Life expectancy has been falling in the U.S. in recent years, slipping from 79 years old in 2019 to 76 in 2022, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and drug use epidemic. That reverses years of progress attributed to less smoking and consequent deaths from cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The lost years have hit men harder than women. A man's life expectancy is now 73 compared to a woman's 79 years, the biggest gap since 1996.

Body of Knowledge

Published research by scientists at Emory University suggests that more attentive fathers tend to have smaller testicles. The theory is that lower testosterone production makes the men more empathetic, less aggressive and more attuned to their children's needs.

Get Me That, Stat!

It's well documented that there are wide income-related disparities in health care affordability in the United States, i.e., people with lower or average incomes are more likely to skip or delay needed health care because of cost.

Still, the numbers, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report, are dismaying: 46% delay primary health care; 47% delay dental care; and 21% delay mental health care. Almost half of Americans with average or lower incomes are likely to have medical bill problems.

Stories for the Waiting Room

The notion of draining blood from a patient in the theory it will make them feel better only made sense when people believed that disease was caused by four bodily "humors": blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Purging, starving, vomiting and bloodletting were ways to restore humor imbalances.

It was all in vein. Case in point: Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a strong advocate of this practice. In 1799, he treated his good friend George Washington for acute laryngitis by draining 9 pints of blood in 24 hours. The average adult holds 8-12 pints of blood. Washington died soon afterward.

Doc Talk

Distal pulse — the pulse farthest from the heart, such as the wrist or ankle. Medial pulses involve the elbow and knee. Central or proximal pulses are measured at the neck, under the arm or near the groin.

Mania of the Week

KLAZOMANIA! — an obsession or propensity to SCREAM!

Life in Big Macs

One hour of chopping wood energetically burns 1,156 calories (based on a 150-pound person) or the equivalent of 1.6 Big Macs.

Never Say 'Diet'

The Major League Eating record for bologna is 2.76 pounds in six minutes, held by Don Lerman. No, really.

Best Medicine

During a physical exam, a doctor remarked on a new patient's extraordinarily ruddy complexion. The patient replied, "High blood pressure, doc. It comes from my family."

"Your mother's side or your father's?" asked the doctor.

"Neither," replied the patient. "My wife."

Observation

"Knocked down a doctor? With an ambulance? How could she? It's a contradiction in terms." — English playwright N. F. Simpson (1919-2011)

Medical History

This week in 1832, 34-year-old Thomas Hodgkin delivered a paper to the Medical and Surgical Society in London. Since he wasn't a member, the Society's secretary had to read it for him. Only eight members were present.

The title was "Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen." Hodgkin's findings were mostly ignored. It was not until late in the 19th century that the rare lymphatic disease was named after him.

Hodgkin wasn't the first to write about Hodgkin's disease. That was Marcello Malpighi in 1666, but Hodgkin was the first to fully document it. In retrospect, only three of the seven cases he originally described were legitimate examples. The others were mimics.

Perishable Publications

Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like "nonlinear dynamics." Sometimes they don't, and yet they're still hard to figure out. Here's an actual title of actual published research study: "Premature speculation concerning pornography's effects on relationships."

Published in 2018 in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, the authors concluded that current literature and findings on the topic were, well, unsatisfying.

Self-Exam

Q: When the palm of the hand is facing up, it's pronated. What is it called when the arm is turned and the palm is facing down?

A: Supinated

Medical Myths

Lots of rest is not good for back pain. In fact, it can be counterproductive. While doctors may recommend a short period of rest, it's best to remain active. When you're inactive for long periods, the body quickly gets out of condition and it may lead to greater pain when you eventually get moving again. Limit exercise when pain is intense, but pursue normal activities as much as possible. And, of course, always consult your doctor when you have questions or concerns.

Epitaphs

"I'd rather be in Acapulco." — Headstone of Edward Russell Gann, who died in 1983 in Sigourney (not Acapulco), Iowa.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Usman Yousaf at Unsplash