PATENTED FORMULAS
(Posted 2009-09-17 19:11:27 by ArchPaladin)

There is a particular herbal formula that is used to stop bleeding called
Yun Nan Bai Yao.  Martial artists (and/or those who aren't comfortable
pronouncing pinyin) will simply call it "cut powder".  It comes in all
sorts of preparations, but the basic preparation is a powder that you can
apply to a cut to clot blood.  It's a really cool and effective formula.

It appears that the exact herbal components that make up this formula are a
closely guarded secret that is supposedly kept by one company that produces
it, as well as the Chinese government.

There is occasionally a stink about allowing companies to come in and
patent herbal medicines that are traditionally used in other cultures -
effectively usurping traditional medicines.  Some part of me thinks that
this stranglehold on this formula is basically the same thing, even though
the formula was only developed during the Vietnam War.

I suppose this just hits somewhat close to home.

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