Part One: Dr. Sleep: The Australian Psychiatrist Who Made People Sleep Themselves To Death

March 3, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: Casual interview-style podcast episode from Behind the Bastards, blending host-guest banter with historical narrative on a "bastard" figure.
The Key Players:
- Robert Evans: Host, storyteller, and researcher who dives deep into obscure historical villains with dark humor and exhaustive prep (e.g., reading 1-2 books weekly).
- Gabe Dunn: First-time guest, LA-based writer, activist (anti-ICE work), and podcaster (Best Gabe Ever, A Thousand Natural Shocks); fan of the show, brings witty, relatable reactions.
The Vibe: Fun and darkly comedic—mix of morbid fascination, personal anecdotes, and absurd jokes amid horrifying medical history; educational but laced with irreverence.

🗝️ Key Themes & Topics

This Part 1 episode hooks with banter before unpacking Dr. Harry Bailey, Australia's "Doctor Sleep," a quack psychiatrist who turned experimental "deep sleep therapy" into a deadly grift, killing dozens.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Gabe Dunn**
2 (07:43) **Episode Tease: The Real Doctor Sleep**
3 (11:36) **Harry Bailey's Early Life and Rise**
4 (19:01) **Bailey Chooses Psychiatry for Money and Opportunity**
5 (28:25) **State of Australian Psychiatry Pre-Bailey**
6 (33:26) **Deep Sleep Therapy (DST) Origins and Theory**
7 (37:40) **DST Mechanics and Drugs**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Robert sits down with Gabe Dunne to discuss Australia's "Dr. sleep" a man who spent twenty years prescribing two and three weeks comas to his patients for no real reason at all.

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