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For about 100 years, scientists thought that peptic ulcers were caused by stress, spicy food, and alcohol. Later, researchers added stomach acid to the list of causes and began treating ulcers with antacids. Now it is known that peptic ulcers are predominantly caused by Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that normally exist in the stomach.
The word drug comes from the Dutch word droog (meaning "dry"). For centuries, most drugs came from dried plants, hence the name.
After 5 years of being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, one every three patients will no longer be able to work.
Cancer has been around as long as humankind, but only in the second half of the twentieth century did the number of cancer cases explode.
The average human gut is home to perhaps 500 to 1,000 different species of bacteria.