Leonard Keene Hirshberg: Anataomy of a Quack (4 binders filled with related ephemera, reproductions, and articles)

Leonard Keene Hirshberg; Jean-Maurice Poitras; Henry Louis Mencken

Jean-Maurice Poitras, 1981

[The History of Medical Quackery: Unique Source Material] Four thick, voluminous, three-ring binders. The binders are filled with the original research of Dr. Jean-Maurice Poitras of Towson, MD.  Dr. Poitras compiled a wealth of source material to write a manuscript of the life of Dr. Leonard K. Hirshberg (1877 - 1969).  Hirshberg was an American physician who was convicted of mail fraud in 1922.  Hirshberg was born in Baltimore to a Jewish family and obtained a M.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1902.  He had a successful career as a popular health writer with his articles appearing in mainstream medical columns and journals.  In 1909 he collaborated with H. L. Mencken on a series of baby care articles, these were published in What You Ought to Know About Your Baby (1910).  Poitras compiled these binders between 1981 - 1990s.  He includes numerous letters with Johns Hopkins officials, retired doctors, his attempts to reach Hirsberg's widow and associates, etc.  Poitras wrote an article on the relationship of Hirshberg and Mencken published in Menckeniana in 1986 (his original copies are included).  He intended to write additional articles for the American Medical Association and was working on a book on Hirshberg, but appears to never have published the work.  His background research, a mountain of evidence, and his independent investigation into Hirshberg's medical quackery and dubious schemes are provided here with many of his original notes and a large number of photocopies of news articles and letters on Hirshberg's dealings.  Includes original copies of "Complete ABC Calorie Counter Diet Guide," and, "The Action of Light as a Therapeutic Agent," both by Hirshburg, 1904.  

After retiring from medical practice, Poitras and his wife operated a large (80,000 volume) medical history used book business. History of Medicine.