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It is believed that the Incas used anesthesia. Evidence supports the theory that shamans chewed cocoa leaves and drilled holes into the heads of patients (letting evil spirits escape), spitting into the wounds they made. The mixture of cocaine, saliva, and resin numbed the site enough to allow hours of drilling.
More than 150,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease are younger than the age of 65 years.
The first monoclonal antibodies were made exclusively from mouse cells. Some are now fully human, which means they are likely to be safer and may be more effective than older monoclonal antibodies.
Human kidneys will clean about 1 million gallons of blood in an average lifetime.
Medication errors are more common among seriously ill patients than with those with minor conditions.