Dark Rx: A dark medicine podcast that takes you on a wild ride through past and present medical practices with your host Kassie and Casey. A weekly podcast filled with dark humor and riveting sarcastic banter.
Did you know, you have a chemical used to create Teflon inside of your blood stream right now? Yes, you. Reading this. This week we talk about a very real problem and how we almost didn't even know about. Thankful for a farmer, a lawyer, and a grandmother, we learn about DuPont chemicals and the negligent toxic dumping that lead to a global problem. This episode goes great with a shot of vodka. Below you'll find the linked articles mentioned in the show!https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/magazine/the-lawyer-who-became-duponts-worst-nightmare.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/17/dark-waters-pfas-ticking-chemical-time-bomb-in-your-bloodhttps://toxicfreefuture.org/research/pfass-popcorn-bags-pizza-boxes/https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/risk/docs/guidance/gw/pfoainfo.pdfhttps://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20050113/is-teflon-chemical-toxic-epa-seeks-answersDark Waters (2019)- the movie mentioned, based on this story.
This is the final installment to Kassie's deep dive into the life and crimes of DTL. TW: there is violence, graphic content, and sexual assault mentioned in this episode. We understand if this is not for you! For those that stick around, the recommended cocktail for this episode is tequila because this one burns all the way down. Thanks for listening.
The second installment of our multi part deep dive into the horrendous killing spree of Derrick Todd Lee. Grab your headphones and your cocktails, and brace for impact.
In light of the recent 20th anniversary, it only seemed appropriate that Kassie and I finally cover one of the most horrendous serial killers to ever walk the earth. A case entirely to close to home, as it takes place in Baton Rouge, LA, where the lives of countless women and their families were destroyed by Derrick Todd Lee.
Recently my dad asked me if I remember what blood work you had to get done before you got married, to which I replied “what”. This put me into a whirlwind, deep dive into a strange law, a corrupt US Surgeon General, and an entire generation of good intentions. Todays recommended cocktail a Something-Old Fashioned.
Today is a Kass-tastic episode, where we let her screech out something cool she learned about! She chose to help us unwind by giving us the origin tale of Digoxin, AKA foxglove. Ever wandered where grandma got her heart medicine? This might be the answer. So grab yourself a coconut margarita like we did, sit back, and fill your earholes with some new knowledge.
Thought Smurf colored people didn't exist? Wrong. I'm here to share my newly invested knowledge on methemoglobinemia and how a certain family from Kentucky became medical marvels. For a fun twisted cocktail this episode, we recommend anything with blue curaçao.
Kassie really wanted to put the "dark" in DarkRx this week. Without giving too much away, this episode will make you take pause when you look at milk. She delves into one of saddest moments in US history and takes us through the beginnings of arguably the most serious topic of all time: missing kids. Go ahead, pour a drink, maybe even a cold glass of milk and hug your children a little tighter tonight after you listen to this episode.
We're back and we're diving right in it! This week is nurses week/hospital week and what better way to celebrate then to discuss medieval torture methods. I highlight my top ten torture devices and methods used while Kassie comments inappropriately! TW: it's graphic and super gory. So if that's not for you, we get it. Get ready for your stomach to twist, much like many people's limbs used to do from these devices! An appropriate cocktail for this episode would be a Bloody Mary. So sit back, relax, and drink up
It's finally here whether you wanted it or not: the finale to our organ transplant origins! This episode wraps up the major milestones we went through in order to achieve the once "impossible" mission of human organ transplantation. Kidneys, lungs, faces, even genitals, all get touched in this episode! (pun intended) In the end, I also give you some myths and facts about our modern day organ donation organizations! Kick back, grab a drink, and let us annoy your ear holes again.
Oh boy are we about to ruin your childhood, your parent's childhood, and probably your grandparent's adulthood. This week Kassie takes us through the truly awful disasters that happened on set to the beloved characters in the Wizard of Oz, with a medical spin. We learn about how they were poisoned, drugged, and even set on fire. Yikes. Tune in and grab your popcorn.
First, if you haven't listened to part one, stop, drop, and roll on back an episode because this is part two baby. The real dirty, disgusting, gut wrenching continuation of how we started harvesting, I mean transplanting organs in humans! It honestly just gets worse from here people. Let us flood your ear holes once again. We love it and we love you.
Whooo doggy ladies and gents, hold on tight for this wild ride! This week were going to take you on an adventure that we didn't see coming. Just kidding, we suspected that the origins of organ transplants weren't going to be pretty…and we were right! This is part one of this long journey, so strap in.
Welcome back to the continuation of Kassie horrifying us to the core about how blood transfusions came to be! We promised you guys two episodes this week and we were out to deliver! Side note: if you are interested in donating blood, check out your local American Red Cross and see how you can help! Thanks for listening!
Curiosity gets the best of us this week, as Kassie and I deep dive into where and how blood transfusions began! In this two part adventure, Kassie takes us once again to defiling half dead humans, animal experimentation (trigger warning), and even the first ever successful blood transfusion. It's definitely a historical lesson I wish they would have taught in middle school...although most middle schoolers would probably get nightmares from this now that I think about it...so good call teach! Sit back, relax, and let us blast through your ear holes on your morning commute folks. Xoxo-C.
New year. Same us. Welcome back friends! We really wanted to come in hot…like a sharp, pointy piece of iron dipped in fire -hot-. This week Kass talks cauterizing throughout the ages and I highlight some of the biggest blasts and their injuries in history! We're rested, ready, and drunk on tequila in this episode. It doesn't get much better than this
This week we're keeping it short and sweet! (Probably like some of you are hoping the holiday with your families go) In this episode I'll tell you the story of Christmas Disease! I will tell you it's not a form of diabetes that you get from indulging in too many Christmas goodies. What you don't know (unless you listen) is if it's a disease where tinsel comes out of your blowhole! How festive right? I may also (definitely) be telling some of my favorite corny to the cob Christmas jokes that may (definitely) make Kassie screech laugh! Happy holidays everyone, from your DarkRX family!
It's episode 13 eeeek! And it's almost time for that fat man in red to pull multiple B&E's in one night while he leaves wild animals to poop on your roof. In honor of that, Kassie and I have decided to breakdown six different versions of Anti-Claus legends just for your dark listening pleasure. We talk witches, Christmas demons, a giant cat, disemboweling, and even the well-known Krampus. So get a glass of hot cocoa or cider, spike it with something adult rated, put those annoying kids to bed and wait for one of these bad boys or girls to come scoop them up in the night for their naughty behavior! Happy holidays dudes!
Welcome back from our unintentional hiatus dudes! This week we dive into a forever ongoing discussion: weight. Disclaimer: none of the weight loss methods we mention are being suggested, merely discussed. This episode had even my stomach growling (sorry not good enough at audio to edit it out lolz)! Kassie again lists the worst things a human could do to themselves while I discuss five different so called "fad diets". We talk coffee, worms, famous people, and poop that smells like...biscuits.? We missed you guys!
The holidays are upon us folks and although many words come to mind when describing them, one very important one stuck out to Kassie: Headaches. She delves into those pre-ibuprofen treatments that Hippocrates himself invented. We don't personally recommend them, but you'll have to listen and decide for yourself! We also felt it necessary to give you guys solid safety advice for turkey day. I'll give you 4 different cases where personal safety is our number one priority. I'll even hint that case #4 is for true crime fans. Together we give you guys Grade-A advice for turkey day...and maybe life. Let us help you ease your holiday stress by cranking us up during your travel or while cooking! We would love to annoy you either way!
Well, well, well…I see you've come back for more! Honestly, part two is not for the faint or weak stomached. This gets down and dirty with all things I promised in part one: insects, bloaters, floaters, rotten to the bone facts about decomposition. Tune in this week to hear the finale of the original work of art: The Body Farm.
Folks we want to hold onto spooky season like it's the last piece of candy in a diabetic's cabinet...so today I'm presenting "The Body Farm". Contrary to it's name, they do not grow bodies there. However, they do water them, put them in sunlight, and even allow nature to do what it does best to corpses: decompose them. This research facility has assisted in solving thousands of cases thanks to Dr. Bass and I thought it was time we honored him. It's dark and funky...like me and Kass
We know you couldn't get enough of it last week. Kassie wraps up on people eating people for health reasons. She gives us recipes where the ingredients are the dead…even Gordon Ramsey couldn't perfect them. It's brutal, descriptive, and disgustingly interesting.
Come one! Come all! To the horrifically exciting bonus episode on one of humanity's most dangerous treatments on the market: bloodletting! Nothing says ~spooky~ like the thought of draining someones blood and those creepy, crawling leeches. But we don't stop there. We also give you guys a look into life as a TB patient in one of the world's most haunted sanatoriums...Waverly Hills. Happy haunting everyone!
Okay dudes, this is prime Halloween themed realness this week. Corpse medicine has mummies, vampires, and even cannibalism (before it was majorly frowned upon…sorry Jeff) Kassie takes us to a time when we all thought the best way to cure disease was with our own bodies. Or in fact, other people's bodies. It's gross, even for us. Welcome to one of the darkest episodes we have!
Trigger warning: we use the word Pandemic in this one. However, it's not that dreaded C-word we all hate. This week we discuss the plague both black and forgotten. She's ruthless, and shows no mercy, just like all of your exes. Don't worry though we have treatments: live chickens, magic, and good ole fresh air! It's a fun ride and a total spooky season nightmare!
Drugs are bad kids. Well most of the time. Tune in to this episode to hear about the beginnings of cocaine and the end of LSD. We talk about some famous beverages, famous addicts, and even failed CIA tactics! It's weird, but so are we
Ever wondered how modern day CPR came to be? Well folks, it was through a lot of trial and some serious error and some…butt stuff? This week you get to listen to Kassie take us through a CPR journey. We're talking smoking em out, barrel rolling, a Wild West nightmare if you will! Honestly, you'll be glad to have a few ribs cracked compared to what they used to do! So sit back, grab a drink, and thank heavens for our modern medicine.
We thought that one episode this week wasn't enough to sufficiently insert ourselves into your lives, so we're giving you two! We are talking about 4 different medical mysteries today. Kassie will give you literal nightmares on tree-man syndrome. I will personally make you itch as I discuss Morgellon's disease. We also do an array of terrible foreign accents and even discuss a famous royal king! Tune in for another weird adventure as we violate your radios!
Hold on tightly, this one might make your butt hole pucker ladies and gents! This week we travel down a rabbit hole of two very hard-to-kill men! ETOH levels higher than a freshman frat boy at his first tailgate! And the world's first miniature rocket, launching itself through someone's noggin! Have your cocktails ready, and your kids asleep!
Remember our good friend, the periodic table? Well in this episode, Kass and I go head to head on two of our favorite elements: Radium vs. Mercury. Have you ever wondered which one would kill you faster? We have that answer. Have you ever wondered how they cured impotence before those little blue pills? We have that answer too! Stay tuned for a weird journey in time as we talk about a few famous presidents, E.D., a very important legal case, glow in the dark ladies, and even two explorers and their poop!
As our first episode, we really wanted to go hard. We're curing mental illness this week! What's more metal than a hammer and an ice pic to the brain!? Probably nothing. Not hard enough? (ha that's what she said!) Let's also discuss fever therapy, insulin comas, and even chemically induced seizures. We might even mention a very famous family and their mysterious daughter no one really knew about. Anyway....Let's get weird and put literal ~shock~ value into our lives!