CLASSIC: How Robert "The Fastest Knife In The West End" Liston Conducted A Surgery With A 300% Mortality Rate episode artwork

EPISODE · May 23, 2026 · 29 MIN

CLASSIC: How Robert "The Fastest Knife In The West End" Liston Conducted A Surgery With A 300% Mortality Rate

from Ridiculous History · host iHeartPodcasts

In this week's Classic episode: It's no secret that hospitals can be intimidating, scary places -- but the medical operations of the modern day can't hold a candle to the grisly procedures of the 1800s. Back then, even some of the best surgeons still had about a one in ten chance of their patients dying during or shortly after a procedure. And Robert Liston was no exception. Listen in to learn how this otherwise top-notch surgeon managed to kill not only his patient, but also his assistant and some guy just standing nearby all in the course of one procedure gone horribly wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 23, 2026

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CLASSIC: How Robert "The Fastest Knife In The West End" Liston Conducted A Surgery With A 300% Mortality Rate

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