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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 the United States, there is a birth every 8 seconds, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Clock.
In the United States, an estimated 50 million unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for viral respiratory infections.
Of the estimated 2 million heroin users in the United States, 600,000–800,000 are considered hardcore addicts. Heroin addiction is considered to be one of the hardest addictions to recover from.
People with high total cholesterol have about two times the risk for heart disease as people with ideal levels.