Medicine

The Apgar test has rescued countless infants, but people are often surprised to discover Virginia Apgar was a real person.

Two of Roald Dahl’s books are dedicated to his daughter, Olivia, who died from measles complications in 1962.

Discover the history of the flu and its devastating impact on the world, from the deadliest influenza pandemic to today’s vaccines.

Sir James Young Simpson didn’t think women should have to suffer in labor.

These historical practices were once considered good for one’s health, shockingly.

Counting sheep, unfortunately, isn't the cure.

Historical cures for insomnia were sketchy at best and outright dangerous at worst. Fortunately, modern medicine has discovered a few techniques that can help those suffering from insomnia.

Medicine has evolved dramatically over the last century, but that doesn’t mean unexplainable medical anomalies have disappeared. We’re covering a few of them in the latest episode of The List Show.

A little jab and some arm soreness is way easier to handle than getting the flu.

With the end of summer comes the beginning of a new season: flu season. Here’s what you need to know about the flu shot.

Charles Davenport’s Eugenics Record Office collected data on thousands of Americans, hoping to support a pseudoscientific theory that would create a more perfect human race. It led to unspeakable tragedy.

Stopping to smell the flowers isn't all it's cracked up to be.

If you suffer from allergies, here are the worst—and the best—places to be.

In the late 1740s, the theologian John Wesley published ‘Primitive Physick, or, An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Diseases.’ Can you guess what treatments he recommended?

Prettier to look at than they are to actually swim with.

When it comes to jellyfish stings, urine is often cited as an effective remedy. But does it really work as a first-aid treatment?

The cover of the 1902 Sears, Roebuck catalogue.

Some of the products offered up for sale in the catalogue were downright dangerous.

This puny creature packs a powerful sting.

Asian needle ants may look small, but their stings are no joke.

Feeling fatigued can get in the way of work and other important things.

Fatigue and tiredness are often confused, but it’s important to understand the differences between them.

Johann Sebastian Bach was buried in an unmarked grave in 1750. Nearly two centuries later, a doctor identified the composer’s bones from skeletal evidence of “organist’s disease.”

Room temperature is a frame of reference.

Misunderstanding room temperature can have some surprisingly serious consequences.

People in high-risk groups may want to consider a measles vaccine booster.

If you’re in a high-risk group, you may want to consider getting a booster for full protection against measles.

Tibetan Mastiffs are majestic and expensive.

The upfront costs aren’t the only factors to consider when purchasing a pet.

Sick astronauts on a space mission can’t just pop down to Earth to see a doctor. Here’s how they deal with bumps, bruises, and worse.

Civil War medical officers including Jonathan Letterman, a surgeon who pioneered the ambulance-to-ER transport of wounded patients during the Civil War.

Civil War surgeons learned fast. Here are a few of the MacGyver-like medical solutions that have had a lasting impact.

From Taylor Swift's "22" to Missy Elliott's "Work It," these CPR songs will help you find a life-saving tempo.

An illustration of the vagus nerve’s location in the human body.

The vagus nerve does it all—tells your lungs to breathe, controls your heart rate, and even forms the foundation for a whole new medical field.

Nurse Agnes from Uganda’s Bwindi Community Hospital prepares a vaccination against measles.

Before the measles vaccine, there were between 3 and 4 million cases in the U.S. per year. Now, it’s less than 500.

Virginia Apgar, the Woman Whose Name Saves Newborns

Read Roald Dahl’s Heartbreaking 1986 Letter About the Importance of Vaccinations

10 Facts You Should Know About the Flu This Winter

The Man Who First Made Childbirth Pain-Free

5 Dangerous Things That Were Once Considered Medicine—From Mummy Consumption to Milk Transfusions

8 Facts About Insomnia

3 Unsolved Medical Mysteries

10 Facts About the Flu Shot

Cold Spring Harbor: The Long Island Lab that Brought Eugenics to America

25 Worst U.S. Cities for Allergy Sufferers

Can You Guess How These 10 Diseases Were Treated in the 1700s?

Does Peeing on a Jellyfish Sting Actually Help?

11 Bizarre Items Sold by Sears in 1902

What to Know About the Invasive Asian Needle Ants Spreading Across the U.S.

Fatigued vs. Tired: What’s the Difference?

The Phony Disease That Helped Researchers Identify Bach’s (Purported) Body

What Exactly Is ‘Room Temperature’?

Do You Need a Measles Vaccine Booster? Here’s What Experts Say

The 10 Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Own

What Happens When an Astronaut Gets Sick in Space?

5 Medical Innovations from the Civil War

20 Great Songs to Use for CPR

9 Fascinating Facts About the Vagus Nerve

7 Facts About Measles