On Sawbones, we like to take a lot of hard lines and make grand proclamations: Vaccines good, viruses bad, that sort of thing. But when it comes to vaping, things get a little ... cloudier? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Sawbones: Elderberry and Other Things That Don't Prevent the Flu

1 Dec 13th, 2019 43m 21s

You may have seen a Facebook meme claiming that a combination of elderberry and Oscillococcinum can prevent the flu. The truth of the matter may surprise you! (unless you've ever in your life ever listened to even a single episode of our show)

Sawbones: Plague Medicine

3 Jul 12th, 2013 32m 7s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: We launch plague-ridden bodies in a catapult.Music: "Medicines" by The Ta

St John's Wort

1 1 Apr 6th, 2021 38m 55s

A 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 exactl

Sawbones: Revenge of the Weird Medical Questions

1 Mar 13th, 2020 39m 30s

Once again, we're putting Justin at peril of being supremely yucked out by your weirdest medical queries: Should your pee smell so good? Why is your earwax that color? Why did your mom choose the name Fred for that blood-filled lump on her leg?

Sawbones: Trepanation

1 1 Jun 21st, 2013 40m 57s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: We put a hole in your head.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http://th

Sawbones: Dr. Oz

Oct 11th, 2022 46m 45s

There are many people who have been recurring characters on Sawbones. Pliny the Elder. Charlie. But few so notorious as Dr. Mehmet Oz, now running for the U.S. Senate. This isn’t a commentary on his political fitness; just an examination of his

Monkeypox

May 31st, 2022 41m 13s

You may be worried we’re headed into another global health crisis in the form of Monkeypox. But it’s not new, and we already know quite a bit about it. Dr. Sydnee explains what it is, how to treat it, and the recommendations at the moment from

Physician Burnout

Jun 29th, 2021 46m 17s

Workplace 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 an

Dr. Joycelyn Elders

1 Jul 31st, 2020 45m 7s

Dr. Joycelyn Elders is an American hero who went from a sharecropper's daughter to the first black Surgeon General of the United States. This is the story of her inspirational rise, her infuriating firing and her inability to stop doing good.Mu

Sawbones: The Black Panthers and Public Health

1 Jun 5th, 2020 41m 43s

If you received the typical, white-centric education, you probably associate the Black Panthers only with violence and political protest. This week on Sawbones, we talk about their work in medical research advocacy and creating public health pr

Sawbones: Medical Racism and Protest Safety

1 Jun 1st, 2020 47m 25s

This week on Sawbones, we examine how Black Americans have received substandard care and fewer opportunities within the American medical system. Also, some guidance on how to protest as safely as possible in the face of COVID-19.Music: "Medicin

Sawbones: Ignaz Semmelweis

1 Apr 3rd, 2020 42m 25s

This week on Sawbones, it's the fascinating, inspiring and infuriating story of Ignaz Semmelweis. You'll learn how he discovered why it was so important for doctor's to wash their hands and why it took so long for doctors to believe him.Music:

Sawbones: Essential Oils

1 Sep 27th, 2019 36m 6s

This week on Sawbones, we talk about the many, many things essential oils can't do for you and the dueling Utah-based companies that insist we're wrong. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Sawbones: The Incredible Dr. James Barry

Mar 24th, 2017 48m 12s

Were you aware that history's coolest doctor was a guy named James Barry who began their life as a woman? Sit down. For this super-sized #MaxFunDrive episode, we've got the whole story. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Sawbones: The Teen Girl

1 1 Jun 17th, 2015 37m 4s

This week on Sawbones, Justin is transported into the body of a Sydnee's teenage sister Rileigh and has a lot of awkward questions.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Sawbones: Menstruation

2 Jan 21st, 2014 36m 35s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: Aunt Flo crashes on our couch.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http:/

Sawbones: Self-Surgery

2 Nov 15th, 2013 37m 30s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: Be your own doctor!Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http://thetaxpaye

Sawbones: Birth Control

1 Sep 20th, 2013 38m 34s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: We keep the babies at bay.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http://the

Sawbones: Bloodletting

2 Jul 5th, 2013 30m 6s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: We put a leech on you and Justin loses a finger.Music: "Medicines" by The

Sawbones: Mercury

1 Jun 28th, 2013 31m 2s

Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we've tried to fix people. This week: We put mercury on your chancre.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http:

Sawbones: Cabin Fever

1 May 8th, 2020 48m 20s

Did you know that cabin fever isn't just the cooped-up funk we all find ourselves in? It's a real actual disease called typhus -- or at least, it used to be. It's confusing, we know, but this week we're gonna walk you through all the extremely

Sawbones: Flouride

1 Apr 30th, 2017 41m 42s

This week, Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore a medical mystery: Why, for a town in Colorado, was having brown teeth a sign of great tooth health? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Testicle Tanning

Apr 26th, 2022 39m 40s

Some people believe that men in the world are getting softer and masculinity is under attack. But not to worry, there’s a solution: tanning your . . . nethers. Although the idea of exposing your soft bits to the sun may be embarrassing, there's

Don't Steal Your Dog's Worm Medicine to Treat COVID-19

Dec 11th, 2020 40m 49s

Ivermectin 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