The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

At the turn of the 20th century, there was no better place to see the astonishing changes around the globe than at grand expositions and fairs. In the United States, Coney Island provided a venue for showmen to present peeks into the future by revealing new gadgets, offering thrilling rides, and hawking sideshow oddity exhibits. Among these men was Dr. Martin Couney. Couney wasn't actually a doctor, but his idea of putting premature babies on display, snug in newly invented incubators, and charging viewers (but not the infants' parents) a small entry fee, saved lives—and made him rich. His success rate? Greater than 80 percent at a time when hospitals were sending similar three-pound newborns home to die. His genius was in recognizing the benefits of the incubator, perfecting how it worked, and, with his staff, creating methods for keeping the babies warm, fed, and loved. Never accepted by the medical establishment, Couney nevertheless continued to refine his process and save thousands of children. Presented in clustered tidbits, the narrative moves back and forth through time. While this meticulously researched work assumes knowledge of 20th-century history and personalities, such as the Dionne quintuplets, attentive readers will find a fascinating story set within the extraordinary richness of a burgeoning progressive era.