Tag: medical history
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Episode 39 American Civil War Medicine: A Woman’s Battlefield
Throughout history, times of war bring change to medicine. It’s a hard truth, but it is the truth. And in American history, no war was more brutal than the Civil War. Of the thousands of people who died during this four-year war, ⅔ died from the disease. The conditions of the war gave an opportunity…
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Episode 38 The Next Defense: History of Medication Abortion
When we think of abortions today, we often think about surgical abortions when in fact, medication abortions have been commonplace for millenia. With the decision made in Dobbs v. Jackson, medication abortions in the United States are now at risk as legislators come for this next line of defense against unwanted pregnancies. In this episode,…
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Episode 37 Can’t Be Tamed: The Wandering Womb
Here we are, at the root of it all. The piece of history that has defined women’s health for millennia. The wandering womb is a theory that can be traced back to the ancient Mediterranean, where it was believed and practiced. And while this story is fun and laughable at times, our history truly does…
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Mini-Series 1.6. La Llorona: The Wandering Soul
If you listen carefully on a quiet night, you may hear cries of a weeping woman calling for her lost children. Maybe you tell the children in your life that if they misbehave, she’ll come for you. That’s right! In this episode, we tell the story of La Llorona, a woman from Mexican folklore who…
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Mini-Series 1.5. Yaba Uma: Not a Monster At All
What constitutes a monster? Is it your looks, your action, your very being? What if you are forced into a situation that makes you a monster, what then? Japanese folklore is full of stories of women as monsters, but this week we are focusing on one woman who isn’t a monster at all. Join us…
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Mini-Series 1.4. Surpanakha: Between Lust and Loneliness
Have you ever heard of the great Hindu Epic, the Ramayana? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. But chances are, you probably don’t know of the seductress Surpanakha, sister of the King of Demons? Join us this episode as we forge into the forests of Ayodhya as we follow the story of Surpanakha, a demon…
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Mini-Series 1.3. Sphinx: The Intelligent Monster
What do you get when you put together a powerful woman, an ancient empire, and scared men? The Sphinx! And this isn’t a riddle, I promise (ha, get it? Wait, no? Better listen to the episode!). Join us this week to talk about the origins of the Sphinx and talk about this mythical creature across…
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Mini-Series 1.2. Lilith: Of the Same Earth
Maybe you’ve heard of the story of Adam and Eve, but have you heard of the story of Lilith? If Eve was created from Adam’s rib, Lilith was created as Adam’s equal, from the soil of the earth. But from the moment of her conception, she forged her own path and has been branded as…
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Mini-Series 1.1. Pandora: Our Last Hope
In the beginning… life was apparently perfect. Until men made the Gods upset and they sent down their greatest fear. Women. Well, one woman in particular. Join us in this episode to learn the ancient Greek story of Pandora, the first woman and bringer of all gifts. But what does this story mean when you…
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Episode 36. STIs: The Ultimate Booby Trap
Tying tubes, nonconsensual hysterectomies, withholding medical care without contraception use…these are just a few ways that forced sterilization has occurred in the United States. The history of forced sterilization is sewn into the fabric of US history, and has played an insidious role in this country. This episode, we learn about the eugenics movement, its…
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