“Should we have him circumcised, doctor?” Countless doctors are asked this question each year. Often the answer is determined by the doctor’s state of anatomical completeness rather than by scientific fact. Circumcision is a widespread religious practice which somehow has, in some communities, become a social habit. Most American Anglo-Saxons are circumcised, and this is [...]

Symptom A wound that is deeper than it is long or wide Home care Wash the wound carefully and apply a nonirritating antiseptic. If no foreign body remains in the wound, cover the area with a sterile bandage and inspect it regularly for signs of infection. If a foreign body remains in the wound, take [...]

What is it? After the age of 50 or so we all lose the ability to remember things as well as we used to and memory loss is to some extent normal and inevitable. It is also rather annoying. There should be little deterioration in memory before the age of 70 or so, but after [...]

I f you’ve been feeling run-down, the problem could be your thyroid gland. Research suggests that hypothyroidism (thyroid deficiency) is far more common than previously believed. One study found signs of the disorder in 8% of women and 3% of men. Hypothyroidism is especially common among older people. Over age 60, up to 17% of [...]