

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

Feb 17, 2020 • 35min
Sawbones: Laudable Pus
This week on Sawbones, it's the truly embarrassing story of why we spent several centuries thinking it was important for us to make wounds as pus-filled as possible. There's no nice way of saying it folks: This is a gross one. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 10, 2020 • 43min
Sawbones: Body Temperature
This week on Sawbones, things are getting hot! Well, no, come to think of it, they’re doing the opposite. They’re getting colder. And by “they” we mean “we.” We’re getting colder, all of us. Probably. What should you do about it? Nothing. For now, you’ll just have to -- wait for it -- chill.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 2, 2020 • 43min
Sawbones: Coronavirus
This week on Sawbones, we've got a no-panic-allowed history of coronavirus along with a guide to the current strain that has held the headlines in a stranglehold in the past weeks. Even if you don't listen to the episode, take heart: If you're outside of China, it's likely you're more scared than you need to be at the moment.Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 24, 2020 • 46min
Sawbones: IV Cocktails
Would it surprise you to learn that people with too much money are flocking to "IV bars" and paying hundreds of dollars for intravenous cocktails of vitamins that are supposed to treat every malady under the sun but do absolutely nothing except risk serious infection? ... It probably doesn't surprise you, does it? Yeah, us neither. God, that's depressing. Anyway, here's a podcast. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 19, 2020 • 36min
Sawbones: Viking's Disease
This week on Sawbones, we celebrate a trip to Minnesota with an exploration of Viking's Disease. You'll meet the people it isn't really named for and the guy who beat out a long line of researchers to get it named after himself. It's a whole thing. You'll see. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 10, 2020 • 49min
Sawbones: Bidets
We bidets have been all the rage for years around the globe, they never really caught on in the U.S. What part of their seedy history kept them out of American homes? And what (if any) are their health benefits? We've got all that and more on the new Sawbones! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dec 28, 2019 • 35min
Sawbones: The Chicago River Reversal
This week on Sawbones, the incredible true story of how Chicago changed the direction of a river to battle typhoid and cholera. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dec 22, 2019 • 39min
A Medicine Called Christmas 2: A 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

Dec 13, 2019 • 43min
Sawbones: Elderberry and Other Things That Don't Prevent the Flu
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) Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dec 6, 2019 • 41min
Sawbones: Taint Tanning and Heliotherapy
Listen, we're not gonna sit here all fancy and act like we didn't just record an entire episode about people sunning their buttholes. That's what happened, nothing can change that. If you don't listen, it was for nothing. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers