Episodes
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
Christi is joined by Gloria on this episode and the two discuss the relatively “new” and increasingly popular procedure, labiaplasty!
Topics discussed include: reasons women may consider labiaplasty and external factors contributing to the popularity of this procedure; risks and benefits; and a general description of the most popular surgical technique.
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In this episode Christi and Mindy talk about grave robbers!
Topics discussed include: cultural norms surrounding dead bodies and cadaver dissections; resurrectionists – who they were and what motivated them to snatch bodies; how the American Revolutionary War influenced cadaver dissection; the very long history of the exploitation of criminals and minority groups for dissection; how bodies were actually removed from fresh graves; the extreme measures taken to prevent body snatching; and the “Doctors’ Riot” in 1788.
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Missing episodes?
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
This is a spooky episode, just in time for Halloween! The Victorian era was replete with persons deathly afraid of being buried alive! After all, in the 18th and 19thcenturies, there were no medical testing devices to determine death. Join Christi and Erick as they share story after story of persons buried alive who lived to tell about it…and those who didn’t!
Topics discussed include: medical conditions that may simulate apparent death; the London Association for the Prevention of Premature Burial; shocking death tests; precautions taken to ensure no person was buried alive; waiting mortuaries (Christi’s favorite); and safety coffins.
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THIS VERSION IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN due to some vulgar language and discussion of pubic lice. (A clean version is available for listeners with children which does not include vulgar language or the topic of pubic lice.)
This episode will have you scratching your head! Christi and Mindy talk about head lice and pubic lice on this episode.
Topics discussed include: the differences between head lice and pubic lice (crabs); prevalence of lice across time; symptoms; diagnosis; and ancient treatments.
Mindy declares that she is a nitpicker but she doesn’t like fancy combs!
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This is the clean version, appropriate for listeners with children and does not include vulgar language or details about pubic lice.
This episode will have you scratching your head! Christi and Mindy talk about head lice on this episode.
Topics discussed include: prevalence of lice across time; symptoms; diagnosis; and ancient treatments.
Mindy declares that she is a nitpicker but she doesn’t like fancy combs!
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
Mindy’s back! On this episode, Christi and Mindy discuss the plethora of ways women have attempted to prevent pregnancy across time. Did you know that contraceptives are #19 on the list of Top 100 Famous Inventions and Greatest Ideas of All Time? Or that birth control was once a federal crime?!?
Topics discussed include: coitus interruptus; castration; chastity belts; condoms; pessaries; vaginal douching with Lysol (YES, Lysol!); amulets made of weasel testicles; incantations; squat and sneeze method; bundling; and even witches!
The pair talk briefly about the Comstock Act of 1873 (colloquially called the “Chastity Law”) and Mindy comes to the realization that she’s a bad feminist. -
THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
This episode is probably not what you think. On this episode, Christi is joined by Erick, who happens to have the very best opening story so far in the short history of Curious Medicine! The two discuss both rectal and vaginal fumigation, common practices which occurred during Christi’s favorite time in recent history, the good ol’ Victorian era!
Topics discussed include: tobacco smoke enemas; the Institution for Affording Immediate Relief to Persons Apparently Dead from Drowning; art from the 19th century depicting rectal fumigation and drowning; trends in vaginal fumigation (aka V-steaming) in ancient times and today; how, in ancient times, vaginal fumigation was used to determine virginity, reclaim virginity, and to tighten the vagina.
We can’t make this stuff up! You won’t want to miss this Curious episode!
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
Join Christi and Brandy as they discuss the issues over the past two hundred years surrounding rectal foreign bodies.
Topics discussed include: demographics of persons with RFBs; reasons a person might have a RFB; symptoms; how doctors diagnosed RFBs two hundred years ago and now; classifications of RFBs; extraction techniques, past and present; consequences and complications; and best of all, various case studies and many, many, many examples of documented RFBs are sprinkled throughout the episode!
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
In this episode Christi and Mindy talk urine (mostly) pregnancy tests!
Topics discussed include: how modern-day urine pregnancy tests work; earliest known urine pregnancy tests dating back to 1350 BC; evolution of early home pregnancy tests; advertising; determining sex; and how Hippocrates suggested the use of an onion to determine pregnancy.
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This episode discusses doctor – patient communication since ancient times. Common historical practices (even into the 20thcentury) may astound you!
Topics discussed include: physicians’ dress and decorum; Hippocrates, the exemplar for physician behavior; Hippocratic Oath and Hippocratic Corpus; Galen’s views on doctor – patient relations; creation of American Medical Association Code of Ethics in 1847; lying to patients vs withholding the truth from patients regarding diagnoses and prognosis; and current recommendations for effective doctor – patient communication.
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!
Christi is joined by Mindy on this episode and the two enjoy a frank discussion about hysteria in the Victorian era, a fake condition for which 75% of women sought treatment. Listen in to find out exactly why!
Topics discussed include: causes; wandering womb theory; the exhaustive list of symptoms; treatments which included leeches (yes, leeches), aromatherapy, marriage (yes, marriage), sexual intercourse, abstinence, hydrotherapy, and pelvic massage; things that made us go hmmmmm!
Learn why this fake disease was the catalyst for the invention of vibrators.
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
Listen as Christi and Brian discuss spermatorrhea. What it was in the Victoria era, what it is now and the reason there’s a difference! Brian takes us on a historical journey of self-love (or self-abuse, you decide) and how semen has been regarded across time.
Topics discussed include: How the church (and medicine) turned its back on masturbation, “the great enemy of the church”; how love letters, featherbeds, soft trousers and foreskin (yes, foreskin) contributed to this widespread condition; and unfathomable treatments.
Men, this episode will have you squirming in your seats and leave you feeling lucky that you’re living in the 21st century!
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
On this episode, Christi and Brian talk about lithotomy, a procedure for the removal of bladder stones.
Topics discussed include: lithotomy position; how a lack of clean water and personal hygiene contributed to the formation of bladder stones; transurethral injections; various surgical methods for stone removal; various non-surgical methods to treat bladder stones; traveling lithotomists; and various instrumentation designed throughout the years for safer extraction of bladder stones.
Also told are a few stories of individuals so desperate for relief, they removed their own bladder stones!
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Eye problems are no joke!
Join Christi and Brian as they take a look back in time at the evolution of cataract treatment.
Topics discussed include: description of cataracts; oculists; graphic description of couching; graphic description of Sushruta’s cataract extraction technique; and ancient post-procedure care and discharge instructions after cataract treatment.
Listen now to learn how WWII pilots helped shape modern day lens replacement!
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THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
This episode is about hemorrhoids, one of the most written about medical conditions in history.
Topics discussed include: causes; symptoms; complications; socio-culture effects; descriptive treatments; and the Squatty Potty.
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Warning, a portion of this episode deals with sexual assault in ancient times. THIS EPISODE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
Rhinoplasty dates as far back as 600 BC.
While surgical techniques are discussed in this episode, much of this one details the many fascinating and unexpected reasons a person might need rhinoplasty across time.
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Take a listen as Christi and Brian discuss trepanation, the oldest surgical procedure known to man which dates back to 10,000 BC!
Topics discussed include: indications such as headaches, trauma, infections, epilepsy and creating a portal for spirits; incomplete trepanations; ancient apprenticeships; techniques and necessary tools of the trade.
Hosts also discuss the modern-day act of self-trepanning.
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This episode is about patent medicines and the heyday of these non-prescription drug sales in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Topics discussed include: correlation between sickness and spirituality; how Americans ruined snake oil; the unbelievable addictive ingredients contained within; nostrum sellers; the awkward yet effective ways of advertising; how women, the lack of trust in doctors and urban living contributed to increasing popularity of these drugs; and the evolution of drug laws.
Christi and Brian also talk about their favorite examples of patent medicines.
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In this episode, Christi and Brian discuss physician compensation across time.
Topics discussed include: Code of Hammurabi; how a person’s social standing determined a physician’s fees; sliding fee scales; penalties for bad outcomes; the early days of referrals and consultations; physician price fixing in the 19th century; financial disclosures of doctors from the 19th century; and the steady decline of physicians’ wealth.
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Before hospitals were prevalent (and even after they were), doctors typically attended to patients in their homes.
Topics discussed include: enhanced doctor – patient relationships; hardships and limitations on doctors making house calls; benefits to patients; typical contents in a doctor’s bag; and the economics of house calls.
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