June 28, 2024 • 48 mins
Welcome to episode 62 of the Amerisogyny podcast! This episode, titled "Lost and Found," dives into the universal theme of compassion across different eras and cultures.
Our journey begins in eastern Spain where researchers shed light on compassion and community care, emphasizing true altruism that transcends time.
Next, we travel to early 20th century Washington, USA, to uncover the dark tale heinous medical specialist whose greed and callousness led to the death of numerous patients. This story serves as a grim reminder of the importance of ethical care giving.
We then move to Kenya, Africa, where women are now bravely seeking justice and accountability for their lost innocence. Their courage in standing up for their rights is both inspiring and heartbreaking.
Finally, we celebrate a significant step forward in South Korea, where the government is expanding mental health support and working to reduce social stigma. President Yoon Suk-yool's initiative aims to provide better mental health care and reduce the country's high suicide rate.
Throughout the episode, I weave these stories together, highlighting the enduring power of compassion and the importance of community support. Join me on this emotional journey and reflect on the ways we can all show more care and understanding in our daily lives.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
Welcome back to Amerisogyny. I'm your host, Hannah Blue. You're listening to episode 62, Lost and Found.
Now, why is the title of this episode Lost and Found?
Well, there's a method to my madness.
It doesn't matter where you are in the world. Your language has a translation for "lost" and "found."
(00:40):
Yet, how do they tie into mental health? Well, we're going to break it down.
Traveling around the world and unwrapping stories like a bow. It's what we do best!
Listeners, get your tickets ready and let's fly to our first stop, eastern Spain.
(01:02):
In the province of Valencia, there's an archaeological site called the Cova Negra.
At the Cova Negra site, a fossil was found, and scientists say it represents
the earliest known proof of Down syndrome. What's most important?
The scientists say the fossil may be proof that Neanderthals,
(01:28):
who lived thousands of years ago,
had the ability to show compassion as they cared for a small child,
possibly six years old, with Down syndrome.
The sex of the child is unknown, but researchers named it "Tina."
The fossil is a fragment of the right temporal bone.
(01:50):
And if you don't know what the temporal bones are, they help form the sides
and base of the skull, protecting the brain and surrounding the ear canal.
An assortment of inner ear abnormalities is only found in people with Down syndrome.
Now, the fossil was found in 1989, but it's just now going viral.
(02:13):
And according to researchers, the fossil sheds some light as to how Neanderthals cared for each other.
According to paleo-anthropologist Mercedes Conde Valverde,
The pathology which this individual suffered resulted in highly disabling symptoms,
including, at the very least,
(02:34):
complete deafness, severe vertigo attacks, and an inability to maintain balance.
Conde Valverde represents the University of Acala in Spain, and she wrote a
study that was published in the Journal of Science Advances.
Conde Valverde says, Given these symptoms, it is highly unlikely that the mother
(02:58):
alone could have provided all the necessary care while also attending to her own needs.
Therefore, for Tina to have survived for at least six years,
the group must have continuously assisted the mother, either by relieving her
in the care of the child, helping her with daily tasks, or both.
(03:20):
Now, they don't know how old the fossil is, but it was concluded that Neanderthals
lived at the Cova Negra site between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago.
According to research, Neanderthals were intelligent and created art and used
(03:40):
complex group hunting methods.
Scientists believe Neanderthals disappeared soon after Homosapiens came on the scene.
Now, what is the correlation to mental health? Here it is.
According to Mercedes, for decades, it has been known that Neanderthals cared
(04:01):
for and looked after their vulnerable companions.
However, all known cases of care involved adult individuals,
leading some scientists to believe that this behavior was not genuine altruism,
but merely an exchange of assistance between equals.
"Today for you, tomorrow for me."
(04:22):
What was not known until now was a case of an individual who had received extra
maternal care from birth, even though the individual could not reciprocate.
The discovery of the Cova negra fossil supports the existence of true altruism among Neanderthals.
(04:43):
A co-author of the study, Valentin Villaverde, agrees with Mercedes.
According to Villaverde, the survival of the child beyond the period of breastfeeding
implies group caregiving probably more extended than parental caregiving,
typical of a highly collaborative social context among members of the group.
(05:08):
Otherwise, it is very difficult to explain the survival of this individual up to the age of six years.
Mercedes says the discovery of Tina represents the oldest known case of Down
syndrome and demonstrates that the diversity observed in modern humans was already
(05:29):
present in prehistoric times.
This finding ensures that the story of human evolution includes us all.
Now, let's break that down further.
People with highly specialized needs existed thousands of years ago,
and so did compassion, community, altruism.
(05:50):
And in today's time, these are still relevant.
Think about it. Life is so different today than it was in their time.
But the common thread that we have is the ability to care for others who are vulnerable.
This is a selfless act.
(06:10):
If the Neanderthals had compassion on this little child, a six-year-old with
Down syndrome, then what excuse do we have to ignore them or want them locked away in society?
The Neanderthals recognized they had a responsibility to care for this child.
Likewise, we also have a responsibility to show compassion to people with highly specialized needs.
(06:38):
The Neanderthals also proved that when people come together and work together,
beautiful things happen.
The quality of life for others... improves. The main idea of the story is
Tina would not have lasted for six years without love and compassion of an extended family.
(07:00):
It doesn't matter if these people were related to her by blood or not.
Tina's mother had a community that gave her love and support.
They didn't have iPhones or fancy cars, Jordans or six figure salaries.
They had compassion, which resulted in the survival of this six-year-old child.
(07:22):
They didn't let go of Tina or its mother. And that's what I told you in episode fifty-eight.
Don't let go of your loved ones. Don't allow them to be locked away in modern-day
asylums for the convenience of politicians.
We have zero excuse to avoid walking in their footsteps.
(07:43):
Our next stop,Olalla, Washington, USA.
Now, this story is a horse of a different color. It shows what happens when
caregiving goes wrong. It's a story of greed, callousness and sheer evil. It is the story of Dr.
Linda Hazzard. This happened in the 1910s when Dr.
(08:07):
Hazzard went on trial for killing patients who trusted her. Now, I don't know what
Washington was thinking giving this woman a license. She had very little training
and no medical degree. But still,
she was licensed as a fasting specialist.
(08:28):
There was no method to her madness. It was sheer insanity.
She believed food was the root of all disease, specifically if you ate too much of it.
In 1908, she wrote a book and published it.
It was called Fasting for the Cure of Disease.
She wrote, The path to true health was to periodically let the digestive system
(08:55):
rest through near total fast of days or more.
And here's how she did her fast.
Patients had only small servings of vegetable broth and were subjected to daily
enemas and massages that nurses said sometimes sounded more like beatings.
To me, this sounds crazy, but people lined up for it, such as Daisy Maud Haglund.
(09:21):
She was a Norwegian immigrant and she died in 1908 after fasting for 50 days under Hazzard's care.
She was a mother to a three-year-old son, Ivar.
Two more patients of Dr. Hazzard were Claire and Dora Williamson.
Their father was a wealthy English army officer.
The locals called Hazzard's institute (09:44):
Starvation Heights.
Now that's petty, but true. The sisters were staying at the Empress Hotel in
Victoria, British Columbia, when they saw an ad for Hazzard's book.
The sisters wanted to improve their health. They had given up meat and corsets.
(10:05):
And when they read about what Hazzard was doing, they were excited to experience
what Claire called Hazzard's "most beautiful treatment."
The women traveled to Seattle in February 1911. But after signing up for treatment,
they were told the sanitarium in Olalla wasn't ready.
Hazzard settled them into an apartment on Seattle's Capitol Hill and began the treatment.
(10:31):
The women were given a broth made from canned tomatoes twice a day and no more.
She gave them enemas that lasted for hours in a bathtub, and the girls began
to faint during their treatment.
In only two months, the women weighed 70 pounds.
Now, they never told their family where they were going, but their childhood
(10:55):
nurse, Margaret Conway, received
a mysterious cable and it caused her to make a trip to go see them.
Linda Hazzard was a snake and so was her husband.
Samuel Hazzard was an ex-army lieutenant who had gone to jail for bigamy after marrying Linda.
He met Margaret in Vancouver and told her Claire was dead.
(11:18):
They claimed drugs given to Claire in childhood shrunk her internal organs and
caused cirrhosis of the liver.
Claire had been too far gone for their beautiful treatment to save her.
Now, Margaret Conway was no doctor, but she knew something was sneaky about the couple.
When she saw Claire's body, the hands, facial shape, and color of the hair looked wrong to her.
(11:44):
She arrived in Olalla to see that Dora weighed only 50 pounds.
But although Dora was starving to death, she didn't want to leave Olalla. And it got worse.
Dr. Hazzard had been appointed the executor of Claire's estate and Dora's guardian for life.
Dora had also signed over a power of attorney to Samuel Hazzard.
(12:07):
And what did the dastardly doctor and her trash husband do?
They took Claire's clothes, household goods, and jewelry that belonged to the
sisters, Diamonds, sapphires, and other jewels estimated to be worth $6,000.
Dr. Hazzard was shameless.
(12:29):
She drafted a report about Dora's mental state,
gave it to Margaret while wearing one of Claire's robes.
Margaret tried to convince Dr. Hazzard to release Dora, but she was a servant
and she was intimidated by Dr.
Hazzard. So she called an uncle of the sisters, John Herbert, to free Dora.
(12:49):
He had to pay Hazard almost $1,000 to let Dora leave.
Lucian Agassiz, the British vice-consul, stepped in and subsequently Hazzard
went on trial for murder.
Herbert and Agassiz started investigating Hazzard and found she was connected
to the deaths of several other rich people.
(13:10):
Many had signed over large portions of their estates to her before they died.
One was a former state legislator, Louis E. Radar. He owned the property where
her sanitarium was located.
Its original name was Wilderness Heights. When police tried to question him,
he was moved to an undisclosed location and later died in 1911.
(13:36):
Another British patient, John Ivan Flux, had come to America to buy a ranch.
Instead, he died with $70 to his name.
Another man from New Zealand, Eugene Wakelin, was reported to have shot himself
while fasting under Hazzard's care. After Hazzard was appointed a minister of
(13:57):
his estate, she drained it dry.
It was said under Hazzard's care, at least a dozen or more people starved to death.
On August 15, 1911, Hazzard was arrested on charges of first-degree murder for
starving Claire Williamson to death.
Servants and nurses testified how the sisters had cried out in pain during their
(14:21):
treatments, suffered through enemas lasting for hours, and endured baths that scalded at the touch.
The prosecution accused Hazzard of financial starvation as well,
forged checks, letters, and other fraud that had emptied the Williamson estate.
Rumor had it that Hazzard conspired with the Butterworth Mortuary and
(14:46):
switched Claire's body with a healthier one so no one could see how bad Claire looked when she died.
Hazzard took no accountability for the death of Claire or any of her other patients.
According to Hazzard, if you died during a fast, you had something that was going
to kill you anyway. What a cold-hearted monster.
(15:07):
She felt she was being attacked because she was successful and there was a battle
between conventional medicine and more natural methods.
Would you believe others agreed with her and offered her support?
She even brought Christianity into her delusional madness, saying Moses and
John the Baptist all recognized the spiritual power of the fast.
(15:32):
And this is how how some people twist Christianity to further their own agendas.
A lot of people are very good at that. But the jury was having none of her nonsense.
They returned a verdict of manslaughter and she was sentenced to hard labor
in prison in Walla Walla.
Her medical license was revoked.
(15:52):
And never reinstated, even though she was later pardoned by the governor.
She served only two years before moving to New Zealand, and in 1920,
she returned to Olalla to finally build the sanitarium of her dreams,
calling the building a school for health.
Well in 1935, it burned to the ground.
(16:15):
Three years later, Hazzard was in her early 70s. She got sick and underwent a fast of her own.
Now, of course, it didn't work and she died.
This is what happens when compassion goes out the window and greed takes front and center.
Now, how does this relate to mental health? Linda Hazzard was evil, but very intelligent.
(16:40):
She knew food is a motivator for people.
It makes you feel good. The sight and taste of it creates endorphins and feelings of comfort.
But food also provides mental clarity.
When you don't eat well, you can't think properly.
She knew that. So she starved her patients, created a dependency on her because
(17:05):
she wanted them to sign over their wealth to her.
These people really believed she had the power to cure them when in fact, she was killing them.
Well, Dr. Linda Hazzard isn't running this podcast, so let's talk about some food.
Inflation is still in the lead, folks, and some people are griping about the price of fast food.
(17:28):
McDonald's $5 meal deal went on sale yesterday. And what can you get?
A McDouble or McChicken, four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries, and a small soft drink.
As much as people love McDonald's, this is a win-win for them and their customers.
(17:48):
But some people think fast food is overrated.
Seven burgers made the list of being over hyped and over liked.
I'm just putting this out there.... This is not my opinion at all.
I didn't write this article, so don't come for me, okay?
At number one is McDonald's Big Mac.
It's being said there is more bun that completely drowns out the paper thin patties.
(18:13):
The quality of the beef is a joke. The cheese is never melted.
The lettuce is wilted and brown around the edges and the burger tastes like
the bland Big Mac sauce. Wow.
Okay. Number two, Burger King's Whopper.
According to the article, they don't know a single person who actually chooses
(18:36):
to eat there and they bet you don't either.
They question how does Burger King stay in business?
According to the article, the Whopper is dry and flavorless with sad looking
vegetables and is often poorly made.
In their words, Burger King just needs to give up.
(18:58):
Again, these are not my views.
Number three, Five Guys cheeseburger.
According to the article, the cheeseburger is not worth $12.
The burgers are smashed flat with beat up buns.
And the article says the burgers haven't been worth the price since the early 2000s.
(19:20):
Ouch! Number four, White Castle Sliders.
The article says the burger is a soggy wet mess and it also says,
for the love of all things holy,
brown up that meat, toast those buns, and then maybe you'd have an acceptable
burger from White Castle.
(19:41):
Coming up at number five is Arby's burger.
According to the article, the kitchens aren't set up for making burgers.
There's no griddle so the beef is
pre-cooked then reheated with a quick dip
in the fryer and this makes the burgers have a rubbery texture. Coming in at
(20:02):
number six is Wendy's Baconator. The article says it's six slices of bacon. Thin
and tasteless and the square beef patties are always gray,
dry, and falling apart.
They close with, "the novelty of this burger has long worn off."
(20:23):
Coming in at unlucky number seven, the In-N-Out Burger's Double Double.
It was said that people put this burger on a pedestal, and although it's only
available in a small part of the U.S., the burger is thin and dry,
and no amount of vegetables will make up for that.
(20:44):
Wow, somebody really pissed them off with this food. But I digress...
Our next stop, Kenya, Africa. There's so much loss here. Lost children, lost innocence.
But what I find inspiring is the "found" part of it. The women have found their
(21:05):
voices and the courage to stand up
and make the men who violated them take accountability for their actions.
For several decades, allegedly, hundreds of women were raped by British troops,
and this was during training stints in Kenya.
As a result, dozens of mixed-race kids are still being born,
(21:28):
and their mothers are struggling to take care of them.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The British soldiers aren't being held accountable by their government.
Remember in a previous episode, I told you about Korean female rape victims.
They were called 'comfort women' and they were violated by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
(21:53):
According to Marion Matugi, these children really deserve British citizenship. They are British kids.
Their fathers were British.
According to CNN, even though some locals have opposed it, the UK pays Kenya
around $400,000 a year for their soldiers to train in Laikipia and Samburu.
(22:16):
The Batuk is based in Nanyuki, Kenya.
And has 100 full-time staff. And the British government isn't interested in finding a resolution.
Matugi says, we call it BBBB, British Boys Behaving Badly.
Number one, these aren't boys, they're men. And allegedly, rapists.
(22:41):
It's really irritating to me when people paint violating women with the "Boys
Will Be Boys" brush. These are grown-ass men. They're not cheating in a game.
Allegedly, they're raping women. To phrase it this way, is disrespectful and irresponsible.
Marian Pannalossy is 17 and she lives in Archer's Post, a small town 200 miles north of Nairobi.
(23:10):
She is one of many lost children. She told CNN she feels ostracized because she is light-skinned.
It's rare to see mixed-race people living where she lives.
According to her, the locals call her a poor white girl.
They always say, why are you here? Just look for connections so that you can go to your own people.
(23:33):
You don't belong here. You're not supposed to be here suffering.
Rape allegations go as far back as the 1950s.
And in 2012, allegedly, a 21-year-old woman entered a hotel with British troops.
Her body was later found in a septic tank.
(23:55):
But even though the soldier was outed by his peers for allegedly killing her,
he has never faced trial.
In 2007, 2,187 Kenyan women claimed they were raped.
But the U.K. Defense Ministry says there was no reliable evidence to support
any single allegation, and therefore they dismissed the claims.
(24:18):
The Royal Military Police investigators say the Kenyan evidence was fabricated
and they never conducted DNA tests on any of the children born to the alleged victims.
In 2009, some women testified that they were preyed on by British soldiers during their daily chores.
But Kenya's Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission claims the government lost the case files.
(24:45):
Of course they did. According to the
2009 report, the most horrific allegation
of rape is said to have occurred in October of 1997.
And this happened at Archer's Post
where soldiers from the UK gang raped
30 women often at knife point and sometimes in the victim's own compound. Well,
(25:08):
some of these victims may have have their day in court because a recent clause
now allows British soldiers to be sued in Kenyan courts.
Attorney Kelvin Kubai, who is representing the alleged rape victims,
wants to reopen rape charges against Batak troops.
The case involves over 300 women, and he says the Kenyan legal system offers
(25:33):
a better redress than what is available in the UK.
What's awesome? Under Kenyan law,
human rights violations have no statute of limitations.
Even for victims violated decades ago, if they win, they are still entitled to compensation.
Kubai told CNN, it is traumatic and psychologically disturbing to people to
(25:58):
continue to see the British training amidst them with all these unresolved trauma
and historical injustices.
We can win because we have a very progressive constitution.
And I hope they do. One of the most disturbing questions I see is, "Why did she wait so long?"
There is never a time limit for a victim to come forward and say that she was violated.
(26:24):
No means no... anywhere in the world. I don't even want to think about the trauma
left behind for the children.
In episode 60, we talked about attachment styles and how they impacted kids' development.
And sometimes attachment styles can affect people throughout their entire lifespan.
Think of Marian and other kids like her.
(26:44):
What heartbreaking lives they must lead, but out of the ashes,
their mothers have found the courage to take on the UK government.
And I'm rooting for them. That was a tough story. Since our weekends are supposed
to be fun and relaxing, I'll leave you on a lighter note.
Let's talk about some food combinations that some think are an abomination.
(27:08):
Now, I won't say they're that bad, but some are pretty gross.
Number one, the cheeseburger donut.
Some feel it's great to eat a cheeseburger and a donut... just not together.
I'm on the fence about this one. I might try it. Maybe. Just a bite.
(27:29):
Number two is white chocolate wasabi truffles.
Now, white chocolate is delicious, but I'm not so sure about something that
tastes like horseradish.
That combination, I'm going to say... pass.
Number three is sardine and grape salad.
Now, this might be a hit in Greece, but I'm not trying it. It's a combo with
(27:53):
salty sardines, sweet grapes, and spicy arugula.
Topped with a light vinaigrette, it's still not something I would try.
Number four is soy sauce vanilla ice cream.
As soon as I saw soy sauce, it's a definite no. Some flavors should not be combined.
(28:14):
Pass, yuck, and bye.
Number five, clam chowder ice cream. I take it back. Now that is an abomination.
Clams, potatoes, and celery blended with ice cream and molded into a popsicle.
You can keep that, but hey, it might work for some, just not for me.
(28:36):
And finally, we have Kool-Aid pickles.
Again, I like Kool-Aid and I like pickles, but adding pickle juice inside Kool-Aid is a no.
And that's all for our nasty, asty, asty food combinations, people.
I think we've had quite enough of that. Our last stop, South Korea.
(29:00):
When I tell you I am cheering all the way from USA for South Korea,
I am because South Korea has finally found the light.
As it pertains to mental health, that is. Their president, Yoon Suk-Yeol,
is dedicated to expanding state support and changing the general perception
(29:22):
towards mental illness in Seoul.
Now, if you know anything about South Korea, there is a huge stigma regarding mental health.
As of now, no young people ages 20 to 34 under South Korean rules can get mental
health checkups more than once every 10 years through the National Health Insurance Service.
(29:46):
Well, that's going to change. The government is going to expand the state budget
to address people's mental health starting next year.
The state support package is estimated to cost roughly $300 billion, which in the U.S.
Is $215.7 million.
(30:08):
Yoon said social stigma towards people with mental illness is the biggest obstacle
in their treatment. And creating an understanding that those living with mental
illnesses can receive treatment and do not pose a threat to others.
And this will become a national priority through the end of his tenure in 2027.
(30:30):
Go South Korea! This is excellent news!
And here's more. At least 1 million South Koreans would have access to mental
health counseling services beginning in July.
Yoon's goal is to fulfill the 1 million mark until his five-year term ends in 2027.
(30:50):
Every citizen who needs mental health treatment would receive eight counseling
sessions, and they'll be partially or entirely reimbursed by the state,
depending on the person's income level.
His office estimates at least 80,000 people will be using counseling services
by the end of the year, and up to 500,000 people will gain access by 2027.
(31:16):
According to Yoon, the counseling services are aimed at preventing mental health
struggles caused by a highly competitive society.
Also, starting in January of next year, young adults will be eligible for state-backed
mental health checkups every two years.
They are also looking to add one center and hire more crisis counselors for
(31:41):
its National Suicide Prevention Hotline and they need it.
The suicide rate is so high over there.
And I'm so happy and relieved that people who need mental health treatment are finally going to get it.
Yoon said, many citizens are suffering from depression and anxiety because of
(32:02):
excessive competition in the society.
Early detection of mental illness is important.
He's also looking to increase mental health emergency emergency medical centers,
and the number of hospital beds inside the centers.
They're going to build more mental rehabilitation facilities across the country,
and 50 new houses will be provided for those needing mental health care.
(32:25):
Seoul hopes the renewed plan will help cut the national suicide rate in half by 2030.
And here's why it's important. South Korea alone has had the highest suicide
rate among 38 nations for almost 20 years.
That's a long time. How many K-pop stars have they lost to suicide?
(32:48):
How many Korean actors and actresses? Far too many.
In 2022 alone, South Korea recorded 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
South Korea's life satisfaction level ranked 35th.
38 nations between 2020 and 2022.
(33:10):
I can't tell you how long we've waited for mental health to be addressed in
South Korea. Finally, it's happening.
This is a huge win for the people of South Korea.
Everyone all across the world deserves mental health treatment.
I agree with their president.
Social stigma is the enemy, and it doesn't help people who need proper mental
(33:34):
health treatment. We have opened and closed this episode on a good note,
with one word summing up the name of the game (33:39):
compassion.
People, I could sit here and talk to you all day, but I'm out of time.
If you enjoyed today's episode, feel free to follow me. By now you know where!
Podbean, Samsung, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube Music, and more.
(34:04):
The weekend is here, folks. So I want you to be good to yourselves.
Before I go, I want to give a special shout out to the new countries that have
joined our Amerisogyny podcast! (34:13):
)
Hello and welcome to Bangladesh, Romania, Israel, Monaco, Somalia, Turkey, and Slovakia!!
Welcome friends and thank you
for listening to the Amerisogyny podcast! Make sure you tune in every week because
(34:39):
I'll be back with more stories. Be easy. Have a good weekend! Take care of yourselves. And as always...
God....bless! Music.
Welcome back to Amerisogyny. I'm your host, Hannah Blue. You're listening to episode 62, Lost and Found.
Now, why is the title of this episode Lost and Found?
Well, there's a method to my madness.
It doesn't matter where you are in the world. Your language has a translation for "lost" and "found."
(00:40):
Yet, how do they tie into mental health? Well, we're going to break it down.
Traveling around the world and unwrapping stories like a bow. It's what we do best!
Listeners, get your tickets ready and let's fly to our first stop, eastern Spain.
(01:02):
In the province of Valencia, there's an archaeological site called the Cova Negra.
At the Cova Negra site, a fossil was found, and scientists say it represents
the earliest known proof of Down syndrome. What's most important?
The scientists say the fossil may be proof that Neanderthals,
(01:28):
who lived thousands of years ago,
had the ability to show compassion as they cared for a small child,
possibly six years old, with Down syndrome.
The sex of the child is unknown, but researchers named it "Tina."
The fossil is a fragment of the right temporal bone.
(01:50):
And if you don't know what the temporal bones are, they help form the sides
and base of the skull, protecting the brain and surrounding the ear canal.
An assortment of inner ear abnormalities is only found in people with Down syndrome.
Now, the fossil was found in 1989, but it's just now going viral.
(02:13):
And according to researchers, the fossil sheds some light as to how Neanderthals cared for each other.
According to paleo-anthropologist Mercedes Conde Valverde,
The pathology which this individual suffered resulted in highly disabling symptoms,
including, at the very least,
(02:34):
complete deafness, severe vertigo attacks, and an inability to maintain balance.
Conde Valverde represents the University of Acala in Spain, and she wrote a
study that was published in the Journal of Science Advances.
Conde Valverde says, Given these symptoms, it is highly unlikely that the mother
(02:58):
alone could have provided all the necessary care while also attending to her own needs.
Therefore, for Tina to have survived for at least six years,
the group must have continuously assisted the mother, either by relieving her
in the care of the child, helping her with daily tasks, or both.
(03:20):
Now, they don't know how old the fossil is, but it was concluded that Neanderthals
lived at the Cova Negra site between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago.
According to research, Neanderthals were intelligent and created art and used
(03:40):
complex group hunting methods.
Scientists believe Neanderthals disappeared soon after Homosapiens came on the scene.
Now, what is the correlation to mental health? Here it is.
According to Mercedes, for decades, it has been known that Neanderthals cared
(04:01):
for and looked after their vulnerable companions.
However, all known cases of care involved adult individuals,
leading some scientists to believe that this behavior was not genuine altruism,
but merely an exchange of assistance between equals.
"Today for you, tomorrow for me."
(04:22):
What was not known until now was a case of an individual who had received extra
maternal care from birth, even though the individual could not reciprocate.
The discovery of the Cova negra fossil supports the existence of true altruism among Neanderthals.
(04:43):
A co-author of the study, Valentin Villaverde, agrees with Mercedes.
According to Villaverde, the survival of the child beyond the period of breastfeeding
implies group caregiving probably more extended than parental caregiving,
typical of a highly collaborative social context among members of the group.
(05:08):
Otherwise, it is very difficult to explain the survival of this individual up to the age of six years.
Mercedes says the discovery of Tina represents the oldest known case of Down
syndrome and demonstrates that the diversity observed in modern humans was already
(05:29):
present in prehistoric times.
This finding ensures that the story of human evolution includes us all.
Now, let's break that down further.
People with highly specialized needs existed thousands of years ago,
and so did compassion, community, altruism.
(05:50):
And in today's time, these are still relevant.
Think about it. Life is so different today than it was in their time.
But the common thread that we have is the ability to care for others who are vulnerable.
This is a selfless act.
(06:10):
If the Neanderthals had compassion on this little child, a six-year-old with
Down syndrome, then what excuse do we have to ignore them or want them locked away in society?
The Neanderthals recognized they had a responsibility to care for this child.
Likewise, we also have a responsibility to show compassion to people with highly specialized needs.
(06:38):
The Neanderthals also proved that when people come together and work together,
beautiful things happen.
The quality of life for others... improves. The main idea of the story is
Tina would not have lasted for six years without love and compassion of an extended family.
(07:00):
It doesn't matter if these people were related to her by blood or not.
Tina's mother had a community that gave her love and support.
They didn't have iPhones or fancy cars, Jordans or six figure salaries.
They had compassion, which resulted in the survival of this six-year-old child.
(07:22):
They didn't let go of Tina or its mother. And that's what I told you in episode fifty-eight.
Don't let go of your loved ones. Don't allow them to be locked away in modern-day
asylums for the convenience of politicians.
We have zero excuse to avoid walking in their footsteps.
(07:43):
Our next stop,Olalla, Washington, USA.
Now, this story is a horse of a different color. It shows what happens when
caregiving goes wrong. It's a story of greed, callousness and sheer evil. It is the story of Dr.
Linda Hazzard. This happened in the 1910s when Dr.
(08:07):
Hazzard went on trial for killing patients who trusted her. Now, I don't know what
Washington was thinking giving this woman a license. She had very little training
and no medical degree. But still,
she was licensed as a fasting specialist.
(08:28):
There was no method to her madness. It was sheer insanity.
She believed food was the root of all disease, specifically if you ate too much of it.
In 1908, she wrote a book and published it.
It was called Fasting for the Cure of Disease.
She wrote, The path to true health was to periodically let the digestive system
(08:55):
rest through near total fast of days or more.
And here's how she did her fast.
Patients had only small servings of vegetable broth and were subjected to daily
enemas and massages that nurses said sometimes sounded more like beatings.
To me, this sounds crazy, but people lined up for it, such as Daisy Maud Haglund.
(09:21):
She was a Norwegian immigrant and she died in 1908 after fasting for 50 days under Hazzard's care.
She was a mother to a three-year-old son, Ivar.
Two more patients of Dr. Hazzard were Claire and Dora Williamson.
Their father was a wealthy English army officer.
The locals called Hazzard's institute (09:44):
Starvation Heights.
Now that's petty, but true. The sisters were staying at the Empress Hotel in
Victoria, British Columbia, when they saw an ad for Hazzard's book.
The sisters wanted to improve their health. They had given up meat and corsets.
(10:05):
And when they read about what Hazzard was doing, they were excited to experience
what Claire called Hazzard's "most beautiful treatment."
The women traveled to Seattle in February 1911. But after signing up for treatment,
they were told the sanitarium in Olalla wasn't ready.
Hazzard settled them into an apartment on Seattle's Capitol Hill and began the treatment.
(10:31):
The women were given a broth made from canned tomatoes twice a day and no more.
She gave them enemas that lasted for hours in a bathtub, and the girls began
to faint during their treatment.
In only two months, the women weighed 70 pounds.
Now, they never told their family where they were going, but their childhood
(10:55):
nurse, Margaret Conway, received
a mysterious cable and it caused her to make a trip to go see them.
Linda Hazzard was a snake and so was her husband.
Samuel Hazzard was an ex-army lieutenant who had gone to jail for bigamy after marrying Linda.
He met Margaret in Vancouver and told her Claire was dead.
(11:18):
They claimed drugs given to Claire in childhood shrunk her internal organs and
caused cirrhosis of the liver.
Claire had been too far gone for their beautiful treatment to save her.
Now, Margaret Conway was no doctor, but she knew something was sneaky about the couple.
When she saw Claire's body, the hands, facial shape, and color of the hair looked wrong to her.
(11:44):
She arrived in Olalla to see that Dora weighed only 50 pounds.
But although Dora was starving to death, she didn't want to leave Olalla. And it got worse.
Dr. Hazzard had been appointed the executor of Claire's estate and Dora's guardian for life.
Dora had also signed over a power of attorney to Samuel Hazzard.
(12:07):
And what did the dastardly doctor and her trash husband do?
They took Claire's clothes, household goods, and jewelry that belonged to the
sisters, Diamonds, sapphires, and other jewels estimated to be worth $6,000.
Dr. Hazzard was shameless.
(12:29):
She drafted a report about Dora's mental state,
gave it to Margaret while wearing one of Claire's robes.
Margaret tried to convince Dr. Hazzard to release Dora, but she was a servant
and she was intimidated by Dr.
Hazzard. So she called an uncle of the sisters, John Herbert, to free Dora.
(12:49):
He had to pay Hazard almost $1,000 to let Dora leave.
Lucian Agassiz, the British vice-consul, stepped in and subsequently Hazzard
went on trial for murder.
Herbert and Agassiz started investigating Hazzard and found she was connected
to the deaths of several other rich people.
(13:10):
Many had signed over large portions of their estates to her before they died.
One was a former state legislator, Louis E. Radar. He owned the property where
her sanitarium was located.
Its original name was Wilderness Heights. When police tried to question him,
he was moved to an undisclosed location and later died in 1911.
(13:36):
Another British patient, John Ivan Flux, had come to America to buy a ranch.
Instead, he died with $70 to his name.
Another man from New Zealand, Eugene Wakelin, was reported to have shot himself
while fasting under Hazzard's care. After Hazzard was appointed a minister of
(13:57):
his estate, she drained it dry.
It was said under Hazzard's care, at least a dozen or more people starved to death.
On August 15, 1911, Hazzard was arrested on charges of first-degree murder for
starving Claire Williamson to death.
Servants and nurses testified how the sisters had cried out in pain during their
(14:21):
treatments, suffered through enemas lasting for hours, and endured baths that scalded at the touch.
The prosecution accused Hazzard of financial starvation as well,
forged checks, letters, and other fraud that had emptied the Williamson estate.
Rumor had it that Hazzard conspired with the Butterworth Mortuary and
(14:46):
switched Claire's body with a healthier one so no one could see how bad Claire looked when she died.
Hazzard took no accountability for the death of Claire or any of her other patients.
According to Hazzard, if you died during a fast, you had something that was going
to kill you anyway. What a cold-hearted monster.
(15:07):
She felt she was being attacked because she was successful and there was a battle
between conventional medicine and more natural methods.
Would you believe others agreed with her and offered her support?
She even brought Christianity into her delusional madness, saying Moses and
John the Baptist all recognized the spiritual power of the fast.
(15:32):
And this is how how some people twist Christianity to further their own agendas.
A lot of people are very good at that. But the jury was having none of her nonsense.
They returned a verdict of manslaughter and she was sentenced to hard labor
in prison in Walla Walla.
Her medical license was revoked.
(15:52):
And never reinstated, even though she was later pardoned by the governor.
She served only two years before moving to New Zealand, and in 1920,
she returned to Olalla to finally build the sanitarium of her dreams,
calling the building a school for health.
Well in 1935, it burned to the ground.
(16:15):
Three years later, Hazzard was in her early 70s. She got sick and underwent a fast of her own.
Now, of course, it didn't work and she died.
This is what happens when compassion goes out the window and greed takes front and center.
Now, how does this relate to mental health? Linda Hazzard was evil, but very intelligent.
(16:40):
She knew food is a motivator for people.
It makes you feel good. The sight and taste of it creates endorphins and feelings of comfort.
But food also provides mental clarity.
When you don't eat well, you can't think properly.
She knew that. So she starved her patients, created a dependency on her because
(17:05):
she wanted them to sign over their wealth to her.
These people really believed she had the power to cure them when in fact, she was killing them.
Well, Dr. Linda Hazzard isn't running this podcast, so let's talk about some food.
Inflation is still in the lead, folks, and some people are griping about the price of fast food.
(17:28):
McDonald's $5 meal deal went on sale yesterday. And what can you get?
A McDouble or McChicken, four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries, and a small soft drink.
As much as people love McDonald's, this is a win-win for them and their customers.
(17:48):
But some people think fast food is overrated.
Seven burgers made the list of being over hyped and over liked.
I'm just putting this out there.... This is not my opinion at all.
I didn't write this article, so don't come for me, okay?
At number one is McDonald's Big Mac.
It's being said there is more bun that completely drowns out the paper thin patties.
(18:13):
The quality of the beef is a joke. The cheese is never melted.
The lettuce is wilted and brown around the edges and the burger tastes like
the bland Big Mac sauce. Wow.
Okay. Number two, Burger King's Whopper.
According to the article, they don't know a single person who actually chooses
(18:36):
to eat there and they bet you don't either.
They question how does Burger King stay in business?
According to the article, the Whopper is dry and flavorless with sad looking
vegetables and is often poorly made.
In their words, Burger King just needs to give up.
(18:58):
Again, these are not my views.
Number three, Five Guys cheeseburger.
According to the article, the cheeseburger is not worth $12.
The burgers are smashed flat with beat up buns.
And the article says the burgers haven't been worth the price since the early 2000s.
(19:20):
Ouch! Number four, White Castle Sliders.
The article says the burger is a soggy wet mess and it also says,
for the love of all things holy,
brown up that meat, toast those buns, and then maybe you'd have an acceptable
burger from White Castle.
(19:41):
Coming up at number five is Arby's burger.
According to the article, the kitchens aren't set up for making burgers.
There's no griddle so the beef is
pre-cooked then reheated with a quick dip
in the fryer and this makes the burgers have a rubbery texture. Coming in at
(20:02):
number six is Wendy's Baconator. The article says it's six slices of bacon. Thin
and tasteless and the square beef patties are always gray,
dry, and falling apart.
They close with, "the novelty of this burger has long worn off."
(20:23):
Coming in at unlucky number seven, the In-N-Out Burger's Double Double.
It was said that people put this burger on a pedestal, and although it's only
available in a small part of the U.S., the burger is thin and dry,
and no amount of vegetables will make up for that.
(20:44):
Wow, somebody really pissed them off with this food. But I digress...
Our next stop, Kenya, Africa. There's so much loss here. Lost children, lost innocence.
But what I find inspiring is the "found" part of it. The women have found their
(21:05):
voices and the courage to stand up
and make the men who violated them take accountability for their actions.
For several decades, allegedly, hundreds of women were raped by British troops,
and this was during training stints in Kenya.
As a result, dozens of mixed-race kids are still being born,
(21:28):
and their mothers are struggling to take care of them.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The British soldiers aren't being held accountable by their government.
Remember in a previous episode, I told you about Korean female rape victims.
They were called 'comfort women' and they were violated by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
(21:53):
According to Marion Matugi, these children really deserve British citizenship. They are British kids.
Their fathers were British.
According to CNN, even though some locals have opposed it, the UK pays Kenya
around $400,000 a year for their soldiers to train in Laikipia and Samburu.
(22:16):
The Batuk is based in Nanyuki, Kenya.
And has 100 full-time staff. And the British government isn't interested in finding a resolution.
Matugi says, we call it BBBB, British Boys Behaving Badly.
Number one, these aren't boys, they're men. And allegedly, rapists.
(22:41):
It's really irritating to me when people paint violating women with the "Boys
Will Be Boys" brush. These are grown-ass men. They're not cheating in a game.
Allegedly, they're raping women. To phrase it this way, is disrespectful and irresponsible.
Marian Pannalossy is 17 and she lives in Archer's Post, a small town 200 miles north of Nairobi.
(23:10):
She is one of many lost children. She told CNN she feels ostracized because she is light-skinned.
It's rare to see mixed-race people living where she lives.
According to her, the locals call her a poor white girl.
They always say, why are you here? Just look for connections so that you can go to your own people.
(23:33):
You don't belong here. You're not supposed to be here suffering.
Rape allegations go as far back as the 1950s.
And in 2012, allegedly, a 21-year-old woman entered a hotel with British troops.
Her body was later found in a septic tank.
(23:55):
But even though the soldier was outed by his peers for allegedly killing her,
he has never faced trial.
In 2007, 2,187 Kenyan women claimed they were raped.
But the U.K. Defense Ministry says there was no reliable evidence to support
any single allegation, and therefore they dismissed the claims.
(24:18):
The Royal Military Police investigators say the Kenyan evidence was fabricated
and they never conducted DNA tests on any of the children born to the alleged victims.
In 2009, some women testified that they were preyed on by British soldiers during their daily chores.
But Kenya's Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission claims the government lost the case files.
(24:45):
Of course they did. According to the
2009 report, the most horrific allegation
of rape is said to have occurred in October of 1997.
And this happened at Archer's Post
where soldiers from the UK gang raped
30 women often at knife point and sometimes in the victim's own compound. Well,
(25:08):
some of these victims may have have their day in court because a recent clause
now allows British soldiers to be sued in Kenyan courts.
Attorney Kelvin Kubai, who is representing the alleged rape victims,
wants to reopen rape charges against Batak troops.
The case involves over 300 women, and he says the Kenyan legal system offers
(25:33):
a better redress than what is available in the UK.
What's awesome? Under Kenyan law,
human rights violations have no statute of limitations.
Even for victims violated decades ago, if they win, they are still entitled to compensation.
Kubai told CNN, it is traumatic and psychologically disturbing to people to
(25:58):
continue to see the British training amidst them with all these unresolved trauma
and historical injustices.
We can win because we have a very progressive constitution.
And I hope they do. One of the most disturbing questions I see is, "Why did she wait so long?"
There is never a time limit for a victim to come forward and say that she was violated.
(26:24):
No means no... anywhere in the world. I don't even want to think about the trauma
left behind for the children.
In episode 60, we talked about attachment styles and how they impacted kids' development.
And sometimes attachment styles can affect people throughout their entire lifespan.
Think of Marian and other kids like her.
(26:44):
What heartbreaking lives they must lead, but out of the ashes,
their mothers have found the courage to take on the UK government.
And I'm rooting for them. That was a tough story. Since our weekends are supposed
to be fun and relaxing, I'll leave you on a lighter note.
Let's talk about some food combinations that some think are an abomination.
(27:08):
Now, I won't say they're that bad, but some are pretty gross.
Number one, the cheeseburger donut.
Some feel it's great to eat a cheeseburger and a donut... just not together.
I'm on the fence about this one. I might try it. Maybe. Just a bite.
(27:29):
Number two is white chocolate wasabi truffles.
Now, white chocolate is delicious, but I'm not so sure about something that
tastes like horseradish.
That combination, I'm going to say... pass.
Number three is sardine and grape salad.
Now, this might be a hit in Greece, but I'm not trying it. It's a combo with
(27:53):
salty sardines, sweet grapes, and spicy arugula.
Topped with a light vinaigrette, it's still not something I would try.
Number four is soy sauce vanilla ice cream.
As soon as I saw soy sauce, it's a definite no. Some flavors should not be combined.
(28:14):
Pass, yuck, and bye.
Number five, clam chowder ice cream. I take it back. Now that is an abomination.
Clams, potatoes, and celery blended with ice cream and molded into a popsicle.
You can keep that, but hey, it might work for some, just not for me.
(28:36):
And finally, we have Kool-Aid pickles.
Again, I like Kool-Aid and I like pickles, but adding pickle juice inside Kool-Aid is a no.
And that's all for our nasty, asty, asty food combinations, people.
I think we've had quite enough of that. Our last stop, South Korea.
(29:00):
When I tell you I am cheering all the way from USA for South Korea,
I am because South Korea has finally found the light.
As it pertains to mental health, that is. Their president, Yoon Suk-Yeol,
is dedicated to expanding state support and changing the general perception
(29:22):
towards mental illness in Seoul.
Now, if you know anything about South Korea, there is a huge stigma regarding mental health.
As of now, no young people ages 20 to 34 under South Korean rules can get mental
health checkups more than once every 10 years through the National Health Insurance Service.
(29:46):
Well, that's going to change. The government is going to expand the state budget
to address people's mental health starting next year.
The state support package is estimated to cost roughly $300 billion, which in the U.S.
Is $215.7 million.
(30:08):
Yoon said social stigma towards people with mental illness is the biggest obstacle
in their treatment. And creating an understanding that those living with mental
illnesses can receive treatment and do not pose a threat to others.
And this will become a national priority through the end of his tenure in 2027.
(30:30):
Go South Korea! This is excellent news!
And here's more. At least 1 million South Koreans would have access to mental
health counseling services beginning in July.
Yoon's goal is to fulfill the 1 million mark until his five-year term ends in 2027.
(30:50):
Every citizen who needs mental health treatment would receive eight counseling
sessions, and they'll be partially or entirely reimbursed by the state,
depending on the person's income level.
His office estimates at least 80,000 people will be using counseling services
by the end of the year, and up to 500,000 people will gain access by 2027.
(31:16):
According to Yoon, the counseling services are aimed at preventing mental health
struggles caused by a highly competitive society.
Also, starting in January of next year, young adults will be eligible for state-backed
mental health checkups every two years.
They are also looking to add one center and hire more crisis counselors for
(31:41):
its National Suicide Prevention Hotline and they need it.
The suicide rate is so high over there.
And I'm so happy and relieved that people who need mental health treatment are finally going to get it.
Yoon said, many citizens are suffering from depression and anxiety because of
(32:02):
excessive competition in the society.
Early detection of mental illness is important.
He's also looking to increase mental health emergency emergency medical centers,
and the number of hospital beds inside the centers.
They're going to build more mental rehabilitation facilities across the country,
and 50 new houses will be provided for those needing mental health care.
(32:25):
Seoul hopes the renewed plan will help cut the national suicide rate in half by 2030.
And here's why it's important. South Korea alone has had the highest suicide
rate among 38 nations for almost 20 years.
That's a long time. How many K-pop stars have they lost to suicide?
(32:48):
How many Korean actors and actresses? Far too many.
In 2022 alone, South Korea recorded 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
South Korea's life satisfaction level ranked 35th.
38 nations between 2020 and 2022.
(33:10):
I can't tell you how long we've waited for mental health to be addressed in
South Korea. Finally, it's happening.
This is a huge win for the people of South Korea.
Everyone all across the world deserves mental health treatment.
I agree with their president.
Social stigma is the enemy, and it doesn't help people who need proper mental
(33:34):
health treatment. We have opened and closed this episode on a good note,
with one word summing up the name of the game (33:39):
compassion.
People, I could sit here and talk to you all day, but I'm out of time.
If you enjoyed today's episode, feel free to follow me. By now you know where!
Podbean, Samsung, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube Music, and more.
(34:04):
The weekend is here, folks. So I want you to be good to yourselves.
Before I go, I want to give a special shout out to the new countries that have
joined our Amerisogyny podcast! (34:13):
)
Hello and welcome to Bangladesh, Romania, Israel, Monaco, Somalia, Turkey, and Slovakia!!
Welcome friends and thank you
for listening to the Amerisogyny podcast! Make sure you tune in every week because
(34:39):
I'll be back with more stories. Be easy. Have a good weekend! Take care of yourselves. And as always...
God....bless! Music.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.