Ubi pus, ibi evacua
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Ubi pus, ibi evacua is a Latin aphorism or adage, often cited[1] in medicine, that literally means: "where there is pus, there evacuate it". It refers to what clinicians should do when there is a collection of pus in the body; that is, to create an opening for it to evacuate. A contemporary expression of the same sentiment is also used: "if there's pus about, let it out".
Examples include what an otorhinolaryngologist will often do in case of a child with chronic recurring otitis media: insert a grommet in the eardrum to help evacuate the excess fluid within. Antibiotics often have difficulties getting into an abscess, and do not work well because of a low pH; evacuation through a drainage-channel, on the other hand, will remove a large number of bacteria and thus greatly aid the resolution of the infection.
References
- Jump up ↑ American Medical Journal, Vol. 6, no. 6, June 18, 1876, p 226.
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