Using petrol, kerosene to stop bleeding ineffective- Physician

A professor of Medicine, Dr. Michael Asuzu has warned Nigerians against using petrol, kerosene, or engine oil to stop bleeding, noting that they are ineffective.

According to Asuzu, rather than applying petrol, kerosene, or engine oil on injuries to stop bleeding, what should be considered is the tying of a tight rope on the upper part of the body with the injury to stop the flow of blood through the veins to the wound.

Asuzu, who is a professor at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said those applying kerosene, petrol, or engine oils to a bleeding wound or burn are wasting their time because those items don’t have any mechanism to stop the bleeding.

According to him, such practice is a futile attempt to mimic the old traditional way of treating injuries when edible oils are used to stop bleeding.

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Azusu said people wrongly assume that petrol or other motor oil can be used in place of palm oil in treating such accidents.

Speaking with in an interview, Asuzu said, “In traditional medicine, if you have burns, you soften banana or plantain leaves with oil on it. You sterilise it over the fire and put it on the wound.

“Dressing the injury with some oil on it eases out the pain and facilitates healing.

“It is the supposition that petrol is like palm oil or any of these natural oils you use to reduce inflammation or reactions. That is the thought they have in their head but that is not the correct oil for it.”

The health expert said that petrol is not oil as it has ingredients that are alien to the natural ingredients in edible oils.

Instead of engaging in such unhelpful practice, he advised that to stop bleeding on wounds, “tie a tight rope on the upper part of the body that is bleeding.

“This stops blood from flowing through the veins and arteries that to that wound. If it is not a major wound, you put pressure on the blood vessel, once your hand is there long enough, it will clog but such a person should be taken to hospital immediately after that.”