

Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
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
Mentioned books

Jun 10, 2025 • 36min
Sawbones: Is Nose Ointment a Waste of Time?
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/

May 27, 2025 • 39min
Sawbones: Sex Chocolate
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/

May 20, 2025 • 44min
Sawbones Classics: Fluoride
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/

May 13, 2025 • 36min
Sawbones: Dr. Pope
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/

May 6, 2025 • 38min
Sawbones: Renaissance Medicine
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/

Apr 29, 2025 • 44min
Sawbones: Tetanus
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/National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Apr 22, 2025 • 42min
Sawbones: The Medical Freedom Movement
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=oWCYSVZhPoUNational Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

Apr 15, 2025 • 40min
Sawbones: Thalassotherapy
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

Apr 1, 2025 • 42min
Sawbones: Why Don’t Edema and Enema Rhyme?
Join in for a quirky exploration of medical curiosities! Discover if Gatorade is really salty and the truth behind cat allergies. Get ready to chuckle at the hosts' wild anecdotes about bear encounters. The fascinating world of sea salt production reveals its mineral diversity and culinary perks, while debunking health myths. Plus, learn how norovirus spreads and the surprising ways fetal taste development occurs. The playful banter and strange questions keep the humor flowing throughout!

6 snips
Mar 25, 2025 • 35min
Sawbones: Dr. Odyssey: Shark Week
Dive into a chaotic cruise ship saga where a shark attack leads to a dramatic double amputation. The hosts blend humor with surprisingly accurate medical insights, critiquing the wild portrayal of emergencies at sea. Unpack the absurdity of a power outage during surgery, discussions on orca behavior, and the portrayal of autism in media, all while navigating the high seas of medical mayhem. Their playful banter keeps you entertained as they express gratitude for listener support and contributions!