FTCA Podcast #116 - "Chiropractic" - A 1924 Essay by H.L. Mencken

Dr. Bobby Maybee reads and reacts to H.L. Mencken’s scathing 1924 essay

that brands chiropractic as quackery based on the subluxation idea and

crude manual adjustments, contrasting it with osteopathy’s move toward

scientific training. He concedes Mencken’s critique fit many early

chiropractors and still shapes public perception, while noting Mencken’s

use of provocative satire and problematic personal views. Modern research

validates some spinal manipulation benefits but not the original

subluxation model, so Maybee urges evidence‑informed practice, clinical

excellence, restraint on social media, and engagement with professional

communities.