Ep 160 Appendicitis: Don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone?

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#Fitness #Exactly Right #Medicine #Science #Disease #Medical #Popular Science #Women In STEM #Tpwky #Updike #Favorite Murder #Erin Allmann Updyke #Erin Welsh #Erin Updyke #Erin Walsh #Exactly Right Media

30:14

"It is a scientific fact that these macaques, like all other primates, including humans, are communicating. They communicate in much the same way we do - facial expressions, vocalizations, body postures, those kinds of things." - Jeff Kerr Jeff Kerr is PETA foundations Chief Legal Officer. I asked him to come on the show to talk about one of PETA’s current lawsuits against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Nathional Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). PETA is arguing that the monkeys being tested on in a government run facility are capable of communication (or “are communicating”). And that we have a constitutional right under the First Amendment to receive their communications. This could be a game changer in allowing us to see what’s really going on in labs that are funded by taxpayer money, and which have so far been censored from public view. PETA’s lawsuit follows years of NIH’s attempts to deny Freedom of Information requests banning PETA executives from its campus and illegally censoring animal advocates’ speech on NIH’s public social media pages. Through the lawsuit, PETA is seeking a live audio-visual feed to see and hear real-time communications from the macaques who have been kept isolated, used in fear experiments, and had posts cemented into their heads. Anthropologists and other scientists have studied macaque and other primate communications for decades and know that the monkeys communicate effectively and intentionally through lip smacking, fear grimaces, body language, and various cries and sounds—all of which constitute speech under the law. Primatologists can analyze that speech on a deeper level to share their stories with the world.…

about a year ago 1:13:07

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For decades, it seemed like the appendix would go the way of 8-track players, pagers, and the phonograph. Outdated, obsolete, not worth keeping around. Surgeons performed appendectomies like it was spring cleaning - when in doubt, cut it out. But then the tides began to turn as medicine started to question the long-held belief that the appendix is a defunct organ (on a good day) or a ticking time bomb (on a very bad one). In this episode, we trace the story of the appendix from its earliest descriptions to the latest advancements in treatment of appendicitis. If you’ve ever wondered whether the appendix actually serves any function and what that function might be, then this is the episode for you!

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242 episodes

This Podcast Will Kill You

Ep 160 Appendicitis: Don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone?

This Podcast Will Kill You

4,462 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

242 episodes

All episodes

This Podcast Will Kill You

1
Ep 177 Toxic Shock Syndrome: A shock to the system 1:25:20

6 days ago1:25:20

1:25:20

If you’ve ever read the little instructions pamphlet included in a box of tampons, you probably came across a paragraph calling attention to a condition called toxic shock syndrome (TSS). It describes the association between TSS and tampon use, symptoms of TSS, and guidance on how to reduce risk. This legally mandated warning label has formed an indelible link connecting tampons and TSS, and indeed, tampons form a large part of the story of TSS. But they are not the entire story. In this episode, we delve into that full story, examining what TSS actually is, the pathogens it’s associated with, and how it was first identified. If you’ve had TSS questions ever since you first heard of it in health class or on your box of tampons, this is the episode for you! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 176 Strychnine: The WD-40 of Victorian Medicine 1:19:33

13 days ago1:19:33

1:19:33

This week, we’re coming at you with a classic TPWKY episode on one of the most notorious poisons out there: strychnine. Although strychnine might not flash across too many headlines these days, it was once imported by the ton in certain regions of the world. What did people want with so much strychnine? Depends on who you ask. Maybe it was for a revitalizing tonic, maybe a rat poison, or maybe it was to murder the founder of a famous university. Tune in to learn how this deadly poison acts on the body and keep listening for a very special musical treat. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Special Episode: Dr. Adam Ratner & Booster Shots 52:32

20 days ago52:32

52:32

For the past few months, measles has been in regular rotation in the news cycle here in the US, with outbreaks occurring across the country in regions with low vaccine uptake. These outbreaks represent a worrying trend in the rejection of scientific and medical expertise, with long-term consequences not only for those individuals refusing vaccines but also the communities to which they belong. In this TPWKY book club episode (recorded March 14, 2025), Dr. Adam Ratner joins us to discuss his book Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health . With his firsthand experience treating children with measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, Dr. Ratner provides a powerful perspective on the dangers of the measles virus and vaccine hesitancy. What can we learn from the history of measles and the measles vaccine rollout? Why is measles such a dangerous virus? Where do we go from here? Tune in for all this and more. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 175 What’s the deal with raw milk: Part 2 1:00:27

27 days ago1:00:27

1:00:27

Last week, we started this two-parter with a big picture view of pasteurization and the raw milk movement. In this episode, we address the alleged health claims made by proponents of raw milk and dive into the very real risks carried by its consumption. Is raw milk actually better for you? Does it have more vitamins or prevent allergies? What deadly pathogens does it harbor? How much does drinking raw milk increase your chance of contracting a milk-related disease? (Spoilers: A LOT). We tackle these questions with reliable data that paint a very different picture of raw milk than that shown by many raw milk influencers. Tune in for all this and more. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 174 What’s the deal with raw milk: Part 1 1:09:33

5 weeks ago1:09:33

1:09:33

Seriously, what’s the deal? Lately, it seems like raw milk has started to pop up more and more frequently in our feeds, with influencers touting the alleged health benefits of raw milk over pasteurized milk. In this and next week’s episode, we explore the raw milk phenomenon as it has grown over the past few decades. We start this two-parter with a look at the dangers of milk in a pre-pasteurization world, how Pasteur developed the life-saving process that bears his name, the subsequent rise of anti-pasteurizers, and how the anti-science sentiment surrounding raw milk today reveals a larger and more troubling agenda. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Special Episode: John Green & Everything Is Tuberculosis 56:46

6 weeks ago56:46

56:46

Tuberculosis, or consumption as it was once known, might conjure up images of huge sanitoriums or writers and artists from the late 1800s (Moulin Rouge, anyone?). But this deadly disease is far from an illness of the past. In many parts of the world, tuberculosis remains an insidious killer, despite the fact that we’ve had effective drugs to treat the infection for decades. In this week’s TPWKY book club episode, we’re thrilled to be joined by the one-and-only John Green to chat about his latest book, Everything Is Tuberculosis . Tune in for a fascinating conversation that tours the past, present, and uncertain future of this devastating illness. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 173 Childhood Vaccine Schedule 2: Who’s making the call? 57:12

7 weeks ago57:12

57:12

After last week’s episode, we all know about each of the diseases that we’re protected against thanks to our childhood vaccine schedule here in the US. And after this week’s episode, we’ll understand more about the schedule itself - why it might look different from other schedules around the world, how it gets made, and who makes the recommendations. We’ll also review some of the current outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases before leaving you with some of our thoughts on how to talk about vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. Updates: At the time of recording, the ACIP meeting originally scheduled in Feb 2025 had not been rescheduled. It is now rescheduled for April 15-16 and the agenda is posted here: https://www.cdc.gov/acip/meetings/index.html Additionally, the case numbers of current measles outbreaks in the US have grown substantially since the time of our recording. Updated case numbers are reported every Friday here: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html and at the time of episode release there have been 712 cases reported in the US and 3 deaths. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 172 Childhood Vaccine Schedule 1: Let’s give it a shot 1:07:43

8 weeks ago1:07:43

1:07:43

We’re already back with our first episode of season 8! This week and next, we’re exploring childhood vaccine schedules - what diseases they protect us from, how the schedule is arranged, and who decides on the vaccines to include and the timing of vaccinations. In this first episode, we start with a refresher on how vaccines work before running through the entire schedule we have here in the US, vaccine by vaccine, comparing pre- and post-vaccine mortality rates. We close out the episode by discussing why vaccination is so important, not just for personal protection but for our communities. Stay tuned for more childhood vaccine schedule talk next week! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 171 Pregnancy: Act 4 1:57:33

9 weeks ago1:57:33

1:57:33

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. We close out our pregnancy series with a big picture view of how the childbirth experience has changed over the past century - both for the better and for the worse. From home to hospital, what have we lost and what have we gained? We also delve into the period known as the fourth trimester, examining the physiological changes that can occur after childbirth as well as one of the most common (but not commonly discussed) conditions that people develop during this time: postpartum depression. Tune into this info-packed episode, and don’t forget to send us your recommendations for future topics! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 170 Pregnancy: Act 3 1:55:06

10 weeks ago1:55:06

1:55:06

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. In Act 3 of our pregnancy series, we arrive at the big moment: childbirth. We begin the episode with a closer look at one of the most commonly performed surgeries around the world: the cesarean section. Exploring how this procedure went from rare to everywhere reveals some of the larger medical trends shaping the childbirth experience in nuanced ways. Then, we take a step back to ask “what is actually happening in labor?” Journeying through the labor and delivery process contraction by contraction gives us the opportunity to examine what is happening in our bodies during this crucial time and how things might not go according to plan. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 169 Pregnancy: Act 2 1:46:07

11 weeks ago1:46:07

1:46:07

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. The second episode in our pregnancy series kicks off with a tribute to one of the most amazing organs: the placenta. We trace the evolutionary origins of the human placenta and examine how this organ allows for such an intimate and delicately balanced relationship between mother and fetus, as well as what can happen if that balance is disrupted. We then turn towards the pregnant person, exploring the broad physiological changes that happen body system by body system throughout pregnancy. Why do you pee so much? Feel nauseous? Have high blood pressure? We get into it all. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 168 Pregnancy: Act 1 1:38:15

12 weeks ago1:38:15

1:38:15

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. With this and the next three episodes, we’re delivering a four-part series on pregnancy, trimester by trimester. We start our series with a tour through the history of the pregnancy test: how and when did these sticks with the two blue lines become the everyday at-home medical device they are today? How has their introduction changed the knowledge that women have about their bodies and who has access to that knowledge? Then we explore the biology of what happens at the very beginning of pregnancy with some light embryology, exploring the earliest steps of implantation, placentation, and what could happen if this process doesn’t go as expected. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu Check out Advances In Care, a podcast that showcases the latest medical breakthroughs by physicians at NewYork-Presbyterian hospital. Our very own Erin Welsh just started a hosting role on the pod! Available wherever you get your podcasts: https://go.pddr.app/advances-in-care-host See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Special Episode: Rachel Gross & Vagina Obscura 48:48

13 weeks ago48:48

48:48

For much of history, female reproductive anatomy has been studied only in the context of or in comparison to male reproductive anatomy. This shows in clinical trial design, in healthcare disparities, in the research questions we ask (or fail to ask), it’s even apparent in our language - the word “vagina” means “sheath”, as if vaginas only exist to sheathe penises. Only recently have researchers begun to close this gap in our knowledge when it comes to half the humans on this planet. In Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage , award-winning journalist and author Rachel Gross takes readers through the origins of this information gap, examining how preconceived notions about sex and gender underlie the bias that still exists today. She then delves into the fascinating research that seeks to confront this bias and address the vast health inequities that limit care for so many. Tune in for a truly enlightening odyssey through the only recently charted world of female anatomy. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 167 Viagra/Sildenafil: Raising the bar 1:13:51

14 weeks ago1:13:51

1:13:51

Has a name brand prescription medication ever shot to notoriety as quickly as Viagra did? Within a few months of its arrival on the market, it seems like everyone knew about the little blue pill, whether through commercials featuring celebrity spokespeople or from endless jokes on late night talk shows. But while everyone understood that this medication promised to treat erectile dysfunction, what most people didn’t know was the wild story leading to its development. Or how this medication (and similar medications) actually works. Or the tremendous impact this blockbuster drug would have on the ways that medications are advertised and developed. In this episode, we bring you those stories (and many more). Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Ep 166 Amanita poisoning: Death Cap-tivating 1:10:27

15 weeks ago1:10:27