They called him "The Frank Sinatra of France" - which we assume means he drank a lot and cheated on his wife.
His high-protein, low-carbohydrate approach to weight loss differed radically from the conventional wisdom of the medical establishment, and was widely criticized as risky. Nevertheless, Atkins steadfastly maintained that his dietary recommendations would lead to nothing more dangerous than a diminished sense of balance. He died of injuries sustained when he fell and hit his head on the sidewalk.
(d) April 17th, 2003