# Meat on a wound

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-on-a-wound/238921>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 8, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-on-a-wound/238921 "2004-04-08T07:30:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-on-a-wound/238921/1 "2004-04-08T07:30:48Z")

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I’m sure we’ve all heard of the old remedy of putting a piece of steak onto a black eye, and in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=247972) raw bacon/bacon fat was mentioned as a means of drawing a pimlple’s infection to the surface of the skin.

Neither of these seem terribly logical “cures” - does anyone know of a logical/scientific explanation for why they work?

Thanks  
Grim

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**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-on-a-wound/238921/2 "2004-04-08T12:34:45Z")

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> [@grimpixie](#):
>
> I’m sure we’ve all heard of the old remedy of putting a piece of steak onto a black eye, and in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=247972) raw bacon/bacon fat was mentioned as a means of drawing a pimlple’s infection to the surface of the skin.
> 
> Neither of these seem terribly logical “cures” - does anyone know of a logical/scientific explanation for why they work?

I think there may be a Straight Dope article about the steak-on-the-eye. IIRC, it’s mainly that a refrigerated steak is cold enough to bring the swelling down. It’s also more pliable than say an ice cube wraped in a towel and will follow the contours of your face better than a clunky ice cube. Think of it as a precursor to those blue, refrigerated gel backs that get put on boo-boos today.

Never heard of the bacon thing. WAG - the salt draws out the puss?

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-on-a-wound/238921/3 "2004-04-08T16:28:48Z")

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Doing a little research to answer my own question lead me [here](http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1943.html):

> [@Alice](#):
>
> Raw steaks that have traditionally been put on black eyes were done so because the meat is cold, not because it has any special healing properties. Ice wrapped in a washcloth or a baggie of frozen veggies are more suitable steak substitutes.

As for the bacon, I’m still searching…

Grim