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Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy

Justin, TXEntertainment50 episodes

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: Cinnamon

2026-10-1337:00

Unfortunately we can't have nice things. Dr. Sydnee and Justin must break the news that there is often lead in cinnamon, and discuss how exactly this has happened. However, they also offer advice for how to still consume it safely, plus, an update about the plague in Russia.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Lethal Injection

2026-10-0638:53

The United States public opinion on the death penalty has waxed and waned so much that its use is on a state-by-state basis, nearly dividing the country in half. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of capital punishment in the United States, the various methods and the varied involvements of the medical community, and share thoughts on what, considering recent events, should be in the future.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Glucose Monitors

2026-09-2936:28

Would people benefit from wearing a glucose monitor all day every day, even if they’re not on insulin? Evidence does not say there is a benefit, and there are some reasons not to get one. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of tracking glucose and our understanding of diabetes, as well as the advancement of technology where we’re almost at cyber-pancreases.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Midwest Food Bank: https://midwestfoodbank.org/disaster-relief/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Artificial Sweetener

2026-09-2236:55

Pretty much since the first artificial sweetener was developed, we've been concerned about their potential adverse effects. How could something 20,000 times as sweet as sugar come without a catch, and perhaps more importantly, why were so many of these sweeteners discovered because scientists were licking their hands in the lab?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Midwest Food Bank: https://midwestfoodbank.org/disaster-relief/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Dolphins and LSD

2026-09-1540:25

With an email subject line of "Dolphins and LSD", Dr. Sydnee and Justin just HAD dive deeper. Enter John C. Lilly, a doctor, scientist, and psychonaut who became very interested in meditation and expanding the consciousness, eventually leading to using psychedelics to try and communicate with Flipper.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Midwest Food Bank: https://midwestfoodbank.org/disaster-relief/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Catfish, Man of the Woods

2026-09-0136:32

All medicine is local, and little is more local to Justin and Dr. Sydnee than a medicine man in their own West Virginia. Dr. Sydnee talks about a local character named Catfish who became a sort of herbalist medicine man and how he became a bit of a sensation. Catfish's recipes: https://shorturl.at/MCRrI Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Midwest Food Bank: https://midwestfoodbank.org/disaster-relief/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Sentinel Chickens

2026-08-2532:38

Sawbones' least favorite animal, mosquitoes, are back with yet another reason they suck: Dengue Fever has made its way into Florida. But don't worry. Dr. Sydnee talks about some very special chickens looking out for us, especially at the most Magical place on earth. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Little People Hallucinations

2026-08-1837:41

There's been some social media talk about a psychoactive mushroom that causes visions of small people, like the Lilliputians from Gulliver's Travels. This is a rare but real phenomenon with several causes. Dr. Sydnee talks about the documented experiences of seeing these little guys, where they comes from, and what is happening in the brain to cause this. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: COVID Reflection and Butts Update

2026-08-1132:39

While some people in power are trying to minimize how bad things were at the height of COVID-19, we thought it was important to document the real story. Since Dr. Sydnee was working in a hospital at the time, she reflects on the reality of those short-staffed, stressful, overcrowded days. PLUS a lighter note from Justin about butts and an investigation into who is wiping them. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Native Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: What’s More Edible, Paper or Cotton?

2026-07-2839:45

It’s one of our favorite kinds of episodes, making use of Dr. Sydnee’s expertise and Justin’s street smarts: medical questions! Why do we fart? How long is the digestive tract? Why are all minor mouth injuries so awful? Does REM “detoxify” the brain? And am I experiencing nightmares, night terrors, or ghosts? (Sawbones does not claim any expertise on the matter of ghosts.) PLUS, an update on Cyclospora. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Cyclospora

2026-07-2141:39

The food has been going wild lately, and none more in the headlines this second than cyclospora parasite which is causing an outbreak of . . . intense gastrointestinal distress. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of parasitic illnesses and what to know about the outbreak right now. For example, maybe just never eat lettuce ever again. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Medicine Brand Names

2026-07-0739:29

This week, Justin walks Sydnee through the complexities of pharmaceutical naming. Join them as they review the history of the functional regulatory procedures, as well as the way branding and marketing has resulted in increasingly-wild names like "Prozac" and "Skyrizi." Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Asian Pacific Environmental Network: https://apen4ej.org/our-work/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones Classic: Sunburns

2026-06-3034:33

As folks in the northern hemisphere get back into the swing of summer we here at Sawbones thought it'd be a good time to reshare a classic episode about sunburns to help you get your D in the safest way possible. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Lambda Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Blisters

2026-06-2336:28

We've probably all gotten a blister at some point, whether from walking too much or from shredding a guitar solo. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what actually causes a blister, how they are treated, and, most importantly, when is a good situation in which to pop them? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Lambda Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Matilda and Telekinesis

2026-06-1632:43

Dr. Sydnee is joined this week by Charlie and Cooper, who are starring in a production of Matilda, and therefore experts in . . . telekinetic government experiments. The three McElroys talk about the unsuccessful history of trying to prove – or create – people moving objects with their minds, including Uri Geller and the CIA. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Lamda Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Kratom

2026-06-0241:42

Maybe you've heard of kratom, a substance being sold as a 'natural' energy substance. With its alarmingly growing popularity, Dr. Sydnee and Justin look into what exactly it is, what it really does, and whether you should take it. (Spoiler: you should not). Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Lamda Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Hantavirus, Part 2

2026-05-1934:23

The recent outbreak of human-communicable Hantavirus on a cruise ship continues to change rapidly and the U.S. continues to lag behind other nations in its response. This week on Sawbones, an update on the situation and some thoughts about the future of disease management in a country that seems uninterested in doing so. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ First Nations Development Institute: https://www.firstnations.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Hantavirus

2026-05-1243:49

In what may be our most requested episode of all time, Dr. Sydnee addresses the hantavirus outbreak in the headlines, looks at its history and evaluates just how badly the U.S. is handling the situation. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ First Nations Development Institute: https://www.firstnations.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Can Black Widow Venom Cure Diabetes?

2026-05-0542:04

After all the listener support, it’s only fair we give back! “We” meaning Dr. Sydnee is giving back to the listeners by answering their medical questions! Can hanging upside-down cause lasting damage? Are hangnails random or is it part of my life choices? Why did the black plague end? Does flexing my calves strengthen my bladder? And how many living cells are in poop? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Marsha P. Johnson Institute: https://marshap.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Milk, Part 2 - Government Cheese

2026-04-2850:14

Are you ready to lose your mind about dairy and look at your charcuterie board differently? Justin tells Dr. Sydnee all about the inflated demand for milk, how good for you dairy actually is, and how the United States came to have a giant bunker of cheese in Missouri Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Marsha P. Johnson Institute: https://marshap.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Milk, Part 1 - Lactose Intolerance

2026-04-2141:35

Why do some people have stomachaches when they drink or eat dairy products? Dr. Syndee and Justin talk about lactose and lactase to explain that it's really those who can drink milk who are the outliers and answer the very important question: is school milk racist? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Marsha P. Johnson Institute: https://marshap.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Vitamin K

2026-04-0736:10

No, not the musical artist who sang the graduation song (that's Vitamin C). Vitamin K has been in the news a little bit lately because it's often given as a shot to newborns. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of its discovery, what it is for, why it's important, and why in the world it's called Vitamin K. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Marsha P. Johnson Institute: https://marshap.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Ranking TV Medical Shows

2026-03-3147:33

In celebration of Dr. Sydnee’s birthday, Justin brings a whole swath of medical show on TV since the year of her birth. From Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to Nip/Tuck to The Pitt, Dr. Sydnee ranks shows for their accuracy and entertainment value until she’s finisher her bathtub birthday Prosecco. There is no democracy here, Dr. Sydnee’s opinion is the law. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/our-services.html Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Medicine in Movies

2026-03-2438:15

Miracle drugs, strange side effects, classical conditioning: there are many films where the plot hinges around the existence of some unrealistic medicine. Justin brings to the plate the pills and medical devices in Dune, Robocop, Scanners, and more, while Dr. Sydnee ascertains how close they are to reality – or not. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/our-services.html Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Second Update: Havana Syndrome

2026-03-171:02:11

Our first ever double-update, Justin and Dr. Sydnee bring an update to an update about the very mysterious Havana Syndrome. Not only is there kind of a reversal of the last update, but the cause actually COULD be a giant microwave? So enjoy the full episode explaining the history of Havana Syndrome, the old update from 2022, and what we learned very recently. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/our-services.html Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Measles 2026

2026-03-0343:28

It's been a decade since Sawbones last talked about measles, and we don't often check in with an update unless . . . well, something comes up in the news. Dr. Sydnee talks about how the vaccine for measles was developed, the unfortunate backlash that has been going on against it since 2008, and what we can do for the future. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/our-services.html Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Would a Healing Vape be More Efficient Than a Healing Potion?

2026-02-2442:44

The snow’s piling up outside so we’re cozying down with another batch of listener medical questions! Can I take all my antibiotics at once? If my twin has an allergy, do I have it too? Are prenatal vitamins good for people who do not want to get pregnant? And can air literally get knocked out of your lungs? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Carpal Tunnel

2026-02-1738:47

Carpal tunnel sydrome, or an irritation of the median nerve, is often thought of as a more "modern" ailment, exacerbated by 8-hour days at a computer and video game hobbies. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of the first diagnosis of this syndrome, and Justin talks about his recent surgery experience, as well as the causes and possible prevention.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Sauna

2026-02-1039:58

Even though it's associated with Nordic countries, the Sauna has been around in many different cultures for as long as people have been trying to get warm in a hot box. But how about health benefits? Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of saunas and spirituality, as well as the association between sweat and the perception of health – and that even though actual studies don't say anything definite, sometimes it is just nice to get in a warm, steamy room.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Tear Gas

2026-02-0334:22

Right now in the news you may be hearing about the use of tear gas against protesters. But what exactly IS tear gas and where did it come from? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the origins of this chemical agent, what it is meant to do, and what one should do if they come into contact with it.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Mushroom Coffee

2026-01-2737:52

Another wellness trend that feels newer than it actually is, people have been looking for a coffee substitute since coffee was discovered (see: episode about coffee). Dr. Sydnee talks about the additional claims made around these fungi, as well as what possible benefits they could have – and possible dangers.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Defenders Law Center: https://www.immdef.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Colonoscopy Preparation

2026-01-1344:28

Back from his first colonoscopy, Justin outlines the extremely detailed steps he took in order to prepare for the screening: the before, the after, and whether it's easier to take four liters of laxative or navigate the United States healthcare system.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Defenders Law Center: https://www.immdef.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Colonoscopy

2026-01-0634:03

In honor of Justin's first colonoscopy, Dr. Sydnee goes through the history of looking inside the colon. From Pompei to the Light Conductor to the more flexible tubes today, humans have always been curious to see just what's going on up there.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Defenders Law Center: https://www.immdef.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones Classic: Nose Blowing

2025-12-2339:22

This cold and flu season, we're bringing you a classic episode on clearing your nasal passage correctly.Blowing your nose is maybe the only small glint of satisfaction had while having a cold or sinus infection. But is blowing your nose actually good, or even safe? Dr. Sydnee and Justin look through the history of handkerchiefs and nose-wiping to the science of what happens to your sinuses when you blow your nose in order to try and find a happy medium.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Hepatitis B

2025-12-1637:54

A trip to get an updated tetanus shot led to the realization that Justin never got a Hepatitis B vaccine. So Dr. Sydnee explains what exactly is Hep B, the recent headlines surrounding the vaccine, why do people usually get this vaccine as babies – and why didn’t Justin get it?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones Classic: Christmas is Trying to Kill You

2025-12-0933:02

A pre-Christmas warning, we're re-releasing our 2015 live show outlining all the ways that you need to watch out this Christmas – and not just from Santa's wrath.This week on Sawbones, Live from Huntington, WV and Candlenights 2015: CHRISTMAS IS TRYING TO KILL YOU. Grandma. Egg nog. Trees. Mistletoe. The Grinch. RUN.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: The True Meaning of Candlenights

2025-12-0237:04

It's the most wonderful time of the year – Candlenights! Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the plans for the upcoming Candlenights special, as well as the story of Harmony House and some of the myths and facts behind homelessness in West Virginia and the United States.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Anyone Else Get Pee Shivers?

2025-11-2549:58

Cozy up by the fireplace with some weird listener medical questions. What's the difference between a disease and a disorder? Where does the extra blood during pregnancy come from? Did getting my gallbladder removed change my taste buds?  Plus an update on the CDC website's recent posting about vaccines.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Native American Aid: https://nativepartnership.org/naa/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Dopamine Detox

2025-11-1851:24

The algorithm strikes again, this time telling Justin about a popular wellness trend known as a Dopamine Detox. Dopamine is often associated with pleasure centers and addiction, and certain corners of the internet think we are overflooded with it. But Dr. Sydnee talks about what dopamine is, its connection to Parkinson's and other medical conditions, and how this culture around self-deprivation came about.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Native American Aid: https://nativepartnership.org/naa/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Monkey Escape

2025-11-0437:48

Sometimes we like to have fun on Sawbones, like diving into a recently reported story of a truck full research animals who escaped and were infectious to humans. But what actually happened, were these monkeys infected, and what is the purpose of monkeys being infected in the name of science in the first place?Sawbones audience feedback survey: https://forms.gle/kLXiFU8iRzAazPyn9Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Native American Aid: https://nativepartnership.org/naa/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Methylene Blue

2025-10-2843:08

Often pseudo-scientific medicine is brought to Dr. Sydnee by friends and family. But this time, she encountered methylene blue in the wild! Methylene blue is currently being touted as a cancer treatment, which is . . . not based on evidence. But Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of this colorful substance and what it can be actually used for.Sawbones audience feedback survey: https://forms.gle/kLXiFU8iRzAazPyn9Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Do You Know About the Penis Fish?

2025-10-1438:17

As the weather turns, so do Dr. Sydnee and Justin to their inbox to answer more of listeners' WEIRD medical questions. Questions like: Can pee cure my foot fungus? Why do I cough when I put in earplugs? What is the white crescent on my nails? How does the vaccine nasal spray work? And what is the humble leech’s role in modern medicine?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Leucovorin

2025-10-0738:18

Justin and Dr. Sydnee continue to bring news from the forefront of history with the second part of the announcement about autism – a possible treatment. It's leucovorin: also known as vitamin B-9. It can't possibly be that simple, can it? (No). Dr. Sydnee explains where this idea came from and what leucovorin is actually currently used for in medicine.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Tylenol

2025-09-3048:32

You may have heard the recent announcement From the US government linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. Well, at the risk of spoiling the episode, it’s nothing. This week, Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of acetaminophen and where the claim even came from.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Dr. Asher

2025-09-1636:21

Another episode in the Sawbones multiverse, Dr. Sydnee and Justin resist Dr. Richard Asher, who is the person who coined Munchausen Syndrome. Dr. Aster was a prominent physician and critical thinker whose medical contributions included noting the dangers of bed rest and naming the "seven sins of medicine." His children also had notable music careers.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Equality Florida: https://www.eqfl.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Medical Update: Vaccines

2025-09-0942:39

With all the changes going on in the CDC, Dr. Sydnee and Justin check back in with an update on vaccines and vaccine mandates, as well as dispelling some common vaccine myths that unfortunately come up again and again.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Equality Florida: https://www.eqfl.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Munchausen Syndrome

2025-08-2641:03

There are many eponymous disorders and diseases, but Munchausen is an interesting case of a disease named after a character who is based on a real person. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen and how his fantastic stories became stuck to his name forever.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Lisztomania

2025-08-1936:46

Before the hysteria of Swifties and Beatlemania, people were getting hype over the handsome pianist Franz Liszt.  Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what exactly about this artist made regular fandom escalate into a mania and what this medical condition actually meant.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Freddy Pharkas, Frontier Pharmacist

2025-08-0530:57

Before everyone hits the back-to-school grind, we’ve got a fun episode about Freddy Pharkas. A historical figure of frontier medicine? No, a video game character from 1993. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk about how a farmer-cist was made, as well as the real and fake medicine Freddy doled out on the frontier.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones

Sawbones: Can I Use My Own Tears as Saline?

2025-07-2938:25

We're bringing the heat with listeners' weird medical questions! Are the hot parts of the body the only Sweaty parts? Is spicy food spicier some days more than others? Is there any benefits to extra things in glasses lenses? And if your stomach can expand, why not your bladder?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/Immigrant Defenders Law Center: https://www.immdef.org/ Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsawbones