Question

read the passage.
maggots as medicine
while serving in world war i, surgeon william baer noticed something curious: soldiers whose wounds were infested with maggots (the wormlike immature larval form of flies) recovered faster than those whose wounds were maggot - free. although baer was not the first military doctor to take note of this phenomenon, he was the first to apply his observations to the problem of nonhealing wounds. in the 1920s, he began treating hospital patients serious wounds with maggots. the maggots consumed dead tissue, effectively cleaning the wounds and helping the patients heal. while maggot therapy fell out of favor after bacteria - killing antibiotic medications were introduced, it has made a comeback in modern medicine. many clinicians have found that the treatment can be effective for certain types of severe wounds that do not respond to antibiotics.
what is the main, or central, idea of the passage?
as noted by william baer, some severe wounds can be effectively treated with maggots, which consume dead tissue.
william baer, a military surgeon, observed the advantages of maggot - infested wounds while serving in world war i.

Explanation:

The passage describes William Baer's observation of maggot-infested wounds healing faster, his application of maggot therapy for nonhealing wounds, its decline with antibiotics, and modern comeback for antibiotic-resistant severe wounds. The main idea should encapsulate the core of maggot therapy's effectiveness and use, not just Baer's initial observation.

Answer:

As noted by William Baer, some severe wounds can be effectively treated with maggots, which consume dead tissue.