When America's Big Medical Worry Was 'The Busy Man'
In DepthFrom 1923–1949, the American Medical Association published Hygeia, an educational health magazine for the American public.
Where today you might find Highlights Magazine, Men’s Health, or Prevention at the doctor’s office, Hygeia once filled that role. It frequently included activities to entertain youth, along with health-related articles for their parents. Schools and libraries subscribed—the magazine was a common classroom resource—as well as individuals. In 1950, the magazine became Today’s Health, which continued publication until 1976.
Along with articles and activities, Hygeia included a wealth of advertisements. Here, we take a look at those focused on men and work. These ads often tie men’s health issues to work stresses (or, in one ad, boys’ health to school posture). One in particular, a Parke Davis and Company ad from March 1936, shows a commuting man reading a newspaper and states, “The greatest problem Medicine faces today is to get the average person to take advantage, in time, of the help it has to offer him.” This problem continues today: Men are more likely than women to smoke, drink, make other choices detrimental to health, and delay seeking medical attention. A series of Parke Davis ads—along with ads from other companies—shows the dangers for men who neglect medical problems, often choosing work over seeking care.
Eastman Kodak, 1936:
American Seating Company, 1936:
Metropolitan Life Insurance, 1936:
Parke Davis, 1945:
Parke Davis, 1945:
SoftLite Lenses, 1945: