When people think of the Rabies virus they will either think of rabid animals or a more recent The Office episode from America. One particular member of the Rhabdoviridae family of viruses is vesicular stomatitis virus, and it affects insects and mammals, including cattle. 

Is there a device that could stop people from destroying themselves? An instrument that could prevent lunatic behaviour and premature death of millions of North Americans? It’s a tall order. But Eureka, with the help of my children there’s finally a solution. 

What does the figure 2,575,440,000 indicate?  It’s not the national debt, or the increase in the world’s population in the next 10 years. Rather, if you live to 70 years of age, your heart will beat this many times. But sometimes it gets weary and develops an irregular rate called atrial fibrillation (AF). So can chocolate help to prevent this problem?

I’ve just returned from an educational course on Cardiology aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. A sea voyage is a great way to recharge your batteries. And this one also provided an opportunity to listen to a diverse group of international cardiologists discuss the nation’s number one killer. Now I know the importance of one’s postal code and “Matthew’s Law”.  And if you’re looking for a solid investment you can’t miss by buying shares in “The Goliath Casket Company”.

Are you having trouble getting a second date? Do you see friends backing away when you’re speaking to them. Or has your faithful dog started to sit on the other side of the room. If so, you may be suffering from ‘Halitosis”. But before you lose your last friend there are ways to fight this problem. A good start is to take the blueberry test. It will also help to save your teeth.

Do you want to avoid that ugly cold sore (herpes labialis) before it even starts? Few people who feel that dreaded tingle and know an attack is imminent would pass up that chance. Now, a new therapy called “InterceptCS” employs a revolutionary technique, “Thermal Defense Technology”, that prevents cold sore outbreaks. 

How many people will travel to China for the Olympics this summer or elsewhere on this planet? I don’t know. But I do know many will raise this silent prayer to the Almighty, “Please, above all other worldly goods, grant me a bathroom”. Desperately needing a toilet is as close to panic as it gets when one isn’t available. But toilets can be the least of your worries if you fail to take other precautions when travelling. 

"Why didn’t you come to see me earlier? It could have saved you months of worry,” I recently asked a patient. She had delayed seeing me because of rectal bleeding and she was terrified I’d tell her the diagnosis was cancer. Yet her only complaint was anusitis, an often overlooked rectal condition. But whether it’s anusitis or a serious problem a cardinal rule is never, never ignore rectal bleeding. 

“What did your husband give you for Valentine’s Day?” I jokingly asked a 55 year old patient. She replied, “He brought home the usual gift, chocolates, but that won’t solve my pain with sex. Nor can my own doctor, as he never talks about sexual matters.” This is a scenario I often hear in my office and it’s time to break the hush that surrounds this problem. 

What’s wrong with the Toronto Maple leafs? They haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967. This year, again, they’re floundering and may once again miss the playoffs.

For those of us fearing eventual domination by our robotic masters (I’m getting in early with the sucking up), the latest research out of Duke University does not bode well. Engineers who have just completed a feasibility study in their laboratory, have concluded that they have made the first real steps towards creating robots that will perform surgery on patients.

The Canadian ideal of universal healthcare isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for the estimated 80,000 – 100,000 Ontarians living with chronic hepatitis B. For many of these patients, getting access to the most effective treatments to delay the progress of their disease is impossible – the drugs are expensive and they’re not covered by the province.

Why would I rather deal with the Mafia than some religious people? Because I hate hypocrisy above all other things. I know the mob has a code it follows strictly, such as it is, and it’s crystal clear to everyone what it’s all about. But religious people talk constantly about brotherly love and yet condemn fellow humans to death. It’s hypocrisy at its worst.

New infectious diseases are popping up everywhere and becoming more and more resistant to our attempts to fight them. Superbug is one of them. It seems that the number of people infected is growing, and recently there was an outbreak in an Ontario jail. 

How do we prevent them? Can we control infectious diseases? 

We’ve identified some CIHR-funded health research experts to answer some of your queries about Superbug and other issues such as the importance of infection control.

Dr. Allison McGeer, CIHR-finded researcher, Director, Infection Control, Mount Sinai HospitalProfessor, University of Toronto.
Dr. Donald E. Low, CIHR-funded researcher, Microbiologist-in-Chief, Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital.

Caffeine is one of those devices that so many of us subscribe too. When you consider addictions, caffeine is not seen as a ‘bad’ addiction, just somewhat natural. And while I hope that this isn’t just me trying to justify the amount of caffeine I have consumed and will continue to consume, there is at least medical research to back up drinking some caffeine. 

William Shakespeare wrote “A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king”. He could have added, “or fish with the worm that eventually gets us all.” This is not a pleasant thought to pass along to readers at the start of the day. But since the life of worms and other insects can be extended, it may be possible for humans to postpone that final wormy day as well. 

Sufferers of deep depression may finally have a solution to an illness that can literally debilitate living. Depression is now getting the sort of attention that cancer and AIDS have been getting for years, though it has no doubt affected just as many people over the decades. However even with this new attention, it is neither curable nor necessarily easy to live with. 

Your newborn is crying.  If it’s a cry of pain, you’re going to respond more strongly than you would to a cry of hunger – that’s the normal pattern.

What did former President Bill Clinton have to blush about? We all know the answer to that delicate question! Like Princess Diana, Rosie O’Donnell and the comedian W.C. Fields, he also suffered from Rosacea.

I am prompted to write this article based on what just happened. I’ve been watching TV lately and have seen how many Americans have been diagnosed with many diseases and are dying of various cancers. I began taking notes in anticipation of doing another article to tell people about the benefits of doing a cleanse. 

Whoever remarked “Timing is everything” was right. I recently wrote about simple ways to prevent urinary infections. This triggered numerous requests from readers asking, “But what can be done when you’re constantly rushing to ‘you know where’?” Their timing couldn’t have been better. A new web site, The Powder Room, now has a bilingual Course 101 on Overactive Bladder (OAB). It contains “Everything you’ve always wanted to know about OAB and didn’t know who to ask”.

Today, the Golden Rule of medicine should be, “Keep it simple.” The reason is simple. The less complicated the treatment, the fewer the complications. Besides, in an increasingly complex medical environment doctors tend to overlook simple treatments that work. It’s a simple as that. So this week, simple ways to prevent annoying urinary infections (cystitis).

A reader asks “Please write about natural ways to strengthen the immune system. I want to avoid taking the flu vaccine”. This is a good question because every year 40,000 North Americans die during the flu season and thousands more hospitalized. So what steps will strengthen your immunity and insure you’ll be around another day? And what has an accidental discovery by an insurance company to do with immunity? 

Are you headed for a heart attack because of “marginal scurvy”, a condition resulting from a lack of vitamin C? Moreover, if vitamin C is sound medicine for gorillas, why isn’t it good for us? And in the 16th century, why did the ship’s cat survive long sea voyages when its sailors died from scurvy?