

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 1, 2019 • 41min
Sawbones: Rubella
This week on Sawbones we complete our three-part series on the MMR vaccine as we make you an honorary Rubella Fighter. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 22, 2019 • 40min
Sawbones: Auriculotherapy
Everybody loves harnessing the power of reflexology, but what if you want all the great, totally real, not at all fabricated benefits of reflexology, but don't wanna touch people's feet? Friends, auriculotherapy is here for you. ... You're OK with touching ears, right? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 15, 2019 • 41min
Sawbones: Mumps
This week on Sawbones we return to the MMR vaccine, specifically the "mumps" part. We'll also meet the brilliant mind behind the vaccine and the tragic reason he never gets the credit he's due. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 5, 2019 • 38min
Tom Brady's Snake Oil
Besides being a king of football and all around touchdown master, did you know Tom Brady endorses a training and nutrition regimen co-created by a guy who got in trouble with the FTC for selling fake cancer pills? Let's talk about TB12. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Feb 1, 2019 • 42min
Sawbones: Rock Medicine
This week on Sawbones, we'll meet a San Francisco doctor that reimagined how we care for people with drug addiction and got a hit put out on himself in the process. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 25, 2019 • 44min
Sawbones: Bizarro World
Imagine a world where Sawbones never existed, medical progress was halted and false wellness ran rampant. That's the horrifying world painted by a recent issue of The Times that Dr. Sydnee and Justin are going to guide you through this week. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 12, 2019 • 46min
Sawbones: Alkaline Water
As shelves seem to be overtaken by "pH-balanced" beverages, alkaline water has moved from the fringes into the mainstream. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin see if every human malady really can be fixed by low-pH water. (Spoiler: No.) Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Jan 4, 2019 • 39min
Sawbones: Colic and Gripe Water
Gripe water and colic are a match made in Sawbones heaven: A cure-all and a catch all. This week, we'll explore the history of how a misunderstood diagnosis has helped keep a made-up medicine on the shelves. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dec 24, 2018 • 33min
A Sawbones Special Presentation: A Medicine Called Christmas
Live from Candlenights 2018, we're so proud to present a staged reading of the new Hallmark Christmas movie written by Justin and Sydnee McElroy: A Medicine Called Christmas. Music: Adam Sakiyama CAST: Narrator: Rachel McElroy Daniel: Tommy Smirl Tabitha: Sydnee McElroy Phil: Griffin McElroy Chris: Justin McElroy Ms. Crimble: Teresa McElroy Mr. Frankson: Dwight Slappe Mr. Cameron: Travis McElroy Beth: Teylor Smirl Mandy: Rileigh Smirl Mr. Golfberg: Michael Meadows Santa: Clint McElroy

Dec 15, 2018 • 40min
Sawbones: Vitamin B17
This week's episode of Sawbones is all about "Vitamin B17" which is, brace yourself ... not a vitamin. Yup, it's gonna be one of those sorts of episodes. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers