Philadelphia theatergoers met the character of Pocahontas on stage for the first time in 1808. Many knew her already from poems and romantic sketches of the famous young woman that circulated in newspapers. But theater had a different kind of power. The play, titled The Indian ...read more

In July of 1866, a short story called “The Case of George Dedlow” appeared in the Atlantic Monthly. It’s remembered today as a vivid early description of “phantom limb” pain: Dedlow, the narrator, has lost both arms and both legs in the Civil War, yet he experiences clenching and ...read more

The emergency room is the only type of medical facility in the U.S. where patients have a right to receive care, regardless of whether they carry insurance or not. Intended for quick treatment of people in crisis, emergency departments have become a safety net for all kinds of ...read more