New-York tribune., 1922-02-20
Medical Jury
Finds Against
Glliropractors
Thirteen Eminent Special
isis Declare Theory False.
Claims Absurd and Prac-
ticc Foe of Public Health
Crcdulous Chief Victims
Opposed to All Known Facts
Of Science, Consultants
Report to County Society

A jury Of specialists, all recognized
Is authorities in their fields of mcdi
osl and surgical science. upon com
rleting a searching Investigation Of the
theories and practice Of chiropractic,
made public their findings last night.
They voted unanimously. according
TO a statement issued on the subject,
that chiropractic "is founded on false
theories. that its claims arc prepos-
ferrous, and that its practice is a CON
slant menace to public health
The medical authorities had been
ss,.ed to make the inquiry by George
". Whteside, counsel OF the Medical
Society Of the County o New York.
Their findings arc part Of report,
which Mr.. Whteside made recently to
the society and which embraces the
entire field Of chiropractic activity
schools. clinNs. methods Of publicity.
exploitation Of Astounding cures and
its rcputed poit cal propaganda TO
obtain "the wholesale licensing OF
chiropractors by Legislative cnact-
uent ss provi0od i'm the Nunnigan
bill"
Distinguished Men on Jury
The iurv OF thirteen medical cx-
perts who branded the theor 6 and
practices Of chiropractic healcrs aS
"sbsurd' and q constant menace 10
public health" included Or Nathan
Edwin Brill, specialist IN internal
medicine. associated with the Amerl-
can Cancer Research Society, Mt
Sinai Hospital and other institutions;
Dr.. Charles II. Chetwood consulting
surgeon on ecnitO-urin2ry diseases at
various hospitals. and DR.. Charles a.
Elsberg, neurological specialist as
sociated with numerous institutions
and author Of many works on the sub
jects.
Also on the jury were Or. John A.
Fordyce. consulting specialist to many
hospitals on skin diseases, Dr.. Isidore
friesner, nose. car and throat special
ist connected with various hospitals,
Dr.. Virgil r. Gibney, an orthopedic
eurgeon of international fame; Dr.
Arnold Knapp, eye specialist asso-
Grated with numerOu institutions; DR.
William II. Park, expert on contagious
diseases in the Department Of Health,
Dr. Charles H. Peck. surgeon at the
Roosevelt, French and ruptured and
crippled hospitals; Or. Wendell c.
Phillips. ear nose and throat special
list st institutions; pr A J. Rongy, a
specialist IN women's diseases at nu-
merous hospitals; pr Reginald H.
Sayrc. an expert on dofOrmites OF the
limbs at mang hospitals. and Dr.. ROYAL
Whitman. another we'll known special
ist ON deform.ties.
The verdict of these men was made
public through Reed 3. Dawson, OF
counsel for the New YOrh County Med
jcal Society
"Thc claim of chlropractors.' says
Or. Whitman. that displacements of
the Vcrtobrae Of the spine cause the
numerous diseases from which the
human race suffers hardly deserves
serious consideration. Chiropractic
would be positively harmful in actual
diseases Of the spine and useless in
rearly all the forms Of deformity.
Appeals to Gambling Instinct
"The theory of chiropractic. like the
theories OF other cults Of this class. al
though of no scientific interest, is cs-
sennal TO q remunerative vocation. It
IS essential because il opens wide fields
Of exploitation. lends an air of mystery
TO medical procedure and. above all
makes an appeal to the speculative in
otlnct Of the invalid to take "A chance
IN the medical lottery. however remote
may seem the prospect Of success"
Dr Brill, according TO the statement.
s7Ys: "Chlropractic claims are not
founded on fact hut "a theory which is
readily proven to be absolutely false.
sing TINS theory as a basis it insists
nat al the dangerously communicable
oiseaSes, such aS measles. scarlet fever.
typhoid fever tuberculosis and diph-
Sher a Is we'll as of the heart. kidney.
i'Yer and stomach, are all due to the
same defect and can bc cured bv
manipulation of the spinal column.
ne practice of chiropractic. there.
r"r'. so!,, 49,. IS Of The greatest danger to the
'auses OF infectious. coprunichio ~ si.
.ases are permitted to aoursh. The
bseac4'nf bsrs1f g chiropraetie j. danecrouS
'neas. Anybody qualified hv knovleo~o
OF anatomy. physiology, pathology and
Euo'ic health who searches The text
COOKS prescribed by The schools ~
'Hrropractic can verify this
~ OhetWod SAYS: THAT tho cl.;,,,