Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine

Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy

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.

  • 35 minutes 57 seconds
    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 changed the course of history.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

    11 March 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 51 seconds
    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 unpacks the facts from fiction while Justin tries to steal the show.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

    4 March 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 13 seconds
    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 peoples' lives could lead to fame and success in the pseudo-scientific alternative medicine world.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/

    25 February 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 23 seconds
    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: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/

    11 February 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 41 minutes 10 seconds
    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 the immediate future, and what we can do about it.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/

    4 February 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 36 minutes 9 seconds
    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 how the vaccine eventually came about.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

    28 January 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 47 seconds
    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 doctors in the United States, why doctors would want to unionize, and what a doctors’ union might look like.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

    21 January 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 34 minutes 32 seconds
    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 what exactly this "trick" is to determine whether or not it does anything at all.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

    14 January 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 41 minutes 1 second
    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 your favorite health professional and clown husband.

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

    8 January 2025, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    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 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    

    Medicine Called Christmas 2: Royal Pain: Just in time for Christmas, we've got another extremely special holiday film created by Justin and Sydnee McElroy. Gather the family and prepare for A Medicine Called Christmas 2: A Royal Pain. NARRATOR: Rachel McElroy PHIL: Griffin McElroy TAB: Sydnee McElroy JESUS: Dwight Slappe SORIANO: Travis McElroy CHRIS: Justin McElroy WAITER: Michael Meadows  MR. BIG CITY: Tommy Smirl BETH: Teylor Smirl MANDY: Rileigh Smirl QUEEN: Mary Smirl SANTA: Clint McElroy 

    24 December 2024, 5:00 pm
  • 36 minutes 22 seconds
    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 pregnancy? And why does Justin have the old man cough?

    Music: "Medicines" by The Taxpayers https://taxpayers.bandcamp.com/

    Harmony House: https://harmonyhousewv.com/

    17 December 2024, 5:00 pm
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