![]() ![]() ![]() Couney, for all his entrepreneurial gusto, is a surprisingly appealing character, someone who genuinely cared for the well-being of his tiny patients. How this turn-of-the-20th-century emigre became the savior to families with premature infants - known then as "weaklings" - as he ignored the scorn of the medical establishment and fought the rising popularity of eugenics is one of the most astounding stories of modern medicine. Couney used incubators and careful nursing to keep previously doomed infants alive while displaying these babies alongside sword swallowers, bearded ladies, and burlesque shows at Coney Island, Atlantic City, and venues across the nation. Martin Couney's story is a kaleidoscopic ride through the intersection of ebullient entrepreneurship, enlightened pediatric care, and the wild culture of world's fairs at the beginning of the American Century.Īs Dawn Raffel recounts, Dr. This is the spellbinding tale of a mysterious doctor who revolutionized neonatal care more than 100 years ago and saved some 7,000 babies. What kind of doctor puts his patients on display? It's a fascinating historical footnote, compassionately told." (NPR)Ī New York Times Book Review New & Noteworthy Title "A mosaic mystery told in vignettes, cliffhangers, curious asides, and some surreal plot twists as Raffel investigates the secrets of the man who changed infant care in America. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |