Cow dung as medicine (really!)

Few people seem to be aware that cow manure (dung) from pastured animals raised on a natural diet (grass) and untreated with antibiotics or hormones is not only non-toxic, but actually has antimicrobial properties. It is also an excellent insect repellant. In India, it is used topically as part of Ayurvedic medicine to treat skin problems. It has a non-offensive odor, is used as a floor and wall liner to repel insects (particularly mosquitoes), as a food storage preservative, and of course, it is a great natural fertilizer. Some examples based on cultural anecdotes and observations, and indigenous wisdom:

Cow dung in medicine

Development of cow dung based herbal mosquito repellent

The healing powers of dung

Stories from India

We have turned nature’s perfect fertilizer into a toxic substance via CAFOs, demonizing E. Coli bacteria along the way. All warm-blooded animals, including humans, have a gut filled with E. Coli, the majority of which is not only non-toxic, but is beneficial. Some strains are even used as a probiotic to treat IBD. See for example:

Escherichia coli

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