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Dr. Howard Markel

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Dr. Howard Markel

About

Dr. Howard Markel writes a monthly column for the PBS NewsHour, highlighting momentous historical events that continue to shape modern medicine. He is the director of the Center for the History of Medicine and the George E. Wantz Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and the author of “The Secret of Life:  Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick and the Discovery of DNA’s Double Helix” (W.W. Norton, September ’21).

Recent Stories

Health Mar 24

How the discovery of HIV led to a transatlantic research war

As the world struggles to constrain the new coronavirus, it's worth remembering the discovery of another deadly, global virus and a controversy that played out among the researchers who brought it to light.

Health Feb 21

The dramatic death of a former president at the U.S. Capitol

Perhaps the strangest event that ever occurred in the House chamber of the Capitol harkens all the way back to 1848.

Health Jan 21

How the quest to preserve Lenin’s body helps the living

Over the last century, the Lenin preservation laboratory has created a long list of measures that help patients.

Health Dec 17

What caused Beethoven’s deafness?

It is a query that has invited many diagnoses over the last 200 years.

Health Nov 22

John F. Kennedy kept these medical struggles private

Long before he died at age 46, President John F. Kennedy was a very sick man.

Health Oct 18

How Dracula draws on our biggest health fears

"Dracula" abounds with fascinating references to medicine of the day.

Health Sep 14

Would McKinley have survived an assassin’s bullet if he had a different doctor?

The man best suited to operate on the president was a legendary surgeon with extensive experience in treating abdominal wounds. He, however, was in Niagara Falls. McKinley died on Sept. 14, 1901.

Health Aug 19

How Groucho Marx fell prey to elder abuse

The turmoil of Groucho's last few years are all too familiar to adult children everywhere who are concerned with the welfare of their elderly parents and other relatives.

Health Jul 14

This genetic brain disorder turned Woody Guthrie’s life from songs to suffering

Huntington's disease -- which Guthrie inherited from his mother -- can lead to serious mood disorders, uncoordinated and involuntary body movements, balance problems, psychotic breaks, dementia and death.

Health Jun 21

The day Judy Garland’s star burned out

A singer of remarkable power and range, Garland was one of the brightest stars. But she also suffered a lifetime of mental and physical health problems, fueled by addiction.

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