directly from coconuts in the field. This was because coconut juice was sterile and would raise the blood pressure as an emergency field combat treatment. “Davis reaches a field aid station where a transfusion directly from a green coconut helpted to keep him alive.”
At least in this book, it is not coconut juice as plasma, but as sterile liquid to raise the blood pressure.
By the way, if anyone would like to see a picture of the Gilligan’s Island-esque coconut IV, I have one here: http://www.coalgoddess.net/files/Pictures/1003/Gilligan.jpg
(I’ll leave this file up for a week)
As a frequent traveler in the Pacific rim, I find this both disturbing and reassuring!
no shit, especially as i happen to be allergic to coconut :eek:
I shall now carry a couple of coconuts around with me when I’m out and about. And I can already hear the reaction from the girls in the bars as I step inside: “Is that a coconut in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?”
China Guy said:
You know what we call a sterile liquid used to raise blood pressure? Plasma.
Doh, pendants strike back. I was reading it as “plasma” versus “blood plasma” even though the column clearly says “blood plasma.”
You are correct that coconut juice is not identical to blood plasma. Neither is a saline IV, or banana bag.
However, the blood plasma is 90% water. I’m fairly certain the main purpose of adding blood plasma (as opposed to whole blood, packed red cells, or platelets) is to maintain blood volume and blood pressure.
The function of using coconut milk transfusions is to maintain blood volume and blood pressure, even though it lacks the other components (red cells, proteins, etc) of blood.
So I’m not sure what distinction you were trying to make.
