Mental Floss

MEDICINE

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Not everything is awesome when you're trying to pass a LEGO noggin.

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Scratching makes it worse.

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Dickens believed humans could spontaneously combust—and he had Cornelia di Bandi's death as proof.

A Dr. Dettweiler sputum flask, circa 1910

Tuberculosis patients were asked to carry their phlegm around all day in a flask.

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Sometimes the treatment is worse than the condition itself.

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The answer might surprise you.

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You're not always thinking clearly in an emergency. Let your phone do some of the work for you.

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Here are the brands to look for.

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Brush up on some medical and legal jargon before your next true crime binge.

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Pain ranges from sharp stabbing to a pins-and-needle sensation.

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The glass armonica was Benjamin Franklin's biggest contribution to the world of music—and then it started to kill people.

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A recent study found that an estimated 415 million people worldwide suffer from the disorder.

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They call it the "practice" of medicine for a reason.

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The persuasive ads can run afoul of FDA regulations and may not be telling you the whole story.

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These were the most unusual scientific studies of the past year.

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There's a very real reason why your grandmother’s chicken soup makes you feel better when you're sick.

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This discovery could have life-saving applications.

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If you are sick or injured, the treatment isn't usually in your kitchen pantry—despite what your grandmother may have told you.

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You don't need it in your toothpaste or croissant.

A 2300-year-old mummy from Egypt's Saqqara Pyramids complex

Feeling sick? Try some blood jam.