Podcasts · Comedy · Health & Fitness
Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
300 episodes
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 page 2 of 6
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Sawbones: Lisztomania
Before the hysteria of Swifties and Beatlemania, people were getting hype over the handsome pianist Franz Liszt. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what exactly about this artist made regular fandom escalate into a mania…
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Sawbones: Freddy Pharkas, Frontier Pharmacist
Before everyone hits the back-to-school grind, we’ve got a fun episode about Freddy Pharkas. A historical figure of frontier medicine? No, a video game character from 1993. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk about how a…
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Sawbones: Can I Use My Own Tears as Saline?
We're bringing the heat with listeners' weird medical questions! Are the hot parts of the body the only Sweaty parts? Is spicy food spicier some days more than others? Is there any benefits to extra things in glasses…
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Sawbones: King of Sting
A dovetail from last week’s episode, Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the official pain scale of insect stings, all compiled by Justin O. Schmidt. So who was this Justin, how did his research contribute to science, and…
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Sawbones: Wasps
After an unfortunate and painful encounter with an angry flying insect, Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about wasps: how their stings work, and a journey into the science behind some folk remedies. Music: "Medicines" by…
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Sawbones: The Heartmobile
It used to be that if you needed to get to the hospital quickly, you would call the herse – because it had the space to transport a person who was lying down. Well, all of that changed in Columbus, OH, with the…
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Sawbones: MAHA Mess
Dr. Sydnee and Justin said they'd talk about when the US Health Department replaced the vaccine council . . . well, it's happened. But to EVERYONE'S surprise, it's more of a mess than a triumph. Dr. Sydnee talks about…
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Sawbones: Is Nose Ointment a Waste of Time?
Just in time for The Prom season, Justin and Dr. Sydnee bring your weird summer medical questions! Do other citrus fruits affect medication, or is it really just grapefruits? Why do hiccups happen so sporadically? Do…
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Sawbones: Sex Chocolate
It's a Sawbones grab-bag, featuring some pop-sci mythbusting around MSG, a reality check into current events around vaccines, and a fun new questionable product bringing chocolate to the bedroom. Music: "Medicines" by…
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Sawbones Classics: Fluoride
With all the news around fluoride, we bring the classic Sawbones episode about the benefits of fluoride in drinking water, because the science has not changed. This week, Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore a medical…
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Sawbones: Dr. Pope
There was a time when Popes had secondary careers (or primary ones) on to of their Papal one. This includes Pope John XXI, the only Pope to have also been a physician. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about this…
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Sawbones: Renaissance Medicine
Sawbones brings you a studio version of the show at the ye olde Harmony House Renaissance Faire. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk about how medicine evolved in the Renaissance beyond what passed for scientific theories…
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Sawbones: Tetanus
It's a myth that tetanus is only found on rusty metal. What really matters is that a wound that is a dirty, deep puncture wound could to introduce the bacteria into the body. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the long…
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Sawbones: The Medical Freedom Movement
The Medical Freedom or the Health Freedom Movement is not new, but it is currently gaining more traction and attention under RFK, Jr. On its face, it is a political movement that distrusts pharmaceutical companies and…
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Sawbones: Thalassotherapy
TikTok has become enthralled with the idea of Thalassotherapy... which is basically going to the ocean to feel better. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of this "sea cure" and Dr. Richard Russell, the man who…
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Sawbones: Why Don’t Edema and Enema Rhyme?
Justin has gathered all the strangest listeners (questions) to quiz Dr. Sydnee with all of your weird and fun medical questions! Is Gatorade actually salty and NOT sweet? Are people with cat allergies allergic to big…
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Sawbones: Dr. Odyssey: Shark Week
What medical drama does a doctor on a cruise ship get involved in? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Dr. Odyssey: Shark Attack!, and the follow-up, Dr. Odyssey: Shark Attack! Part 2: Orca. It's a wild ride, but some of…
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Sawbones: The Pitt
Dr. Sydnee brings a little levity as she talks about a new medical show, The Pitt. Following fictional doctors in real-time(ish), Dr. Sydnee discusses how it compares to working in an actual ER, as well as it how it…
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Feed Drop: Clint and Justin join MFD Spring Break!
It’s not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini…
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Sawbones: Henry VIII
How dangerous is jousting? Just look into the example of King Henry VIII of England. The Tudor king is infamous for his six wives, but Dr. Sydnee explains how a jousting injury may have changed his behavior – and…
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Sawbones: Kleptomania
Kleptomania is defined by an undeniable compulsion to steal, so it has wavered between legitimate diagnosis and flimsy criminal defense to somewhere in between since its inception. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee…
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Sawbones: Apple Cider Vinegar
The recent semi-fictionalized Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar explores the world of wellness following bloggers Belle Gibson and Milla Blake. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what factors in the world and in…
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Sawbones: Frostbite
It's been bitterly cold in our region lately and that's got Dr. Sydnee thinking about frostbite. This week, we'll gain a better understanding of this malady and even stage a brief theatrical selection about it. Music:…
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Sawbones: Science Updates
There has been a lot going on in the United States in the last few days that might affect what's going on with health, medicine, and other sciences. Dr. Sydnee talks about the implications of all of these now and in…
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Sawbones: Whooping Cough
Depending on where you live, you might be hearing a lot lately about Pertussis or Whooping Cough, even in Dr. Sydnee and Justin’s home county. Dr. Sydnee talks about the long history of this disease, its symptoms, and…
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Sawbones: Physicians' Unions
Imagine if your doctor could go on strike in the middle of a treatment. That’s the most popular argument against physicians’ unions, but there’s a lot more to the issue. Dr. Sydnee talks about the process of training…
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Sawbones: Seven-Second Poop Trick
It's a real medical (with a lower-case m) mystery, as Dr. Sydnee tries to find the source of a trick on TikTok that reportedly helps alleviate constipation. Join Sydnee on her surprisingly difficult journey to find…
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Sawbones: Book Club
Dr. Sydnee and Justin are easing back into the swing of things after the holidays by discussing what they’ve been reading, both apart and together. So cozy up with some tea to hear some good book recommendations from…
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Sawbones Classic Double-Feature: A Medicine Called Christmas 1 & 2
Happy Candlenights! We've got for you a double-feature of the original A Medicine Called Christmas 1 and 2. Medicine Called Christmas: Live from Candlenights 2018, we're so proud to present a staged reading of the new…
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Sawbones: How's My Lump Doing?
As a gift to the audience, we have another Sawbones Q and A, answering strange questions submitted by listeners! How does a menstrual disk work? How should we ACTUALLY clean our ears? Are cat biscuits bad for…
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Sawbones: Walking Pneumonia
It’s nearly winter, which means the return of mycoplasma or “Walking Pneumonia” on this hemisphere. This week Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about how this infection was discovered, the questionable way it was researched…
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Sawbones: Tesla Medbed
Somehow the Tesla medical bed, or Tesla Biohealing Wellness Hotel and Resort is not related to Elon Musk. It is also not really related to actual medical care. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about another wellness product…
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Sawbones: Project 2025
Needless to say it’s going to be a long four years for the United States. This week’s episode of Sawbones offers some guidance on what we might expect for medicine and health care going forward and what pro-active…
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Sawbones Classic: History of Abortion
It's Election Day in the United States of America, and so we present this Sawbones episode on the history of abortion from May 2022. Go vote! With the recent news about Roe v. Wade, it’s important to talk about the…
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Sawbones: John Green and Good.Store
Dr. Sydnee and Justin are joined by John Green to talk about the still-prevalent disease of tuberculosis and how his company Good.Store is using coffee and tea to eradicate it in one African country. Music: "Medicines"…
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Sawbones: Doctor Odyssey
There's a new medical show in town, and Sawbones is all here for it. Dr. Sydnee goes through some of the highlights of the medical emergencies above the cruise ship in Doctor Odyssey and their plausibility and how…
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Sawbones: Brazilian Butt Lift
Some cosmetic surgeries include adding silicon or plastic to enhance the figure. But what if the extra fat came from your own body? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the fraught and history of the Brazilian Butt Lift,…
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Sawbones: Can Doritos Make Skin See-Through?
Bring on the fall weather and bring on the listeners’ weird medical questions! Dr. Sydnee and Justin answer listeners’ strangest queries and maybe learn a thing or two themselves. Is Shy Bladder a real thing? Can you…
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Sawbones: Kegels
No matter the body parts, strengthening your pelvic muscles is generally good for you. But who were they named after, and most importantly, who introduced them? Dr. Sydnee and Justin go on a journey through the Kegel's…
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Sawbones: Exploding Teeth
Canonically, Dr. Sydnee doesn’t know much about teeth, but there are several cases in dental journals about teeth that spontaneously exploded. Dr. Sydnee tries to make sense of a few mysterious account of these events,…
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Sawbones: Superman
It’s a bird! It’s a podcast! It’s Justin’s superhero anatomy textbook to the rescue! What is the medical and scientific explanation of how Superman’s powers work? Batman has thoroughly analysed his Justice League…
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Sawbones: Triple E and Public Health in 2024
A rare but deadly mosquito-born illness called Eastern equine encephalitis is prompting some local governments to limit evening play for kids. But after the COVID public health crisis, the discussion about how to best…
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Sawbones: Fentanyl and the ONEbox
If you haven’t already been personally affected by a fentanyl overdose, you likely know someone who has. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee explores the rapid rise of fentanyl as a lethal street drug and what one West…
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Sawbones: The Doctor Patient
Dr. Sydnee goes through her own story of a routine mammogram and its follow up: how the experience is different coming in as a doctor, the advantages and the disadvantages of trying to doctor yourself, and how easy it…
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Sawbones: Mushrooms
It wouldn't be Twenty Fungalore without talking about the alleged medicinal properties of mushrooms, which are a fungus and not a plant at all. Justin and Dr. Sydnee talk to Cleveland about common fungi used as medical…
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Sawbones: Medical Jewelry
Magnetic bracelets, immortality rings . . . the internet is full of wearables that are sold for their medicinal properties as if they’re equipment in Baldur’s Gate. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of this…
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Sawbones: Mechanical Heart Pump
Sometimes the cities we visit on tour have some historical medical mess-ups, but not Detroit! Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Forest Dewey Dodrill, who performed the first successful heart surgery (with a pump) in a…
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Sawbones: Tampons
You may have heard that a new study showed tampons contain traces of metals. Dr. Sydnee and Justin go through the history of tampons, why they might contain metal, and what we still need to find out about the possible…
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Sawbones: Human Tricks
Can you touch your tongue with your nose or wiggle your ears? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the science and studies behind weird little tricks some bodies can do, or "stupid human tricks." Can you flare your…
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Sawbones: A Couple of Boob Questions
Sawbones listeners just have so many strange medical questions! Questions like: Why do I sneeze at dark chocolate? Does Diet Coke actually relieve nausea? Why does saliva get thicker while exercising? And you know that…
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