/oss/taxonomy/term/1708/all en /oss/article/history-general-science/black-goo-blue-dye-and-beyond-fascinating-history-aniline <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-from-black-goo-to-blue-dye-and-beyond-the-fascinating-history-of-aniline">The Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>During the Second World War, American soldiers carried a first aid kit attached to their belt that contained a powder to be sprinkled on any open wound to prevent infection. That powder was sulfathiazole, synthesized by chemists from aniline, then already a compound of great commercial importance with a fascinating history.</p> Fri, 02 Aug 2024 19:06:17 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10016 at /oss /oss/article/medical-student-contributors-history/fighting-fire-fire-how-nobel-prize-winning-scientists-used-malaria-cure-syphilis <p>The history of science is full of disproved experiments, revised textbooks, and rewritten hypotheses. Even Nobel prize-winning research, which is often viewed as the best work science has to offer, can fall by the wayside. One example is the 1927 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1927/wagner-jauregg/biographical/">Julius Wagner-Jauregg</a> for treating syphilis by infecting patients with malaria.</p> Fri, 22 Sep 2023 23:42:54 +0000 Maya McKeown, B.Sc. 9651 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/malaria-vaccines-success-story-hides-legitimate-concerns <p>It has been a good year for vaccines.</p> Sat, 16 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8898 at /oss /oss/article/health/covid-science-express-malaria-drugs-and-mutations <p>A weekly explanation of the emerging science behind COVID-19 and its infectious agent, SARS-CoV-2.</p> <p><b>The evidence for chloroquine is pretty thin gruel</b></p> <p>Chloroquine and the related drug hydroxychloroquine have been in the news a lot lately, promoted as potential allies or even cures in the fight against COVID-19. This is an excellent (and unfortunate) example of a grain of sand quickly snowballing into a house of worship.</p> Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8205 at /oss /oss/article/health/are-anti-malaria-drugs-set-be-game-changer-battle-against-covid-19 <p>The words had hardly left President Trump’s mouth when FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn strode to the podium and politely walked back Trump’s claim that a drug that is effective in the treatment of COVID-19 would be made available almost immediately. Not so, said the Commissioner. The President had been referring to chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, a pair of drugs that have been used in the treatment of malaria since the 1940s. They were subsequently found useful in the treatment of some forms of autoimmune disease such as lupus.</p> Fri, 20 Mar 2020 18:46:30 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8187 at /oss /oss/article/health-technology/why-mosquitos-bite-you-and-how-make-them-stop <p>Summertime means hammocks, BBQs, fireworks, and mosquito bites.</p> <p>At least it does for me. Those rotten little suckers seem to just love me. They’ll flock to me even when there are three other people sitting in my backyard. What is it about my blood that they seem to enjoy so much?!</p> <p>Let’s take a look at the science behind mosquitos and try to answer two questions: Why do mosquitos bite certain people, and what should we do to make them stop?</p> Fri, 05 Jul 2019 17:56:40 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7820 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-history/did-you-know-colonialism-responsible-spread-malaria <p>Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a single-celled parasite that multiplies in human red blood cells as well as in the intestines of the Anopheles mosquito, the insect that transmits the disease. Researchers believe that malaria <a href="https://www.workers.org/2008/world/malaria_0131/" target="_blank">coevolved with humans in Africa</a>. For its spread across the world, we can <a href="https://www.workers.org/2008/world/malaria_0131/" target="_blank">blame colonialism</a>.</p> Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:00:00 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7589 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/malaria-reason-behind-gin-and-tonic <p>Malaria kills around <a href="https://www.who.int/malaria/en/">400 thousand individuals annually</a>. It’s the result of a bodily infection by single-celled parasitic organisms from the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmodium"> </a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmodium"><i>Plasmodium</i></a> genus and causes fever, vomiting, chills and body aches. There is some good news though.</p> Thu, 27 Sep 2018 16:00:00 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7368 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/sickle-cell-anemia <p>Sickle cell anemia is a recessive genetic disorder in which the body’s red blood cells assume an abnormal crescent shape inhibiting their ability to carry oxygen effectively. Natural selection continuously favours individuals that are better fitted to their environment; so it would make sense that the less favoured sickle cell gene should slowly disappear. However, in tropical regions where malaria is widespread, sickle cell anemia is still common, affecting 1-2% of the population.</p> Tue, 23 May 2017 17:54:17 +0000 emily.shore@mcgill.ca 2485 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-drugs-health-news/goldenseal <p>During the Civil War northern forces blocked a number of Confederate ports. One of the consequences of the blockade was a dire shortage of cinchona bark imported from South America. The bark was in great demand, being the first substance ever found to be an effective treatment for malaria. Quinine, first isolated in 1820 was the active ingredient. Because of a lack of quinine, word went out from the surgeon general of the Confederate army asking that a search be launched for any native plants that might have fever reducing properties similar to cinchona.</p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 14:20:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2157 at /oss /oss/article/cancer-controversial-science-health-news-quackery/miracle-mineral-solution-nightmare <p style="text-align:justify">Malaria, AIDS, hepatitis, herpes, cancer.  Terrible diseases.  That’s why thousands and thousands of scientists around the world, armed with advanced degrees, are engaged in research projects aimed at finding a cure.</p> Tue, 02 Jun 2015 08:58:54 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2264 at /oss