Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

This week on Sawbones, live from the historic Ryman Auditorium, hear the patent medicine company so insidious they made Dolly Parton sing about laxatives on one of the biggest stages in country music. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

You're well acquainted with all of humanity's history of medical mistakes, but even modern medicine changes it's mind from time to time. This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin explain what a medical reversal looks like! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

We all know that consuming wine has no downsides whatsoever, but did you know it also has some amazing health benefits as well?! It's true! (Depending on your definition of "benefits" ... and "health" and ... OK, and "amazing" too. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

We recorded this episode of Sawbones live on the Joco Cruise 2019. (Book your cabin for 2020 now, they're filling up fast!) When confronted with the beauty of the ocean and cool island breezes, Dr. Sydnee's mind turns to the only rational place: Pinworms. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Often on Sawbones, we talk about pushers of false cures as if snake oil is a relic of a bygone era. This week on a special MaxFunDrive episode of Sawbones, a reminder that snake oil salespeople are just a present as ever. DONATE NOW! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week on Sawbones to celebrate the Maximum Fun Drive we've got a special crossover episode with Shmanners! Let's talk about broken heart syndrome (which is exactly what we'll have if you don't donate!) DONATE NOW! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Did you know that Alabama has been the home of some huge medical milestones? It's true! Join us as we share the inspirational, hilarious and terrifying medical legends of The Yellowhammer State. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Today, we're honoring the memory of Luke Perry who passed away this week after a stroke. We'll be talking about the history of strokes, but more importantly teach you how to help prevent them and how to spot them when they happen. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Dr. Sydnee and Justin find themselves in Colorado, an episode on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever seems a natural fit ... except it's not really that common in Colorado. But when the story of a disease is able to tie together cow-dipping terrorism and frozen food, how can they resist? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This Thanksgiving, Dr. Sydnee and Justin invite you on their ambitious quest to use the biggest family meal of the year to destigmatize herpes. No more waiting for your problematic uncle to make things weird; this you're YOU'LL be the one starting uncomfortable conversations. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Would you believe that the hot new (very old) alternative medicine paste that indiscriminately burns your cells off is bad for you? We know, we were shocked too. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin take a swig from the new miracle drink Jilly Juice, which can not only cure every disease but can regrow limbs! (It can't, it makes you puke and poop and that's it, but you should listen anyway.) Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

We've spotted a boatload of your weird medical questions on the horizon and we've pointed our knowledge cannons at it and we're ... sinking it? Listen, the metaphor got away from us. We're sorry. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week on Sawbones, we detail all the real medical conditions that have been mistaken for demonic possession and the modern day psychiatrists that are pushing for possession to be taken more seriously. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dr. Sydnee and Justin asked why you, their beloved listeners, haven't gotten a flu shot and now they're taking 27 (yes, 27) of your most common excuses and blowing them to smithereens. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Dr. Price was a dentist with some pretty bad ideas about nutrition. That probably wouldn't have merited an appearance on Sawbones ... except those bad ideas went on to inspire a terrifying modern following. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week Justin and Dr. Sydnee try desperately to save you from cholera on a grand tour of the many different ways to die on The Oregon Trail. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (Apologies if your player downloads this episode twice, we had an issue with the file we're trying to troubleshoot.)

You had to see this one coming. Yes, just a few short weeks after Justin's surgery, Dr. Sydnee decides to explain the complete history of vasectomies in excruciating detail in front a few thousand of their closest friends. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

We take for granted that we know what bodies look like on the inside, but this week on Sawbones we honor those brave pioneers that had to draw them for the very first time. Also Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore the scandal behind the most famous book of medical illustrations. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin discuss what we owe to people who do terrible things in the name of medical progress. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

People talk a lot of mess about drugs being dangerous, and they're right. But did you know that ether frolics, a delightfully named drug party, inspired a powerful anasthetic? It's true! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Asbestos has gotten a lot of bad publicity over the last century, but isn't that just because it's so incredibly dangerous for humans to inhale? Isn't that just another case of bias? As the current American administration seems to be clearing a path for asbestos to return to the spotlight, Justin and Dr. Sydnee looked into this misunderstood extremely hazardous substance. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Justin and Dr. Sydnee explore the history of Perkins' Tractors which are both 1. not what they sound like and 2. not what they claim to be. Mysterious! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

If the pill you've been taking has been helping you, but it's really made of sugar, would you want to know? Those and other thrilling ethical questions await in our discussion of the placebo effect. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

CBD oil is collecting a lot of adherents and getting a lot of buzz due to, in part, it being derived from cannabis. It won't get you high, but is CBD oil the panacea many are promoting it as? Let's discuss on this week's Sawbones! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

This week on Sawbones, we explore a completely groundless testing method based on the same science as Ouija boards that's used by over a third of American chiropractors. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

In honor of the rescue of 12 boys and their coach from a cave in Thailand, we're discussing the history of dive medicine research that helped make it possible. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Ozone provides a helpful layer of sunscreen for Earth, but it's toxic to humans. It will come as no surprise to regular Sawbones listeners that we've spent the past couple hundred years trying to jam it in every possible orifice. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

Imagine an incredible pill that could give you nausea and diarrhea and then once ejected from your body could be reused an endless number of times. Dream no more! Antimony is here! Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers

You've likely heard a lot about the ketogenic diet lately, but have you heard it wasn't created for weight loss? Maybe you did, Justin didn't. Either way, we'll talk about it and so much more on this week's episode of Sawbones. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers