The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

Author: Raffel, Dawn

Color: Black

Edition: 1

Number Of Pages: 304

Details:

“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.”—NPR, 2018's Great Reads What kind of doctor puts his patients on display? This is the spellbinding tale of a mysterious Coney Island doctor who revolutionized neonatal care more than one hundred years ago and saved some seven thousand babies. Dr. 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. As Dawn Raffel recounts, Dr. 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. How this turn-of-the-twentieth-century émigré 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. Dr. Couney, for all his entrepreneurial gusto, is a surprisingly appealing character, someone who genuinely cared for the well-being of his tiny patients. But he had something to hide... Drawing on historical documents, original reportage, and interviews with surviving patients, Dawn Raffel tells the marvelously eccentric story of Couney's mysterious carnival career, his larger-than-life personality, and his unprecedented success as the savior of the fragile wonders that are tiny, tiny babies.   A New York Times Book Review New & Noteworthy Title A Real Simple Best Book of 2018 Christopher Award-winner

Reviews:

Praise for The Strange Case of Dr. Couney An O Magazine Summer 2018 Poolside Read

"Fascinating, mysterious and compelling...written with great style and the energy of a can't-put-down thriller." -- The Chicago Tribune

“[The Strange Case of Dr. Couney] is 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.… It's a fascinating historical footnote, compassionately told.” —NPR.org

“In this account, told in a series of non-chronological vignettes, Raffel argues that Couney deserves recognition… Working in the shadow of the eugenics movement, [Couney] insisted that such infants, whom hospitals could seldom save, deserved a chance.” 

— The New Yorker

"With colorful descriptions of the carnival world and the medical marvels of early neonatalogy, Raffel makes a fascinating case for this unusual pioneer’s rightful place in medical history."  - Publisher's Weekly

“Compelling on many levels… Raffel’s arresting and illuminating work of hidden history should not be missed.” –  Booklist

"Many readers will share Raffel's admiration of Couney... The book's title is no hype; this is a startling account of an improbable huckster who made his living promoting a lifesaving device." - Kirkus Reviews

"With fantastic detail, Raffel brings to life this complicated pioneer." - Real Simple

"This is a fascinating story about a showman doctor who was able to save babies by putting them on display in incubators as a sideshow attraction. Existing on the cusp of the fantastical and scientific breakthrough, stories like this are the backbone of our American lore, legend, and history." -Medium.com

"In a story too crazy to be anything but true, Dawn Raffel relates the tale of a mysterious immigrant

"doctor" who saved thousands of premature babies by placing them in incubators in World Fair sideshows in Coney Island and Atlantic City." -Bustle

"A compelling historic mystery uncovered." - Saturday Evening Post

"Long before modern neonatal clinics made it possible and even commonplace to save premature babies, Dr. Cou...

EAN: 9780399175749

Release Date: 31-07-2018

Languages: English

Item Note: Great shape- pages are unmarked and sharp.Has a remainder mark. Hardcover Used - Like New Ships fast! 20181st Edition

Item Condition: UsedLikeNew

Binding: Hardcover