The Nocturnists
Season
9
Episode
6
|
The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD
Historian Susan Wise Bauer tells the story of how, across centuries—from ancient civilizations to modern medicine—humans have tried to make sense of illness through evolving frameworks, from divine punishment to bodily imbalance to germs. Drawing on historical accounts and cultural analysis, she explores how fear, suffering, and uncertainty shape not only medical knowledge but also trust in authority and social behaviors—and ultimately shows that our present-day struggles with medicine and trust are not new, but part of a long, repeating human story.
0:00/1:34
The Nocturnists
Season
9
Episode
6
|
The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD
Historian Susan Wise Bauer tells the story of how, across centuries—from ancient civilizations to modern medicine—humans have tried to make sense of illness through evolving frameworks, from divine punishment to bodily imbalance to germs. Drawing on historical accounts and cultural analysis, she explores how fear, suffering, and uncertainty shape not only medical knowledge but also trust in authority and social behaviors—and ultimately shows that our present-day struggles with medicine and trust are not new, but part of a long, repeating human story.
0:00/1:34
About Our Guest
Susan Wise Bauer is a historian, writer, and educator. She taught for fifteen years at the College of William & Mary in Virginia and is the author of numerous books, including The Great Shadow (St. Martin’s Press), The Art of the Public Grovel (Princeton University Press); The Well-Trained Mind, The Well-Educated Mind, The Story of Western Science, and the History of the World series (all from W. W. Norton); and the Story of the World Series from Well-Trained Mind Press.
About The Show
The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors, and art-makers. Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.
resources
Credits
About Our Guest
Susan Wise Bauer is a historian, writer, and educator. She taught for fifteen years at the College of William & Mary in Virginia and is the author of numerous books, including The Great Shadow (St. Martin’s Press), The Art of the Public Grovel (Princeton University Press); The Well-Trained Mind, The Well-Educated Mind, The Story of Western Science, and the History of the World series (all from W. W. Norton); and the Story of the World Series from Well-Trained Mind Press.
About The Show
The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors, and art-makers. Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.
resources
Credits
This episode of The Nocturnists is sponsored by Claimable.
Transcript
Note: The Nocturnists is an audio-first experience with emotion and sound design that can be difficult to fully capture in text. Transcripts are provided to support accessibility and reference, but may contain minor inaccuracies. If quoting in print, please consult the audio when possible.
Transcript coming soon!
Transcript
Note: The Nocturnists is an audio-first experience with emotion and sound design that can be difficult to fully capture in text. Transcripts are provided to support accessibility and reference, but may contain minor inaccuracies. If quoting in print, please consult the audio when possible.
Transcript coming soon!
0:00/1:34
Humanizing healthcare through storytelling.
podcast
Humanizing healthcare through storytelling.
podcast