Monthly Archives: July 2008

Rare Diseases: Yersinia Plague

Posted on July 28, 2008 by arizela

Yersinia plague is most famously known as The Black Death, a name given to it in the 14th century pandemic that swept away 25 million souls over the course of five horrific years. When plague is mentioned in modern times, … Continue reading →

Posted in infection, Plague, Rare Diseases | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What would happen to a nursing baby in a famine?

Posted on July 18, 2008 by arizela

The answer: nothing, if the mother was smart enough to just keep nursing (assuming baby is under 6 months old). Breastfed babies die in famine situations all the time though right? Yep. Because the mother is so desperate, so unable … Continue reading →

Posted in Disasters, Infants | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Rare Disease Column: Tetanus

Posted on July 18, 2008 by arizela

Ever gone to the ER for a few stitches in a minor wound and had the nurse ask you when your last tetanus booster was? Oh great. A shot.Well, don’t be too hard on her. Tetanus might seem like no … Continue reading →

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Rare Disease Column: Guillain-Barre

Posted on July 5, 2008 by arizela

Guillain-Barre may sound like a pub with a bit of a French flare, but this nasty little syndrome strikes seemingly at random and causes progressive muscle weakness, loss of sensation, paralysis, and in about 5% of cases, even death. Guillain-Barre … Continue reading →

Posted in Autoimmune, Rare Diseases | Tagged , | 1 Comment

If a character gets an overdose of pain meds, what will modern medicine do for him?

Posted on July 1, 2008 by arizela

Pain medications are classified as narcotic or non-narcotic. There are numerous drugs in each class. Non-narcotic pain meds are often used for purposes other than just pain relief. There are also quite a few drugs out there used to help … Continue reading →

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