Beyond pharmacy blog
All posts by Andrew Haynes
Syria’s chemical weapon of mass destruction
Andrew Haynes explains how the chemical weapon sarin damages the body and eventually kills those exposed to it.
Panic over “symptomatuc refief” for throat problems
The reported shortage of a popular throat mixture has sent panic across the entertainment industry because of its popularity with actors, singers and performers.
Why mistletoe is dangerous at Christmas
Andrew Haynes describes the health risks — or lack of health risks — of popular Christmas plants.
Why we should be wary about plastic food containers
A contributing factor to the rise of premature births and the early onset of puberty may be the use of the chemical BPA in plastic products.
A link between tequila and osteoporosis
Researchers in Mexico have raised the possibility of a new treatment for osteoporosis based on an extract from the plant that is the source of Mexico’s well known spirit drink, tequila.
John Walker, pharmacist and inventor of the match
Pharmacist John Walker of Stockton-on-Tees invented the match in the 19th Century.
Health-related exhibitions along Euston Road, London
Andrew Haynes describes three health-related exhibitions to visit in central London.
A novel way of harnessing solar power to purify water
New research from China shows promise in water purification by harnessing natural processes.
Space motion sickness: combating nausea in space
Major Tim Peake travelled to the International Space Station at the end of 2015. Andrew Haynes describes the space motion sickness that often accompanies such missions.
Causes and treatment of nosebleeds
Nosebleeds can involve a scary amount of blood but rarely present a serious threat. Andrew Haynes explores the possible causes and the best treatments.
James Petiver, apothecary and the father of British butterflies
Apothecary James Petiver was the first person to allocate English names to British butterfly species systematically.
Glowing wounds and angelic bacteria
During one of the battles in the American Civil War, some soldiers noticed their wounds glowing. Why did these glowing wounds heal so much faster than those that did not glow?
A cheap and easy arsenic filter for drinking water
Arsenic is among the world’s most common environmental pollutants, but the methods for removing it are often too expensive for use. A research team at the University of Florida may have the answer.
The pros and cons of rat poison as medicine
Originally developed as a rat poison, warfarin has been used as an anticoagulant for over 60 years. But why is it so popular when alternatives are available?
Why do we hiccup?
I have written recently about the sneeze and the yawn, two physiological phenomena that are not fully fathomed. Another mysterious bodily function is the hiccup.
Avoiding the plague
It was 350 years ago this summer that the Great Plague took hold in London. What methods did patients and doctors employ to try to keep themselves safe?
Oxytocin: of human bonding and puppy dog eyes
Oxytocin, the so-called “bonding hormone”, is a neuromodulator released into the blood in a wide range of situations, many of which are involved in human interaction. Recent research indicates that it is also important in forming bonds between humans and dogs.
Resurrecting antique ale
A microbrewery in Finland’s Baltic Sea archipelago of Åland has recently launched a beer with a 19th century recipe. The formula is derived from the chemical analysis of contaminated booze recovered from a schooner that was shipwrecked some 170 years ago.
Yawning warning: why do we yawn?
Yawning is contagious, even between members of different species. But why is it that we need to yawn?
The pharmacist who helped Lincoln’s assassin
Pharmacist David Edgar Herold helped John Wilkes Booth to escape after he had assassinated Abraham Lincoln on 14 April 1865.
View results 10per page20per page50per page
