Polio once terrorized families and reshaped modern public health. In this episode of Cadaver’s Lessons, we explore the long and chilling history of poliomyelitis—from its origins in ancient Egypt to the devastating U.S. outbreaks of the late 19th and 20th centuries.

We discuss how polio spread, why children were most affected, the life-saving role of the iron lung, and the race to develop one of medicine’s greatest achievements: the polio vaccine. We also examine the long-term effects faced by survivors and why polio, though largely controlled, is not fully eradicated today.

A powerful look at fear, survival, and the ongoing importance of vaccination.

New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.
Follow along, stay curious, and remember—

Medicine has the last word.

☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/the_cadavers_lessons
📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons

Class is dismissed.

📚 References

1. Wolbert, J. G., Rajnik, M., Swinkels, H. M., & Higginbotham, K. (2024). Poliomyelitis. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558944
2. Parkinson, G. (2026). The grey matter of the spinal cord. TeachMeAnatomy. Retrieved from https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/structures/spinal-cord-grey-matter/
3. Global Polio Eradication Initiative. (n.d.). History of polio: Key milestones & global eradication. Retrieved from https://polioeradication.org/about-polio/history-of-polio/
4. Spinal Cord Team. (2020, December 04). Grey matter vs white matter in the brain. SpinalCord.com. Retrieved from https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/gray-matter-vs-white-matter-in-the-brain
5. Henningfeld, D. A. (2022). Great polio epidemic. EBSCO Research Starters. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/great-polio-epidemic
6. Wolbert, J. G., Rajnik, M., Swinkels, H. M., & Higginbotham, K. (2024). Poliomyelitis. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

ECT & The Nazis

Welcome to The Cadaver’s Lesson, a podcast exploring the strange, fascinating, and unsettling history of medicine. In this episode, we confront one of the darkest chapters in psychiatric history: the rise of electroconvulsive therapy—and its transformation under the Nazi regime from a medical treatment into a mechanism of control.

Developed in 1938 as a therapy for severe psychiatric illness, ECT was initially seen as a breakthrough. But in Nazi Germany, psychiatry was reframed through the ideology of racial hygiene, where mental illness was no longer something to treat, but something to eradicate. Under these policies, ECT became less about healing and more about enforcement—used not only in hospitals, but within concentration camps themselves.

We explore how medical professionals operated in a system where the line between therapy and execution was deliberately blurred. Some physicians attempted to use ECT as genuine treatment, even in the camps. Others participated willingly in practices that violated every principle of medical ethics. Together, these stories reveal how easily medicine can be reshaped by power, fear, and ideology.

By revisiting the history of ECT under Nazism, we honor those who were silenced—and remind ourselves why understanding medical history matters. Because progress without memory is dangerous, and awareness is the first safeguard against repetition.

New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.
Follow along, stay curious, and remember—

Some medical treatments are remembered not for the suffering they relieved…
but for the suffering they revealed.

☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/the_cadavers_lessons
📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons

Class is dismissed.

📚 References

1. For the Museum Project MUSE article:
Czech, H., Ungvari, G. S., Uzarczyk, K., Weindling, P., & Gazdag, G. (2020). Electroconvulsive therapy in the shadow of the gas chambers: Medical innovation and human experimentation in Auschwitz. Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 94(2), 244–266. https://doi.org/10.1353/bhm.2020.0036

2. For the PMC (PubMed Central) article:
Rzesnitzek, L., & Lang, S. (2017). ‘Electroshock therapy’ in the Third Reich. Medical History, 61(1), 66–88. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206950/

Charged: Inside Electroconvulsive Therapy

Medicine has always been willing to push boundaries.
And some treatments carry scars long after the science evolves.

Welcome to The Cadaver’s Lesson, a podcast exploring the strange, fascinating, and unsettling history of medicine. In this episode, we trace the evolution of ECT from its earliest, often brutal applications to modern practices that prioritize patient safety. Along the way, we discuss why ECT became so controversial, how media portrayals cemented its reputation, and why—despite everything—it remains one of the most effective treatments for severe, treatment-resistant depression, often producing rapid symptom improvement.

The conversation also explores the science of the brain itself, and how this knowledge has opened the door to emerging treatments like Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).

New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.
Follow along, stay curious, and remember—
Progress demands accountability.

☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/the_cadavers_lessons
📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons

Class is dismissed.

📚 References

1. Gazdag, G., & Ungvari, G. S. (2019). Electroconvulsive therapy: 80 years old and still going strong. World Journal of Psychiatry, 9(1), 1–6.
2. Cadogan, M. (2025, September 26). History of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). LITFL.
3. de Mangoux, G. C., Amad, A., Quilès, C., Schürhoff, F., & Pignon, B. (2022). History of ECT in schizophrenia: From discovery to current use. Schizophrenia Bulletin Open, 3(1), sgac053.
4. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
5. Electroconvulsive therapy overview [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
6. Clinical indications for ECT [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
7. Mechanisms and effects of ECT [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
8. Deep brain stimulation in psychiatric treatment [Article]. Frontiers in Neuroscience.
9. Historical perspectives on ECT [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
10. Ethical considerations in psychiatric treatments [Book chapter]. In StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information.