

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

May 9, 2023 • 39min
Sawbones: Marvel Anatomy: Infinity War
Justin takes the wheel as he once again brings out the official Marvel Anatomy book to discuss the science of comic book superpowers. He and Dr. Sydnee discuss the feasibility of abilities in characters like Daredevil, The Invisible Woman, Captain America, Spider Woman, and The Lizard. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

May 2, 2023 • 45min
Sawbones: Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
Recently a number of states have passed restrictions for gender-affirming care for those under 18, but shouldn't it be medical professionals, not states, whose expertise should be considered? Dr. Sydnee goes through what this medical treatment really is and the history of how we developed it, how it works, and the research that shows that yes, it does work to help save lives.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 25, 2023 • 37min
Sawbones: Going Grey
Why do people start losing the pigment in their hair as they grow older? Well, it might be one of those things that we don't entirely understand, though there are some new studies that offer some ideas. But that didn't stop people throughout history from trying to find ways to keep their hair from turning grey. Of course, Justin doesn't need any of these methods because he has surprisingly little grey hair for someone his age. As he points out. Repeatedly.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 18, 2023 • 44min
Sawbones: The Abortion Pill
Mifepristone, known colloquially as the abortion pill, has recently been in the news as its future availability in the United States comes into question. Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the history of the medicine, from how it was discovered to how it was approved to what happened over the summer to change that.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Apr 4, 2023 • 41min
Sawbones: Nose Blowing
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/

Mar 28, 2023 • 40min
Sawbones: The Great Stink of 1858
The Great Stink of 1858 has highlights from some of the Sawbones Greatest Hits: the controversy of hand washing, the miasma theory of disease. and cholera. Which is all to say: it took humanity a long time to figure out that we shouldn't be drinking poop.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 24, 2023 • 4min
2023 BoCo Teaser - Sawbones: Medical Questions for Kids
We wanted to share a little teaser of our MaxFunDrive Bonus Content, so here's a short clip of Dr. Sydnee and Charlie addressing kid medical questions. If you want to hear the whole thing, head over to maximumfun.org/join to get access to this, plus the bonus content from MaxFunDrives past.

Mar 21, 2023 • 34min
Sawbones: Marvel Anatomy
Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the marvelous Marvel Anatomy book, which explains how many comic book heroes' superpowers work. Where does the Hulk's strength come from? How does Spider-Man climb walls? How does Captain Marvel shoot energy out of her hands? And is any of it anatomically or medically plausible at all?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Mar 7, 2023 • 41min
Sawbones: Head Lice
Lice aren’t just a longtime annoyance of school aged kids, they’ve actually been around longer than people. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of trying to get rid of these creatures as well as some common misconceptions. Be warned: your head will be itchy during this episode.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

Feb 28, 2023 • 46min
Sawbones: Is Leg-Length Discrepancy Genetic?
It's another Sawbones: Medical Questions, and we're gonna go full Galaxy Brain on these listener-submitted queries. What is methalated B-12? Can my appendix grow back and give me appendicitis ad infinitum? Does sugar help tongue burns or is it just tasty? And most importantly, how do I tell my friend to stop listening to TikTok for medical advice?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/