Articles & Posts by Stuart A. Green, MD
Influenza: Epidemic Control Gone Too Far?
Several months ago, Mexico shut down completely. Public health officials, concerned about the rapid spread of a new strain of Influenza A virus, closed schools, sports venues, and stopped virtually all public gatherings. What would Ben Franklin say about such a draconian method of epidemic control?
October 3, 2009 | Read more »
Catching Colds
Many people believe that dampness makes us susceptible to colds and influenza, especially when we get our feet wet. How many times have our mothers made us change damp clothes, lest we catch a cold? What would Ben Franklin say about the notion that colds come from exposure to wetness? Here’s what Franklin did say:
September 19, 2009 | Read more »
Influenza Pandemic
Many people fear the exceedingly rare complications of vaccines, preferring instead to risk the disease itself. What would Ben Franklin say about individuals who decline inoculation?
September 5, 2009 | Read more »
Franklin and Cook, Part II: Cook’s Death
Aloha from Hawaii! This is the second part of my previous posting from Maui in which I wrote about Ben Franklin’s attempt to raise enough money to sponsor a second voyage to the South Pacific for Captain James Cook.
July 18, 2009 | Read more »
Franklin and Captain James Cook, Part I
The dauntless tales of explorer Captain Cook and Founding Father Ben Franklin are makings for an adventurous history lesson in the South Pacific.
July 11, 2009 | Read more »
A Day at the Museum
According to the latest blockbuster, a night at the Smithsonian Museum is truly an adventure, but what about a day at the Met? Here, Dr. Stuart Green shares the irony of the ditty: "Antoine Lavoisier lost his head, while Benjamin Franklin died in bed."
May 23, 2009 | Read more »
America’s Disappearing Newspapers
America’s newspapers wallow in red ink. Several prominent dailies have morphed into Internet apparitions of their former selves. Others become thinner with each passing week. What would Ben Franklin, a newspaperman himself, have to say?
May 9, 2009 | Read more »
An E-mail to Ben Franklin
Dear Doctor Franklin:
As you get out onto the streets of Philadelphia, you will notice a remarkable number of fat people waddling about. Perhaps your return will cause renewed interest in your recommendation ...
April 17, 2009 | Read more »
AIG Bonuses
Public outrage over the AIG bonuses continues to occupy public discourse. The executives at AIG’s Financial Products division must have initially felt some sense of satisfaction when they received their bonus checks that, in some cases, had a number followed by six zeros writ large in the upper right-hand corner. Before they had a chance [...]
March 26, 2009 | Read more »
