Samuel Jay Crumbine
Born	(1862-09-17)September 17, 1862 Emlenton, Pennsylvania
Died	July 12, 1954(1954-07-12) (aged 91) Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City
Known for	Public health initiatives against communicable diseases
Medical career
Profession	Physician

Dr. Samuel Jay Crumbine (September 17, 1862 – July 12, 1954) was an American physician and public health official who introduced numerous initiatives to stop the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, mostly in the state of Kansas. He campaigned against the common drinking cup, the common towel, and spitting in public to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. He was also involved in the creation of the modern flyswatter with his "Swat the Fly" campaign, which was designed to stop the spread of diseases from flies and other insects. He is credited with creating the term "flyswatter".

Early life and education[edit]

Crumbine was born on September 17, 1862, in Emlenton, Pennsylvania, to Samuel D. Crumbine and Sarah Crumbine (née Mull). He initially worked as a prescription clerk in Cincinnati before moving to Spearville, Kansas, to operate a drug store. He would return to Cincinnati for schooling, graduating from the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery in 1888.^[1]

Career[edit]

Private practice in Dodge City[edit]

After graduating, Crumbine moved to Dodge City, Kansas, to set up his medical practice.^[1]

Public health campaigns[edit]

In 1899, he was appointed to the Kansas State Board of Health, where he became the executive officer by 1904.

While Crumbine was at a baseball game, he heard an excited fan shout "did you see him swat that fly!" in reference to a home run hit over the fence. After that, he encouraged the public to "swat the fly" to combat the health hazards of the insect. After this slogan was adopted, Frank Rose of Weir, Kansas, made "fly bats" out of leftover pieces of window screen which they attached to metersticks. Rose showed Crumbine his device, which Crumbine named the "fly swatter," a name which has since stuck. Fly swatters would soon be handed out at the Kansas State Fair, county fairs, and local anti-fly parades.^[2]

In 1907, Crumbine quit his private practice to pursue a vigorous public health campaign throughout the state of Kansas.^[1] Serving as executive officer, he oversaw efforts to keep Kansans educated and well aware of both the Spanish flu epidemic and preventative measures people can take to avoid the spread.^[3]

Crumbine also led campaigns targeting the spread of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases. After noticing tuberculosis patients spitting on the floors of trains and sharing drink cups without first rinsing them, he advocated for the outlawing of spitting in public and for the removal of the common drinking cup on railroads and public buildings, opting for disposable paper cups instead. He also convinced local brick manufacturers to imprint "don't spit on the sidewalk" on their bricks, which were distributed domestically and internationally. Other efforts included switching reusable roller towels with paper towels and warning the public of misleading labels on food and drugs. These campaigns made Crumbine a global name in public health.^[4]

Later career[edit]

In 1911, Crumbine was appointed the dean of the University of Kansas Medical Center, which he would serve as until 1923, when he moved to New York City to serve as the executive director of the American Child Health Association. He retired to Long Island in 1936, where he would remain until his death on July 12, 1954.^[1]

Legacy[edit]

In 1955, the Crumbine Award was established in honor of him. Each year, the award is presented by members of the food and drug industry to promote public health. He was also the model for the character of Doc Adams on the television show Gunsmoke, played by fellow Kansan Milburn Stone.^[1] In 2017, a statue of Crumbine was erected at the offices of the Kansas Health Institute in downtown Topeka.^[5]

Personal life[edit]

In 1890, Crumbine married Katherine Zuercher.^[1]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Samuel J. Crumbine on Kansapedia