The Medical Detectives
Episode: Sleuth Stories: The Nuclear Whistleblower
Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Dr. Erin Nance (Orthopedic Surgeon)
Guest Co-host: Molly Biscar (Producer, filling in for Anna O’Brien)
Podcast by: Soft Skills Media
Episode Overview
This special episode flips the usual Medical Detectives script: producer Molly Biscar steps in for Anna to share the remarkable true story of Dr. Alice Stewart—the pioneering British physician and “medical sleuth” whose trailblazing research linked childhood cancer to prenatal X-rays. Dr. Nance and Molly break down Stewart’s relentless quest for answers, the immense resistance she faced, and the broader lessons about whistleblowers, medical culture, and how groundbreaking insights often originate from those willing to question the status quo. The story is framed in an accessible, story-driven, and justice-seeking tone, and connects past and present in medicine, especially around gender biases and patient advocacy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Avocado Hand, ER Care & the Importance of Second Opinions ([00:05]–[04:19])
- Molly recounts her recent hand injury (“avocado hand”) and the difference between ER triage versus specialist care.
- Dr. Nance: “ER doctors and ERPAs are doing incredible, amazing things... But when it comes to a specific injury, you have to check in with the expert.” [02:54]
- Takeaway: The ER’s job is immediate triage, not long-term, specialized recovery. Double-check with appropriate specialists for best outcomes.
2. Introducing Dr. Alice Stewart: The Original Medical Sleuth ([04:19]–[09:26])
- Molly introduces Dr. Alice Stewart, describing her as the “original medical detective.”
- Stewart’s Background:
- Born in 1906 Sheffield, England to pioneering doctor parents.
- Mother was among UK’s first female physicians; instilled curiosity and a focus on why people get sick, not just how to treat them.
- Early experience of sexism: “...as she was walking down the lecture hall, getting further and further down, they started to pound on the desks...” [08:04]
3. Stewart’s Early Wins: Solving the Royal Ordnance Factory Mystery ([09:26]–[15:37])
- During WWII, Stewart was called to investigate factory workers with mysterious liver failure.
- Used surveys, mapping exposures, and blood tests to solve the puzzle—discovered TNT was the culprit.
- This work pivoted her from clinical to epidemiological focus.
- Dr. Nance (on root causes):
- “Sometimes a diagnosis is really more a description and not the quote, quote, unquote, root cause. Why? Right? Are you sick?... That is really the root or the origin.” [13:17]
- Shares personal story: Her grandfather’s union (plumbers) was the primary study subject linking asbestos and mesothelioma. [14:25]
4. The Childhood Cancer Mystery: Epidemiology Against All Odds ([15:37]–[20:00])
- Stewart attempted a large-scale study to uncover the sudden postwar rise in childhood cancers.
- Was denied funding (likely sexism), but managed with a small NHS grant and innovative methodology, using NHS records and mother interviews.
- Received skepticism for trusting mothers' recall; Stewart insisted on its reliability.
- Surveys revealed a clear, troubling pattern: mothers of children who died from cancer had been X-rayed twice as often during pregnancy.
5. The Discovery—and the Backlash ([20:00]–[32:17])
- Discovery: In-utero X-rays caused a significant increase in childhood cancers.
- X-rays were pervasive in medicine and beyond (shoe stores, beauty treatments, amusement parks).
- Stewart published in The Lancet (1956) and presented to skeptical panels.
- Dr. Nance: “There is no MRI, there is no ultrasound... this is really a lifeline for the doctors...” [24:05]
- Heavy backlash from medical community, especially from leading epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll, who publicly discredited Stewart despite later evidence.
- Stewart became marginalized: “Stuart was made out to be a fraud and a liar. She was up against an entire system.” [25:22]
6. The Personal Cost of Whistleblowing in Medicine ([29:13]–[36:02])
- Dr. Nance:
- “Life is not easy for the whistleblowers... she is coming with the receipts. And the thing is that they don’t want to hear it.” [29:13]
- Discusses reluctance in medicine to admit fault: “...doctors are ostriches with their head in the sand.”
- Stewart persisted, self-funding further research, refining methodologies, collaborating with statistician George Neal for larger, international surveys.
7. The Tide Turns—But Credit Delayed ([36:02]–[39:41])
- An American male doctor, Brian MacMahon, replicated Stewart’s findings using hospital records; only then did the medical world accept the link between prenatal X-rays and childhood cancer.
- Regulations changed worldwide because of these findings—thanks to Stewart’s original work, though recognition was slow to follow.
8. Lasting Impact, Ongoing Gender Bias, and Occupational Hazards ([39:41]–[47:53])
- Dr. Nance shares contemporary connections:
- Female orthopedic surgeons have a higher rate of radiation-related cancers, yet lead protection gear is often ill-fitting for women. [41:45]
- Personal pregnancy story: Required to wear a visible badge (with a fetus image) disclosing pregnancy to track fetal radiation exposure. [44:15]
- Discussion on occupational risks, the difficulty of systemic change, and ongoing challenges women face in medicine.
9. Broader Lessons: Research Bias, Medical Error, and Patient Advocacy ([47:53]–[50:57])
- Hard-won change still the norm: “It wasn’t until a man replicated the study that there was any credibility...”
- Difficulty of “gold-standard” research on vulnerable populations (pregnant women, children).
- Medical errors and iatrogenic harm remain leading causes of death—many only addressed after patient/whistleblower advocacy.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- Molly, on Stewart’s legacy:
“Dr. Alice Stewart was a medical detective... but she also was a woman who wouldn’t give up, which I think is every woman that we’ve talked to on this show.” [39:17] - Dr. Nance, on medical whistleblowers:
“She is coming with the receipts. And the thing is that they don’t want to hear it...Because not only do they not want to give up their latest fancy tool, but in the end it makes them complicit in the harm done to these children.” [29:13] - On continuing challenges for women in medicine:
“Female orthopedic surgeons have a four times higher risk of breast cancer than the general female population. And that is directly linked to the amount of X-ray that we are doing as part of our job. And most of the times...lead shields are not made for us.” [39:41] - On skepticism of patient recall:
“Our whole premise of this show [is] that patients know these cases and their lived experience should be heard...doctors said ‘Oh, they don’t know what they’re talking about.’” [36:36]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- ER vs Specialist Care & “Avocado Hand”: 00:05 – 04:19
- Dr. Alice Stewart’s Early Life & Training: 04:19 – 09:26
- War-era Detective Work & TNT Discovery: 09:26 – 15:37
- The Childhood Cancer Study & Challenges: 15:37 – 20:00
- Linking X-rays to Cancer—Finding & Fallout: 20:00 – 32:17
- Backlash, Persistence & Whistleblowing: 29:13 – 36:02
- Acceptance of Evidence & Gendered Recognition: 36:02 – 39:41
- Occupational Hazards for Today’s Women Doctors: 39:41 – 47:53
- Research Bias, Errors, and Patient Advocacy: 47:53 – 50:57
Conclusion
This episode of The Medical Detectives shines a light on Dr. Alice Stewart’s courageous, justice-fueled medical sleuthing—and the toxic resistance that too often greets those who challenge harmful norms. It exposes recurring themes of institutional denial, the erasure of women’s contributions, and the necessity (and risk) of persistent advocacy. Dr. Stewart’s story is framed as both a historical cautionary tale and a rallying cry for contemporary listeners—especially women and anyone living with unaddressed harm from the medical system.
If you enjoyed this story-driven episode with a historical sleuthing twist, let the hosts know—more groundbreaking tales of medical whistleblowers and pioneers await.