About this episode

This episode explores how Martin Couney's incubator shows at Coney Island contributed to the development of modern neonatal care.

This week we learn how a non-doctor doctor named Martin Couney leveraged the crowds at Coney Island's fascination with freak shows into giving birth to the modern NICU. A listener voicemail combines everyone's love of cats with planes. Episode Tabs: Preemies on Parade: How a Fake Doctor's Coney Island Incubator Shows Ended Up Saving Thousands of Lives https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/medicine/martin-couney-baby-incubator-shows Listener Tabs: Profile of Matatabi-kun http://www.tcat-hakozaki.co.jp/en/company/matatabi.html Email your closed tab submissions to:  500opentabs@gmail.com Support us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/500OpenTabs 500 Open Tabs Wiki:  https://500-open-tabs.fandom.com/wiki/500_Open_Tabs_Wiki 500 Open Roads (Google Maps episode guide):  https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tg9g2HcUaFAzXGbw7 Continue the conversation by joining us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/8px5RJHk7a Get 40% off an annual subscription to Nebula by going to  nebula.tv/500opentabs See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Sponsors

Nebula

More episodes of 500 Open Tabs

• 125: KUMIT۵B (500 Open Stabs Round 5) · July 8, 2026 · 1h 19m
• 124: The Battle of Santiago · July 1, 2026 · 49 min
• 123: Beanie Babies (feat Alyssa Cooper) · June 24, 2026 · 1h 4m
• 122: Narodniks (feat Josie Azzam) · June 17, 2026 · 46 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the 500 Open Tabs podcast page.