Incubator baby shows were a huge hit in early 20th century amusement parks and they were the main source of healthcare for premature babies for over forty years
Today
100 Objects #4: Lowe's Gas Bag
In 1861, one man and a “gas bag” filled with hydrogen sparked America's obsession with going higher, farther, into the unknown. In this episode, Roman and journalist Jack Hitt tell the story of Thaddeus Lowe — showman, scientist, and dreamer — whose balloon flight from Cincinnati ... Show More
38m 54s
Jun 5
100 Objects #3: The Pension Files
What do Civil War pension files reveal about one of history's most successful slave rebellions? Historian Edda Fields-Black joins Roman to trace a story of fire, flight, and freedom — beginning on a South Carolina rice plantation in 1863, where a Union raid liberated over 700 peo ... Show More
43m 24s
Sep 2020
Babies in Incubators were Once a Sideshow Attraction
Nowadays, incubators are a common sight in hospitals across the US -- but, once upon a time, this life-saving technology was treated like a sideshow attraction. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to 'Infantoriums' to marvel at how incubators were able to keep babies born pre ... Show More
41m 45s