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This week we explore the bizarre — and surprisingly persistent — history of bloodletting and medicinal leeches.

From ancient Egyptian practices and the theory of balancing bodily humors to the 19th-century leech craze fueled by François Joseph Victor Broussais, leeches were once prescribed by the millions across Europe. Harvested in dangerous conditions and nearly driven to extinction, they eventually fell out of favor as modern science advanced.

But here’s the twist: leeches made a comeback.

Today, Hirudo medicinalis is FDA-regulated and used in reconstructive and plastic surgery to relieve venous congestion, thanks to its powerful anticoagulant properties.

Ancient theory. Modern application.
Sometimes medicine comes full circle. 🪱

📚 References

1. FibonacciMD. History of Leeches in Medicine. Published online. https://www.fibonaccimd.com/post/history-of-leeches-in-medicine. Accessed February 19, 2026.
2. Science History Institute. Medicinal Leeches and Where to Find Them. Science History Institute Stories & Perspectives. https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/medicinal-leeches-and-where-to-find-them/. Accessed February 19, 2026.
3. National Geographic. Leech Blood Health Craze & Near Extinction. National Geographic Premium. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/leech-blood-health-craze-extinct. Accessed February 19, 2026.
4. Ancient-Origins.net. Leech Collectors and the Perils of the Leech Trade. https://www.ancient-origins.net/weird-facts/leech-collectors-0019529. Accessed February 19, 2026.
5. Old Treasury Building. Leech Merchant. https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au/lost-jobs/odd-jobs/leech-merchant/?srsltid=AfmBOoqZmmW7Nm2wfS1v0m8z85TmWchJF4GfK6g5gqf9QOHcVVhTeyXq. Accessed February 19, 2026.
6. Lethbridge News Now. Leech Collectors and the Leech Craze of the 1800s. https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2017/11/24/leech-collectors-and-the-leech-craze-of-the-1800s/. Published November 24, 2017. Accessed February 19, 2026.

🔗 Check Out all our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

Bloodletting has been practiced for over 3,000 years — but how did it go from a common cure to a cautionary tale in medical history?

In this episode, we explore the origins of bloodletting in Ancient Egypt, where illness was believed to have both spiritual and physical causes. We unpack the influence of Hippocrates and his theory of the four humors, and how Galen helped popularize bloodletting as a standard treatment for centuries. From medieval barber surgeons to the aggressive overuse that harmed patients, we trace how the practice evolved — and why it persisted for so long.

We also look at how bloodletting survives today in the form of therapeutic phlebotomy and the controlled use of medicinal leeches, highlighting how modern medicine differs from its historical roots.

Remember, main episodes drop on Mondays, and companion case files drop Fridays. Thanks for listening!

📚 References

1. Zubair A. Therapeutic phlebotomy. Clin Liver Dis. 2014;4(5):102-106. Published online 2014. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6448745/
2. Ascensao A, Moreira R, Gomes R, et al. Clinical applications of therapeutic phlebotomy. Accessed https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4957680/
3. Blood and the cells it contains. In: Blood Groups and Red Cell Antigens. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2263/
4. Whitaker IS, Izadi D, Vanek PF, et al. European medicinal leeches—new roles in modern medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7277884/
5. Greenstone G. The history of bloodletting. BCMJ. 2010;52(1):12-14. https://bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodletting
6. Hemochromatosis. In: StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430862/
7. Polycythemia Vera. In: StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557660/
8. Porphyria Cutanea Tarda. In: StatPearls. National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563209/

🔗 All our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

In the 1980s, three young brothers — Ricky Ray, Robert, and Randy — contracted HIV through contaminated blood transfusions used to treat their hemophilia. What followed wasn’t just a medical crisis — it was a public reckoning with fear, stigma, and misinformation surrounding HIV/AIDS.

In this episode, we unpack the tragic and infuriating story of the Ray family: the school expulsion battles, the national media spotlight, and the horrifying act of arson that forced them from their home. As their community turned against them, their fight became emblematic of the broader discrimination faced by people living with HIV during the epidemic’s early years.

We also explore how Ricky Ray transformed personal tragedy into activism — advocating for awareness, education, and policy reform. His legacy lives on in the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998, which provided financial compensation to hemophiliacs infected with HIV through federally regulated blood products.

📚 References

1. History.com Editors. (2021, July 9). HIV-positive Ray brothers’ home burned down. History. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/august-28/hiv-positive-ray-brothers-home-burned-florida
2. Carter, C. (2025, November 7). “A town without pity” revisits a dark chapter of Arcadia’s history. WUSF. https://wusf.org/text/arts-culture/2025-11-07/a-town-without-pity-revisits-dark-chapter-arcadia-florida-history
3. Remembering the Rays: A story of intolerance, acceptance and dignity. (2007, September 9). Herald Tribune. https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/09/09/remembering-the-rays-a-story-of-intolerance-acceptance-and-dignity/28575891007/
4. Hemophilia Federation of America. (2014, March 23). 1998: Ricky Ray Relief Fund Act passed. https://www.hemophiliafed.org/1998-ricky-ray-relief-fund-act-passed/
5. Revisiting a tragic chapter in the history of hemophilia and AIDS. (n.d.). Hemophilia News Today. https://hemophilianewstoday.com/columns/revisiting-tragic-chapter-hemophilia-aids/

🔗 Check Out all our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

We are back at it Cadaver Crew talking about HIV and AIDS, This episode explores the history of HIV and AIDS, from early stigma, fear, and government inaction to the activism that transformed treatment and awareness. Through key historical moments and stories like Ryan White’s, we examine how misinformation shaped the epidemic—and why education, advocacy, and compassion remain critical today. Plus Sam will talk about some of the gruesome opportunistic infections that impact these patients with HIV that are also extremely deadly.

Remember main episodes drop on Mondays and companion case files drop Fridays, thanks for listening!

📚 References

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). HIV and AIDS. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
2. National Institutes of Health, HIVinfo. (2025, January 14). HIV treatment basics.
3. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). Title of the work from NBK539787 if available.
4. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. (2025, July 10). Global HIV & AIDS statistics — Fact sheet.
5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Pneumocystis pneumonia – HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections.
6. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441877/
7. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Cryptococcosis – HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections.
8. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567803/ (Replace Title of the work with exact chapter/book title from page if known.)
9. University of California, San Francisco. (2021, June). 40 years of AIDS: A timeline of the epidemic. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2021/06/420686/40-years-aids-timeline-epidemic
10. amfAR. (n.d.). Snapshots of an epidemic: HIV/AIDS. https://www.amfar.org/about-hiv-aids/snapshots-of-an-epidemic-hiv-aids/
11. History.com Editors. (2025, May 28). How AIDS remained an unspoken — but deadly — epidemic for years. History. https://www.history.com/articles/aids-epidemic-ronald-reagan

In this episode, we unpack the deeply intertwined history of HIV/AIDS, medical ethics, and one of the most disturbing public health scandals in modern U.S. history.

We explore how HIV/AIDS was long framed as a so-called “gay disease,” obscuring the role of unsafe medical practices and contaminated blood products in spreading the virus globally. At the center of this story is the Arkansas prison blood scandal, where incarcerated people—many with no real ability to consent—were used as a cheap source of plasma. That blood entered the global supply chain, infecting patients across the world.

This episode is a sobering reminder that disease stigma doesn’t just harm individuals—it can conceal institutional wrongdoing with deadly consequences.

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

In the light of scandal, medicine shows its darkest corners.

🔗 All our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons

Class is dismissed.

📚 References

1. Salon article
   Parker, S. (1998, December 24). Blood money. Salon. https://www.salon.com/1998/12/24/cov_23news/
2. Encyclopedia of Arkansas entry
   Staff of the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. (n.d.). Arkansas prison blood scandal. Encyclopedia of Arkansas. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/arkansas-prison-blood-scandal-3732/
3. Law journal article (PDF from William & Mary Business Law Review)
   Chase, S. (2012). The Bloody Truth: Examining America’s blood industry and its tort liability through the Arkansas prison plasma scandal. William & Mary Business Law Review, 3(2), 597–644. https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=wmblr
4. Prison Legal News article
   St. Clair, J. (1999, May 15). Tainted plasma traced to Arkansas prison: Bill Clinton’s blood trails. Prison Legal News. https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/1999/may/15/tainted-plasma-traced-to-arkansas-prison-bill-clintons-blood-trails/

In this episode of The Cadaver’s Lessons, hosts B and Sam tackle the complex—and often deeply misunderstood—history of HIV and AIDS. From the medical basics to the societal fallout, this conversation centers on why understanding these conditions requires more than just science.

The episode opens with a clear breakdown of what HIV is, how it’s transmitted, and how it differs from AIDS, laying the groundwork for a discussion that extends far beyond physiology. B and Sam explore how fear, misinformation, and a lack of medical understanding fueled stigma during the height of the epidemic—and how that stigma continues to impact patients today.

The hosts examine how blame was historically assigned to marginalized communities, particularly the LGBTQ+ population and people who use intravenous drugs, and how those narratives shaped public policy, healthcare access, and patient outcomes. They emphasize the critical role of a supportive, informed healthcare system, where trust between providers and patients can mean the difference between isolation and survival.

This episode is a reminder that medicine does not exist in a vacuum—and that the legacy of HIV and AIDS is as much about compassion, accountability, and advocacy as it is about virology.

Remember main episodes drop on Mondays and companion case files drop Fridays, thanks for listening!

☕ 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. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). HIV and AIDS. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
2. National Institutes of Health, HIVinfo. (2025, January 14). HIV treatment basics.
3. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). Title of the work from NBK539787
4. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. (2025, July 10). Global HIV & AIDS statistics — Fact sheet.
5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Pneumocystis pneumonia – HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections.
6. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024). Title of the work from NBK441877
7. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Cryptococcosis – HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections.
8. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2024).
9. University of California, San Francisco. (2021, June). 40 years of AIDS: A timeline of the epidemic.
10. amfAR. (n.d.). Snapshots of an epidemic: HIV/AIDS.
11. History.com Editors. (2025, May 28). How AIDS remained an unspoken — but deadly — epidemic for years. History.

In this episode of The Cadaver’s Files, hosts B and Sam dig into one of the most frightening public health crises in U.S. history: the 1916 polio epidemic. Centered on New York City, the conversation explores how a mysterious and highly contagious disease spread rapidly, primarily affecting children and triggering nationwide panic.

At a time when little was understood about disease transmission, polio exposed deep flaws in public health infrastructure and fueled fear-driven responses. B and Sam unpack the competing theories about how polio spread, the extreme measures taken to contain it, and how misinformation and uncertainty shaped public behavior.

The episode also examines the social and political consequences of the epidemic, including the scapegoating of marginalized communities, underreporting of cases due to fear of quarantine, and the role class and racial tensions played in shaping public health policy. Through this historical lens, the hosts connect past epidemics to modern conversations about disease, fear, and responsibility.

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

In the absence of answers -

panic becomes its own contagion.

☕ 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. Henningfeld, D. A. (2022). Great polio epidemic. EBSCO Research Starters. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/great-polio-epidemic

2. New York (N.Y.). Department of Health. (1916). A monograph on the epidemic of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) in New York City. (Accessible via Google Books). Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=yDnQAAAAMAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA9&dq=1916+New+York+City+polio+epidemic&ots=Ff3Uue79l5&sig=nYjaws6f_MK5j5YDIQo2RwF7OXY#v=onepage&q=1916%20New%20York%20City%20polio%20epidemic&f=false

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.