Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

It used to be that if you needed to get to the hospital quickly, you would call the herse – because it had the space to transport a person who was lying down. Well, all of that changed in Columbus, OH, with the Heartmobile, known as the first ambulance. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about its development, implementation, and the thrilling end of its ambulatory adventures. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

Dr. Sydnee and Justin said they'd talk about when the US Health Department replaced the vaccine council . . . well, it's happened. But to EVERYONE'S surprise, it's more of a mess than a triumph. Dr. Sydnee talks about all the changes going on, the motive behind them, and why some good intentions can lead to dangerous outcomes. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

Just in time for The Prom season, Justin and Dr. Sydnee bring your weird summer medical questions! Do other citrus fruits affect medication, or is it really just grapefruits? Why do hiccups happen so sporadically? Do carrots actually give you good vision? Can a broken finger fully heal by itself? Plus, an update on vaccines in the United States. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

Just in time for The Prom season, Justin and Dr. Sydnee bring your weird summer medical questions! Do other citrus fruits affect medication, or is it really just grapefruits? Why do hiccups happen so sporadically? Do carrots actually give you good vision? Can a broken finger fully heal by itself? Plus, an update on vaccines in the United States. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

It's a Sawbones grab-bag, featuring some pop-sci mythbusting around MSG, a reality check into current events around vaccines, and a fun new questionable product bringing chocolate to the bedroom. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

With all the news around fluoride, we bring the classic Sawbones episode about the benefits of fluoride in drinking water, because the science has not changed. 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 https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

There was a time when Popes had secondary careers (or primary ones) on to of their Papal one. This includes Pope John XXI, the only Pope to have also been a physician. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about this non-traditional Pope and his contribution to medicine in the 12th century. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

Sawbones brings you a studio version of the show at the ye olde Harmony House Renaissance Faire. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk about how medicine evolved in the Renaissance beyond what passed for scientific theories during the middle ages including the four humours, alchemy, and the real cause of syphilis (insulting the sun god). Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

It's a myth that tetanus is only found on rusty metal. What really matters is that a wound that is a dirty, deep puncture wound could to introduce the bacteria into the body. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the long history of humans and tetanus, what it does to a body, and why maybe it's not a great idea to garden barefoot. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ "The John Birch Society" by The Chad Mitchell Trio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWCYSVZhPoU National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

The Medical Freedom or the Health Freedom Movement is not new, but it is currently gaining more traction and attention under RFK, Jr. On its face, it is a political movement that distrusts pharmaceutical companies and government regulations for supplements. But Dr. Sydnee talks about its history and roots in strange conspiracies and biases from the 1950s – and what the movement means for us today. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ "The John Birch Society" by The Chad Mitchell Trio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWCYSVZhPoU National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

TikTok has become enthralled with the idea of Thalassotherapy... which is basically going to the ocean to feel better. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of this "sea cure" and Dr. Richard Russell, the man who popularized it in the second half of the eighteenth century. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

Justin has gathered all the strangest listeners (questions) to quiz Dr. Sydnee with all of your weird and fun medical questions! Is Gatorade actually salty and NOT sweet? Are people with cat allergies allergic to big cats? Can you fart and spread norovirus? Can a fetus taste? And the most important question of all: who are Justin and Dr. Sydnee's favorite fictional doctors? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

What medical drama does a doctor on a cruise ship get involved in? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Dr. Odyssey: Shark Attack!, and the follow-up, Dr. Odyssey: Shark Attack! Part 2: Orca. It's a wild ride, but some of the medical beats are surprisingly accurate. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

Dr. Sydnee brings a little levity as she talks about a new medical show, The Pitt. Following fictional doctors in real-time(ish), Dr. Sydnee discusses how it compares to working in an actual ER, as well as it how it compares to the 1990s show ER. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

It’s not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!! Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

How dangerous is jousting? Just look into the example of King Henry VIII of England. The Tudor king is infamous for his six wives, but Dr. Sydnee explains how a jousting injury may have changed his behavior – and changed the course of history. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

Kleptomania is defined by an undeniable compulsion to steal, so it has wavered between legitimate diagnosis and flimsy criminal defense to somewhere in between since its inception. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee unpacks the facts from fiction while Justin tries to steal the show. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

The recent semi-fictionalized Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar explores the world of wellness following bloggers Belle Gibson and Milla Blake. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what factors in the world and in peoples' lives could lead to fame and success in the pseudo-scientific alternative medicine world. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

"It's been bitterly cold in our region lately and that's got Dr. Sydnee thinking about frostbite. This week, we'll gain a better understanding of this malady and even stage a brief theatrical selection about it. Music: ""Medicines"" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/"

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2025

There has been a lot going on in the United States in the last few days that might affect what's going on with health, medicine, and other sciences. Dr. Sydnee talks about the implications of all of these now and in the immediate future, and what we can do about it. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

Depending on where you live, you might be hearing a lot lately about Pertussis or Whooping Cough, even in Dr. Sydnee and Justin’s home county. Dr. Sydnee talks about the long history of this disease, its symptoms, and how the vaccine eventually came about. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

Imagine if your doctor could go on strike in the middle of a treatment. That’s the most popular argument against physicians’ unions, but there’s a lot more to the issue. Dr. Sydnee talks about the process of training doctors in the United States, why doctors would want to unionize, and what a doctors’ union might look like. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2025

It's a real medical (with a lower-case m) mystery, as Dr. Sydnee tries to find the source of a trick on TikTok that reportedly helps alleviate constipation. Join Sydnee on her surprisingly difficult journey to find what exactly this "trick" is to determine whether or not it does anything at all. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

Dr. Sydnee and Justin are easing back into the swing of things after the holidays by discussing what they’ve been reading, both apart and together. So cozy up with some tea to hear some good book recommendations from your favorite health professional and clown husband. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2025

Happy Candlenights! We've got for you a double-feature of the original A Medicine Called Christmas 1 and 2. Medicine Called Christmas: Live from Candlenights 2018, we're so proud to present a staged reading of the new Hallmark Christmas movie written by Justin and Sydnee McElroy: A Medicine Called Christmas. Music: Adam Sakiyama CAST: Narrator: Rachel McElroy Daniel: Tommy Smirl Tabitha: Sydnee McElroy Phil: Griffin McElroy Chris: Justin McElroy Ms. Crimble: Teresa McElroy Mr. Frankson: Dwight Slappe Mr. Cameron: Travis McElroy Beth: Teylor Smirl Mandy: Rileigh Smirl Mr. Golfberg: Michael Meadows Santa: Clint McElroy Medicine Called Christmas 2: Royal Pain: Just in time for Christmas, we've got another extremely special holiday film created by Justin and Sydnee McElroy. Gather the family and prepare for A Medicine Called Christmas 2: A Royal Pain. NARRATOR: Rachel McElroy PHIL: Griffin McElroy TAB: Sydnee McElroy JESUS: Dwight Slappe SORIANO: Travis McElroy CHRIS: Justin McElroy WAITER: Michael Meadows MR. BIG CITY: Tommy Smirl BETH: Teylor Smirl MANDY: Rileigh Smirl QUEEN: Mary Smirl SANTA: Clint McElroy

Transcribed - Published: 24 December 2024

As a gift to the audience, we have another Sawbones Q and A, answering strange questions submitted by listeners! How does a menstrual disk work? How should we ACTUALLY clean our ears? Are cat biscuits bad for pregnancy? And why does Justin have the old man cough? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 17 December 2024

It’s nearly winter, which means the return of mycoplasma or “Walking Pneumonia” on this hemisphere. This week Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about how this infection was discovered, the questionable way it was researched and how it differs from “typical” pneumonia. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

Somehow the Tesla medical bed, or Tesla Biohealing Wellness Hotel and Resort is not related to Elon Musk. It is also not really related to actual medical care. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about another wellness product and what this harnesser of biphoton energy is supposed to do. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 26 November 2024

Needless to say it’s going to be a long four years for the United States. This week’s episode of Sawbones offers some guidance on what we might expect for medicine and health care going forward and what pro-active steps you may want to consider. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2024

It's Election Day in the United States of America, and so we present this Sawbones episode on the history of abortion from May 2022. Go vote! With the recent news about Roe v. Wade, it’s important to talk about the history of abortion in the United States. The right to autonomy over one’s own body in regard to medical care is one of the basic tenets of medical ethics; but no matter what anyone personally believes, banning abortion doesn’t stop abortion. It just makes it unsafe. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2024

Dr. Sydnee and Justin are joined by John Green to talk about the still-prevalent disease of tuberculosis and how his company Good.Store is using coffee and tea to eradicate it in one African country. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2024

There's a new medical show in town, and Sawbones is all here for it. Dr. Sydnee goes through some of the highlights of the medical emergencies above the cruise ship in Doctor Odyssey and their plausibility and how likely it is to be able to do procedures like dialysis on the high seas. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2024

Some cosmetic surgeries include adding silicon or plastic to enhance the figure. But what if the extra fat came from your own body? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the fraught and history of the Brazilian Butt Lift, or BBL, which is a story of eugenics, bad medicine, and unrealistic beauty standards. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

Bring on the fall weather and bring on the listeners’ weird medical questions! Dr. Sydnee and Justin answer listeners’ strangest queries and maybe learn a thing or two themselves. Is Shy Bladder a real thing? Can you inhale an item into your lungs? Are mosquitoes eating my bruises? And is urea actually good for your skin or is some skin care just pee in a bottle? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 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/

Transcribed - Published: 3 September 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 13 August 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 6 August 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2024

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: https://time.com/5937507/roald-dahl-anti-semitism/ Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2024

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/

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2024