Medicine

Flower of tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).

Civil War Plant Remedies Actually Fought Off Infections, Study Finds

Researchers tested the antimicrobial properties of three plants mentioned in an 1863 treatment book

A spread from one of the casebooks volumes.

Read Hundreds of Medical Case Files by Two 17th-Century Quacks

Cambridge historians have digitized 500 case notes by the notorious astrologer-physicians Simon Forman and Richard Napier

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 (in green) budding from cultured lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell). Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions.

Scientists Identify Factors That Make People Naturally Resistant to H.I.V.

Studying key points on the H.I.V. virus that are weak to immune system attacks could lead to new treatments or H.I.V. vaccines

Drug-Resistant Infections Could Kill 10 Million People Annually by 2050

A new U.N. report highlights the danger posed by widespread antibiotic misuse in humans, livestock and agriculture

"I certainly see ourselves moving in a direction where conception through sex will come to be seen as natural, yet dangerous," says Metzl.

How To Prepare for a Future of Gene-Edited Babies—Because It's Coming

In a new book, futurist Jamie Metzl considers the ethical questions we need to ask in order to navigate the realities of human genetic engineering

Lead author Tal Dvir says, "Maybe, in ten years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely"

Scientists Used Human Tissue to 3-D Print a Tiny Heart

The technique could eventually be adapted to create full-sized organs personalized to each patient

Three generations of the Marsili family at home in Siena, Italy. From left: Maria Elena; Letizia and her son Ludovico; matriarch Maria Domenica.

The Family That Feels Almost No Pain

An Italian clan's curious insensitivity to pain has piqued the interest of geneticists seeking a new understanding of how to treat physical suffering

The “Human Organ Monitoring Apparatus for Long-distance Travel” (HOMAL) measures the biophyisiologic properties—temperature, pressure, vibration and altitude—of an organ.

Drones’ Newest Cargo Might Just Be Human Organs

Surgeon Joseph Scalea is developing a cooler, biosensors and an online platform with GPS to monitor organs in transport in real time

An illustration of Crawford Long removing a tumor from the neck of James Venable.

How Ether Went From a Recreational 'Frolic' Drug to the First Surgery Anesthetic

Before ether was used as an anesthetic in surgery, doctors relied on less effective techniques for pain relief, such as hypnosis

The baby, whose name is Itzmara, (Not Pictured) was delivered via C-section at 37 weeks, three weeks shy of full term because doctors feared that the fetus inside her, which was still growing, would crush her internal organs.

A Baby Girl in Colombia Was Born With Her Twin Inside Her Abdomen

It is a rare condition known as ‘fetus-in-fetu.’ In this case, the malformed twin was removed and the baby is doing well

F.D.A. Approves First Drug for Treating Postpartum Depression

Brexanolone, which is administered intravenously, has been shown to work within 48 hours

In a feat of surgical skill, Denton Cooley attached the temporary artificial heart device in only 47 minutes.

The Rivalry Between Two Doctors to Implant the First Artificial Heart

Featuring titans of Texas medicine, the race was on to develop the cutting-edge technology

Compared to traditional open-heart surgery, TAVR is a relatively simple procedure that finds cardiologists using a catheter to insert a replacement valve

This Minimally Invasive Technique Could Reduce the Need for Open-Heart Surgery

Clinical trials suggest TAVR is just as beneficial as, or perhaps even better than, open-heart surgery for low- and high-risk patients alike

Dog Walks Are Good Exercise for Seniors—But Be Careful, Fractures Are on the Rise

Injuries caused by walking a dog on a leash have doubled in the last 15 years for Americans aged 65 and over

A newly rediscovered fragment of Ibn Sīnā's Canon of Medicine

A Medieval Arabic Medical Text Was Translated Into Irish, Discovery Shows

Ibn Sīnā's <i>Canon of Medicine</i> was once a core part of the European medical curriculum

Illustration shows two sperm fertilizing an egg.

Doctors Identify Very Rare ‘Semi-Identical’ Twins

There is only one other known case of this unusual type of conception, which happens when an egg is fertilized by two sperm

The levels of radioactive material found at the scene weren't high enough to cause radiation poisoning, but experts point out that extended exposure could cause health problems over time

Radioactive Material Transferred by Cancer Patient’s Body Contaminated an Arizona Crematorium

Researchers also found traces of a different radioactive isotope, likely linked with a separate cremation, in a worker’s urine

The study's authors say search data could be used to better anticipate patients' needs and gauge issues they might feel uncomfortable discussing in person

What Do People Google Before Going to the E.R.?

Study reveals that patients’ health-related searches doubled in the week before an emergency room visit

John Tenniel's illustration of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

113 Museums Transformed Illustrations From Their Collections Into Free Coloring Pages

This year's #ColorOurCollections campaign features fantastical drawings of mythical flora and fauna, grotesque medical sketches

We appear to be experiencing a loneliness epidemic.

Can a Pill Fight Loneliness?

A University of Chicago scientist thinks the hormone pregnenolone might reduce lonely people's fear of connecting—and their risk of serious health problems

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