dMAC Digest Vol 4 No 5: MERS

This fifth edition of the dMAC Digest analyses the current information on MERS - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, a severe pneumonia-like respiratory disease caused by a virus. It has an extremely high death rate among confirmed sufferers and we check the latest data on infection and death by country. What effect may MERS have on the 2-3 million pilgrims whom will perform the Hajj this October in Saudi Arabia. We also look at Kidney Stones, what causes them, how they are detected and how you can protect yourself from this very painful medical condition. Are Kidney Stones becoming more prevalent? Are men more susceptible than women? Finally we analyse the amazing Medical Milestones that occurred during the 20th Century. Life expectancy in the UK was 45 years at the beginning of the 20th century, yet today men can anticipate living to 81, while women can look to live to at least 84. Despite the powerful scientific firepower available to conquer disease last century, the Greatest Medical Milestone of the 20th century was discovered by accident. We also take a light hearted look at the philosophy of that perpetual 11 year old English schoolboy, William Brown and his very successful author Richmal Crompton, who sold over 6 million ‘Just William’ books between 1922 and 1970.