Incubators: The Coney Island SideshowWhy premature babies were displayed at amusement parks

From the show

The Secret Life of Objects

Medical establishments initially rejected Dr. Martin Couney’s life-saving invention, forcing him to take desperate measures. To save premature infants, he displayed them as a paid attraction on the boardwalks of Coney Island. This controversial sideshow funded the care that hospitals refused to provide, ultimately saving thousands of lives.