Enlarge / A new study found that ethyl acetate and other solvents typically used to study the antimicrobial properties of spider silk can inhibit bacterial growth. So prior studies finding such evidence may be methodologically flawed. (credit: Simon Fruergaard/CC BY-SA) Ancient Greeks and Romans are said to have treated wounds suffered in battle with poultices made of spider silk, believing the silk had healing properties, as well as using it to treat skin lesions and warts.