July/August 2010 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 23 Number 4
Seasickness or Mal de Mer
Seasickness, historically known as mal de mer, is a form of motion sickness caused by the pitching and heaving motions of a boat on the high seas.
In Isaac Asimov’s 1963 book, The Human Body, he relates a marvelous anecdote that describes the effects of seasickness perfectly. A steward on a large sailing vessel was trying to cheerfully reassure the passengers that no one ever dies of seasickness, that they would all make it through. One of the passengers noted, “Please – it’s only the hope of dying that is keeping me alive.”
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MARINE BITES AND STINGS:
/in Bites and Stings, Infection, Neurological/by WMN EditorsOne of the most inviting, relaxing, and beautiful places on earth is the ocean. The soft, warm, luxurious sand, the gentle, soothing waves, and the spectacular bluegreen waters that reflect the colors of the sky, draw us near. As we relax in the warm, tropical water, we can’t help but wonder why anyone would have ever wanted to crawl out of the sea, so that they could walk on the hard earth, propelled by two small feet.
When adventure brings us to the ocean, there are several inherent risks of which we have to be aware and prepared to manage. These concerns include: marine animal bites and stings, environmental related problems, accidental poisoning by eating poisonous fish, and for the SCUBA enthusiast – barotrauma…
ISSN-1059-6518
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MITES CHIGGERS AND SCABIES
/in Disease, Parasites, Rash, Skin, Skin itching/by WMN EditorsJuly/August 2010 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 23 Number 4
By Frank Hubbell, DO
Illustrations by T.B.R. Walsh
Mites Chiggers
and Scabies:
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SEASICKNESS OR MAL DE MER
/in Nausea/by WMN EditorsJuly/August 2010 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 23 Number 4
Seasickness or Mal de Mer
Seasickness, historically known as mal de mer, is a form of motion sickness caused by the pitching and heaving motions of a boat on the high seas.
In Isaac Asimov’s 1963 book, The Human Body, he relates a marvelous anecdote that describes the effects of seasickness perfectly. A steward on a large sailing vessel was trying to cheerfully reassure the passengers that no one ever dies of seasickness, that they would all make it through. One of the passengers noted, “Please – it’s only the hope of dying that is keeping me alive.”
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SUNBURNS AND SUN BLOCKS
/in Heat related Injuries, NSAIDs, Skin, Skin itching/by WMN EditorsJuly/August 2010 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 23 Number 4
By Frank Hubbell, DO
Sunburns and Sun Blocks:
There are many variations on skin color ranging from albino to ebony. The color of the skin is simply determined by the quantity of a pigment, melanin, in the skin. The more melanin that is produced, the darker the skin.
The skin pigment melanin is produced by melanocytes, which are found in the stratum basale of the epidermis. The number of melanocytes in the skin is very similar from person-to-person, but how much melanin is produced by the melanocytes varies greatly, giving the wide range of skin colors that are seen around the world.
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