The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-06-28

Ing characteristic Of Chicago's per-
eonality, which the visitor here
nCtice6, 10 the unusual amount OF
attention the public pays to the ac-
ttytties Of the public health service.
Presumably the citizens Of other
cities are - interested in their
physical well being a. Chicagoans
are. but few Of than seem to pur-
sue It with the same xest and mer-
riment that ID shown here period
ically.
The latest stunt which the health
department has pulled for it, pub
lie II the anti-fat campaign. This
campaign was not conducted In the
usual cut-and- dried ofiicial style,
with uninspiring rules and diets
tucked away In odd corners Of the
newspapers. Rather 1t had . dis
tinctly human and unofficial touch
OF sympathy and concern for the
corpufent. DR.. John Dill Robert
son. commissioner Of health, was
prominently featured on the front
pages as stretching out q helping
hand to all his heavy fellow
humans, ready to aid them on the
hard road to slenderness. He even
chose 10 representative fat ladies
from scores Of volunteers and con-
Quoted classes in physical exercise
for them, and planned their scanty
meals. Their various proceedings
and their losses of weight were
printed daily to inspire hundreds Of
other citizens. A local beauty spec
ialist started q rival class OF 10 fat
men and there was. q spirited con-
test in which the winners were the
losers Of superfiuous pounds.
He Believes In Fun.
Some doctors. occupying the
exalted position Of health commits
si0ner, might think that such trivial
and fun provoking doings were be-
meath their dignity, but not SO DR..
Robertson. He maintains that it Is
just such friendly and human side
issues In his work for a healthy
city that make greater progress
possible in the long run.
work Of any public health service,
he said recently when he was
asked how he managed to make the
activities Of his office seem such
family affairs. In the first place,
there are the things that must be
done regularly: the insuring Of .
pure water and milk supply, the
food inspection, plumbing inspec-
ton, and SO forth. The second, and
by far the more important divis-
ion is educational, the spreading Of
Information and advice concerning
physical hygiene. In this work.. OF
course, the interested cooperation Of
the newspapers is absolutely neces-
sary. A health commissioner might
have all the helpful scientific
knowledge in the world but if he
couldn't reach the public it wouldn't
be Of much use. To be of much
value in this position man has to
have more than professional abil-
ity, he has to have-how shall l say
it-a nose for news.
I'm other words, he has to be
able to see how his various pro-
jects will make good feature stOr-
les, he has to get onto the front
pages OF the papers and amuse and
interest his audience before he can
get their attention and educate
them. You know yourself how
bored you feel when some serious
minded person comes along and an
nounces in big words his intention
to educate and reform you and your
wretched kid. You don't listen to
him If you can help it. There is
something in the human makeup
that rebels against being con-
sciously and mechanically i'm
proved.
Health On the Front Page.
Il suppose there are those who
think I lose something in dignity by
my kind of publicity, but 1 gain
something of much more value, the
interest Of the people. And to gain
that l am willing to use methods l
might prefer not to use personally.
Take the anti-fat campaign for in
stance. OF course, this department
is dong work Of much more vital
importance, but the problems of
avoirdupois have universal ap-
peal. Everybody laughs at fat
man. The idea Of a grand civic re-
duction campaign was amusing to
all the slender citizens and offered
4 raw of hone to all the fat ones.