Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

4.8 (15K)
COMEDY
UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

1D AGO

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 mystery: Why, for a town in Colorado, was having brown teeth a sign of great tooth health? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

44 min
MAY 13

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 non-traditional Pope and his contribution to medicine in the 12th century. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

36 min
MAY 6

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 during the middle ages including the four humours, alchemy, and the real cause of syphilis (insulting the sun god). Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org/

38 min
APR 29

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 history of humans and tetanus, what it does to a body, and why maybe it's not a great idea to garden barefoot. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

44 min
APR 22

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 government regulations for supplements. But Dr. Sydnee talks about its history and roots in strange conspiracies and biases from the 1950s – and what the movement means for us today. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ "The John Birch Society" by The Chad Mitchell Trio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWCYSVZhPoU National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

42 min
APR 15

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 popularized it in the second half of the eighteenth century. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

40 min
APR 1

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 cats? Can you fart and spread norovirus? Can a fetus taste? And the most important question of all: who are Justin and Dr. Sydnee's favorite fictional doctors? Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ National Immigration Project: https://nipnlg.org/about/who-we-are

42 min
MAR 25

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 the medical beats are surprisingly accurate. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/ Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

35 min

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TRAILER

2023 BoCo Teaser - Sawbones: Medical Questions for Kids

We wanted to share a little teaser of our MaxFunDrive Bonus Content, so here's a short clip of Dr. Sydnee and Charlie addressing kid medical questions. If you want to hear the whole thing, head over to maximumfun.org/join to get access to this, plus the bonus content from MaxFunDrives past.

03/24/2023

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4 min

4.8

out of 5

14,604 Ratings

Science

May 11

JesseSherwood

Love it
So edifying and so fun

May 4

Portlander from Louisiana

This is in my top 5 favorite podcasts! From time to time, I go on a Sawbones bender; I binge dozens of episodes in the span of a few days. Recently I was talking to my ob-gyn and I mentioned that I listen to a medical history podcast. She asked for the name and I proudly exclaimed “Sawbones!!!”
Misguided Political Views

May 6

Cat T Cajun

I was really enjoying Sawbones until I came upon the Project 2025 podcast, which highlighted that evidently the McElroys took the rhetoric of the left (that had the media portray Project 2025 as the plans of President Trump) as truth. Talk about Misguided…Wow, how ironic! I know you are “educated “ individuals-so do some critical thinking for yourself, rather than swallowing what the Misguided media baits you with. Or just keep politics out of the podcast and deliver what you advertise; a block of time for listeners to relax, have fun, and laugh!
thank you justin and dr. sydnee!

Apr 26

greenquilt

I’m an undergrad student, and I’ve been listening to this podcast on and off since I was 15 and we were in heavy lockdown. I recently got back into it, and I turned on an episode while I made tea after my walk this morning. I’m working on a few of political and historical essays which have felt too heavy to manage at times, and because I have a feeling that creating this show might be similarly overwhelming right now, I wanted to tell you how nice it is to listen to two kind, sane, thoughtful, informed people update me on the news. This podcast is just as grounding to me now as it was in 2020, and I’m so grateful for all the effort you put into it.