The Flu Pandemic of 1918, As Reported in 1918
The Spanish Influenza pandemic 100 years ago was the most lethal global disease outbreak since the Black Death. What were people thinking at the time?
Rereading the Story of the Crack Epidemic
As policymakers seek solutions for the ongoing opioid epidemic, it's worth remembering how sensationalist reporting can lead to troubling responses.
Why Do So Many Indonesian Men Smoke?
Indonesia has the highest smoking rates in the world. Why? It might have to do with economic liberalization in the 1990s.
Humans and Their Parasites
Parasitic diseases can be effectively eliminated, but they can persist even in developed countries with effective healthcare systems.
Rethinking Bioengineered Skin
A boy with a rare condition was losing his skin, until a medical team was able to produce artificial skin. Healing damaged skin has long been a challenge.
Was Lydia E. Pinkham the Queen of Quackery?
She developed an immensely popular, if questionably effective, herbal remedy for “female complaints.” Pioneer in alternative medicine or...?
Paying People to Take Their Pills
The majority of medication-related hospital admissions were caused by noncompliance—when patients, for one reason or another, don't take their drugs.
Saving the Lives of Mothers and Babies
Between 1930 and 1950, advances in medicine also contributed to continuing, dramatic improvement in infants’ survival chances.
When a Heart Literally Breaks
Grief and heartbreak can be devastating. But can a broken heart actually kill you? Yes, and it's called Broken Heart Syndrome.
The Healthcare Wars of 1920s Harlem
In the 1920s, Harlem’s population was growing quickly. A wide variety of “magico-religious workers” emerged to respond to the community’s needs.