Jun 21 The day Judy Garland’s star burned out By Dr. Howard Markel 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. Continue reading
May 17 How ‘Raisin in the Sun’ author Lorraine Hansberry defined what it meant to be ‘young, gifted and black’ By Dr. Howard Markel Before her early death of pancreatic cancer, the groundbreaking writer made history with "A Raisin in the Sun."… Continue reading
Apr 23 Why Shakespeare’s own finale remains a closed book By Dr. Howard Markel In "Hamlet," William Shakespeare contemplated the fact that once a person dies, no living person knows where that departed soul goes. That same uncertainty hovers around the final hours of the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon. Continue reading
Mar 24 What caused Harry Houdini’s mysterious death? By Dr. Howard Markel He may have escaped his dangerous feats, yet his death has remained a source of conjecture among both magicians and surgeons. Continue reading
Jan 19 Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest mystery was his death By Dr. Howard Markel A man was discovered lying in the gutter, confused, bedraggled, and under the influence. Shabbily dressed (in someone else’s clothing, as it turned out), Edgar Allan Poe was in dire need of medical assistance. Continue reading
Dec 17 How a strange rumor of Walt Disney’s death became legend By Dr. Howard Markel When you hear "Disney on Ice," you may think of the wildly popular ice shows featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse and others skating in hockey arenas across the nation. But there's also the disturbing urban legend that Walt Disney’s corpse… Continue reading
Oct 22 The medical mystery that helped make Thomas Edison an inventor By Dr. Howard Markel Deafness allowed Edison to shut himself off from “all the meaningless sound that normal people hear.” But what caused his deafness is still debated by doctors and hearing experts to this day. Continue reading
Sep 26 George Gershwin’s too-short life ended on a blue note By Dr. Howard Markel The cause of his untimely death was most likely glioblastoma, the same type of brain cancer that killed Senators Edward M. Kennedy in 2009 and John McCain this September. Continue reading
Aug 16 Elvis’ addiction was the perfect prescription for an early death By Dr. Howard Markel Like so many rock stars, Elvis employed an all-too-willing physician to feed his addiction and hasten his death. Continue reading
Jul 23 How a hotel convention became ground zero for this deadly bacteria By Dr. Howard Markel From July 21 to July 24, 1976, more than 2,000 members of the Pennsylvania chapters of the American Legion attended their annual state convention at a Philadelphia hotel. By Aug. 15, 182 Legionnaires who attended the convention were ill with… Continue reading