Doctor Dan the Bandage Man
| Company type | Book series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Founder | Simon & Schuster |
| Parent | Penguin Random House |
Doctor Dan the Bandage Man is a children's storybook first released in 1950 that serves to promote adhesive bandage usage. Originally, it was distributed together with six Band-Aid brand bandages (later editions included only two). The book was developed by publisher Simon & Schuster and issued as part of their Little Golden Books collection in partnership with Band-Aid producer Johnson & Johnson. Authorship is credited to Helen Gaspard, with illustrations by Corinne Malvern.
Plot
The narrative centers on a boy named Dan who, after receiving a minor scratch, is given a Band-Aid by his mother. He proceeds to assist his wounded sister, her doll, their pet dog, and his father, which leads to him being called "Doctor Dan."
Popularity
Doctor Dan debuted with an initial print quantity of 1.75 million copies, marking the largest first printing in the history of the Little Golden Books series at that time. It rapidly became one of the series’ best-selling titles. The book continues to be published by the current rights holder, Penguin Random House, and is preserved within the collection of the National Museum of American History.
Related media
In 1950, an audio version was produced by Golden Records and distributed through Simon & Schuster. A comparable book titled Nurse Nancy, aimed at girls and also featuring Band-Aids, was released in 1952. Additionally, a follow-up volume called Doctor Dan at the Circus, authored by Pauline Wilkins and illustrated by Katherine Sampson, appeared in 1960 under Golden Press.
Translations
In 2011, a Dutch edition translated by novelist Nicolaas Matsier was published.