In this episode, we will trace the history of the parathyroid gland, from its identification, to the determination of its function, the understanding of hyperparathyroidism, and of course, the surgical removal of abnormal glands! Along the way we'll meet a Swedish medical student, a rhinoceros, a sea captain, and of course, a number of legends of surgery. 

In the suture tales section, we'll cover the assassination of a famous political figure in the US, and the botched attempts to save his life. Lots of fun and interesting stuff in this episode!

In this 2nd part of a 2-part series on the world-famous cardiac surgeons Drs. DeBakey and Cooley, we cover their life's work, their feud, and eventual reconciliation. In addition, the history of artificial hearts is covered, as well as other topics, including the reason for Jehovah's Witnesses refusing blood transfusions. And in the latest Suture Tales, the Vineberg procedure is brought out of the dustbin of history, given a shake, and covered in detail!