Robert F. MacClemmy

  Robert F. MacClemmy is now prominently known as a manufacturer of New Haven, where he has established a business for the manufacture of the Imperial Health Belt, of which he is the inventor. In this connection he has made valuable contribution to the health restoring and health sustaining devices and the value of his invention is further indicated in the fact that it won the gold medal award at the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.

  Dr. MacClemmy is a native of Philadelphia. He was born April 4, 1876, a son of George T. and Martha Ann MacClemmy, the former a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and the latter of Charleston, South Carolina. The father engaged in the newspaper business for many years and passed away in Baltimore. The mother is also deceased.

  Dr. MacClemmy was the fourth in a family of seven children and in his boyhood he attended school in Philadelphia, after which he went to New York, where he studied osteopathy. His deep interest in health problems led him to study into the needs for improvements in many of the patented health devices. He felt that as yet there had been nothing brought forth that was adequate in the way of correcting positions which are detrimental to health. He recognized, of course, just what a lowered chest, round shoulders and other bad habits of sitting and standing will do for the individual in the misplacement of organs, causing undue strain to be put upon them thus impairing their functions. He studied, too, the question of obesity and its effect not only upon appearance but upon health. He recognized, too, a fact which the medical profession largely acknowledges -- that the introduction into the system of drugs, while it may allay or do away with certain conditions, produces other conditions of equally harmful effect. Thinking broadly and deeply along these lines, Dr. MacClemmy at length brought out the Imperial Health Belt, which after being thoroughly tested in expert manner, proved to equal his expectations. He then decided to engage in its manufacture and in 1907 he came to New Haven to establish his present factory. The trade has now almost outgrown the facilities of the factory, for the belt is being introduced and used throughout the entire country. It keeps the body erect while riding, walking, working or otherwise engaged and reduces large abdomens. It is the highest grade garment of its kind, is extremely comfortable, washable and sanitary. In cases where the abdomen is unduly developed by the accretion of fat or where it protrudes through an abnormal depression of the chest, these conditions are obviated through the use of the belt, which not only holds the abdomen in place but raises all of the upper part of the torso to its normal position, causing rounded shoulders to go back into place, giving an increased space in the thorax and consequent additional breathing power. It is indeed a health brace, as it produces normal conditions, and the normal condition is one of health.

  Dr. MacClemmy was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Ford, of Bangor, Maine, and they have three children: Robert F., who was born in Pittsburgh, January 16, 1910; Dorothy M., born in Pittsburgh, January 15, 1912; and Kathryn G., born in Philadelphia, August 6, 1913.

  Dr. MacClemmy is a Mason, holding membership in Philadelphia Lodge, No. 72, F. & A. M., and he is also identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the New Haven Chamber of Commerce and is interested in all those forces which work for the uplift and development of the city. His own factory in New Haven is one of the most sanitary establishments of the country. He believes in giving his employes every advantage in the way of maintaining health and he has surrounded them with conditions whereby light, air and comfort contribute to the desired result. His life work has indeed been a valuable contribution to health inventions of the country. Others have attempted to infringe upon his patent, but his claim has been sustained in the courts and the worth of his invention is furthermore demonstrated by the jury of awards which gave to him the gold medal for the best brace of the kind at the Panama Pacific Exposition.
 

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