On October 28, 1918, a San Francisco horseshoer named James Wisser urged a street corner crowd to throw away their masks in defiance of a local mask mandate issued a few days before. He was shot twice after resisting a local health inspector’s at…
Category: Conditions
The lifesaving power of CPR: a 30-year journey
A woman who asked us to call her Strawberry taught me cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the first time, more than thirty years ago. I was getting my Girl Scout badge in babysitting, and it was a requirement. The class involved an overview of the …
Alcohol’s impact: hangovers and health risks
In July, we all got at least one day off to celebrate a very American holiday, Independence Day. If I were a betting man, I would say that many, if not most of you, participated in at least one of those grand old American pastimes: eating hotdogs or ap…
Why health care professionals must back full care continuum for autism and intellectual disabilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that health care entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. Physicians must diagnose and treat such individuals, even though they receive little or no training in medical scho…
A breakthrough in chronic pain detection?
Recently, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reported that they may have found the holy grail of pain management. They accomplished this by performing “the first-in-human, long-term direct brain measurement of …
Challenges faced by patients with mast cell disorders
As an allergist/immunologist, the spectrum of mast cell disorders, including mastocytosis, idiopathic anaphylaxis, chronic hives, and angioedema, is not a new concept. That said, in recent years, we have seen an uptick in patients presenting with a spe…
Dealing with medical abandonment, neglect, and errors
How should a patient deal with medical patient abandonment? A Japanese saying is, “It is better to fix the problem than to blame.” This invites a learning and growth opportunity for those with less knowledge and experience. Based on this, l…
A patient’s resilience and the challenge of dialysis
After she developed a serious complication, she wanted to know the facts plainly stated. I told her the treatment would change her quality of life; it would be hard but doable. To this, she replied, “Now, don’t bullsh*t me, I don’t li…
Essential caregiver roles and self-care tips
An excerpt from A Caregiver’s Love Story. Many people will become caregivers in their lifetime, or on the other hand, may need one. A “caregiver” is anyone who gives basic assistance and cares for someone who might be ill, disabled, o…
Fruit and sugar: Debunking the myths
On many occasions, patients have asked me whether it’s OK to eat fruit. They’re worried about whether they should be eating foods high in sugar. Is fruit in that category? No, it is not. Does anyone really believe that fruit is what’s…
