Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Goat Testicle Transplants: The Bizarre History

Feb 7, 2025

In a dive into medical quackery, Tim Hartford, host of "Cautionary Tales," uncovers the outrageous life of John R. Brinkley, a man notorious for promoting goat testicle transplants as a remedy for virility and fertility. They explore the interplay between showmanship and ethical violations in medicine. From Brinkley's rise to fame with dubious claims to his spectacular fall from grace, the conversation reveals the bizarre consequences of desperation for health solutions and critiques the lack of regulation in early 20th-century medicine.

39:12

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Episode guests

Tim Hartford

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Quick takeaways

John R. Brinkley, a quack doctor without formal training, exploited the public's gullibility by promising virility through goat testicle transplants.

Brinkley's rise and fall highlight the dangers of unregulated medical claims and the impact of media in promoting fraudulent practices.

Deep dives

The Rise of John Brinkley

John Brinkley, originally from rural Carolina, exploited the post-Civil War context to become a notorious traveling 'doctor.' With no formal medical training, he began performing dubious medical procedures, initially peddling snake oil before embarking on a far more bizarre path—transplanting goat testicles into men as a cure for impotence. His rise to fame was characterized by showmanship and deception, using media to promote his outrageous claims of rejuvenation through goat gland therapy. The absurdity of his methods and success reveals the depths of gullibility in the early 20th century, igniting a national craze for his quack treatments.

Intro

4min

The Unbelievable Story of Goat Testicle Transplants

2min

The Goat Gland Doctor: A Tale of Quackery

15min

Medical Credentials and Bizarre Practices

5min

The Rise and Fall of Brinkley: A Medical Charlatan

7min

The Fall and Rise of Dr. Brinkley

4min

The Rise and Fall of a Medical Quack

7min

Influencers and the Ethics of Promotion

3min

Quack doctors have made some INCREDIBLE promises throughout history, but what good would a goat testicle transplant do for you?

In the early 20th century, John R. Brinkley became a sensation for - you guessed it - implanting goat's testicles into men. He promised virility and boosted fertility.

Did it work? Did the law ever catch up with him for such outrageous claims? And what became of the people (and goats) who were involved in his operations?

On today's episode, Kate is talking with Tim Hartford on his wonderful podcast, Cautionary Tales, created by Pushkin Industries, to find out more about this remarkable quack doctor.

This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producers were Stuart Beckwith, Marilyn Rust and Charlotte Long.

You can listen to Cautionary Tales wherever you get your podcasts. Cautionary Tales is a Pushkin Industries Production. For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

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