Cover image of The History of Medicine

The History of Medicine

Explore the rich history of medicine, from the diseases that once plagued us, how the medicine we take for granted today came to be, and the curious characters and stories surrounding these topics. Up... Read more

Ranked #1

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1.5 - Penicillin In The War

1.5 - Penicillin In The War

This week, we finally bring penicillin to its full potential. A team of brilliant scientists at Oxford figure out how to... Read more

10 Jun 2019

21mins

Ranked #2

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1.6 - A New Hunt

1.6 - A New Hunt

After Fleming and the Oxford gang kick off the antibiotic revolution, others are inspired, and seek new ways to discover... Read more

17 Jun 2019

18mins

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Ranked #3

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1.3 - Sulfa Drugs

1.3 - Sulfa Drugs

This time, I tell the story of one Gerard Domagk. This brilliant scientist discovers one of the first antibiotics, which... Read more

27 May 2019

11mins

Ranked #4

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2.A - The Man with Stones

2.A - The Man with Stones

While researching for season 2, I stumbled upon this story that I felt absolutely deserved to be shared with all of you.... Read more

26 Aug 2019

4mins

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Ranked #5

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1.4 - Alec and His Mold

1.4 - Alec and His Mold

We finally come to penicillin. Alec Fleming stumbles upon a fungus contaminating one of his samples, and kicks off a lon... Read more

3 Jun 2019

18mins

Ranked #6

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2.1 - Setting the Stage

2.1 - Setting the Stage

This week, I want to go over the general state of surgery before the big innovations happen, around the 1800s. There's a... Read more

16 Sep 2019

12mins

Ranked #7

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1.14 - Resistance is Futile

1.14 - Resistance is Futile

This week, we wrap up the season with antibiotic resistance. Since the inception of antibiotics, we've noticed resistanc... Read more

12 Aug 2019

14mins

Ranked #8

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2.3 - Cocaine (For Local Anesthesia)

2.3 - Cocaine (For Local Anesthesia)

While we're discussing anesthesia generally, let's talk about local anesthesia, where the patient is kept awake. The fir... Read more

30 Sep 2019

10mins

Ranked #9

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1.12 - The Modern FDA

1.12 - The Modern FDA

This week, the tragedies of chloramphenicol coincide with the tragedy of thalidomide, an anti-nausea drug that unfortuna... Read more

29 Jul 2019

14mins

Ranked #10

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2.2 - No Humbug

2.2 - No Humbug

This week, let's tackle one of those first big problems we talked about: the horrible pain of surgery. Many many doctors... Read more

23 Sep 2019

19mins

Ranked #11

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1.8 - Digging for Gold

1.8 - Digging for Gold

This week we learn about a motley crew of great scientists and researchers, including Yellapragada Subbarao, Benjamin Du... Read more

1 Jul 2019

15mins

Ranked #12

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1.7 - Beating TB

1.7 - Beating TB

This week we take a short detour, to describe one application of Waksman and Schatz's work on streptomycin. Our hero thi... Read more

24 Jun 2019

9mins

Ranked #13

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1.9 - Digging Elsewhere

1.9 - Digging Elsewhere

This week, we leave the US, and travel to the Phillipines, where we are still looking for new antibiotics in the dirt. O... Read more

8 Jul 2019

10mins

Ranked #14

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1.11 - The Fall

1.11 - The Fall

As promised, this week chloramphenicol begins to show some serious problems. Dr. Albe Watkins and Edgar Elfstrom both lo... Read more

22 Jul 2019

17mins

Ranked #15

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1.10 - The Little Stranger

1.10 - The Little Stranger

Next up, we discover the next big, broad-spectrum antibiotic. A company called Parke-Davis investigates medicines from a... Read more

15 Jul 2019

11mins

Ranked #16

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1.13 - Odd and Ends

1.13 - Odd and Ends

This week, I talk through the discoveries of a few leftover antibiotic classes. I didn't quite have enough for a full ep... Read more

5 Aug 2019

7mins

Ranked #17

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2.B - The Fastest Knife in the West End

2.B - The Fastest Knife in the West End

Here's one more bonus episode before the real season starts up next week. This one's about Robert Liston, a legendary su... Read more

9 Sep 2019

4mins

Ranked #18

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3.4 - All in a Day's Work

3.4 - All in a Day's Work

This week, we progress to the age of discovery, and learn about Bernardino Ramazzini, known as the father of occupationa... Read more

25 May 2020

6mins

Ranked #19

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3.3 - The End of the Middle

3.3 - The End of the Middle

Let's finish up with the Middle Ages this week. We'll talk about two illnesses that would shape public health in this ti... Read more

18 May 2020

9mins

Ranked #20

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3.2 - In the Middle of Something

3.2 - In the Middle of Something

This week, we're in the Middle Ages, also known as the medieval era. We'll follow the state of public health knowledge f... Read more

11 May 2020

8mins

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