

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

Mar 23, 2021 • 36min
Blue Light Therapy
Have you ever noticed an old house house that has blue glass windows? It's pretty, sure, but it's also supposed to provide healing energy. You can thank a man who really liked growing, farming, and . . . colors for this bizarre but beautiful notion. We've got his story (and how his legacy endures) on this week's Sawbones.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Mar 16, 2021 • 47min
COVID-19: One Year Later
It's been around a year since COVID-19 began to reshape America. On this week's episode of Sawbones, we look back at the past 12 months and examine what we've learned and what we've lost. We'll also take a look at the current state of vaccine rollouts and answer some of your questions.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Mar 9, 2021 • 48min
Harm Reduction
There are simple, common-sense ways we can save the lives of injection drug users. The United States is woefully behind in adopting these best practices and there are some who are fighting to keep it that way.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Mar 2, 2021 • 44min
Believe It Or Not, More As for Your Qs
The more questions answered, the more oddly specific they become. Justin plays the listener as Dr Sydnee addresses Alice in Wonderland syndrome, super glue, and sixth disease.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 16, 2021 • 45min
The U.S. Surgeon General
A new presidential administration means a new U.S. Surgeon General, so this week on Sawbones, we're examining exactly what that means. Are they a general? Why do they get to tell us what to do? And why do they care so much about sailor health?Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 9, 2021 • 45min
Mewing
Would you believe that without spending a single cent, with just a slight movement of your tongue you could breathe better, sleep better and perhaps even ... become your most beautiful self? You probably wouldn't believe that, because you listen to Sawbones. You probably would believe that the simple, possible effective technique called "Mewing" has been co-opted by incel culture though, right? Yeah, that sounds like Earth.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 2, 2021 • 38min
The Great Smog
As with almost every cultural touchstone, Dr. Sydnee and Justin are extremely late to The Crown party. But the Netflix historical drama has provided not only immovable hairdos and withering glares, it also serves as the inspiration of our latest episode, in which a freak weather pattern (and an overuse of fossil fuels) nearly suffocated a city.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 26, 2021 • 46min
How to Talk About Vaccine Hesitancy
The COVID-19 vaccine has finally arrived and there are, dishearteningly, too many that are on the fence about getting it. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin provide a guide for talking with those who are vaccine hesitant and how using a kind, empathetic approach can help them see the light (and the antibodies).Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 19, 2021 • 37min
Dropsy
It's a true shame that the medical condition with perhaps the most adorable name, dropsy, doesn't really exists. Well, it exists but ... you know what, this is too complicated. Let's just do a podcast episode about it.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 5, 2021 • 43min
COVID-19: The Final Mile
OK, so the COVID-19 vaccine is here, basically, kind of, but how do you get it? How does your Nonnee get it? How will anybody get it? The answers are ... well, they're a lot less clear than we'd like. This week on Sawbones, we'll equip you with the best information we have in the hopes of reaching herd immunity (and Nonnee immunity) just as quickly as possible.Buy The Sawbones Book paperback!Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers


