Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Episodes
Sawbones: More Weird Medical Answers
30 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our celebration of MaxFunDrive by giving back to you, our lovely listeners and even lovelier donors with an all Q&A episode of Sawbon...
Sawbones: The Incredible Dr. James Barry
24 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Were you aware that history's coolest doctor was a guy named James Barry who began their life as a woman? Sit down. For this super-sized #MaxFunDrive ...
Sawbones: Norovirus
17 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Live from the Crow's Nest of the ms Westerdam, it's Sawbones all about norovirus! (Hey, we're on a cruise ship, what else are we gonna talk about? Mus...
Sawbones: Patient Privacy
09 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Dr. Sydnee's dad Tommy Smirl sits in for Justin as they explore the history of patient privacy. Why does the doctor have to keep your secre...
Sawbones: The Purification Rundown
02 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, we took you through detox. This week, we're going WAY deeper with a single treatment: The Purification Rundown. Strap in, folks, this one G...
Sawbones: Detox
26 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Before you start your next juice cleanse or coffee enema, we beg of you: Let Dr. Sydnee and Justin reassure you of the amazing detoxification powers o...
Sawbones: Sinuses
18 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, but what ARE sinuses. It's OK if you don't know, Justin didn't either. Join him in a brief education from doctor Sydnee and hear about DaVinci's ...
Sawbones: The Man Who Ate Everything
10 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This is a story about Tarrare. Tarrare was always hungry. Here is a list of some of the things Tarrare ate: A cat. A puppy. A snake. An eel. Offal. Po...
Sawbones: Immigration Medicine
03 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
America has welcomed millions of immigrants in its time. This week, we explore the medical hoops they've had to jump through to get in and explore how...
Sawbones: Health Insurance
27 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The American health insurance system is unlike any other in the world, and not in the good way. It's probably about to get worse. This is the story of...
Sawbones: Silver
20 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
No need to be blue, we're back with an all-new Sawbones about silver! See, that's a very good joke, because ingesting silver can turn you blue, but yo...
Sawbones: Space Medicine
06 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Is 2017 the year that everybody gets to go to space? Well, no, probably not. But the groundwork is there for us to do it thanks to the doctors and ast...
Sawbones: Santa Is Sick
24 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's Candlenights 2016, and that can only mean one thing: Dr. Sydnee is trying to ruin Christmas again. Join her as she explains to poor, pitiful Just...
Sawbones: Chapped Lips
16 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Chapped lips are a minor annoyance, but that didn't stop old-timey people from smushing together TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BRAINS to rub on them. Join Ju...
Sawbones: Ginger
09 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's the perfect time of year for gingerbread cookies, but what do you do with all that excess ginger? Well, maybe put it in a horse's butt? No, no, d...
Sawbones: Vaseline
02 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Cold temperatures mean chapped lips and (for a lot of people) that might also mean Vaseline. But Vaseline is used for SO much more. Like way, way, way...
Sawbones: Cranberries
26 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate American Thanksgiving, Dr. Sydnee and Justin example the medical history of that beleaguered holiday treat: The humble cranberry. Music: ...
Sawbones: Chicken Pox
21 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, we celebrate the everyday heroism of The Last Chicken Pox Generation. Also, Dr. Sydnee and Justin share your best chicken pox s...
Sawbones: Your Medical Questions, Answered!
11 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin help provide you with the answers to all the medical questions you can muster, everything from knocking p...
Sawbones: Frankberry Stool
04 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin delve into what may just be history's oddest actual medical diagnosis: Frankenberry stool. Music: "Medici...
Sawbones: Ghostwatch
28 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of folks like scary movies around Halloween time, but what happens when "spooked out" becomes "legitimate medical condition"? This week, Dr. Syd...
Sawbones: Medical Games
20 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Sydnee hands the wheel over to Justin this week as he returns to his medical media series with a history of medical video games. Learn how meteors...
Sawbones: Pellagra
14 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Immigrants get the job done, and that extends to curing a mysterious disease once blamed on everything from bad corn to summertime. This week, Dr. Syd...
Sawbones: Hemorrhoids
09 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Justin is not the hero Dr. Sydnee needs, but he's the one we all deserve. Because he's finally willing to admit the dark secret he's kept hidden for s...
Sawbones: Laughter
01 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Is laughter really the best medicine? No! Medicine is. The history of how we arrived at that conclusion is the subject of this week's Sawbones. Music:...
Sawbones: Pneumonia
24 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you've paid even passing attention to the American presidential race, you've probably heard a lot of talk about pneumonia recently. This week, Dr. ...
Sawbones: Dental Hygiene
16 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Do you really need to floss? Have you been taking your chew stick for granted? Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore those and other pressing questions in exp...
Sawbones: EpiPen
01 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How did a journey that began with Prince Albert hunting for jellyfish on a cruise end with one of the biggest calamities in prescription drug history?...
Sawbones: The Royal Fistula Fad
26 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrities have started some pretty weird fads, but perhaps none are weirder than the one started by King Louis XIV, who made it cool ... to have a f...
Sawbones: Doping
18 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing to celebrate the Summer Olympics by presenting all the weird, terrible, horrid way athletes have tried to cheat their way to winning ...
Sawbones: Cupping
11 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Olympic athletes swear by it, but what really is the science behind cupping? Dr. Sydnee and Justin are looking into it, and the answer might (but prob...
Sawbones: Arsenic
05 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's poison! It's medicine! It's both! ... OK, so it's mainly poison, but it hasn't always been that way. Join Justin and Dr. Sydnee for a brief tour ...
Sawbones: Aloe
29 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, it may seem like a magical plant, but just how helpful is that big bottle of green goo on your shelf? This week: Dr. Sydnee and Justin present t...
Sawbones: Tea
22 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We're throwing a Boston Tea Party of our own as we explore the strange history of medical tea live from Boston's historic Wilbur Theater. Music: "Medi...
Sawbones: Goofy Medical Questions Vol. 3
14 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Is it really so bad to pop pimples? Can you cut the mold off food and eat it? Is it fatal to hold in a sneeze? These questions and so many more are an...
Sawbones: Medical Garb
08 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Why do doctors wear that? What did they used to wear? Dr. Sydnee and Justin answer the big questions like that, including the big one: What's up with ...
Sawbones: Salt
01 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever used salt for ANYTHING other than making cold french fries moderately edible, you need to listen to this episode. Music: "Medicines" by...
Sawbones: Narcolepsy
24 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
You probably think you have narcolepsy all figured out, but did you know that it's also the most horrifying disease of all time? It's true! Music: "Me...
Sawbones: The Presidents Are Sick
16 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The presidents have, by and large, all been sick, sick men. We're going to talk about exactly how sick as Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore presidential...
Sawbones: Pliny the Elder
09 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In a way, it's all lead up to this. Live from the PlayStation theater in New York City, we've finally dedicated an entire episode to Pliny the Elder, ...
Sawbones: Mary Roach
01 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Holy crap you guys, we talked to Mary Roach! Yes, THAT Mary Roach, the author of Gulp, Bonk, Spook and her newest, Grunt: The Curious Science of Human...
Sawbones: Kombucha
28 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you, like us, have been seeing kombucha everywhere, you've probably heard about it's many, many health benefits. Like, SO MANY health benefits. You...
Sawbones: Kidney Stones
20 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's time to talk about the ailment so scary that Hippocrates told other doctors they shouldn't mess with it: Kidney stones. Music: "Medicines" by Th...
Sawbones: Bezoars
12 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you found a lump of hair in an animal's stomach, would you first thought be "Huh, I bet that will help cure poison!" No? See, that's why you'll nev...
Sawbones: Tinnitus
05 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We continue our exploration of the ear with an examination of one of history's most annoying (and hardest to treat) ailment: Tinnitus, otherwise known...
Sawbones: Goofiest Medical Questions Vol. 2
29 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with answers to more of the medical questions so goofy you're afraid to ask your doctor. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Earaches
21 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Last week on Sawbones, we moved into your ear. This week on Sawbones, we're staying put with an episoe about the dizzying number of ways we've profane...
Sawbones: Earwax
15 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, we make earwax way, way worse before we remove all of it. Well, most of it. You gotta leave some you know, it's good for you. E...
Sawbones: Hydrogen Peroxide
07 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In what may be the most shocking episode of Sawbones to date, we reveal the dirty truth about hydrogen peroxide: It's maybe not so useful for anything...
Sawbones: Hemophilia
31 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Sydnee and Justin try to apologize for their poopie episode with an episode about blood. They are bad at apologizing. Music: "Medicines" by The ...
Sawbones: Poop
24 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Welp, here's an episode about poop. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Your Goofiest Medical Questions: Answered
17 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's #MaxFunDrive time and Justin and Sydnee are marking the occasion with a special episode in which all of your goofiest, most embarrassing medical ...
Sawbones: Vinegar
10 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee harness the power of history's longest lasting, most widespread and (perhaps) least effective home remedy. Th...
Sawbones: Hookworm
04 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee have been working in the coal mine, and paying REAL close attention to where they step in the their history o...
Sawbones: The King of Quacks
25 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee return to the fertile land of patent medicine quacks to introduce you to Curtis Howe Springer, the King of Qu...
Sawbones: Heartburn
19 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee eat some coral in a misguided attempt to cure their heartburn (while upsetting as little of the ecosystem as ...
Sawbones: Crystal Healing
11 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee really "rock out" with an episode all about the healing power of crystals. Get it? Rock out? Man, that's one ...
Sawbones: Zika Virus
04 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, a new disease is taking the world by storm and Sydnee and Justin are there to explain what everyone is so freaked out about. We...
Sawbones: The People vs. The Spleen
28 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, it's The Trial of The Century as Justin tries to prove to Sydnee once and for all that the spleen is useless. Take your seats, ...
Sawbones: Nosebleeds
22 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee have got some wicked nosebleeds, but it's no problem: They've got some Doug to stuff up there. Music: "Medici...
Sawbones: Green Sickness
18 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
his week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee drop out of school and have some pre-marital sex to cure their pseudo-anemia. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpay...
Sawbones: Fasting
06 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee finally kick the eating habit as they explore the often-disturbing history of fasting. Music: "Medicines" by ...
Sawbones: Christmas is Trying to Kill You
23 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Live from Huntington, WV and Candlenights 2015: CHRISTMAS IS TRYING TO KILL YOU. Grandma. Egg nog. Trees. Mistletoe. The Grinch...
Sawbones: Scurvy
18 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, we put the lime in the coconut and the severity of our scurvy is not diminished in the slightest. Music: "Medicines" by The Tax...
Sawbones: Gunshot Wounds
10 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin provide a brief history of caring for gunshot wounds. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Scarlet Fever
04 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin discuss one reason the world is a little less scary for today's parents: The history of scarlet fever. Mu...
Sawbones: The Poison Squad
27 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin highlight some of medicine's most incredible superheroes. Their power? Eating trash and not dying. Music:...
Sawbones: The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits
18 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin are back with, and we don't think we're exaggerating here: The weirdest story they've ever told. Music: "Medi...
Sawbones: Nursing
05 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin finally stick it to Joy Behar (just a couple months too late to be relevant) with their brief history of nurs...
Sawbones: Medical History Halloween Costumes
30 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin dip into their archives to find some great/terrible ideas for costumes from the history of medicine. Also: Sp...
Sawbones: Roundworm
22 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Sydnee and Justin embark on a tour of the history of roundworms, in an episode Sydnee says will be just "Part 1" of the history...
Sawbones: Lyme Disease
16 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee are dodging ticks as we explore the surprisingly short history of Lyme Disease. Music: "Medicines" by The Tax...
Sawbones: Near-Death Experiences
08 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Oh No Ross and Carrie! hosts Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy hosts step in for Sydnee and Justin as part of the Max Fun Great Swi...
Sawbones: Aah, Real Monsters!
01 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Sydnee and guest star Rileigh Smirl introduce you to the diseases at the root of some monsters myths. Music: "Medicines" by The...
Sawbones: Snakes
24 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, it's Part Three of our series of putting pet-centric illness on BLAST. This week, we put snakes on a plane. Music: "Medicines" ...
Sawbones: Lice
16 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Lice are gross. That is all. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Cats
10 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, it's Part Two of our series of putting pet-centric illness on BLAST. This week, live from Vancouver, we give kitties the busine...
Sawbones: Birds
02 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, it's Part One of our series of putting pet-centric illness on BLAST. This week, live from Seattle, we finally give birds their ...
Sawbones: Love
26 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, we celebrate 100 episodes of Sawbones as Justin and Dr. Sydnee pat themselves on the back, talk about the history of their show...
Sawbones: Conjoined Twins
21 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee explore the strange, sad and even occassionally lovely history of conjoined twins. Music: "Medicines" by ...
Sawbones: Hygiene
13 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee throw the baby out with the bathwater (literally) as they explore the history of hygiene. Music: "Medicin...
Sawbones: Honey
05 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee do their sweetest, most requested episode ever: Let's have a bit 'o' honey. Music: "Medicines" by The Tax...
Sawbones: Fainting and Corsets
30 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee stop making corsets and build two battleships as they explore the history of fainting. Music: "Medicines"...
The Unkillable Phineas Gage
24 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee blow metal rod through a guy's brain and live to tell about it. He does too, which is more impressive, in...
Sawbones: The Seasick-Proof Saloon
15 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee crash a boat into a pier to cure your seasickness. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Guinea Worms
09 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee are wrapping a parasitic worm around a stick with Jimmy Carter. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Burns
02 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Dr. Sydnee celebrate their wedding anniversary by rubbing cow manuer in a burn. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: Sunburns
25 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee want you to get your D in the safest way humanly possible. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers
Sawbones: The Teen Girl
17 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin is transported into the body of a Sydnee's teenage sister Rileigh and has a lot of awkward questions. Music: "Medicines"...
Sawbones: Medical TV (Part 2)
10 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee finish their scattershot history of medical TV. An episode that even the most squeamish listener won't be yuc...
Sawbones: Poison Ivy
03 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, you're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion as Justin and Sydnee explore the weird history of poison ivy. Music: "Medicines" ...
Sawbones: Typhoid Mary
20 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee share medical history's greatest present the sad story of one of medicine's most mistreated "villains." Music...
Sawbones: The Gut Hole Romance
13 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee share medical history's greatest will-they/won't-they, the story of a doctor and his muse: A man with a hole ...
Sawbones: Sweating Sickness
07 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Justin and Sydnee are gonna make you sweat with their history of the totally bizarre phenomenon known as "Sweating Sickness." M...
Sawbones: Polio
29 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, in the last of their three-part series, Dr. Sydnee and Justin explore the dark and light side of swimming pools as they present...
Sawbones: Heroes of Patent Medicine: Volume 3
23 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, in the last of their three-part series, Dr. Sydnee and Justin introduce you to some of the craziest operators in the patent med...
Sawbones: Heroes of Patent Medicine: Volume 2
16 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin introduce you to some of the craziest operators in the patent medicine game. Music: "Medicines" by The Ta...
Sawbones: Heroes of Patent Medicine: Volume 1
08 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin introduce you to some of the craziest operators in the patent medicine game. Music: "Medicines" by The Ta...
Sawbones: Medical TV (Part 1)
25 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee hands the reins to Justin as they explore the history of medical TV, and explain why most of TV doesn't actually exi...
Sawbones: Medical Education
17 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Sawbones, Dr. Sydnee and Justin explain why Sydnee gets to call herself and Justin doesn't. Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers (http://t...