4 ms·

A not uncommon scenario. Here's how the first "upper endoscopy" was performed in the 1950s, after a GI fellow at the University of Michigan read a foundational

A not uncommon scenario. Here's how the first "upper endoscopy" was performed in the 1950s, after a GI fellow at the University of Michigan read a foundational paper about fiberoptic cable in Nature: Hirschowitz, like a lot of fellows and young researchers in science, first tested the device on himself in February 1957. He managed to control his own gag reflex, passed through his esophagus and looked around in his own stomach. He then scoped a patient indicated on the slide as patient #2. A most remarkable aspect of this discovery was that it was not supported by grants and was carried out by a GI fellow, and two physicists who worked very hard to create this incredible advance. The same talk also notes the Australian researcher who discovered the role of Helicobacter pylori in curing stomach ulcers tested the culture on himself: He stated that his halitosis was so bad, that his wife told him that he had to sleep on the couch. After the infection was established he treated himself with the anti-Helicobacter therapy and completely recovered. https://blogs.harvard.edu/lamont/2020/01/30/advances-gastroenterology-medical-rounds/ https://blogs.harvard.edu/lamont/2020/01/30/advances-gastroe...

affgrff2 4y ago
Not to forget about the first heart catheterization done by Werner Forstsmann on himself and awarding him the Nobel prize. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Forssmann https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Forssmann
samhw 4y ago
Yeah, a genius heroin addict friend of mine drew a molecular structure for a new opioid[0] on the back of a napkin and sent it off to a synthetic chemist in China to be synthesised. To my infinite horror I actually tried a dose of what came back, at the same time as he took his dose, and in the recommended (high!) dosage of what I think was a decent chunk of a gramme. Luckily it worked. I can well see how someone could have the confidence to try something as mild as ibuprofen. [0] Or pseudo-opioid, I'm not sure. He's a biologist and I'm not a natural scientist at all. All I recall is that it was a positive allosteric modulator of the mu opioid receptor, which, by and large, may as well be Greek to me.
- krispyfi 4y ago
  I'm pretty sure the Hamilton Morris podcast would like to interview your friend. Anonymously, of course. https://www.patreon.com/HamiltonMorris https://www.patreon.com/HamiltonMorris
- mtlmtlmtlmtl 4y ago
  Pseudo-opioid sounds right to me. Typically opioids are agonists at MOR, i.e activate the receptor on their own. Whereas a PAM binds to a separate binding site, and increases the effect of binding by the endogenous neurotransmitter(hence it positively modulates it). How the increased effect actually happens depends on the receptor and can get pretty complicated so I won't go into it since I'd have to google quite a bit.
Optimal_Persona 4y ago
Worth noting that the two great psychedelic alchemists - Albert Hofmann and Sasha Shulgin - conducted human tests with their own persons. It couldn't be otherwise..."Uh, Someone Who Isn't Me and their dog report that this stuff is pretty interesting..."
- samizdis 4y ago
  Ah, "Sasha" aka "Alexander" Shulgin, who died in 2014. His obituary [1] is worth a read. The book Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved: A Chemical Love Story by Alexander and Ann Shulgin, his wife, documents their experiences with lots of drugs, and at various dosages, that he created. The book also contains instructions for synthesis etc. It's still in print, and a version of the second part - dealing with the chemicals, but not the experiences - is freely available online at [2]. EDITED to amend the above to clarify that link [2] contains only the second part of the book, and to add that the full book can be downloaded via [3]. FURTHER edited to add download links from Z-library [4]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/03/alexander-shulgin https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/03/alexander-sh... [2] https://erowid.org/library/books_online/pihkal/pihkal.shtml https://erowid.org/library/books_online/pihkal/pihkal.shtml [3] https://libgen.is/search.php?req=PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story&lg_topic=libgen&open=0&view=simple&res=25&phrase=1&column=def https://libgen.is/search.php?req=PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+S... [4] https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=%22PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story%22 https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=%22PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story%22
  - mtlmtlmtlmtl 4y ago
    They also wrote an equivalent book on tryptamines. Same name and url except p -> t. Another note: IIRC, I believe it wasn't just Shulgin and his wife who tested the drugs, but also a small group of friends that he'd give samples. Cheers.
    - samizdis 4y ago
      > ... it wasn't just Shulgin and his wife who tested the drugs, but also a small group of friends ... Yes, indeed - also tested with friends, and some of those accounts are included in part one of the book. Thanks for the correction.
webmobdev 4y ago
Huh? Halitosis can also be caused by gastric issues? Thanks for the info! I thought it was purely a dental / oral issue and have been trying to tackle it like that. Perhaps I should pay a visit to a general physician.
- mikewave 4y ago
  Yes, if you have H.Pylori it can cause all sorts of problems, acid reflux, bad breath, gastritis, ulcers, etc. I'm no doctor but I have been tested for this in the past; I think it was just a blood test, nothing invasive, and it's curable. Better to get it sorted sooner than later. That GP visit can also be a good time to ask about all sorts of other small issues, and a blood test is a good idea at least every year or two. Ask about hormone levels, iron, vitamins, everything; for you it's just a lab visit. I can't wait until it's possible to get these tests a few times a year and have all the values charted somewhere tied into the personal health ecosystem. Ironically, as someone interested in online privacy, I find the medical data the least concerning; I'm willing to let all of that go if it means I can get back some good answers or better healthcare. I can understand why some people aren't, of course, and they should always have the right to it; and it's good that this medical industry privacy situation is influencing other industries as well. But still! Imagine if some ML system with access to the data of a million people like me could show me exactly what I should stop eating, or exactly what supplement I need more of....
  - chihuahua 4y ago
    Please don't take this as criticism, but your last paragraph sounds similar to the initial vision behind Theranos. That's not meant to imply that it's a bad idea. I'm referring to the "testing several times a year, and using ML on the aggregated data"
  - webmobdev 4y ago
    Yeah, I do an annual health checkup every year. (Healthcare is thankfully cheap for me in India). > ...I have been tested for this in the past; I think it was just a blood test... Since you are interested in this subject - Have been reading on this and apparently a blood test for H.Pylori is no longer suggested as it only tests for anti-bodies which can be still be present after the infection is over. So a stool test is now the recommended way to find if you still have that particular germ inside you.
IYasha 4y ago
Oh, I remember the case. Nobody believed Barry Marshal and he had to use radical method of getting solid proof - infect and cure himself. I admire the man.

affgrff2 4y ago

Not to forget about the first heart catheterization done by Werner Forstsmann on himself and awarding him the Nobel prize. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Forssmann https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Forssmann

samhw 4y ago

Yeah, a genius heroin addict friend of mine drew a molecular structure for a new opioid[0] on the back of a napkin and sent it off to a synthetic chemist in China to be synthesised. To my infinite horror I actually tried a dose of what came back, at the same time as he took his dose, and in the recommended (high!) dosage of what I think was a decent chunk of a gramme. Luckily it worked. I can well see how someone could have the confidence to try something as mild as ibuprofen. [0] Or pseudo-opioid, I'm not sure. He's a biologist and I'm not a natural scientist at all. All I recall is that it was a positive allosteric modulator of the mu opioid receptor, which, by and large, may as well be Greek to me.

krispyfi 4y ago
I'm pretty sure the Hamilton Morris podcast would like to interview your friend. Anonymously, of course. https://www.patreon.com/HamiltonMorris https://www.patreon.com/HamiltonMorris
mtlmtlmtlmtl 4y ago
Pseudo-opioid sounds right to me. Typically opioids are agonists at MOR, i.e activate the receptor on their own. Whereas a PAM binds to a separate binding site, and increases the effect of binding by the endogenous neurotransmitter(hence it positively modulates it). How the increased effect actually happens depends on the receptor and can get pretty complicated so I won't go into it since I'd have to google quite a bit.

Optimal_Persona 4y ago

Worth noting that the two great psychedelic alchemists - Albert Hofmann and Sasha Shulgin - conducted human tests with their own persons. It couldn't be otherwise..."Uh, Someone Who Isn't Me and their dog report that this stuff is pretty interesting..."

samizdis 4y ago
Ah, "Sasha" aka "Alexander" Shulgin, who died in 2014. His obituary [1] is worth a read. The book Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved: A Chemical Love Story by Alexander and Ann Shulgin, his wife, documents their experiences with lots of drugs, and at various dosages, that he created. The book also contains instructions for synthesis etc. It's still in print, and a version of the second part - dealing with the chemicals, but not the experiences - is freely available online at [2]. EDITED to amend the above to clarify that link [2] contains only the second part of the book, and to add that the full book can be downloaded via [3]. FURTHER edited to add download links from Z-library [4]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/03/alexander-shulgin https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/03/alexander-sh... [2] https://erowid.org/library/books_online/pihkal/pihkal.shtml https://erowid.org/library/books_online/pihkal/pihkal.shtml [3] https://libgen.is/search.php?req=PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story&lg_topic=libgen&open=0&view=simple&res=25&phrase=1&column=def https://libgen.is/search.php?req=PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+S... [4] https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=%22PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story%22 https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=%22PiHKAL%3A+A+Chemical+Love+Story%22
- mtlmtlmtlmtl 4y ago
  They also wrote an equivalent book on tryptamines. Same name and url except p -> t. Another note: IIRC, I believe it wasn't just Shulgin and his wife who tested the drugs, but also a small group of friends that he'd give samples. Cheers.
  - samizdis 4y ago
    > ... it wasn't just Shulgin and his wife who tested the drugs, but also a small group of friends ... Yes, indeed - also tested with friends, and some of those accounts are included in part one of the book. Thanks for the correction.

webmobdev 4y ago

Huh? Halitosis can also be caused by gastric issues? Thanks for the info! I thought it was purely a dental / oral issue and have been trying to tackle it like that. Perhaps I should pay a visit to a general physician.

mikewave 4y ago
Yes, if you have H.Pylori it can cause all sorts of problems, acid reflux, bad breath, gastritis, ulcers, etc. I'm no doctor but I have been tested for this in the past; I think it was just a blood test, nothing invasive, and it's curable. Better to get it sorted sooner than later. That GP visit can also be a good time to ask about all sorts of other small issues, and a blood test is a good idea at least every year or two. Ask about hormone levels, iron, vitamins, everything; for you it's just a lab visit. I can't wait until it's possible to get these tests a few times a year and have all the values charted somewhere tied into the personal health ecosystem. Ironically, as someone interested in online privacy, I find the medical data the least concerning; I'm willing to let all of that go if it means I can get back some good answers or better healthcare. I can understand why some people aren't, of course, and they should always have the right to it; and it's good that this medical industry privacy situation is influencing other industries as well. But still! Imagine if some ML system with access to the data of a million people like me could show me exactly what I should stop eating, or exactly what supplement I need more of....
- chihuahua 4y ago
  Please don't take this as criticism, but your last paragraph sounds similar to the initial vision behind Theranos. That's not meant to imply that it's a bad idea. I'm referring to the "testing several times a year, and using ML on the aggregated data"
- webmobdev 4y ago
  Yeah, I do an annual health checkup every year. (Healthcare is thankfully cheap for me in India). > ...I have been tested for this in the past; I think it was just a blood test... Since you are interested in this subject - Have been reading on this and apparently a blood test for H.Pylori is no longer suggested as it only tests for anti-bodies which can be still be present after the infection is over. So a stool test is now the recommended way to find if you still have that particular germ inside you.

IYasha 4y ago

Oh, I remember the case. Nobody believed Barry Marshal and he had to use radical method of getting solid proof - infect and cure himself. I admire the man.