Ep 227 Carbon Monoxide: Haunted houses & coal mine canaries

There is something uniquely tragic and terrifying about carbon monoxide poisoning. The way it comes on quietly, without warning. How it alters your reality and changes your behavior. The fact that without a carbon monoxide detector, we can’t smell or taste or see or otherwise sense this poisonous g…

Ep 226 Glanders: Straight from the horse’s mouth

It’s got all the ingredients for a classic TPWKY episode: Deadly zoonotic bacterium (Burkholderia mallei). Tier 1 Select Agent role in war (greatest risk from a bioterrorism perspective). Historically caused devastating outbreaks resulting in mass casualty (of equids). And yet few people know what …

Special Episode: Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris & The Sleuth-Hound

Since his first appearance in A Study in Scarlet in 1887, Sherlock Holmes has captured hearts and imaginations around the world. Featured in countless tv shows, movies, books, plays, comic books, songs, and other media, Holmes has been firmly cemented as one of the most recognizable characters glob…

Ep 225 Peptides: What your peptide dealer doesn’t want you to know

Looking to get swole (do people still say that)? Want to rewind the clock and smooth those bothersome wrinkles? Trying to lose weight rapidly and without a prescription? If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, chances are you’ve been inundated with ads, influencers, and podcast bros extoll…

Ep 224 Snake Oil: The Great American Fraud

Come one, come all to learn of the miraculous news we’re buzzing to share with you at this limited time, low price offer. If you’ve been troubled by aches and pains, sores and sneezes, look no further than this very special episode - good for whatever ails you. Brimming with historical detail and o…

Special Episode: Robert Kolker & The Vanishing Family

A diagnosis of dementia of any kind is devastating. For those with the hereditary form of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), it could mean an entire family is destined for the same fate. In this week’s TPWKY book club episode, award-winning author Robert Kolker paints an intimate portrait of one such f…

Ep 223 ALS: Unraveling the mystery

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has long mystified the medical community and brought tremendous sorrow to those impacted by the condition. But to tell the story of ALS as one solely of tragedy would do a disservice to those who have long fought to develop an…

Ep 222 Vitamin K: Calling the shots

Shortly after birth, many newborns are given vitamin K to help their blood clot properly and reduce the chances of hemorrhage. Increasingly, especially here in the US, parents are refusing this life-saving intervention, leaving these babies more likely to develop deficiency bleeding which can lead …

Special Episode: Dr. Alanna Skuse & The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack

Imagine yourself as a 17th century English peasant or merchant or noble. Let’s say you’re dealing with some intense stomach pain or a cut on your leg that won’t heal. Where do you turn to for help? Today’s book club episode reveals that the answer depends on your medical needs, your wealth, your so…

Ep 221 Electroconvulsive Therapy Part 2: A current conversation

This week, we’re picking up where we left off last episode in our exploration of ECT by examining how this therapy is administered, which conditions it’s used for, and what we know about why it works. To start off, we take you through the procedure step-by-step, including prep and what someone migh…