The status of cows in India is about to become even more sanctified, with an increasing number of research labs developing a line of medicines made of cow feces and urine, Agence France-Presse reported.
The medicines combine the practical and spiritual aspects of the cow, and scientists in Ahmedabad, India are using the animal feces and urine to formulate cures ranging from cancer to bad breath.
"These formulas are not new," said Kesari Gumat, a scientist at the Ahmedabad Research Center. "They are contained in ancient Hindu holy texts. We are just making them with a scientific approach."
More than 300 cows call the research center home, where their excrement is collected and spread on the ground to dry in the sun. Visitors are asked to remove their shoes and socks before having to walk across the field of feces.
"Walking on fresh cow dung is very healthy," Gumat said. "It kills all the germs and bacteria and heals wounds. And dry cow dung is a great scrub to get rid of dead skin and improve blood circulation."
The list of uses of cow feces and urine is a long one, including soap and toothpaste, incense sticks, and even a soft drink waiting for government approval that’s main ingredient is cow urine.
Cows are sacred to the huge population of Hindus in India who don’t eat beef, but bodily excrement is acceptable.
The process of preparing the feces and urine to develop medicine is very intricate.
The cow’s feces is collected and dried for more than a week, and stirred at a high temperature in order to kill any dangerous bacteria. The end product is a sterile feces powder, which can then be mixed to make medicines and other products. Impurities are removed from cow urine through distillation.
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