Month: July 2018

It’s interesting how we take animals for granted. Many of us touch and handle them, play with them. Some people keep their pets in their faces, allowing them to kiss and lick them. Do you ever think about where they’ve … Continue reading →

Springtime is the beginning of the outdoor season for many. Whether you’re camping, hunting, playing paintball, hiking or engaged in other activities in the woods or tall grass, you need to be alert to the presence of pesky mosquitoes and ticks. This Straight, … Continue reading →

Sometimes things occur so frequently that you become sensitized to the real danger they present. This thought occurred to me when I saw Bill Gates talking about efforts to eliminate the various threats posed by mosquitoes. Yes, mosquitoes.   Including the damage humans … Continue reading →

Depending on the circumstances of your life, sometimes risks are theoretical, and other times risks become occurrences… You can’t make this stuff up. It’s another busy night in the ER, and back-to-back patients come in, not related but dealing with the … Continue reading →

So you’ve been snake bitten.  What will you do next? First things first.  Stay calm.  Call 911.  Realize that most snake bites are non-venomous (A really quick tip regarding the likelihood of a venomous snake: most have triangular heads.).  Here’s 10 … Continue reading →

We love our pets, and animals in general. Is there one about which a movie hasn’t been made? In most cases they are sources of entertainment, if not love. Unfortunately, they are still animals, and on occasions instincts kick in. … Continue reading →

The votes are in, and it appears that Jaws (from James Bond fame) found the previous post, well… biting.  Here’s your questions and answers about human bites: 1)   If human bites are so dangerous, why do women love Dracula so much? Seriously?  … Continue reading →

I have had weird experiences with humans biting humans, as have most physicians. There are several different types of human bites, which can range from harmless to surgically serious. However, as an emergency physician, knowing the dangers of the bacteria … Continue reading →

There’s nothing pleasant in talking about bedbugs, but’s it is even worse to have to deal with them, so let’s get you some information to help you prevent and address these bug bites. Bedbugs are everything you don’t want them … Continue reading →

There’s no longer an ice bucket challenge, but the disease known as Lou Gehrig’s disease still is around. However, I have to ask… Do you have any idea what the disease is? In the overwhelming likelihood that you do not, this Straight, … Continue reading →