Sword swallowing uncertainties

Sword swallowing and its side effects.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate information on the practice and associated ill effects of sword swallowing. DESIGN Letters sent to sword swallowers requesting information on technique and complications. SETTING Membership lists of the Sword Swallowers' Association International. PARTICIPANTS 110 sword swallowers from 16 countries. RESULTS We had information from 46 sword swallowers. Major complic...

The Pill vs. the Sword: Additional Considerations; Comment on “The Pill Is Mightier Than the Sword”

In this paper, I present additional information for policy-makers and researchers to consider in response to the view proposed by Potts et al that “the pill is mightier than the sword.” I identify states with both high rates of terrorism and a youth bulge and discuss correlates of both these societal characteristics. The research examined supports the view that factors other than access to fami...

Scalpel and Sword

A Double-Edged Sword?

The enormous benefits of inhibition of ACE demonstrate that manipulation of the metabolism of peptide hormones is a valuable therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular disease. Recent attempts to expand these benefits have combined ACE inhibition with inhibition of other peptidases such as neutral endopeptidase (NEP) in a single molecule, a strategy known as vasopeptidase inhibition. NEP metaboliz...

Swallowing disorders.

The oropharyngeal swallow mechanism is comprised of several behaviours that change systematically or occur randomly. The systematic changes are dependent on the bolus characteristics (i.e. volume and viscosity) and voluntary control. An oropharyngeal swallow is rapid (less than 2 s), and videofluoroscopy is required to determine which muscles or nerves are damaged in dysphagic patients. Once th...