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.
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According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, lung disease is the third leading killer in the United States, responsible for one in seven deaths. It is the leading cause of death among infants under the age of one year.
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In most cases, kidneys can recover from almost complete loss of function, such as in acute kidney (renal) failure.
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Bacteria have flourished on the earth for over three billion years. They were the first life forms on the planet.
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This year, an estimated 1.4 million Americans will have a new or recurrent heart attack.
