Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
499 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 14.4K ratingsJoin 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.
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Episodes
Sawbones Classic: Home Alone
December 14, 2021 22:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBWe're re-releasing our classic holiday episode all about Home Alone. For your listening edification, Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her lovely assistant Justin McElroy are delighted to present a full accounting of the injuries likely sustained by the Wet Bandits. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/
Tis the Season for Weird Medical Questions
December 07, 2021 17:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBWe're warming the December chill with another Sawbones Q+A, answering all the weird medical questions that can only be answered publicly, on a podcast. Questions about milk and lost limbs, mole hair, spontaneous UTIs, dead germs, where does the vaccine go, and sexy sneezing.
Alka-Seltzer
November 30, 2021 17:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBPlop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a LEGACY it is. Welcome back to Justin McElroy’s Medical Brand Hall of Fame, where we can put aside questions of science and efficacy and focus on what really matters: How Juliana Marguiles’ dad wrote a jingle that was hidden for 20 years before it changed the world.
Arsenic Wallpaper
November 16, 2021 17:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBNo, dear listener, “arsenic wallpaper” is not just a great band name, it’s also a reference to a mid-1800s fanaticism around using arsenic to create a particular vibrant shade of green. A sort of . . . jade? Sage? Anyway. You’ve probably already guessed how that works out, but we’ll lay it out for you just the same on this week’s Sawbones.
Melioidosis
November 09, 2021 17:00 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MBYou may have heard about a recent deadly outbreak related to gemstone-laden room sprays. The culprit in that sad situation is called “Melioidosis,” and this week we’ve got a history of how humanity tracked down this slippery ailment.
Sex and Gender
October 26, 2021 16:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MBThere has been lots of discourse about gender expression recently, and “science” is often trotted out as an argument to deny the experience of others. “Feel however you want,” these arguments typically begin, “but there are only two sexes, and they’re easily defined, and that’s just science.” That’s … well it’s crap. This week on Sawbones, join us as we make it extremely clear where science stands on this complex issue.
The Green Children of Woolpit
October 19, 2021 16:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBFor Halloween, Sawbones is bringing you a story rooted in folklore and mystery: two children showed up one day in the English town of Woolpit, speaking a strange language . . .and with green skin. But their curious appearance may have a logical and medical explanation, and we bring you our best guesses.
The Malaria Vaccine
October 12, 2021 16:00 - 41 minutes - 38.5 MBAs an intro to new listeners, we’re bringing you science unfolding in real time that’s actually really good: the malaria vaccine. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: It’s called Mosquirix. Doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue. But the good news? It could save tens of thousands of children’s lives every year.
The Pill that Helps Prevent HIV
October 05, 2021 17:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBWere you aware there’s a medicine that with an extremely high degree of efficacy can prevent the spread of HIV? There is! There’s just one problem: It’s costly. … And not enough people know about it. … And many doctors don’t know enough about it. … And it’s the center of a protracted legal battle . . . Okay, so there are a few problems. This week on Sawbones, we’ll explore them all.
Bruising
September 28, 2021 16:00 - 38 minutes - 36.1 MBWell, in one of the classic parenting whoopsies, Justin and Sydnee dented their daughter (she’s fine). In honor of her contusion, this week on Sawbones we’re talking about bruises. Are steaks part of it? Should you put most of a charcuterie board on there? Also, what’s up with the little irons boxing guys get rubbed on their face bruises? All of your questions about bruises will be answered, friend. Hold tight!
Weird Medical Questions Strike Back
September 22, 2021 17:00 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBIs there evidence that sugary drinks cause worse hangovers? Does green snot mean there’s an infection? We’re answering more of your weird medical questions. Well, to be fair, Dr. Sydnee is answering your medical queries about sticky lip germs, C.diff, and the hot debate about that thing on your back.
Black Oxygen Organics
September 14, 2021 16:00 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBWell, people are eating dirt. Real expensive dirt, too. That’s where we’re at. There’s a multi-level marketing company that sells people dirt to eat. We’re doing a Sawbones about it, and it turns out that we actually think it’s a really cool and good idea! Eating pricey dirt goo, we mean. … No, no, it’s terrible. It’s all terrible.
Herbalife
September 07, 2021 16:00 - 49 minutes - 46.1 MBIf you’ve seen a new smoothie shop or “Nutrition Club” open up in your area, take note: It may not be a smoothie store at all. This week on Sawbones, we explore the history of Herbalife and why this multi-level marketing weight loss company is opening smoothie shops with no smoothies for sale. CW: Discussion of dieting and weight loss Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Havana Syndrome
August 31, 2021 16:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBWe’ve got a real mystery for you on Sawbones this week: Havana Syndrome. It’s either a secret beam being blasted at American diplomats . . . or a mass psychogenic illness . . . or a complete fabrication. Or anything in between? Yep, it’s a weird one. Hang in there. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Thalidomide
August 24, 2021 16:00 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MBIn the 1950s, Thalidomide was rolled out very quickly and what followed was a tragic story that highlighted perils of greed and hidden agendas. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin attempt to untangle this murky narrative, and highlight the doctor who heroically kept this disaster from claiming many more lives. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Vicks
August 10, 2021 20:30 - 42 minutes - 39.8 MBJustin takes over Sawbones researching duties from Dr. Sydnee this week as he begins profiling the unsung heroes of business: Brands. In this inaugural attempt, he’ll present the story of Vicks and how the company’s VapoRub took over the world. Also: The puzzling truth about NyQuil’s name. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Virology
August 03, 2021 16:00 - 47 minutes - 44.4 MBHow well do we understand viruses? We were fighting them before we could even see them. Fast forward to today, Dr. Sydnee explains how all of this relates to what we know now about the Delta variant. To donate to the Immunization Action Coalition: immunize.org Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Balto
July 27, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBSawbones is finally doing the Balto episode! What happens when a remote town in Alaska has a diphtheria breakout, but their entire anti-toxin supply is expired? Call up Balto and the pack of hero dogs and mushers to make the harrowing journey. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Naloxone
July 20, 2021 19:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBNaloxone is known as the “life-saving drug,” since it can bring someone back from an opiate overdose. Dr. Sydnee goes through the history of this hero drug, how it works, and the recent struggle of keeping it accessible in some communities. Check out the Free Naloxone Day Fundraiser: Bit.ly/SawbonesNaloxone Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Hot Medical Question Summer
July 13, 2021 16:00 - 42 minutes - 39.8 MBIt’s time to answer more of your medical queries, like what is Texidor’s Twinge, when does the sunscreen clock start, and yeast infections: why? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Jimmy Buffett
July 07, 2021 13:00 - 44 minutes - 41 MBWe recorded this episode live on the Joco Cruise 2020, where Dr. Sydnee dissects the medicine mentioned in the songs of Jimmy Buffett. What is recommend for “Island Fever”? What should Mr. Buffett be concerned about when eating that “Cheeseburger in Paradise”? And do the lyrics of “Frenchmen for the Night” mean he may have Jumping Frenchmen of Maine? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Physician Burnout
June 29, 2021 17:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBWorkplace burnout is commonplace in the 21st century, but it’s a fairly recent idea. It’s especially insidious among physicians, who are taught that any fatigue is a sign of weakness. Dr. Sydnee shares her personal experience with exhaustion and what might be done to address this problem in the United States. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Black Lung Disease
June 15, 2021 16:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBAs any proud West Virginian knows, the history of mining in the United States is tied tightly to the history of the labor movement. This was partially to address something known as coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung disease. Though unions may have won the battle for recognition, the war against this disease continues to this day. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
COVID Variants and Guns for Vaccines
June 08, 2021 16:00 - 52 minutes - 49 MBYou might have heard about the COVID variants that have some people worried, and how effective the current vaccine will be against them. But not to worry, we’ve got the sweet sweet data from the Lancet, and some good news regarding the (specifically Pfizer) vaccine. And if you haven’t gotten a vaccine yet, maybe a car or lotto ticket will motivate you. Or a gun? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
The Parasite Delusion
May 25, 2021 19:30 - 38 minutes - 35.9 MBLast week, we talked about if eating papaya seeds could rid your body of parasites (spoiler: it can’t). But being concerned about having parasites is not new. We continue the conversation by looking into the phenomenon of Ekbom’s syndrome, or delusional parasitosis, a difficult disorder to both manage and treat. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Papaya Seeds and Parasites
May 18, 2021 16:00 - 38 minutes - 36 MBTikTok is where the kids are getting all their information on new new wellness trends, so Dr Sydnee decided to check one that’s been popping up a lot: eating Papaya seeds. The main claim is that the seeds awesomely force parasitic worms out of your body – worms you didn’t even know you had! But is there a SEED of truth in these claims? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Revenge of the Sawbones Quiz
May 11, 2021 16:00 - 40 minutes - 38 MBTest your medical history knowledge from this past year’s episodes in the Super Secret Sawbones Quiz of Interesting Information to Inform and Enlighten and Entertain and Impress Your Friends 2021! Consider becoming a supporter of our show: www.maximumfun.org/join/ Sad Trombone by Benboncan: https://freesound.org/people/Benboncan/ Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Direct-to-Consumer Advertising
May 04, 2021 16:00 - 50 minutes - 47 MBFor MaxFunDrive 2021, Sawbones is talking about gross medicine of a different sort. In the United States (and New Zealand) we see a lot of those commercials for prescription medicines with jaunty names and a full minute disclaimer at the end. How they came to be the norm here is a complicated history of bad medicine and the shifting of credence among doctors, patients, and pharmaceutical companies. Consider becoming a supporter of our show: www.maximumfun.org/join/ Music: "Medicines" by Th...
Chlorophyll
April 27, 2021 16:00 - 41 minutes - 38.7 MBAlong with Dr. Sydnee’s amazing videos, TikTok is also a host to an interesting wellness trend: chlorophyll. The green pigment that helps plants turn sunlight into food and oxygen has also been thought to boost your immune system and help with body odor. But chlorophyll as a health food is an idea that dates back to 1930, and spoilers ... it's just as effective now as it was then. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Vaccine Verification
April 20, 2021 17:30 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBAbout a year ago, Sawbones discussed what herd immunity was not. In this episode, we look at how we’ll get there, and what role vaccine verification will play. How has it impacted public health historically, and what can we anticipate in the near future? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
St John's Wort
April 06, 2021 17:00 - 38 minutes - 36.1 MBA somewhat invasive plant with yellow flowers named after John the Baptist has been used for centuries as a kind of cure all. Dr. Sydnee will lead you through a history of its many applications, what it’s used for today, and explain what exactly is a wort. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Gamer Danger
March 30, 2021 17:00 - 34 minutes - 32.3 MBWhen the Nintendo Wii was released, it also came with a warning about potential injuries, to yourself and to others. But are video games good or bad for your health? Justin takes the lead to educate, entertain and delight about both the medical harm and medical good that video games can do. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Blue Light Therapy
March 23, 2021 16:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBHave you ever noticed an old house house that has blue glass windows? It's pretty, sure, but it's also supposed to provide healing energy. You can thank a man who really liked growing, farming, and . . . colors for this bizarre but beautiful notion. We've got his story (and how his legacy endures) on this week's Sawbones. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
COVID-19: One Year Later
March 16, 2021 19:30 - 46 minutes - 43.5 MBIt's been around a year since COVID-19 began to reshape America. On this week's episode of Sawbones, we look back at the past 12 months and examine what we've learned and what we've lost. We'll also take a look at the current state of vaccine rollouts and answer some of your questions. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Harm Reduction
March 09, 2021 17:00 - 47 minutes - 44.1 MBThere are simple, common-sense ways we can save the lives of injection drug users. The United States is woefully behind in adopting these best practices and there are some who are fighting to keep it that way. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Believe It Or Not, More As for Your Qs
March 02, 2021 19:00 - 44 minutes - 41 MBThe more questions answered, the more oddly specific they become. Justin plays the listener as Dr Sydnee addresses Alice in Wonderland syndrome, super glue, and sixth disease. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
The U.S. Surgeon General
February 16, 2021 17:00 - 44 minutes - 41.5 MBA new presidential administration means a new U.S. Surgeon General, so this week on Sawbones, we're examining exactly what that means. Are they a general? Why do they get to tell us what to do? And why do they care so much about sailor health? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Mewing
February 09, 2021 17:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBWould you believe that without spending a single cent, with just a slight movement of your tongue you could breathe better, sleep better and perhaps even ... become your most beautiful self? You probably wouldn't believe that, because you listen to Sawbones. You probably would believe that the simple, possible effective technique called "Mewing" has been co-opted by incel culture though, right? Yeah, that sounds like Earth. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
The Great Smog
February 02, 2021 17:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBAs with almost every cultural touchstone, Dr. Sydnee and Justin are extremely late to The Crown party. But the Netflix historical drama has provided not only immovable hairdos and withering glares, it also serves as the inspiration of our latest episode, in which a freak weather pattern (and an overuse of fossil fuels) nearly suffocated a city. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
How to Talk About Vaccine Hesitancy
January 26, 2021 17:00 - 45 minutes - 42.5 MBThe COVID-19 vaccine has finally arrived and there are, dishearteningly, too many that are on the fence about getting it. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin provide a guide for talking with those who are vaccine hesitant and how using a kind, empathetic approach can help them see the light (and the antibodies). Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Dropsy
January 19, 2021 17:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBIt's a true shame that the medical condition with perhaps the most adorable name, dropsy, doesn't really exists. Well, it exists but ... you know what, this is too complicated. Let's just do a podcast episode about it. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
COVID-19: The Final Mile
January 05, 2021 17:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBOK, so the COVID-19 vaccine is here, basically, kind of, but how do you get it? How does your Nonnee get it? How will anybody get it? The answers are ... well, they're a lot less clear than we'd like. This week on Sawbones, we'll equip you with the best information we have in the hopes of reaching herd immunity (and Nonnee immunity) just as quickly as possible. Buy The Sawbones Book paperback! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
COVID Vaccine Questions and Answers
December 18, 2020 20:00 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MBVaccines are here! Vaccines are here! But wait ... aren't they ... rushed? Did you hear they might be ... tainted? Do they give you ... cheetah powers? Even if you believe in vaccines, it's normal to have some questions about them. So this week we'll be providing you with all the answers we have to your pressing queries. Pre-order The Sawbones Book paperback! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Don't Steal Your Dog's Worm Medicine to Treat COVID-19
December 11, 2020 17:05 - 40 minutes - 37.8 MBIvermectin is a fantastic, incredible miraculous drug that has recently been touted by some as a potent treatment for COVID-19, despite not having the research yet to back up the claims. This week, we'll help you avoid stealing your dog's worm medication in the hopes of fending off coronavirus. Pre-order The Sawbones Book paperback! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Clinical Trials
December 04, 2020 17:28 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBDr. Sydnee and Justin have turned themselves into lab rats as they join a COVID-19 vaccine trial. But how did humanity discover the practices and policies that guide these sorts of human experiments? Listen and find out! Our primary source for this week's episode is this excellent article by Dr. Arun Bhatt. Pre-order The Sawbones Book paperback! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Even More Weird Medical Questions
November 27, 2020 17:48 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBIs it possible for your medical questions to be ... too weird? That's a question you may be asking yourself on this latest Q&A episode of Sawbones, which explores the contents of poop and a secret button above your buttcrack that makes you pee. PRE-ORDER THE SAWBONES BOOK PAPERBACK! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Hypodermic Needles
November 13, 2020 17:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBWith news that a COVID-19 vaccine may be on the horizon and flu shot season in full swing, we take things back to basics with a history of the hypodermic needle and syringe. Also, a strangely large amount of car talk for you gear heads. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Angel's Glow
November 08, 2020 23:22 - 33 minutes - 31 MBOn a chilly, rainy Civil War battlefield in Tennessee, soldiers started noticing something strange: Some of their wounds had begun ... glowing. Stranger still: Those with the glow tended to fare better than their illuminated counterparts. The assumption? Angels were bringing them back from the brink. An incredible story. This week on Sawbones? You guessed it, Dr. Sydnee and her old buddy Science are gonna ruin the whole thing. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
A Health Care Voter's Guide
October 30, 2020 20:33 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MBIf, by some set of unexplainable circumstances, you are still an undecided voter in the U.S. we've prepared something special for you in anticipation of next week's presidential election on Nov. 3. If you're not undecided, you'll at least have a better understanding of how important this election is. We'll be reviewing the major tenets of the healthcare plans of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Who will have the better plan? You'll have to listen to find out. (It's not Trump.) Music: "Medi...