Summary
In this fascinating episode of Stuff You Should Know, the hosts delve into the bizarre and colorful life of John R. Brinkley, one of history's most famous quack doctors. Brinkley rose to prominence in the 1920s and 30s for his goat gland procedure - a form of xenotransplantation. The procedure was based on the premise that consuming or grafting the sexual organs of animals could rejuvenate one's vigor or sexual vitality, and Brinkley capitalized on this idea with great success.
As an Eclectic medical provider, Brinkley skillfully used his radio station, KFKB, to advertise his services, which catapulted him to fame. However, with the transition to the legitimization of medicine during the early 20th century, Brinkley and his dubious college degree started attracting scrutiny, leading to an onslaught of investigations into his legitimacy.
Morris Fishbein, the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was a staunch critic of Brinkley, labeling him a charlatan and accusing him of exploiting innocent people for profit through his radio broadcasts. Brinkley's nefarious career took a significant hit after the Kansas Medical Board revoked his license in 1930 after witnessing two of his surgeries.
Despite losing his medical license in multiple states, Brinkley's wife continued to support his peculiar medical practices. As their licenses were revoked, the couple moved from state to state, ultimately relocating to Mexico. Brinkley then continued to promote his medical services using a powerful radio transmitter and inadvertently popularized country music in the process.
While he eventually dropped the notorious goat gland procedure, Brinkley developed another treatment called Formula 10-20. However, his nemesis, Fishbein, continued to attack him in the media, culminating in a scathing article published in the AMA magazine. In response, Brinkley sued for libel, but in a dramatic turn of events, admitted on the stand that his treatments were ineffective.
Brinkley's empire began to crumble as he faced millions of dollars in malpractice lawsuits, lost his radio station, and encountered severe health problems. Before facing trial for mail fraud, he tragically passed away, leaving behind a legacy as one of history's quackiest quacks. This engaging episode explores the life of John Brinkley, offering a fascinating study of the power of persuasion, the rise and fall of an unscrupulous practitioner, and the ongoing struggle for legitimate medical practice.
