

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 21, 2019 • 47min
Sawbones: Medicine in Japanese American Concentration Camps
This week on Sawbones, we revisit a dismal period in American history that our government seems determined to repeat. Also you'll meet the heroic Japanese American doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical professionals that fought to save lives despite the fact that they themselves were prisoners. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jun 13, 2019 • 33min
Sawbones: Trichinosis
We all know it's probably smart not to eat raw pork, but this week on Sawbones, we'll meet the inspiring people brave enough to ask "Why?" (Note: We're publishing this week's episode a little early because we're headed out on tour!) Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jun 7, 2019 • 41min
Sawbones: Adenoviruses
This is the story of the military-funded vaccine that was, wasn't and then ($100 million later) was again. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

May 31, 2019 • 40min
Sawbones: Paternity Testing
Though we have it down to a (literal) science at this point, the history of determining parentage is chock-full of fake medicine. Two words: Impotence court. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

May 26, 2019 • 38min
Sawbones: The World of Warcraft Plague
This week on Sawbones: A real-world miracle. Justin gets to talk about video games as Dr. Sydnee explores a in-game plague that brought World of Warcraft to its knees.

May 18, 2019 • 33min
Sawbones: The First Pharmacist
This week on Sawbones, we meet the first pharmacist in the U.S., visit the New Orleans museum that celebrates his legacy and hunt the ghosts that supposedly haunt it. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

May 4, 2019 • 45min
Sawbones: Bleach
This week on Sawbones, an unnerving look into the upsettingly modern invention of ingesting bleach for medicinal uses. Content warning: This episode includes descriptions of "therapies" that are being used primarily on children and other vulnerable populations. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Apr 26, 2019 • 44min
Sawbones: Why Doctors Don't Fix Teeth
We've joked a lot about how Dr. Sydnee doesn't know much about teeth, but this week we're explaining exactly why. It all goes back ... to The Historic Rebuff. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Apr 19, 2019 • 35min
Sawbones: Warfarin
Sure, an episode about a common blood thinner may not sound particularly sexy. But we'd bet that once you hear the inspiring story of how moldy hay became a life saving medicine (with a detour as a rat poison) you may think differently. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Apr 12, 2019 • 38min
Sawbones: Cavities
Dr. Sydnee finally took a much belated trip to the dentists office and she and Justin are celebrating in the only way they know how: Digging through all the retched ways we've tried to fix teeth since the dawn of time. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers