How Storytelling Heals
Illness can challenge the notion of the self and disrupt patients' narratives about their own lives. Some scholars suggest that storytelling can help.
The First Native American to Receive a Medical Degree
Susan LaFlesche Picotte was first Native American to be licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. She opened her own hospital, but didn't live to run it.
The Man Who Invented Modern Infection Control
He's hailed as the "father of infection control" and the "savior of mothers," but the truth about Ignaz Semmelweis is more complicated than that.
The Mumbai Couple Suing for Their Right to Die
Eighty-seven-year-old Narayan Lavate, and his wife, Iravati, 78, say they are “leading unproductive and obsolete lives.”
A Brief History of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is seeing an upswing. But the-now widespread condition was not formally described until 1977, based on a case in Old Lyme, Connecticut.
When Americans Started Bathing
The first baths weren't about getting clean or relaxing. In the 1860s, experts agreed that the best kind of bath was a brief plunge in cold water.
The Science of Fevers
Trying to bring down that fever? Studies show that most fevers are actually integral to effective immune responses.
What is Cerebrospinal Fluid?
A patient was convinced that her runny nose indicated a deeper problem. She was right. Her case brought cerebrospinal fluid into the national spotlight.
Henrietta Lacks, Immortalized
Henrietta Lacks's "immortal" cell line, called "HeLa," is used in everything from cancer treatments to vaccines. A new portrait memorializes her.
The Pscience of Psychedelics
Researchers found that Psilocybin and other hallucinogens may prove helpful in their ability to quiet a portion of the brain connected to depression.