Jun 10 Analysis: Revisiting a pioneering female doctor who opposed abortion By Dr. Howard Markel Despite the advancements she made on behalf of women’s health, Dr. Mary Amanda Dixon Jones adopted an anti-abortion stance that doesn’t comport with modern medicine. Continue reading
Mar 10 What happened when the 1918 flu pandemic met WWI By Dr. Howard Markel In 1918, working at an overcrowded Army base hospital, let alone finding yourself in one, was a nightmare. Continue reading
Sep 30 Watch 7:33 Why discovery of DNA’s double helix was based on ‘rip-off’ of female scientist’s data By William Brangham, Jason Kane, Claire Mufson It is the famous lightbulb-going-off story every school kid learns: How James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA, cementing their place in scientific history. But as William Brangham explains, a new book titled "The Secret of Life"… Continue watching
Jul 10 Arthur Ashe’s other great serve? As activist for health By Dr. Howard Markel Ashe served as a beacon of kindness and courage for generations of African Americans, tennis players and fans, HIV/AIDS patients, nurses, health care workers, and doctors like me. Continue reading
Feb 27 How a medical student helped discover lifesaving insulin By Dr. Howard Markel Dr. Charles H. Best made his most important discovery before he turned 23. Continue reading
Jan 23 The day Marie Curie got snubbed by the French science world By Dr. Howard Markel One hundred and ten years ago, Marie Sklodowska Curie was formally rejected for membership by the French Academy of Sciences. Continue reading
Dec 08 A childhood accident didn’t impair James Thurber’s comic vision By Dr. Howard Markel This minor genius of mirth lost his left eye at the age of 6. Continue reading
Nov 07 How a mysterious ailment ended Eleanor Roosevelt’s life By Dr. Howard Markel None of her doctors knew what was causing her rare blood disorder. And given this was more than 50 years ago, the treatment options were rather limited. Continue reading
Sep 09 The sexual assault case that shocked Hollywood almost a century ago By Dr. Howard Markel On Sept. 9, 1921, a young actress named Virginia Rappe died of a ruptured urinary bladder, days after a Labor Day party where she alleged that silent movie star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle had assaulted her. Continue reading
Aug 28 Why you can thank Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. for doctors washing their hands By Dr. Howard Markel In the mid-19th century, doctors in elite teaching hospitals would unknowingly spread deadly bacteria to expectant mothers. Here's how Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. helped change that. Continue reading