Vertus Hardyman's Hat: When Modern Medicine Burns

Send us Fan Mail In 1927, a “modern cure” for ringworm left a boy’s skull collapsed. He wore a hat for 80 years to hide the truth. In a rural Black farming town in Indiana, 1927, a group of schoolchildren were told they’d receive a modern medical treatment for ringworm. It was free, it was fast, and it was promised safe. What followed was one of the most chilling medical betrayals of the 20th century.This is the true story of Vertus Wellborn Hardiman — a five-year-old boy whose skull was irreparably damaged by radiation and who wore a hat for the next eighty years to hide the evidence.What looks like progress can sometimes be poison. This isn’t folklore. It’s a hospital record. Read the full story and hear the episode now.  “Thank you for listening to Things I Want to Know. You want these stories, and we want to bring them to you — so hit the support link and keep this circus, and the mics, alive. Then do us a favor and rate and subscribe; it helps the show find more people like you — the ones who like their mysteries real and their storytellers unfiltered. And if you want to wear a little of this madness, grab some Andrea-approved gear at paulgnewton.com. We make tSupport the showThings I Want To Know If you enjoy the show, or you just like supporting people who refuse to shut up, grab some merch at PaulGNewton.com. It keeps the lights on and the caffeine flowing.