We consult the Internet for answers to all kinds of questions. The vast majority seem to be about porn and online gaming. But we ask a good number of serious questions, too, especially about our health. The average American apparently spends 52 hours per year looking up health information online, and sees a doctor just three times. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that one-third of Americans say they have gone online specifically to diagnose a medical condition.

I’m surprised that so few people ‘fessed up to being digital diagnosers. Doesn’t everybody do this? Here’s how it works for me. I get a symptom — a small mole on my arm, say, that has