Emergency Medical Services didn’t start with ambulances and flashing lights—it started on the battlefield.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the origins and evolution of EMS, tracing its roots from wartime innovations to the highly coordinated emergency systems we rely on today. From the revolutionary ideas of Dominique Jean Larrey to modern mobile stroke units, EMS has been shaped by necessity, innovation, and life-or-death decision making.

We break down how different parts of the world approach emergency care—comparing the fast-paced American “load-and-go” model to the European “stay-and-stabilize” approach—and what those differences mean for patient outcomes.

You’ll also hear how legislation, technology, and real-world challenges—from rural ambulance deserts to ethical dilemmas on scene—continue to shape the future of pre-hospital medicine.

📚 References

1. Sasser SM, Hunt RC, Faul M, et al. Guidelines for field triage of injured patients: recommendations of the National Expert Panel on Field Triage. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2012;16(2):205-226. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3191661/
2. American Medical Association. Rural US emergency medical services. AMA J Ethics. Available from: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/issue/rural-us-emergency-medical-services
3. [Authors]. [Article title]. [Journal Name]. 2024. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11246613/
   (Note: Author/title not clearly retrieved—update if you want fully complete AMA formatting.)
4. Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dominique Jean Larrey: surgeon-in-chief of Napoleon’s armies. Available from: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-publications/library/blog/dominique-jean-larrey-surgeon-in-chief-of-napoleons-armies/
5. Trunkey DD. Trauma. Sci Am. 1983;249(2):28-35. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1470509/
6. National EMS Memorial Service. EMS history. Available from: https://www.emsmemorial.org/ems-history
7. Wikipedia. Emergency medical services. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_medical_services

🔗 All our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

Rabies is one of the deadliest diseases humanity has ever encountered—once symptoms begin, it’s almost always a death sentence.

So how did one teenage girl survive it?

This week, we dive into the unbelievable case of Jeanna Giese, the first person ever documented to survive rabies without receiving the vaccine beforehand. After a seemingly harmless bat bite, her condition rapidly deteriorated—until doctors attempted something never done before: an experimental, high-risk treatment that would later be called the Milwaukee Protocol.

They essentially shut her brain down… and hoped her body could fight back.

📚 References

1. Jeanna Giese. Wikidoc. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Jeanna_Giese
2. The Milwaukee protocol (MP): hope does not... Med J Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth. 2017;10(2). Accessed March 31, 2026. https://journals.lww.com/mjdy/fulltext/2017/10020/the__milwaukee_protocol___mp__hope_does_not.17.aspx
3. Willoughby RE Jr. Jeanna Giese, rabies survivor. Scientific American. Published 2007. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/jeanna-giese-rabies-survivor/
4. Jeanna Giese: rabies survivor. Children’s Wisconsin. Published May 2016. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://childrenswi.org/at-every-turn/stories/2016/05/jeanna-giese-rabies
5. 20 years later: Fond du Lac woman reflects on being first to survive rabies without vaccine. Fox 11 News. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://fox11online.com/news/local/20-years-later-fond-du-lac-woman-reflects-on-being-1st-to-survive-rabies-without-vaccine-jeanna-giese-bat-centers-disease-control-willoughby-coma-medical-marvel
6. Jackson AC. Demise of the Milwaukee protocol for rabies. Clin Infect Dis. 2025;81(4):e229-e232. doi:10.1093/cid/ciaf157

🔗 All our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

Rabies is one of the deadliest viruses known to humanity—and once symptoms begin, survival is almost unheard of. In this episode, we explore the chilling biology, history, and global impact of rabies, from ancient superstition to modern-day prevention.

You’ll learn how this virus silently travels through the nervous system, why it causes terrifying symptoms like hydrophobia, and how one breakthrough by Louis Pasteur changed everything.

Whether you're in healthcare, studying medicine, or just fascinated by medical history, this episode will leave you informed and a little unsettled.

📚 References

1. Tarantola A. Four thousand years of concepts relating to rabies in animals and humans, its prevention and its cure. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2017;2(1):5.
2. Swinkels HM, Koury R, Warrington SJ. Rabies. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025.
3. Holzbauer SM, Schrodt CA, Prabhu RM, et al. Fatal human rabies infection with suspected host-mediated failure of post-exposure prophylaxis following a recognized zoonotic exposure—Minnesota, 2021. Clin Infect Dis. 2023;77(8):1201-1208.
4. Institut Pasteur. History of the first rabies vaccination (1885). Accessed 2026.
5. Fooks AR, Cliquet F, Finke S, et al. Rabies. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17091.
6. Big Think. Rabies, werewolves, and vampires: The disease behind the myth. Published online.
7. McGuinness SL, et al. The deadly details: how clear and complete are publicly available sources of human rabies information? Trop Med Infect Dis. 2025;10(1).