Burn treatments, like many other areas of medical care, have undergone some technological improvements over recent years. While none of us really want to contemplate burns and burn injuries, the treatments are worth reading about. They range from sprayed-on human skin to topical treatments to fish skin used as a bandage. Burn Statistics and Facts […]
Psychological Issues Arising from Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy, or CP, arises from some type of brain injury or malformation that can occur either while in the womb, during birth, or after birth. CP actually describes a group of disorders that impair movement control, known as “palsies.” CP is a not-uncommon childhood chronic disability that develops by the age of two or […]
Opioids at Crisis Level in Maryland
Our state is number one, but in a disturbing way: Maryland’s hospitalization rate due to opioids is the highest in the U.S. New federal data demonstrates the depth and breadth of Maryland’s opioid problem. Ten years of statistics from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality show that tens of thousands of people in […]
Think Twice About Your Exposure to Pesticides
We have told you previously about problems with Roundup, a broad-spectrum herbicide implicated as a risk factor for developing the cancer known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But recent harmful incidents involving pesticides have surfaced in which people have sustained permanent damage and disability. What Are Pesticides? Pesticides kill many things. According to the Environmental Protection Agency […]
Drunk Driving Halved in the Last 30 Years – Thank MADD For That
For decades, drunk driving-related crashes consistently accounted for around half of all traffic fatalities in the United States. Even though we had the technology to detect the presence of alcohol in a driver’s system since the 1930s, and even though several studies had been conducted about the dangers of driver impairment on our roads, there […]
Combating Distracted Driving by Improving Devices
In late November, 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put forward guidelines meant to deal with the problem of driver distraction due to portable electronic devices in vehicles, including mobile devices such as smartphones. The announcement revealed the second phase of the NHTSA’s voluntary guidelines. The first phase addressed […]
Wood Stove Safety
The smell and sound of a wood fire, the warmth that it emits, and possibly some savings for your wallet as well—no wonder so many of us enjoy heating our homes with wood stoves. Used properly, wood stoves can be an effective way to heat your place. But wood stoves also carry some risks if […]
Zero Traffic Deaths: A Realistic Goal?
In October, 2016, the federal government set a goal of completely eliminating traffic deaths and injuries in the U.S. by 2046. Officials in the Department of Transportation revealed a plan that focuses on increasing seat belt usage; campaigns against drunken, drugged, and distracted driving; and increases the use of rumble strips (strips across the road […]
More Takata Air Bags Trouble—With a Twist
Yet another fatality involving Takata air bags has happened, but it wasn’t the kind of accident you might be imagining. In August, 2016, near Quemado, Texas, a truck carrying Takata air bag inflators and propellant with ammonium nitrate crashed in a one-vehicle accident, then caught fire and blew up. The explosion demolished a house and […]
The Sobering Truth about Blackout Wednesday
The holiday season is a time of joy and festivity. People get together to share good conversation, a home-cooked meal, and, oftentimes, an alcoholic beverage or two. From champagne to eggnog, alcohol is a favorite beverage at all types of holiday celebrations. But only one day has gained notoriety for a tradition of consuming it […]