In the primary Harry Potter novel, Professor Severus Snape hopes to embarrass Harry by questioning him with regards to Bezoars. According to Snape, it's the stony mass present in the goat's stomach that may act as an antidote to most poisons. Later within the series, the Bezoars come to rescue a poisoned Ron Weasley.
The name Bezoor is derived from each Persian and Arabic, translating as “antidote” and “against poison” – perhaps that is where JK Rowling got her inspiration from. But many Harry Potter readers may not realize that bezors aren't the one ones. A product Rowling's imagination.
And while it's true that they're present in the stomachs of goats and Other animalsHumans may develop bezoars – Rarely – of their stomachs, intestines, throat And even Wind pipe.
Bezoars range in size and weight. I July 2024A 24-year-old woman in Manabí, Ecuador, had 16 inches of hair, weighing two kilos, from her stomach. In March 2024, doctors in Newcastle removed a 6-inch hair from a seven-year-old girl's stomach. Reportedly, it was covered. 80% of his intestines.
Bezoars are sometimes rocky in appearance, and should be formed from materials that are usually not digested and absorbed through the intestinal wall. As a result, the fabric accumulates throughout the lumen – the cavity – of the gut, which steadily increases in size.
This takes Certain conditions For someone to develop a bezoar – ingesting indigestion material – normally with a slow-moving digestive system, which suggests they're unable to maneuver the fabric along the intestine and out as stool.
Bezoar types
There is a wide selection of bezoar types, normally classified by what they're fabricated from. For example, are plant-based Phytobezoars Because plant material consists mostly of cellulose, a compound indigestible to humans.
But the food Date fruit could cause Diospyrobezoars – A subset of phytobiosis occurs specifically resulting from the high consumption of this fruit. Dates are particularly high in tannins, which give them a bitter taste, especially after they are raw – and these tannins Identified as a high risk. to provide bezoar.
Many other materials can change into bezoars. Fibers from vegatables and fruits, milk, medicines and gums (eg swallowed). Bubble Gum) can form an indigestible mass within the stomach, while consumption of inorganic materials similar to paper, polystyrene and plastic may cause bezoar. It is especially related to condition Pikawhich describes a craving for inedible foods or things that don't have any dietary value A woman of hope.
Not all bezoars are necessarily stones. Trichobezoars Contains hair, which might accumulate on the body like cat hair. This can result in a condition referred to as Rapunzel syndromeNamed after the fairy tale heroine, where the bezoar grows in size and length through the years by swallowing hair. Some patients require surgery to remove an intensive tuft of hair from the intestines that is claimed to resemble Rapunzel's long streak.
Bezoor for all times
Stony bezoars were faraway from the animals. were once popular As collectors' items, mainly because they were believed to cure poisons.
They are more likely to have. existed as a collection. I Middle East Long before their arrival in medieval Europe. In the times of kings, lords, and merchants—lots of whom were afraid of being poisoned—dropping bezoar into their drinking vessels. Safety practice. Unfortunately, he would have had zero success.
Bezoor continued, nonetheless. A valuable curiosity. Some were made into ornaments, or Adorned with gold and jewels As a part of a set. Some medical museums, including newly renovated ones The Hunterian Museum in Londonproceed to display them.
Modern day bezels
Like many stone masses within the body, similar to gallstones and renal calculi, unless bezoars work into small areas where they will get stuck, they might not cause any symptoms – and may remain hidden for years.
If bezoars cause problems, similar to nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting – and even gastric ulcers or bleeding – they could be treated in quite a lot of ways. If the bezoar is sufficiently small, it could be removed with an endoscope — a tool attached to a camera that may see into the gut to remove the stone. Larger bezoars may require surgery to remove them.
A non-invasive method used to treat some bezoars, including persimmon stones, involves treating them with saline solutions, enzyme preparations and, surprisingly, Cola.
However, the medical jury is out on the effectiveness of this dissolution of Bezoor. And more worryingly, if these treatments can potentially dissolve gallstones, what might they be doing to your stomach?
If you suffer from bezoars, otherwise you're anxious about developing them, avoid high-risk foods similar to dates, celery, pumpkin, prunes and sunflower seed husks – and shake your food before swallowing. Chew well. Avoid swallowing undigested non-food items, including hair, and seek medical advice in case you are concerned in regards to the condition of pica.