Podcast Summary
Progressive saves customers an average of $744 and Apple Card offers daily cash rewards: Progressive provides financial savings while Apple Card offers daily cash rewards, both offering unique value to their customers
Progressive insurance offers significant savings for customers, with an average of $744 saved by new customers in the past year. Meanwhile, the Apple Card offers daily cash rewards on purchases. Moving on to an intriguing historical tale, John Frankfurt, a notorious horse thief, managed to escape jail multiple times, earning him a reputation as a master of horse theft. His most famous escape involved the "birdcage trick" with the Buzzard brothers. Despite numerous captures and escapes, Frankfurt was finally caught and sentenced to the maximum penalty in 1885. While these two stories seem unrelated, the key takeaway is that both Progressive and the notorious horse thief offer unique value – Progressive through financial savings and the horse thief through an intriguing piece of history.
John Frankfort's Death at Eastern State Penitentiary: Notorious escape artist John Frankfort died at Eastern State Penitentiary in 1896, not from escaping but from an infected dog bite and subsequent poor medical care.
John Frankfort, a notorious escape artist, met his match at Eastern State Penitentiary, where he died in 1896. Despite the prison's reputation for inescapability, Frankfort didn't escape alive. Instead, he spent decades there, serving time during a period when solitary confinement was the norm. Prisoners were kept in tiny cells with only a thin sliver of natural light, and escapes were nearly impossible due to heavy security measures. However, during the Christmas season of 1895, Frankfort was tending to the prison dogs when they got into a fight. He tried to separate them, but in the process, he was bitten and the bite became infected. By mid-January, he was bedridden and under the care of the prison's doctor, Dr. John Bacon. Despite Bacon's best efforts, Frankfort didn't survive and died at the prison on January 20, 1896. When Frankfort's daughter, Maggie, arrived to retrieve his body for burial, she was shocked to find that it was badly bruised, with sewn marks and a cut-open skull that had been sloppily stitched up with twine. The prison initially refused to release the body, causing a delay in the funeral arrangements. The circumstances surrounding Frankfort's death remain unclear, but it's a reminder of the harsh conditions and questionable practices that were once common in American prisons.
Witness Testimony of Unauthorized Autopsy at Eastern State Penitentiary: A witness accused prison physician Dr. Bacon of performing an unauthorized autopsy on inmate John Frankfurt, removing his heart, brain, and other body parts, and disposing of them outside in the snow. This was a common practice for prisoners who died at the prison, according to the witness.
During an investigation into the death of inmate John Frankfurt at Eastern State Penitentiary in 1896, a witness named Alexander Leipzner testified that he saw prison physician Dr. Bacon perform an unauthorized autopsy on Frankfurt, removing his heart, brain, and other body parts, and disposing of them outside in the snow. Leipzner claimed that this was a common practice for prisoners who died at the prison. When Dr. Bacon took the stand, he admitted to performing emergency surgery on Frankfurt before his death but could not explain the postmortem examination. He claimed he took Frankfurt's brain for scientific purposes. These revelations led to an investigation into the conditions at Eastern State Penitentiary and raised concerns about the treatment of prisoners who died there.
Body snatching during late 1800s in America: Due to a shortage of legally obtained bodies, some doctors resorted to obtaining bodies through less than legal means during the late 1800s in America. This was a necessary yet ethically questionable practice for the medical industry's advancement.
During the late 1800s in America, as the medical industry was establishing itself, there was a significant shortage of bodies for medical students to dissect. This was due to the increasing number of medical schools and students, as well as the availability of lawfully obtained bodies. As a result, some doctors, like Doctor Bacon, resorted to obtaining bodies through less than legal means. This was a common practice during that time, as becoming a skilled healer required studying the human body. The establishment of new medical innovations, such as ambulances and embalming, led to an increased demand for physicians, creating a market for medical education. However, the number of legally available bodies was not enough to meet this demand, leading to the informal practice of body snatching. This period in American history was strange and necessary for the medical industry to advance, but it raises ethical questions that are still relevant today.
The dark history of body snatching in medical education: Body snatching, a lucrative yet morally questionable practice, targeted vulnerable populations and involved medical students and professors, leading to riots and the burning down of medical schools, highlighting the importance of ethical practices in medical education
The early medical education system relied heavily on obtaining bodies for anatomical studies, leading to a lucrative yet morally questionable industry of body snatching. This practice primarily targeted the vulnerable populations, such as the poor, immigrants, and those in asylums and prisons. Medical students and professors were often directly involved in these activities, and there was a significant stigma against being dissected or autopsied. The demand for bodies fueled a system of bribery, corruption, and even murder. Despite the criminal nature of body snatching, the laws to address it were unclear, and the public's outrage led to riots and even the burning down of medical schools. This history of body snatching is a dark chapter in medical education, but it underscores the importance of ethical practices and respect for the deceased.
A pivotal moment in American history: The Anatomy Act of 1883: The Anatomy Act of 1883 marked a shift in perception of dissection, but also raised ethical concerns over the acquisition of cadavers and organ harvesting.
The anatomy act of 1883 was a pivotal moment in American history, marking a significant shift in the perception of dissection and legitimizing the medical profession. However, it also highlighted the ethical dilemmas surrounding the acquisition of cadavers and the lack of regulation regarding organ harvesting. Doctor William Forbes, a prominent anatomist, was embroiled in a scandal involving body snatching, but used it to his advantage to push for stronger legislation. Despite the law's passing, doctors continued to obtain organs through questionable means, highlighting the need for further ethical considerations in medical research.
The study of human anatomy extended beyond medical purposes during certain historical periods: During historical periods, human anatomy was studied for scientific purposes and as curiosities, leading to ethical questions about the line between science and morbid fascination.
During certain historical periods, the study of human anatomy extended beyond medical purposes to include collecting and displaying body parts as curiosities. This is exemplified by the story of a notorious horse thief named John Frankfurt, whose brain may have been stolen and displayed in a museum after his death. The belief in criminal physiology and phrenology, which held that a person's character could be determined by the shape of their skull or brain, fueled this practice. Today, such collections can still be found in places like The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, where Evie Newman works and continues her search for Frankfurt's brain, hoping to bring a sense of closure to the story that has intrigued her for two years. The line between scientific study and morbid fascination was less clear-cut in the past, and the legacy of these practices continues to raise ethical questions.
The Mystery of John Frankfort's Missing Grave: A man's disappearing grave and a slight eyelid wink hint at an intriguing escape in death. Listen to Criminal podcast for more mysteries of body regulation and distribution.
Even in death, people continue to leave a mystery. Reporter Alana Gordon from WHIY's The Pulse in Philadelphia shared the story of John Frankfort, whose funeral notice was discovered but whose grave was never found. All that remains is a melancholic sketch from his obituary. However, upon closer inspection, Alana noticed that one eyelid seemed to be slightly drooping, giving the appearance of a wink. This small detail suggests that Frankfort may have found a way to escape, even in death. This episode of Criminal, produced by Lawrence Spohr and Phoebe Judge, explores the intriguing and often mysterious world of body regulation and distribution for medical purposes. The podcast is available on iTunes and is part of the Radiotopia collective, which also includes Benjamin Walker's Theory of Everything. In other news, Johanna Ferreira, content director of PopSugar Juntos, encourages listeners to celebrate Latine culture, pride, and joy. With support from Prime, Juntos offers a range of content, including interviews with Latine creators, thoughtful commentary, and exclusive interviews with Latin music artists. To learn more and get involved, visit amazon.com/prime and popsugar.com/juntos.
