PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICINE ON THE RADIO Alyssa LaGuardia

RADIO AS A MEDIUM First used in the 1920s Forced a listener to actively create visual images “ Tantalizing, yet perplexing new medium” Carried human voice directly into family home Symbiotic relationship between radio stations and

health departments Featured broadcasts with physicians and experts, Q&A

sessions, etc. Use of radio drama

READINGS Baltimore City Health Department: Keeping Well Radio Drama

Dr. Smith of Lemmon Street January 20, 1940 (small pox) More Terrible than Tigers (diphtheria)

Dr. Ashley on ignorance & stupidity – “no pill or powder for that disease”

Calls for vaccination

Also,

Naomi Rogers, “American Medicine and the Politics of Filmmaking: Sister Kenny (RKO, 1946), in Medicine’s Moving Pictures

RADIO CLIP: SISTER KENNY EPISODE 307http://www.myoldradio.com/old-radio-episodes/cavalcade-of-america-sister-kenny-ep-307/17

0 - 1:15 6:30 - 9:44

DUPONT’S CAVALCADE OF AMERICA BROADCASTS Hundreds of 30 minute dramas from October 1935 – March

1953 on CBS and NBC Featured scientific discoveries and the social history of

medicine Told true stories but allowed for dramatic liberties Worked on by historians and writers Hired best actors and full orchestra to accompany the

action DuPont as sponsor: “Better things for better living through

chemistry” Focused on heroes of science and medicine like doctors and nurses

SISTER KENNY EPISODE 307NOVEMBER 20, 1942

Description: The story of the Australian nurse who developed a method of treating Polio.

Cast: Madeleine Carroll, Elizabeth Kenny (author, guest speaker), Betty Garde, Alfred Shirley, Kenny Delmar, Larry Robinson, Will Geer, Karl Swenson, Frank Readick, Adelaide Klein, Everett Sloane, Edwin Jerome, Ted Jewett, Norris Houghton (adaptor), Homer Fickett (producer, director), Clayton Collyer (announcer), Arden Cornwell (composer), Donald Voorhees (conductor)

First Line: The clouds of mystery covered disease. Mystery and fear.

End of Show: After the drama, Madeleine Carroll introduces Sister Elizabeth Kenny who appears on the program, speaking from Minneapolis. Next week, Cavalcade will commemorate the first year of war in 'Road to Victory', narrated by Carl Sandburg. RKO will shortly produce a film based on the life and work of Sister Kenny. This is the National Broadcasting Company.

OTHER SCENES IN THE CLIP

Develops her clinical method  Uses blankets, rubberized cloths, heat packs, and hot compresses Opposes immobilizing children's bodies with plaster casts or braces

Expresses her principles of muscle rehabilitation “Up goes your elbow, out turns your wrist”

Goes to Minneapolis to work on more cases

Kenny treatment centers were opened throughout the U.S. Ex: Sister Kenny Institute in Minneapolis

RESOURCES

http://www.myoldradio.com/old-radio-episodes/cavalcade-of-america-sister-kenny-ep-307/17

http://www.otrr.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/CertFirstLines/CavalcadeOfAmericaPage04

http://www.polioplace.org/people/sister-elizabeth-kenny Media and Medicine Lecture, 11/4/2014 (Graham Mooney,

Ph.D.) Baltimore City Health Department, “Dr. Smith of Lemmon

Street,” Keeping Well Radio Drama No. 45,” 20 January 1940.

Baltimore City Health Department, “More Terrible than Tigers (diphtheria),” Keeping Well Radio Drama No. 197, n.d.