Medical Marvels
Gland You Asked
Ill-Gotten History
Viruses & Vitals & Germs, Oh My!
Body of Knowledge
100

Invented in 1816, this medical instrument allowed physicians to listen to sounds inside the body, including the heartbeat.

What is a stethoscope?

100

This gland is traditionally described as butterfly-shaped, although you might argue it looks more like a bow tie.

What is the thyroid gland?

100

Once commonly known as "consumption", this infectious disease was one of the leading causes of death in the 19th century.

What is tuberculosis?

100

For most healthy adults, this is the normal resting heart-rate range in beats per minute.

What is 60-100 bpm?

100

This small piece of cartilage just in front of the ear canal is also a popular piercing location.

What is the tragus?

200

Patients are usually asked to remove jewelry before entering the room for this imaging test.

What is an MRI

200

These glands are responsible for producing testosterone in women.

What are the ovaries and adrenal glands?

200

Before vaccines dramatically reduced its spread, this disease left some patients dependent on iron lungs to breathe.

What is polio?

200

The CDC recommends scrubbing your hands with soap and water for at least this many seconds.

What is 20 seconds?

200

This small fold of tissue beneath the tongue connects it to the floor of the mouth.

What is the lingual frenulum?

300

This portable device analyzes a person's heart rhythm and can deliver a shock when needed

What is an AED

300

This gland has both endocrine and digestive functions, making it part of two different body systems.

What is the pancreas?

300

This disease devastated Europe in the 14th century and was spread largely by infected fleas carried by rodents.

What is the bubonic plague?

300

A patient suspected of having measles requires this type of transmission-based precautions.

What are airborne precautions?

300

This term refers to an apron-like fold of skin and tissue that hangs from the lower abdomen.

What is pannus/panniculus?

400

Edward Jenner's 1796 smallpox experiment is credited with laying the foundation for this method of disease prevention.

What are vaccines/vaccinations?

400

During embryonic development, this gland forms when tissue growing upward from the primitive mouth meets tissue growing downward from the developing brain.

What is the pituitary gland?

400

This disease plagued sailors on long sea voyages, causing symptoms such as bleeding gums, bruising, and poor wound healing.

What is scurvy?

400

A sneeze is commonly said to send air and droplets flying at speeds of up to approximately this many miles per hour.

What is 100 mph?

400

This anatomical term refers to the smooth area between the eyebrows and just above the nose.

What is the glabella?

500

During this type of procedure, the surgeon operates from a console rather than at the bedside, allowing for smaller incisions.

What is robotic-assisted surgery?

500

Humans have between 2 and 4 million of these glands distributed throughout the body.

What are sweat glands?

500

Improved handwashing and sanitation helped prevent the spread of this once-deadly disease commonly transmitted through contaminated food and water.

What is typhoid fever?

500

This is the normal baseline fetal heart-rate range. 

What is 110-160 bpm?

500

This unofficial term refers to the loose skin covering the point of your elbow.

What is the weenus?

M
e
n
u