Category Archives: Medicine

Los Angeles Celebrates Christmas, 1913

Posted on December 25, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Dec. 25, 1913: The Times carries a biblical passage across the nameplate (notice the artwork of the new and old Times buildings) and a Page 1 cartoon by Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale. … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Story of Dr. Jenner’ Promotes Vaccination

Posted on January 18, 2021 by lmharnisch

Matthew Boulton as the physician who develops a cure for smallpox in MGM’s 1939 “The Story of Dr. Jenner.” For centuries, smallpox infestations caused massive deaths and disfigurings to civilizations. First appearing in agricultural communities around 10,000 BC, the disease … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Deja Vu All Over Again With COVID-19

Posted on April 27, 2020 by lmharnisch

For more than a month, most of the world has lived in a state of suspended animation as we all deal with the effects of COVID-19. Many are not following guidelines or procedures, griping about the situation, etc., seeming to … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 30, 2019 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1939 Warner Bros. film “A Child Is Born” (working title “Give Me a Child,”) with Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jeffrey Lynn, Gladys George, Gale Page, Spring Byington, Johnnie Davis, Henry O’Neill and John Litel. Screenplay by … Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Medicine, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Los Angeles Celebrates Christmas, 1913

Posted on December 25, 2019 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Dec. 25, 1913: The Times carries a biblical passage across the nameplate (notice the artwork of the new and old Times buildings) and a Page 1 cartoon by Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale. … Continue reading →

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Feb. 12, 1959: Paul Coates – When VD Was ‘Cured’

Posted on February 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Feb. 12, 1959: After World War II, many Americans assumed that penicillin had eliminated venereal disease (STDs to you youngsters). And, no, it was still around. This column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on … Continue reading →

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March 1902: A ‘Cure’ for Anorexia

Posted on February 7, 2019 by lmharnisch

March 5 1902: Apparently lying with a cinder block on the stomach is a “cure” for the “emaciated” woman. “The bony woman is, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the typical creature we know at a glance and summarize as … Continue reading →

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Victor Segno: How to Live 100 Years – Don’t Boil Water!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

For a while, I thought it would be amusing to run advice of A. Victor Segno, my favorite Los Angeles charlatan. Like this item on not boiling water. Look out for the decaying carcasses of dead germs! This item originally … Continue reading →

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Dec. 31, 1907: Old Watchman, Beaten by Robbers, Revealed as Cocaine Addict

Posted on December 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Dec. 31, 1907 Los Angeles His name was W.H. Reynolds and the old watchman for E.H. Howard Contracting had laid out all night after being beaten up and thrown in the weeds … Continue reading →

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Los Angeles Celebrates Christmas, 1913

Posted on December 25, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Dec. 25, 1913: The Times carries a biblical passage across the nameplate (notice the artwork of the new and old Times buildings) and a Page 1 cartoon by Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale. … Continue reading →

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Dec. 23, 1907: Shopping Cures Insanity — An Early Test of Retail Therapy

Posted on December 23, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Dec. 23, 1907 St. Louis, via Direct Wire to The Times Dr. Henry S. Atkins, superintendent of St. Louis’ insane asylum, has found that Christmas is a perfect time to test his … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: 6 Reasons Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill Elizabeth Short — No. 5 Not a Practicing Surgeon

Posted on December 23, 2018 by lmharnisch

Here are six reasons Dr. George Hodel did not kill Elizabeth Short that you will need to know before watching the TNT mini-series “I Am the Night” or listening to the eight-part podcast accompanying the production. Reason No. 5: Dr. … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: 6 Reasons Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill Elizabeth Short — No. 4 Clinic Served Poor Blacks of Bronzeville

Posted on December 22, 2018 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles, May 25, 1944: At a Shinto shrine near City Hall, Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Bowron, second from left, Dr. George M. Uhl and Nicola Giulli of the city housing authority talk to black residents of Bronzeville. Courtesy of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Homicide, LAPD, Medicine, Television, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dec. 20, 1907: Miracle Doctor Fer-Don Cures Man of 90-Foot Tape Worm!

Posted on December 20, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Dec. 20,1907 Los Angeles Mr. C.D. Roberts of 1900 E. Main was feeling a bit unwell. He had bad headaches, an irregular appetite, saw dark spots before his eyes and felt as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1909, LAPD, Medicine, Pasadena, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

An Early Christmas for Children With Terminal Illnesses

Posted on December 13, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. One of the tragic staples in The Times is stories of young cancer patients who received their presents early because they weren’t expected to live until … Continue reading →

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Nov. 19, 1907: Crime Wave Sweeps L.A.

Posted on November 19, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Nov. 19, 1907 Los Angeles An influx of crooks, petty hoodlums and vagrants drawn by good weather and horse racing at Santa Anita are blamed for a siege of crime throughout the … Continue reading →

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Nov. 12, 1947: Pasadena Girl Recovers From Mystery Illness

Posted on November 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project.. Andrea Brodine, 6, for whose life many have prayed since she was stricken by a deadly paralysis two weeks ago, walked again at the Huntington Memorial … Continue reading →

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Oct. 24, 1907: Sanitarium Doctor Tells Patients to ‘Live on Love’ and Forget About Food

Posted on October 24, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Oct. 24, 1907 Los Angeles Upon the suicide in February of Dr. H. Russell Burner, advocate of the “radium milk” cure, his sanitarium at 2033 E. 4th St. was taken over by … Continue reading →

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Oct. 21, 1907: L.A. Doctor Wants to Exterminate Cats Over Their Diet of Diseased Rats

Posted on October 21, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Evel (whom I mistakenly called “Evil”) in the last paragraph was the cat of Kim Cooper and Richard Schave. Oct. 21, 1907 Los Angeles There’s no shortage of opinions on how to … Continue reading →

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Oct. 2, 1907: Patient Dies After Chiropractor Treats Spine With Mallet and Drill

Posted on October 2, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Oct. 2, 1907 Los Angeles If you have back problems, you might try this method, used by “Dr.” Thomas H. Storey, an unlicensed chiropractor : Have the patient lie down with his … Continue reading →

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