(no subject)
Work was busy today. I did all the usual library things, just lots of them. However, I did have time to read an article in Birth (one of the journals from the huge selection we have - I swear the library subscribes to every medical journal in existence) about the medicalization of the birthing process. It was a rather empowering article in fact and although that's a lllllllllong way off for me I think it will influence my decisions in the future. Working in the Health Library has me reading way more medical information than I ever would - it's amazing how easy it is to learn about random diseases and procedures just by working.
Speaking of random and bizarre diseases - we learned about ergotism today in my N. Renaissance Painting class. We were looking at the St. Anthony diptych by Bosch and discussing how it relates to ergotism (since he was to patron saint of those who suffered from it) which is also known as St. Anthony's Fire. Ergotism infects people when they eat bread (particularly rye and cereals) that has produced a fungus. There are all sorts of great symptoms too - dry gangrene where, "ultimately the death and loss of affected tissues". Also "convulsive symptoms include painful seizures and spasms, diarrhea, paresthesias, itching, headaches, nausea and vomiting... As well as seizures there can be hallucinations and mental effects including mania or psychosis." (thanks Wikipedia). Basically you eat fungus and then your body parts start falling off and you feel like you're on fire and then you go crazy and start imagining things - sounds lovely. *shudder* But now, if you feel like you're burning and falling apart - literally - they have antibiotics that take care of it real quick. I a lot of people who get it say that they feel like they're flying all the time. My favorite part of this discussion was when my teacher said that this fungus apparently has many of the same chemical compounds as hallucinogenic drugs. She said "I don't know how many of you have dropped acid but ergotism would be something like walking around on an LSD high while your fingers fall off".
Hunter installed a new network today - potentially that means my internet won't crash three of four times in the time it takes me to post.
Speaking of random and bizarre diseases - we learned about ergotism today in my N. Renaissance Painting class. We were looking at the St. Anthony diptych by Bosch and discussing how it relates to ergotism (since he was to patron saint of those who suffered from it) which is also known as St. Anthony's Fire. Ergotism infects people when they eat bread (particularly rye and cereals) that has produced a fungus. There are all sorts of great symptoms too - dry gangrene where, "ultimately the death and loss of affected tissues". Also "convulsive symptoms include painful seizures and spasms, diarrhea, paresthesias, itching, headaches, nausea and vomiting... As well as seizures there can be hallucinations and mental effects including mania or psychosis." (thanks Wikipedia). Basically you eat fungus and then your body parts start falling off and you feel like you're on fire and then you go crazy and start imagining things - sounds lovely. *shudder* But now, if you feel like you're burning and falling apart - literally - they have antibiotics that take care of it real quick. I a lot of people who get it say that they feel like they're flying all the time. My favorite part of this discussion was when my teacher said that this fungus apparently has many of the same chemical compounds as hallucinogenic drugs. She said "I don't know how many of you have dropped acid but ergotism would be something like walking around on an LSD high while your fingers fall off".
Hunter installed a new network today - potentially that means my internet won't crash three of four times in the time it takes me to post.