logo
episode-header-image
Jun 10
29m 26s

Ep. 88 | 15,000 Coughs/The Putrid Smell

Wondery | Ballen Studios
About this episode

“15,000 Coughs”: When an 11-year-old girl develops a worrisome cough, her workaholic mom drops everything to get her help. But nothing seems to work. Soon, her daughter is coughing almost constantly – 15,000 times a day – and doctors have no idea how to stop it.

“The Putrid Smell”: A woman spends her life dealing with an embarrassing and infuriating problem: she smells like dead fish. But she can’t smell it herself – and she can’t fix it. It’s so bad, she can’t form any meaningful relationships or keep a job she enjoys. Isolated and alone, she begins to worry she’ll spend her life on her own…

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music, the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime members can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Or, you can listen episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or by visiting https://wondery.com/links/mrballens-medical-mysteries/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 5
Ep. 96 | A Redacted Medical Mystery: Red Menace/Weather Warriors
In this special MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries and Redacted crossover episode, MrBallen and Luke Lamana join forces to bring you two shocking stories of the military testing bizarre, deadly weapons of war in secret. In “Red Menace,” a 75-year-old pipe fitter in San Francisco wakes ... Show More
38m 10s
Jul 29
Ep. 95 | Two Hearts Beat As One
After sitting down for a nice meal with her husband, a woman becomes violently ill and has to be hospitalized. But the problem isn’t her stomach – it’s her heart. Making things even stranger, her husband ends up in the ER too. And if their doctors can’t find the common denominato ... Show More
25m 59s
Jul 28
Listen Now: Lawless Planet
It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe ... Show More
5m 29s
Recommended Episodes
May 2
EP. 200: SERIAL KILLER Larry Hall
In our special 200th episode, we deep dive into the story of a serial killer that a lot of people have never heard about, a man named Larry Hall. Larry was an avid fan of the Civil War, frequently travelled across the country to take part in reenactments, and even grew out his fa ... Show More
1h 54m
Jan 2025
The Black Panther Plot
On a cold night in December 1969, Fred Hampton, the 21-year-old leader of the Chicago Black Panther Party, lay asleep beside his pregnant partner, Deborah Johnson. Without warning, their home was raided by the police, who shot hundreds of rounds into their building. But what at f ... Show More
41m 14s
Mar 2025
America’s Human Test Subjects
The Cold War made America desperate for new weapons. The military looked beyond nuclear bombs into chemicals and drugs: LSD and Sarin gas. But first, they needed test subjects. They turned to their own soldiers and turned men into lab rats. Today’s episode explores two stories ab ... Show More
43m 40s
Oct 2024
The Hack | 1
Binge episodes 1-6 and weekly new episodes of Kill List by signing up for Wondery+ on Apple or Spotify.A frantic 911 call sparks an investigation into a suspicious death. The case takes an unexpected turn when the victim’s name is discovered among those on a dark net kill list.Li ... Show More
41m 36s
Jan 2025
What to Listen to Next - REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana
Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing t ... Show More
6m 53s
Oct 2024
The Doctor | 4
Binge episodes 1-6 and weekly new episodes of Kill List by signing up for Wondery+ on Apple or Spotify.As Carl and his team face their most horrifying case yet, they receive a message from someone with the power to change everything. Listener note: This episode contains reference ... Show More
41m 53s
Apr 2025
The Russian Sleeper Agent Next Door
On the night of his 20th birthday, Tim Foley's world was turned upside down when the FBI stormed his home and arrested his parents. At first, it seemed like a terrible mistake. But soon, he learned the truth—his parents were not an ordinary suburban couple. They were Russian spie ... Show More
37m 17s
Oct 2024
A Few Good Men | 5
Paul Bergrin continues defending U.S. soldiers accused of war crimes in Iraq. But just as Paul appears to be at the height of his powers, the feds are getting ready to set a trap.Follow Criminal Attorney on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new ... Show More
34m 28s
Mar 2022
Ep 190: The Death of Ben Renick
Ben Renick, a notorious snake breeder, was brutally murdered in June 2017. Prosecutors would later tell a jury that it wasn’t the first time someone had tried to kill him. Sponsors in this episode: Article - Go to Article.com/COURT to get $50 off your first purchase of $100 or mo ... Show More
1h 17m
May 16
201: NEVADA - The "Ghost Adventures" Murders (feat. Nick Groff)
In today's episode, we examine a disturbing string of murder attached to the infamous television program "Ghost Adventures", and speak with one of the original cast members and co-founders of the show, Nick Groff, about his direct ties to the crimes. The stories that we are about ... Show More
1h 54m