Does Cure Wounds Remove Infections?

[Scorponok]

If an NPC gets a stab wound, and because they are a wanted criminal, and doesn't go see the town cleric, but lets the wound fester for a few days, then the wound gets infected, does the Cure Wounds spell also stop the infection? One of my players says it should bind up the stab wound completely and make it like the wound never happened, but it could also be argued that since it became infected, it is now filled with bacteria, which makes Remove Disease more suited to removing the infection.

Still, another argument is the infection is more like a poison, and it would need the higher level spell Neutralize Poison in order for the infection to be treated. I dunno if I would go that far. I don't think an infection should be flushed out with a low level orison like Cure Minor Wound but also don't think it should require a level 4 Cleric spell.

[erok0809]

The wound getting infected would be the person contracting a disease, so remove disease is what you're looking for in this case. Cure x wounds would heal the damage from the wound itself, but would not purge the already-contracted disease from you.

[Zanos]

There are no rules for infected wounds.

Most likely it would be treated as a disease, so you would get a fort save to resist, and it could be removed or cured by passing a number of sucessful fort saves or getting a remove disease spell cast on you.

I don't particularly recommend this, however, as it makes low level adventuring rather annoying, although I suppose it would increase the demand for antiplagues.

[Necroticplague]

There are no rules for infected wounds.

Most likely it would be treated as a disease, so you would get a fort save to resist, and it could be removed or cured by passing a number of sucessful fort saves or getting a remove disease spell cast on you.

This. Trying to keep to real life, an infected wound is just a disease. A disease that gets in through a cut, but still just a disease. Not sure how you could see it like a poison.

For DnD purposes, if I wanted to model infected wounds, I'd probably just use the Filth Fever disease.

[Geddy2112]

I have a MS in microbiology, so in my not so humble opinion, cure X wounds would not cure an infection once it has set in. Okay, so an orc stabs you with their dirty blade covered in a whole host of bacteria. Blade goes in, some bacteria in the wound. You slay the orc, and the party cleric/bard/person with cure wounds on a stick goes over and heals you right after the fight. Just like a good antiseptic cleaning and bandage, you should be good to go.

But lets say you don't, and you don't even use a good heal check to close the wound. After a while, those bacteria are going to get busy and set up shop. There is some premise to it being a poison, because many bad bacteria actually produce toxins, but at this point neutralizing the poison won't stop the infection, it just gets rid of the excess toxins running around your body-by the time this happens humans are generally dead. Disease is a good broad spectrum term, covering everything from cancer to viruses to bacterial infections. I think cure disease would be the best choice of the D&D 3.X antibiotic.

Lets use another example-chlamydia. So you were at the local tavern, and through some roleplaying with an NPC of the evening and a failed fortitude save, you have a disease, caused by a bacterium. You would not use cure X wounds here, you would use a cure disease.

[nedz]

Neither Bacteria nor Infections exist in 3.5 — we did use to have some Catgirls though.

[Alex12]

Neither Bacteria nor Infections exist in 3.5 — we did use to have some Catgirls though.

I'm sorry, what was that about infections not existing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#filthFever)?

And no, Filth Fever is not cured by Cure Wounds.

[Starbuck_II]

But the DM has to specify that all the orc weapons have filth fever.
And if so, that means orc suddenly have a racial ability to apply poison-like ability with infinite amounts (normally, you lose the thing after 1 strike).

That seems worth a CR +1 at minimum.

[LibraryOgre]

I would have it prevent infection, but not remove one that has already "set".

So, in the OPs example, if he'd gotten a Cure Wounds spell immediately, it wouldn't fester, even if it didn't completely heal him. Since he let it fester, first, it would still keep festering, even if the Cure Wounds completely healed him. For that, I might let Lesser Restoration remove it, rather than require a full Cure Disease.

[Alex12]

But the DM has to specify that all the orc weapons have filth fever.
And if so, that means orc suddenly have a racial ability to apply poison-like ability with infinite amounts (normally, you lose the thing after 1 strike).

That seems worth a CR +1 at minimum.

Or, you know, not have it be applied immediately. I mean, it says right there, "those injured in filthy surroundings might catch it." Also note that disease takes a lot longer to kick in than poison does.

It's not a property inherent or applied to the weapon, but a part of the environment. If the NPC criminal doesn't go see a healer, but does make sure to keep his stab wound clean and dry, then that's a mundane way to help prevent the disease. If he gets stabbed and then tries to escape through the sewers or something, then his chances of infection are much higher than they are if he escapes over the rooftops and gets something to clean himself with.

[Knaight]

Also note that disease takes a lot longer to kick in than poison does.

It depends on the specifics. Disease takes longer than fast acting poisons, but some poisons are really slow acting and significantly outpaced by faster diseases.

[Scorponok]

I would have it prevent infection, but not remove one that has already "set".

So, in the OPs example, if he'd gotten a Cure Wounds spell immediately, it wouldn't fester, even if it didn't completely heal him. Since he let it fester, first, it would still keep festering, even if the Cure Wounds completely healed him. For that, I might let Lesser Restoration remove it, rather than require a full Cure Disease.

A level 2 spell seems about right, just not RAW. Lesser Restoration is for ability score damage and fatigue/exhausted conditions.

[KillianHawkeye]

But the DM has to specify that all the orc weapons have filth fever.
And if so, that means orc suddenly have a racial ability to apply poison-like ability with infinite amounts (normally, you lose the thing after 1 strike).

That seems worth a CR +1 at minimum.

No, you can actually contract filth fever any time you are wounded while in an especially unclean place, if any DM ever remembered to enforce that rule.

[Spore]

Have him do a very simple Heal check to tend to his wounds. It is simple knowledge after all. He should be able to clean the wound, disinfect it with something (be it a paste made of herbs or actual alcohol) and have a few bandages (or just torn up cloth) and he is fine. There is no need to overcomplicate that matter.

Same goes for "bleeding". A knife no matter how serrated it is cannot deal bleeding damage. Still, for the sake of realistic injuries, someone stabbed in the gut should bleed out. Potions or a masterful healer are key here.


No, you can actually contract filth fever any time you are wounded while in an especially unclean place, if any DM ever remembered to enforce that rule.

I feel a Orcish Sword isn't "dirty" enough for those rules. Sewer Dire Rats, Otyughs or simply not-so-fresh Zombies are more likely to do that. Usually the lost blood should clean the wound no problem.

[Alex12]

I feel a Orcish Sword isn't "dirty" enough for those rules. Sewer Dire Rats, Otyughs or simply not-so-fresh Zombies are more likely to do that. Usually the lost blood should clean the wound no problem.

I'd assume it'd depend on a variety of factors, not just the sword itself. Frankly, the dirtiness of the sword probably doesn't matter, unless the orc smeared feces on it or hit so hard it caused large-scale damage of the sort that would lead to necrosis and gangrene and suchlike (the smearing poop thing is probably more likely). If the injured person just can't go to a cleric, but can basically stay home and just mundanely clean it, he should be fine. If, on the other hand, he needs to flee through the sewers, or hide in the jungle, or anything like that, well, that's a different story entirely.

[Spore]

Still, one shouldn't overdo the realism in the game. Otherwise, flying fire breathing lizards look very weird to the guy dying from dysentery. :)

[Alex12]

Still, one shouldn't overdo the realism in the game. Otherwise, flying fire breathing lizards look very weird to the guy dying from dysentery. :)
Why?

I mean, we went to the moon over 40 years ago, but people still die of malaria (which has, by the way, caused roughly half of all human deaths ever) The two are completely different things. Actually, the presence of dragons probably means more people die of dysentery each year due to impact on infrastructure and suchlike.

[Ashtagon]

There are no rules for infected wounds.

Most likely it would be treated as a disease, so you would get a fort save to resist, and it could be removed or cured by passing a number of sucessful fort saves or getting a remove disease spell cast on you.

I don't particularly recommend this, however, as it makes low level adventuring rather annoying, although I suppose it would increase the demand for antiplagues.

There maybe an obscure supplement somewhere that details rules for wounds getting infected. I'm not sure where that rule is, if it exists.

If a wound has become infected however, then a cure xxxx wounds spell will only restore hit point damage as normal. You'll need the Heal skill or a cure disease spell for the infection.

[Eldan]

I'm sorry, what was that about infections not existing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#filthFever)?

And no, Filth Fever is not cured by Cure Wounds.

Infections are mainly caused by evil miasmata that rise from the plane of Hades. They are of course especially concentrated in evil places, like cesspits, swamps and on the weapons of those who swing them with evil invent.

I mean, come on. That's just basic knowledge.

Bacteria are tiny minions of the demon prince Juiblex that occur in invisible swarms.