Judge, 1929-05-25 · page 35 of 36
Judge — May 25, 1929 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **advertising disguised as public service journalism**—a four-panel cartoon by Washburn Crosby Company (Gold Medal Flour) attacking "food faddists." The cartoon follows a con man character ("Doc Hokum") from 1900 to 1929, showing his evolving fraudulent pitches: a circus performer (1900), a wellness scheme promoter (1905), a doctor selling dubious health guarantees (1910), and finally a self-proclaimed "scientist" hawking books about bread's dangers (1929). The satire targets **dietary pseudoscience and quack doctors**—people selling false health claims. The accompanying text warns readers not to follow food fad literature, but instead consult licensed doctors or dietitians. **The irony**: This is actually a **flour company's advertisement** positioned as consumer protection. By discrediting "faddists," they're implicitly endorsing bread as safe and healthy—and selling their own product as trustworthy. The "free booklet" is marketing material disguised as authoritative nutritional advice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
n_ the Trail of a Faker-::- aan <¥ HOKUM IN 1900 nOxoR ‘oh -——,. —- ——— wont at ZW" HOKUM, OLD TIMER, YOULL | HAVE TO FIND A NEW \ RACKET, TH'FOUGS WONT | || FALL FOR TH'OLD STUFF | | ANY MORE, PEOPLE ARE | | ALL AFRAID OF ILL HEALTHY j MAYBE 1CAN FINO SONE } DOUGH IN BREAD? / aie THE ALL POWERFUL PAST - PRESENT - FUTURE This cartoon is published in an effort to awaken the public to the danger of following the literature and advice of food faddists or fakers when they should depend on a licensed doctor or dietitian for correct diet information. @ To anyone interested, we shall be glad to mail, without charge, a copy of “Facts About Bread and its Rightful Place in the Diet”—a booklet containing statements by the country’s most eminent nutritional authorities. ‘@ Address Dept. 317, Washburn Crosby Company, millers of Gold Medal Flour, Minneapolis, Minnesota. COPYR.. 1979, GENERAL MILLS, INC. comicbooks.com