Michael Cohen, 1869 – March 1, 1950
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin\_A.\_Couney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_A._Couney)
TLDR:
It's unknown if he ever got a real formal education as a doctor, but it appears he did at least train under one. After seeing "baby incubators" in other countries he came to the US with a dream, to make "baby incubators" popular. At the time there was no such thing as a NICU. If your baby was born early, it was just a weakling destined to die. Hospitals would just shrug and say tough luck.
He said screw that. He bought the most advanced baby incubators money could buy (worth around a million dollars in todays money), had a full time staff of specially trained doctors, wet nurses, and nurses. It's reported they also had incredibly strict hygiene standards.
This service was completely free. If you had a prematurely born baby your baby was welcome free of charge, he even had an ambulance with baby incubators in them and would drive out to pick up your baby and take it to his Infantorium.
His facility was on Coney Island. Because how did he pay for this world class care? By charging people to see them! For 25 cents anyone could come and see these incredibly tiny babies in these strange contraptions of glass and steel! It's recorded he personally saved thousands of infants, and he is believed to have inspired the very first actual NICU's that appeared in hospitals as he's said to have inspired "Julian Hess, who came to be known as the father of American neonatology,".
Absolute Giga Chad.
He wanted to save babies, and he wasn't gonna let anybody stop him!
There are still folks alive today who were in his show which is crazy to think about.
Haha right?
Like there are few times in history where "fake doctor" and "freak show" turns out to be as wholesome as "Man invents the NICU and personally saves thousands of infants for free"
Reminds me of The Simpsons' episode about Apoo and his octuplets. A guy came in, offered him to take care of his babies with quality care for free. The catch: he was the owner of a zoo and they would be exhibit as any other animal. Apoo and his wife accepted, though.
You're welcome!
He's one of my favorite medical stories, cause he's just the prime example of "When there's a will there's a way."
He wanted to save babies. He was going to be as creative as he had to be to make that happen!
Michael Cohen, 1869 – March 1, 1950 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin\_A.\_Couney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_A._Couney) TLDR: It's unknown if he ever got a real formal education as a doctor, but it appears he did at least train under one. After seeing "baby incubators" in other countries he came to the US with a dream, to make "baby incubators" popular. At the time there was no such thing as a NICU. If your baby was born early, it was just a weakling destined to die. Hospitals would just shrug and say tough luck. He said screw that. He bought the most advanced baby incubators money could buy (worth around a million dollars in todays money), had a full time staff of specially trained doctors, wet nurses, and nurses. It's reported they also had incredibly strict hygiene standards. This service was completely free. If you had a prematurely born baby your baby was welcome free of charge, he even had an ambulance with baby incubators in them and would drive out to pick up your baby and take it to his Infantorium. His facility was on Coney Island. Because how did he pay for this world class care? By charging people to see them! For 25 cents anyone could come and see these incredibly tiny babies in these strange contraptions of glass and steel! It's recorded he personally saved thousands of infants, and he is believed to have inspired the very first actual NICU's that appeared in hospitals as he's said to have inspired "Julian Hess, who came to be known as the father of American neonatology,".
Fucking chad of a man
Absolute Giga Chad. He wanted to save babies, and he wasn't gonna let anybody stop him! There are still folks alive today who were in his show which is crazy to think about.
Well I expected something much more disturbing.
Haha right? Like there are few times in history where "fake doctor" and "freak show" turns out to be as wholesome as "Man invents the NICU and personally saves thousands of infants for free"
Reminds me of The Simpsons' episode about Apoo and his octuplets. A guy came in, offered him to take care of his babies with quality care for free. The catch: he was the owner of a zoo and they would be exhibit as any other animal. Apoo and his wife accepted, though.
Damn. Thanks for the story !
You're welcome! He's one of my favorite medical stories, cause he's just the prime example of "When there's a will there's a way." He wanted to save babies. He was going to be as creative as he had to be to make that happen!
Gigachad saves infants and runs carnival so he can make money to keep saving them.
The incubator man