Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine - podcast cover

Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroysawbones.simplecast.com
Join Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy for a tour of all the dumb, bad, gross, weird and wrong ways we've tried to fix people.

Episodes

Sawbones: Kegels

No matter the body parts, strengthening your pelvic muscles is generally good for you. But who were they named after, and most importantly, who introduced them? Dr. Sydnee and Justin go on a journey through the Kegel's medical history and naming conventions. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Oct 01, 202439 minEp. 513

Sawbones: Exploding Teeth

Canonically, Dr. Sydnee doesn’t know much about teeth, but there are several cases in dental journals about teeth that spontaneously exploded. Dr. Sydnee tries to make sense of a few mysterious account of these events, conceding that some medical mysteries remain unexplained. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Sep 24, 202434 minEp. 512

Sawbones: Superman

It’s a bird! It’s a podcast! It’s Justin’s superhero anatomy textbook to the rescue! What is the medical and scientific explanation of how Superman’s powers work? Batman has thoroughly analysed his Justice League colleagues, but Dr. Sydnee brings the actual medical knowledge to discuss X-Ray Vision, Super Strength, and a Kryptonite weakness. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Sep 17, 202443 minEp. 511

Sawbones: Triple E and Public Health in 2024

A rare but deadly mosquito-born illness called Eastern equine encephalitis is prompting some local governments to limit evening play for kids. But after the COVID public health crisis, the discussion about how to best protect people has gotten much more complicated. Music: ""Medicines"" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Sep 03, 202447 minEp. 510

Sawbones: Fentanyl and the ONEbox

If you haven’t already been personally affected by a fentanyl overdose, you likely know someone who has. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee explores the rapid rise of fentanyl as a lethal street drug and what one West Virginia group is doing in hopes of turning the tide against overdose fatalities. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Aug 27, 202443 minEp. 509

Sawbones: The Doctor Patient

Dr. Sydnee goes through her own story of a routine mammogram and its follow up: how the experience is different coming in as a doctor, the advantages and the disadvantages of trying to doctor yourself, and how easy it is for someone without every advantage to fall through the cracks of the United States health care system. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Aug 20, 202445 minEp. 508

Sawbones: Mushrooms

It wouldn't be Twenty Fungalore without talking about the alleged medicinal properties of mushrooms, which are a fungus and not a plant at all. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk to Cleveland about common fungi used as medical supplements, from the parasitic Cordyceps to the infamous psilocybin. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Aug 13, 202437 minEp. 507

Sawbones: Medical Jewelry

Magnetic bracelets, immortality rings . . . the internet is full of wearables that are sold for their medicinal properties as if they’re equipment in Baldur’s Gate. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of this fashionable medicine and what it claims to do. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Aug 06, 202445 minEp. 506

Sawbones: Mechanical Heart Pump

Sometimes the cities we visit on tour have some historical medical mess-ups, but not Detroit! Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Forest Dewey Dodrill, who performed the first successful heart surgery (with a pump) in a time where operating on the heart was considered a no-no. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jul 23, 202431 minEp. 505

Sawbones: Tampons

You may have heard that a new study showed tampons contain traces of metals. Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the history of tampons, why they might contain metal, and what we still need to find out about the possible effects of using them. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jul 16, 202448 minEp. 504

Sawbones: Human Tricks

Can you touch your tongue with your nose or wiggle your ears? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the science and studies behind weird little tricks some bodies can do, or "stupid human tricks." Can you flare your nostrils? Take our poll: https://shorturl.at/rdzY3 Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jul 09, 202441 minEp. 503

Sawbones: A Couple of Boob Questions

Sawbones listeners just have so many strange medical questions! Questions like: Why do I sneeze at dark chocolate? Does Diet Coke actually relieve nausea? Why does saliva get thicker while exercising? And you know that TikTok with the cinnamon rolls and the yeast infection. . . is that . . .real? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jul 02, 202447 minEp. 502

Sawbones Classic: Chocolate

To coincide with the opening of Justin and Sydnee's stage production, we bring to you a classic episode about the medicinal history of chocolate! This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin take a sunrise and sprinkle it with dew. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jun 18, 202434 minEp. 501

Sawbones: Willy Wonka

There are different versions of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory exploits, but all of them involve strange things happening to children who misbehave. But from a biological standpoint, what does that look like? Dr. Sydnee and Justin discuss the strange science going on at Wonka's factory and whether gum could possibly contain enough juice to turn someone into a blueberry. Note: Willy Wonka is the creation of Roald Dahl, not a good person. More information about his antisemitism available here: ht...

Jun 11, 202435 minEp. 500

Sawbones: Do You Know How Italian I Am?

Hot time, summer in the city, time for listener Sawbones questions! Questions like: Why is blood sticky? Why does skin itch when it grows back? Might my twin reject my organs? And should I bring my own speculum to an exam? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jun 04, 202443 minEp. 499

Sawbones: Hydrogen Water

Dr. Sydnee has ruined her TikTok algorithm for the listeners once again and came across something called "Hydrogen Water." Similar to alkaline water, hydrogen water goes through an ionization process that leaves it with excess hydrogen molecules. But . . . is it better than regular water? Probably not. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

May 21, 202439 minEp. 498

Sawbones: Plexus

In a collaboration of medical fads and brands, Dr. Sydnee and Justin dive into the confusing MLM called Plexus. The company started as a seller of the Breast Chek [sic] Kit but has since branched out into wellness and weight management products that it encourages its Ambassadors to recruit others to sell. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

May 07, 202445 minEp. 497

Sawbones: Vampire Facials

You may have seen some celebrities or influencers on social media getting something called a Vampire Facial. It's exactly what it sounds like: blood spread on the face like a cream mask. But why would anyone do this unless it's supposed to do something for the skin? Dr. Sydnee and Justin draw out where this trend came from and its questionable benefits. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 30, 202439 minEp. 496

Sawbones: CPR

Squishing someone’s heart and blowing air into them to bring them back to life seems so basic, so why weren’t we able to agree on it for the past few hundred years? This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee gives an overview of the evolution of CPR which, despite what movies and TV would have you believe, isn’t quite an infinite cheat code for avoiding death. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 23, 202442 minEp. 495

Sawbones: Lazarus Syndrome

What if someone was declared dead . . . only for their heart to start beating again? This is a phenomenon sometimes called "Lazarus Syndrome" or "auto resuscitation after failed pulmonary resuscitation". Dr. Sydnee and Justin discuss the outline of exactly what needs to occur, some possible reasons this might happen, and a few wild examples. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 16, 202440 minEp. 494

Sawbones: Sea Moss

Another day, another fad superfood on social media! Sea moss, or carrageenan or Irish moss, has historically been used for ulcers and sore throats, but does it actually have any proven medical use? Well, no, but it’s probably a good vegan substitute for gelatin. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 09, 202441 minEp. 493

Sawbones: Interpreting Research

With so much medical research out there on internet, how can you sort through what's based in science and what's just three people in a room? Dr. Sydnee discusses the all the different factors to think about when deciding how much weight to give any article or study. There's a lot! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 04, 202442 minEp. 492

Sawbones: Gamer Pills

If you want to Get Good at video games quickly, are there any magic pills you can take? Well, there are people trying to sell them to you. Justin and Dr. Sydnee look at some supplements that claim to give gamers better focus and more energy, none of which are doctor-approved. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 28, 202451 minEp. 491

Sawbones: Can You Lick the Capsaicin Patch?

Dr. Sydnee and Justin are welcoming in the spring and allergy season with listeners' strangest medical questions! Why do some people get goosebumps when they do alcohol shots? Does baking soda work for bug bites? Do people with facial hair get more sick? And for real, how long can you REALLY actually look at an eclipse before it's unsafe? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 19, 202452 minEp. 490

Sawbones: Bad Bugs

There are many ways people get sick, but sometimes diseases are carried to people by insects. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the top ten "bad bugs" including mosquitoes, ticks, assassin bugs, and some beetles that are big and bad. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 12, 202443 minEp. 489

Sawbones: IVF

Started in the 1930s by scientist Dr. Miriam Menkin, in vitro fertilization is a medical procedure to help with fertility that took until the 1970s to have results in humans. With some drastic misunderstandings going on in the news, Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the long history of in vitro fertilization and its importance in fertility and contraception today. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 05, 202449 minEp. 488

Sawbones: Knock Knock Hi

Justin and Dr. Sydnee are joined by parallel-universe versions of themselves, The Glaucomfleckens! The two doctor-spouse duos talk about Will and Kristen Flanary's journey into podcasting, including serious medical scares, balancing work and kids, and social media. KNOCK KNOCK HI: https://glaucomflecken.com/podcast/ Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Feb 27, 202450 minEp. 487

Sawbones: Tongue Ties

A tongue tie is not just a turn of phrase, it's a medical condition in which the frenulum under your tongue is too thick and restricts your lingual movement. For a long time, a procedure to cut it has been done as a solution to some breastfeeding woes. But should it be? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of this procedure and the medical field's view on it today. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Feb 13, 202452 minEp. 486

Sawbones: Aquatofana

Normally Sawbones talks about medical cures, whether real or fake, but today Dr. Sydnee and Justin are diving into the opposite. There was a time when women in bad marriages and needed a way out could turn to Julia Tofana who offered a secret, untraceable poison and, maybe, a chance at freedom. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Feb 06, 202438 minEp. 485

Sawbones: Gallstones

Do you even know where your gallbladder is? Maybe it's not so surprising that millions of Americans don't know they have a gastrointestinal disorder caused by gallstones. Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the history of gallbladder disease, and why the icky medical mnemonic of "forty, fat, and fertile" is misleading and maybe even harmful. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Jan 30, 202443 minEp. 484
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