Halloween Costume Safety Tips

Whether you’re a ghost, zombie, vampire, or witch, beware of poor costume choices. Decorative (colored) contact lenses, flammable costumes, and face paint allergies can cause injuries that could haunt you long after Halloween. Check out these tips for a safe Halloween.

Devil's Claw

Devil's claw is an herb that gets its name from the appearance of its hook-covered fruit. It has been studied in scientific research for the treatment of osteoarthritis and back pain. Learn more about the safety concerns for people with some medical conditions and how devil's claw may interact with certain medications.

Morbid Impulse

Dr. William A. Hammond (1828-1900) explains disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders through a series of cases with all the lurid prose that would make Edgar Allen Poe proud. So ponder over this quaint report of long ago medical history and enjoy Morbid Impulse.

The Dangers of Eating Human Brain Tissue: Kuru

Kuru is a very rare disease of the nervous system caused by an infectious protein found in contaminated human brain tissue. Kuru is found among people from New Guinea who practiced a form of cannibalism in which they ate the brains of dead people as part of a funeral ritual. This practice stopped in 1960, but cases of kuru were reported for many years afterward because the disease has a long incubation period.

Osteonecrosis

Osteonecrosis is bone death caused by poor blood supply. It's most common in the hip and shoulder but can affect other large joints such as the knee, elbow, wrist, and ankle. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment.