The Curious Clinicians [Archive] The Last Breath
Aug 24, 2023
The Curious Clinicians discuss the history of death exams, scandals and ethical considerations. They explore inaccurate death diagnoses and the fear of premature burials in the 19th century. The podcast also dives into controversial methods for determining death, the role of death exams in organ transplantation, and debates about the definition of death.
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The James Mickey Incident
- In 1858, prisoner James Mickey was hanged in Boston.
- Doctors began dissecting him only to discover his heart was still beating, causing a transatlantic scandal.
Fear of Live Burial
- The 19th-century fear of being buried alive fueled the need for accurate death diagnosis.
- This fear led to inventions like safety coffins and waiting mortuaries.
The Manny Prize
- The 1837 Manny Prize sought a reliable test to distinguish the living from the dead.
- Submissions included galvanic shocks, nipple and tongue pulling, and a heart flag.