The Holmesburg Prison Experiments episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 5, 2025 · 26 MIN

The Holmesburg Prison Experiments

from A Popular History of Unpopular Things · host Kelli Beard

Join Kelli as she goes over yet another example of US doctors experimenting on their own people.Starting in the 1950s, dermatology Dr. Albert Kligman came to the Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and experimented on its prisoners. What started as a simple cure for an athlete's foot outbreak turned into a decades-long series of experiments, ranging from testing lotions and cremes to hallucinogenic drugs to the toxic compounds found in Agent Orange.Though the experiments eventually stopped in 1974, it was more or less swept under the rug, despite prisoner/victims filing lawsuits. But thanks to the work of men like Allen Hornblum, and the victims and their families who never gave up, the horrors at what happened at Holmesburg are coming to light.Source referenced:Acres of Skin: Human Experiments at Holmesburg Prison by Allen Hornblum Intro and Outro music credit:  @nedricmusicFind him on all streaming services and YouTube!http://www.nedricmusic.com Support the showIntro and Outro music credit: Nedric | Yello KakeFollow me on Instagram! @beardhistoryIf you want to support the show, donate to the cause at Buy Me a Coffee

Join Kelli as she goes over yet another example of US doctors experimenting on their own people. Starting in the 1950s, dermatology Dr. Albert Kligman came to the Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and experimented on its prisoners. What started as a simple cure for an athlete's foot outbreak turned into a decades-long series of experiments, ranging from testing lotions and cremes to hallucinogenic drugs to the toxic compounds found in Agent Orange. Though the experiments eventually stopped ...

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The Holmesburg Prison Experiments

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This episode was published on January 5, 2025.

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Join Kelli as she goes over yet another example of US doctors experimenting on their own people.Starting in the 1950s, dermatology Dr. Albert Kligman came to the Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and experimented on its prisoners. What started as a...

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