The Poor Historians: Medical History Misadventures

Not all of the ideas a person has while under the influence of drugs and alcohol are winners. There are exceptions, however.  This is a fascinating story about the discovery of a revolutionary anesthetic technique all thanks to two inebriated German physicians playing around with spinal taps, hammers, and self-experimentation in the 1890's.  It gets weird. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch S...

This episode features a special guest!   We welcome Erik and Russ, the hosts of the Wisconsin Drunk History Podcast to the show to share in this unexpectedly far-reaching homegrown tale. We'll dive into the story of how moldy hay, hemorrhaging livestock, and a literal bucket of blood helped a University of Wisconsin Biochemist discover a medicine that would go on to help a then sitting presid...

This week's episode features a special guest collaboration!  Kyle Dalton, from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine joined us on the show to talk about the origins of ambulance service.  Believe it or not, figuring out how to safely extract wounded soldiers was not a high priority at the time of the U.S. Civil War.  Fortunately, we'll talk about how that situation did improve.   Gue...

This week's episode features a dig through an interesting article from the British Medical Journal with a proposed medical diagnosis for King George III--you know the one who was supposedly "mad".  It turns out that while he was presiding over the monarchy during the American Revolution and issues with Napoleon, he may have been struggling with quite the unusual ailment.  Mike and M...

In this super-exciting special episode the Poor Historians interview author Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris about her new book, The Facemaker .  The Facemaker centers on the incredible achievements of Dr. Harold Gillies, a plastic surgeon in WWI who not only helped restore the identities of injured soldiers with severe facial injuries, but developed a multitude of plastic surgery techniques in doing so.  H...

Dr. Joseph Lister revolutionized the practice of medicine.  He used the scientific method to make medicine and surgery safer.  Set against a backdrop of Victorian-era surgical practice, as grim as that was, is this overview of Dr. Lister's triumphant career as a good guy in the annals of science and medical history.  The Butchering Art, by Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris was the primary source for thi...

Every so often we let Mike choose topics without supervision.  This episode is an example of this.  We started with an examination of a famous case of early colorectal surgery and found ourselves in the bowels of the annals of medical history.  Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history...

This episode reveals how long mental health care has come over the centuries.  Part asylum, part zoo, Bedlam Hospitals history is a fascinating story about a famous institution  carrying a name that came to be synonymous with the idea of chaos itself. Much of the source material for this episode comes from articles written by Dr. Jonathan Andrews at Newcastle University.  An impressive list of his...

In this episode we'll discuss the various uses of mercury--yes, the liquidy metal that your parents told you not to touch--as a medicine.  It was used for colic in babies as well as to treat syphilis in adults.  It didn't work for either but, hey, it did produce something called "Mad Hatter" syndrome.  One of our most popular characters will make a return as well!  Support the...

Her name is synonymous with excellence in nursing for good reason.  Here we'll talk about one of the most famous nurses ever to take up the charge of giving good practical advice to doctors who did their best to ignore it much to the detriment of their patients.   She was well before her time. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / revie...

The feature of this episode is a remarkable survival story, one which occured within the past 30 years.  The other side of this coin is a discussion of the awful origins of much of the research on hypothermia and survival through nazi "experiments" (torture) during WWII.  Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ---...

Marie Curie and her husband discovered radium and radioactivity in 1898.   Soon thereafter everything has radium in it, from beauty products to glow in the dark timepieces.  Who would have thought there was a tragic price to be paid for all that "healthy glow?"    Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medi...

There have certainly been many things tried over the ages in the name of medicine.  At some point, there was a person who thought, "Have we considered putting all these corpses to use?"  Believe it or not, for a long period of time, across many cultures, using the dead to make medicines was commonplace.  We'll explore the various approaches to common illnesses which involved some fo...

You might not think a potentially life threatening childhood disease, sled dogs, early vaccination research, and emergency neck surgery have anything in common, but you'd be wrong.  Diphtheria is a legitimately scary illness we no longer see today.  You may have heard about it from your days playing Oregon Trail, but the real story of this illness and the beginning of its demise is fascinatin...

We'll keep the drawn out "Arrrr's " to a minimum.  Let's take a look at pirates and medicine.    Quite surprisingly they had some progressive ideas when it came to taking care of the ill.  We'll talk about early experiments to discover the cause of scurvy, pirate healthcare plans (no, really), and why you should eat oatmeal only on Tuesdays.  Bonus: Max is recovering...

Though certainly an accomplished physician for the time, the unexpected end to Dr. James' Barry's story is well worth the listen.  Once you know what the unexpected detail about Dr. Barry is, it makes this particular physician's story even more compelling than many of the contemporaries of the time.    Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social...

Sure there are many old hospitals.  But none are as old as the Hotel Dieu in Paris.   We'll look at the history of this landmark and the many trials and tribulations the hospital, and it's medical staff, faced over its more than 1,300 year history.  Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhi...

The origin of this familiar outdoor enthusiast tool has a dark and complicated history as a medical instrument.   You might not imagine how this device came about.  Well now you don't have to wonder about it anymore.  This is the history of the chainsaw. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhi...

In this episode, we visit a few cases of physician involvement in the practice of dueling.  Why have a collegial argument when you can grab a few friends and some weapons?  Special thanks to historian Dr. Russell Moul ( @RussMoul ) for his permission to use his article (linked below).  Check out his work at the link as well as through his social media. Source article is here . Support the show ---...

The lobotomy was a procedure that is rightfully associated with a dark period in more modern medical history.   Even the best of intentions can have disastrous outcomes. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history #historypodcast

Because sometimes you gotta put a lotta holes in heads to figure out when it's beneficial.  What's more exciting than old tyme neurosurgical trial and error? Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history #historypodcast

If you want something done right, they say to do it yourself.  This is not typically recommended for surgical procedures but when you're stranded in the hostile climate at the bottom of the world, a surgeon's gotta do what a surgeon's gotta do. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhi...

Let's explore the seedy side of one of the most important courses in medical school and medical history for that matter.  Who would have imagined body theft had such a dark backstory?  Probably everyone. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history #historypodcast

We'll take a little trip into the world of medical toxicology history.  Back to an age before marriage counseling and divorce, some would go to extreme lengths to end a marriage.  Their solution?  A little aqua tofana. Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history #historypodcast

An intrepid hematologist endeavors to bother the unusually hued blue persons of Kentucky.  And then maybe he murdered somebody.  What? Support the show ----- PHPod Merch Store (CLOSED) ----- Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings) ----- #medicine #medicalhistory #history #historypodcast