Babies were dying of a strange bleeding disorder and doctors couldn’t figure out why. In our premiere episode, “Vitamin K: This vitamin you’ve never heard of may have saved your life,” we learn how Henrik Dam, a biochemist studying cholesterol in baby chicks, unexpectedly stumbles upon the answer. It turns out that vitamin K is key to blood clotting, and lack of it can cause uncontrolled bleeding—in chicks and humans alike. This discovery occurs in Denmark, but it doesn’t take long for Boston hematologist William C. Moloney to put this key finding to good use—traveling all around New England in his rickety blue Dodge testing preoperative patients for this key deficiency.

To access this week's transcripts click here.

Shownotes:
Listen to Dr. Moloney's full oral history, courtesy the of Oral History Archives at Columbia University - LINK
Read the transcripts of Dr. Moloney's oral history - LINK