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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.
Cocaine was isolated in 1860 and first used as a local anesthetic in 1884. Its first clinical use was by Sigmund Freud to wean a patient from morphine addiction. The fictional character Sherlock Holmes was supposed to be addicted to cocaine by injection.
The immune system needs 9.5 hours of sleep in total darkness to recharge completely.
This year, an estimated 1.4 million Americans will have a new or recurrent heart attack.
After a vasectomy, it takes about 12 ejaculations to clear out sperm that were already beyond the blocked area.