The Strange Case of Dr. Couney

How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

By: Dawn Raffel

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

“A mosaic mystery told in vignettes, cliffhangers, curious asides, and some surreal plot twists as Raffel investigates the secrets of the man who changed infant care in America.”—NPR, 2018's Great Reads

What kind of doctor puts his patients on display? This is the spellbinding tale of a mysterious Coney Island doctor who revolutionized neonatal care more than one hundred years ago and saved some seven thousand babies. Dr. Martin Couney's story is a kaleidoscopic ride through the intersection of ebullient entrepreneurship, enlightened pediatric care, and the wild culture of world's fairs at the beginning of the American Century.

As Dawn Raffel recounts, Dr. Couney used incubators and careful nursing to keep previously doomed infants alive, while displaying these babies alongside sword swallowers, bearded ladies, and burlesque shows at Coney Island, Atlantic City, and venues across the nation. How this turn-of-the-twentieth-century émigré became the savior to families with premature infants—known then as “weaklings”—as he ignored the scorn of the medical establishment and fought the rising popularity of eugenics is one of the most astounding stories of modern medicine. Dr. Couney, for all his entrepreneurial gusto, is a surprisingly appealing character, someone who genuinely cared for the well-being of his tiny patients. But he had something to hide...

Drawing on historical documents, original reportage, and interviews with surviving patients, Dawn Raffel tells the marvelously eccentric story of Couney's mysterious carnival career, his larger-than-life personality, and his unprecedented success as the savior of the fragile wonders that are tiny, tiny babies.

A New York Times Book Review New & Noteworthy Title
A Real Simple Best Book of 2018
Christopher Award-winner

Great peace of history

I loved this! I came across a peace of 'did you know' on Facebook about Dr. Couney. Now everyone knows you shouldn't believe a thing without doing your own research. Well it was interesting enough to make me look it up myself. Which is how I came across this book.

I loved learning more about this! The story is told in a mix of investigation and story telling which I personally like when telling the history of someone or something.

anyway very interesting listen.

Beautiful.Baby Story

So much learned about how people embraced the sacredness of life, the will of the hu.an spirit.

delightful surprise

I had never heard of this man before this book, and his story bizarre, touching, and inspiring, making him one of my favorite people now to ever exist. beyond that this book is absolutely filled with historical rabbit holes to throw yourself down, and I loved every minute of it.

Interesting story but dragged a bit

Interesting story but the story telling dragged a bit in parts. Also, the lack of conclusion into who Martin Couney was a bit dissatisfying even though the story hinted at a caring and knowledgeable fraudman. The author really could have made a nice case for alternative sources of knowledge production, but in the end Martin Couney remains a mystery.

Dr. Couney has rewards in heaven.

What a Brave Hero. This book is a beautiful tribute to a man who saved so many lives. I will read it again.