Raw egg whites, Burn treatment or not?...

I like this one. It's old school Mythbusters

And it's true, as you say, that in an emergency when you don't have a good supply of cold water, one might try other cold things and eggs could be one of those things, although if it's a minor burn (1st degree), I might just take something solid and cold to hold against the burn, instead of slathering some sort of substance all over it. As with your example of the butter, for instance, I wouldn't apply the butter to the burn, but just hold the cold package directly on it.

Either way, there's a solid claim that can be tested here: Collagen in egg whites help heal burn wounds fast and effectively, leaving behind almost no trace that there was a burn at all.

As for testing, the guys have put their bodies on the line for science before and they would have to again, because dead skin can't heal, so trying this on a slab of pig won't do anything. My suggestion would be to go to a tattoo parlor that does branding, which is intentional burning of the skin to make scar patterns for "cosmetic reasons" (yeah, I don't get it, but then again, I don't get why people want tattoos or piercings either...)

One of them could have a small "MB" or something like that branded on each arm. One burn is treated with the recommended salves and antiseptics that are normally used when people have this done and the other burn treated with egg whites, as per the myth.

A good way to ensure that this doesn't go bad is to temporarily employ the services of a burn ward nurse to check the wounds daily and pull the plug on the test if there are signs of anything serious, like an infection. This is also the reason I'm suggesting they go to someone who does branding professionally. If they do it themselves in the shop, they could get all kinds of contaminants in there that could both be bad for their health and skew the results. A professional brander would have sterile equipment, ensuring that the only variable that could potentially mess it up is the egg white. That ensures they're not going to hear, "you did it wrong, because you got X into the wound" and that the cause of any problems is easily identifiable and treatable.

As for the collagen claim, data on the amount and type of collagen in egg whites has probably been studied extensively and would be readily available, making it relatively easy to find information to splash on the screen in the new format, or to have Adam or Jamie explain to camera. Furthermore, this is something that could easily be tested alongside another myth, as the bits to camera on this would only involve the actual branding, applying the treatments and checking the wounds once or twice a day. In between checking the wounds, they could just be going about daily business.

How else would you test it? Dead skin can't heal.

Good point.
How abouts get some medical advice first?...

Animal testing, the question would be can they tell you if it eases the pain?... obviously no, so we are in agreement.
Can they tell you which is better between X and Y?.
So no, you cant test on animals in the first place, because they cant tell you the experience, so thankfully, animal testing is out from the start?...

And I want to make it clear thats how I want it anyway, I disagree with harming animals in that way.
And yes, plastic ear tags are much safer and less painful, just like getting a human ear pierced.
(If done right anyway...?..)

Human volunteer testing, small scale?... as in a TINY piece of skin?... is it any worse than getting a tattoo?...
I Dont Know.

But the science first, if there is a known medical reason, such as positive proof that egg whites would bred bacteria right from the start, we have a conclusion ....

in collecting firewood yesterday, I barked a shin, and I thought about volunteering to test the healing part of the myth, but I realized that:
A: I didn't have a control injury
B: I don't have any faith that the healing process scavenges material from external application
C: that would waste several eggs.

so instead I am applying the egg whites internally, and the injury will heal as it heals. sorry.

edit: the major part of the realization is that B is the key component of the myth, when talking about egg whites containing collagen.

there are topical coagulants. military field dressings use them. the most common ones are not egg white based. don't use them if you have a shellfish allergy.

I need to add this with a DO NOT TRY THIS ANYWHERE tag...
Hydrogen Peroxide.
Hair bleach....

It has been rumoured that it can help wounds heal...
NO IT DOES NOT.
It may cause cellular damage and in truth extend the healing process...

Just before anyone goes experimenting....
Good idea to check here first, or search online, before you do try anything else that may be rumoured eh?...

hydrogen peroxide disinfects the wound by killing any living cells it comes into contact with.