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Once thought to have neurofibromatosis, Joseph Merrick (also known as "the elephant man") is now, in retrospect, thought by clinical experts to have had Proteus syndrome. This endocrine disease causes continued and abnormal growth of the bones, muscles, skin, and so on and can become completely debilitating with severe deformities occurring anywhere on the body.
In ancient Rome, many of the richer people in the population had lead-induced gout. The reason for this is unclear. Lead poisoning has also been linked to madness.
People with high total cholesterol have about two times the risk for heart disease as people with ideal levels.
If you could remove all of your skin, it would weigh up to 5 pounds.
More than 2,500 barbiturates have been synthesized. At the height of their popularity, about 50 were marketed for human use.