Sunset was coming early. The leaves were starting to turn, and the threat of snow, although slight, hung in the air. Sitting around the low campfire, the surrounding fields were pale with the light of the full moon, and then trees cast shadows of giants against the tent sides. With the cool nights and blustery …
Month: August 2016
Carbon, Medicine, Public Health, and Clark Kent
I remember as a child in the 1960’s watching my favorite series, Superman. In one episode, Superman (also Clark Kent sans Glasses) crushed a piece of coal and made a Diamond for Lois Lane. I remember at the time thinking that was pretty cool. Of course, I was 7. We know that while the carbon …
Continue reading Carbon, Medicine, Public Health, and Clark Kent
Ebola, Hanta, and Marburg..But don’t Panic. Yet.
The Internet has been flooded of late with information (and significant misinformation) about Ebola. The most popular search term on Google is now “Ebola” (recently it was “Twerking”). But with all the information available, much of it offered up by non-scientists and armchair-experts, how does the average person sift the facts from what is essentially …
Continue reading Ebola, Hanta, and Marburg..But don’t Panic. Yet.
Life and Death in America: A Return to 19th Century Life Expectancy?
We have all read how life expectancy in the United States has drastically increased from the 1800’s, and even since the mid 20th Century. Few, however, are cognizant of exactly how that has happened. Yes, food production is increased drastically, however food quality has not necessarily improved, at least the food that the majority of …
Continue reading Life and Death in America: A Return to 19th Century Life Expectancy?
Denny Crane has Mad Cow, or Trouble With Tribbles Retropective
One of versatile Canadian actor William Shatner’s most memorable characters was Boston Legal’s Denny Crane. In the final season of the series, Crane becomes convinced that he has been infected with Mad Cow disease, often using the utterance “Mad cow” to explain the bewildering statements he makes. In actuality, contracting Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE, …
Continue reading Denny Crane has Mad Cow, or Trouble With Tribbles Retropective
Too unpleasant for most of the public to contemplate: The Political Stupidity of the 19th Century
The medical series, House, M.D. makes excellent television for many interested in the health field. As the foundation of the diagnostics department, Dr Greg House uses his exceptional knowledge of medicine, infectious and chronic diseases, and even aspects of psychology to unravel the causes of his patient’s illness. Few hospitals actually have departments of diagnostic …
Home Sweet Home…
It was exactly one year ago to the day that Blaine Henry returned from Africa. Raised by working parents who believed that only through service to others a person could find himself, Blaine took this to heart. He had always tried to be a good person; throughout his high school years, he had been a …
A Bird in the Hand
The school nurse at an otherwise quiet, rural grammar school, found her usual week anything but usual. Of the student body total of 203, she had already had visits from 13 students by 9 o’clock Thursday. Even on the busiest days, she saw no more than 5 or 6 students; usually bumps, scrapes, or calls …
The Myth of “Natural Immunity” and why Vaccines are still Critical
During the last three months of pregnancy, antibodies from the mother are passed to her unborn baby through the placenta. This is known as passive immunity, because the baby has been given antibodies rather than making them itself. Antibodies are proteins that the immune system produces that help protect the body against invasions by bacteria …
Continue reading The Myth of “Natural Immunity” and why Vaccines are still Critical
