Around 60%-75% of newborn baby boys in America are circumcised in a surgical procedure soon after birth. Presently, many states are considering defunding the procedure as a way to cut health care costs.
To scalpel or not to scalpel? Circumcised versus uncircumcised. Why circumcise? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "there is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn."
The procedure is considered by many to be purely cultural. In San Francisco the city government sought to introduce legislation which would have banned circumcision on men under 18. The law failed before it could be voted on because it was judged to impinge on the constitutional right to free exercise of religion.
In an editorial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Aaron Tobian and Dr. Ronald Gray argue for the medical benefits of circumcising boys in infanthood, citing several observational studies and recent clinical trials that show it reduces the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, HPV and herpes by about a third in both men and their female sexual partners.
In opposition to these facts, circumcision increases the chance of meatitis-- an inflammation of the opening of the penis. Circumcisions often cause other infections and complications in infants. Cutting right to the heart of the matter, sometimes over zealous doctors snip a bit too much, and cause permanent damage.
The United States Congress has designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month. January is almost over, but today on the QuickMedical blog we'll explore cervical cancer, HPV disease, and the importance of early detection. Each year in the U.S. approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 4,000 lives are lost as a result. There are also many more women who have cervical abnormalities and abnormal Pap tests for reasons other than cancer, but who still undergo follow-up exams and treatments.
Cervical cancer is caused by specific types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common infection that almost everyone who is sexually active will have at some point. There are vaccines that block the types of HPV most often found with cervical diseases, and screening tests (such as Pap tests and HPV tests) can identify women most at risk. Cervical cancer can be prevented. Early vaccination (females and males ages 9-26 are eligible) and regular Pap tests beginning at age 21 are the best ways.
Click ahead to learn more about cervical health awareness and cervical cancer prevention.
It's QuickMedical's 6 year anniversary with the Better Business Bureau. The folks at the BBB Facebook page notified us this morning with a congratulatory post on our Facebook wall.
QuickMedical has been a BBB accredited business since 9/19/2005. QuickMedical's A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau is based on a variety of factors. Most importantly, QuickMedical meets BBB standards which include a commitment to resolve customer complaints.
Customer service is why our customers come back. As a customer you can send us feedback by email, here on the blog, calling us directly, or even Twitter. We're proud to celebrate six years with the BBB.
Dear QuickMedical,
I'm running a small daycare out of my home and need to start disinfecting toys. I want to use the same level of protection that a hospital or doctor's office would use. I saw you have a coupon code for PDI Super Sani Cloth Wipes . Is this the right product for my new day care center?
Thanks,
New to Daycare Dame
The quick answer. Yes. Click ahead for the coupon code and exactly why Sani-Cloth wipes are the ideal bactericidal, tuberculocidal and virucidal germicidal wipes for disinfecting and deodorizing hospitals. critical care areas, and even daycare centers.
R&B Wire Products are manufacturers of industrial laundry and linen transportation equipment. R&B is the industry leader and the standard in the laundry cart business. It's a unique company. In the present day when many companies manufacture overseas or have become cogs in larger international conglomerates, R&B has remained a private company for 66 years and still proudly builds all its products in the USA. Also setting R&B apart is the company's commitment to customer service. As stated on the R&B website, the company's, "Satisfaction Guaranteed policy is the backbone of [the] company." Simply stated, R&B Wire Products will correct or replace any product problem due to workmanship or quality that you encounter.
Based on this, it's obvious QuickMedical is a perfect partner and distributor for R&B's medical equipment hampers , including modern hampers for hospital use. QuickMedical isn't 66 years old, but our commitment to products made in the USA and most importantly to customer service make our match with R&B a perfect fit. Just like R&B, QuickMedical is committed to making sure our customers-- hospitals, doctors' offices, VA facilities, and others are completely satisfied, not only with their product, but their experience using our website or speaking with our sales team.
R&B Wire laundry hampers are made with quality tubular steel and are ideal for a variety of medical facility needs. Medium duty and deluxe triple leakproof hampers are available depending on your facility's volume needs. R&B Wire Hampers have sturdy metal frames, foot operated lids, caster wheels, and an assortment of laundry bag materials to choose from including nylon, duck canvas, anti-microbial fabric, and more. Like QuickMedical, R&B Wire Products is committed to innovation. R&B has expanded its product line over the years beyond its extensive line of standard and front-loading laundry carts. It developed the "Clean Wheel System" on laundry carts, which ensures quality and safety for medical facilities using large rolling laundry hampers.
When ordering medical hampers from QuickMedical, for easy access, mobility, and safety, consider R&B Wire Hampers .
Have you heard of Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis? Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician today known as an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures. He discovered that childbed fever, which affects women during childbirth, could be drastically reduced by the use of hand disinfection.
Childbed fever was common in mid-19th-century hospitals and often fatal. In 1847 while working in Vienna General Hospital's First Obstetrical Clinic, Semmelweis was troubled that the doctors' wards had three times the mortality rates of midwives' wards. No one could figure out why there were so many cases of childbed fever in the doctors' ward. Semmelweis recreated the same conditions in both wards,but the doctors' ward remained a deadly problem. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with the doctors' ward. Then he realized that it might be something the doctors were doing outside the hospital.
What were the doctors doing outside the Obstetrical Clinic that was causing childbed fever?
You might have heard the sad news that musician Heavy D has recently passed away. He was one of the early artists who brought hip hop music to the mainstream. He rapped the theme song to In Living Color. He had several chart topping hits. He was also overweight and suffered from heart disease. You might assume that Heavy D's death was brought on by his unhealthy weight, but that's only partially true and just one part of the story.
What can you learn about your own health from the example of Heavy D? The answer might surprise you. Click ahead.
This month's employee of the month is Bobby. As I.T. Director Bobby is responsible for QuickMedical's computer and phone technology. It's an integral part of what we do. Bobby's job requires diverse skills and he wears several different hats to ensure QuickMedical is always moving forward. When our phone system or computers need assistance, Bobby is there with a solution. In December Bobby supervised a massive project which involved the creation of a completely new office phone system and a new customer service call center. Projects like this aren't for the faint of heart.
The staff and management would like to thank Bobby for all his efforts. It's not just the big projects, but the small daily ones that keep QuickMedical running at peak capacity. Without Bobby's efforts in making things run smoothly we wouldn't be here. If you've got a story to share about Bobby or just a quick comment, please post a comment below.
Diabetes is one of the oldest known diseases. An Egyptian manuscript from around 1550 BCE mentions the phrase, "the passing of too much urine." Sushruta, an Indian doctor who lived 600 years before the birth of Christ identified the disease and classified it as "Medhumeha," which means "sweet urine disease." He further identified it with obesity and sedentary lifestyle, advising exercises to help cure it. The ancient Indians tested for diabetes by observing whether ants were attracted to the afflicted person's urine. Chinese, Japanese and Korean words for diabetes are all based on the same definitions which mean "sugar urine disease." In 1776 Matthew Dobson confirmed that the sweet taste comes from an excess of a kind of sugar in the urine and blood.
The Ancient Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia in the 1st century CE noted the excessive amount of urine which passed through the kidneys and gave the disease the name "diabetes."
Diabetes was bad news in those days. Hippocrates doesn't even mention it, probably because he thought it was incurable. Aretaeus attempted to treat it but commented that, "life with diabetes is short, disgusting and painful." Definitely bad news. Things got better, however. While medical science stalled in Europe, in medieval Persia, a Canon of Medicine was being written which would influence later knowledge about diabetes.
