Temple University School of Chiropody - Tempodian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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tClje i ej — 1023 Cfjiropobtal ©rtljopebics Chiropodial Orthopedics may be defined as the Gehenna of the chiropody student and the Nirvana of the practitioner; the student hears a never ending array of technical terms, new conditions, classifications and mechanical considerations; the practitioner sees in it a solution to many problems that in previous years have annoyed him and his patients, conditions that at one time he wondered about, but with his knowledge on a firm foundation, he now knows about. Ten years ago, some of the progressive members of the chiropodial profession realized that they were becoming a class of commercialized individuals, a group that the manufacturer of appliances for the relief (save the mark) was reaping large dividends from yearly, he brought them appliances and they, because their knowledge of foot mechanics was meagre, became over-night converts to any wildcat theory that was promulgated, because the Colonel Mulberry Sellers of the manufacturers told them there was money in it.” The progressive ones knew that only by education and full knowledge of all of the component parts of the foot and its mechanics could the profession ever hope to attain any standing and demand from other professions and the public the respect that was rightfully theirs, but that was being bartered for filthy lucre. Courses were laid out. a number of representative schools were asked to foster Schools of Chiropody. Boards of Licensure were asked to examine the persons who wished to practice on the human foot, and to pass on their ability to do so. This was in line with the governing of other professions by State bodies. This was at once a great step in advance and soon bore fruit. Among the courses that was advocated, was one that was intended to apply the orthopedic principles of treatment to the foot, in so far as the law allowed a chiropodist to go. This subject was designated Chiropodial Orthopedics, in contradistinction to Orthopedic Surgery, the subject that has long been in the curricula of medical schools. Be it remembered that Orthopedic Surgery in medicine had an humble beginning; the first orthopedists were brace makers and were so considered by all of the rest of the medical profession; in fact when someone suggested to a general surgeon of high repute, that an orthopedist should be allowed to operate on deformities, he remarked. “What, let a blacksmith operate?” and only within the last few years the writer was asked by a general surgeon, What right has an orthopedic surgeon to exist?” He found out. to his sorrow, in a personal experience that the general surgeon had to step aside for the man who was trained in the mechanical principles of therapeutics. The same thing holds true in Chiropodial Orthopedics; my first lectures were, I considered, all embracing, but each year I find, as the subject grows and more knowledge comes, that first impressions were as those of a child. To fully understand this broad subject, one must have a knowledge of essentials. Were I asked. How can one master this subject? I should reply, study the anatomy of the foot until you know every structure in it, and the 13

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Clinicians’ -picture Front Row—Ix ft to right: Adam M. Hall, Lena A. Burtis, Rac E. Dougherty, James R. Bennie, Elsie M. Reckard, Margaret M. Carts, Emil R. Cronlund. Middle Row—Ix ft to right: Joseph Strange, Joseph Kantor, Ernest 0. May, Rudolph B. Willrich, L. L. Mayer, Mary Langan. Top Row—Left to right: Frank E. McHale, William Ziegler, H. Sabel, Raymond Blefgen, Carroll L. Moorehead, C. Gordon Rowe, Victor Hite. 12

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Cfje l ep — 1023 relations of the various structures one to another. Then study the physiology and pathology of the various types of structure that enter into the human foot, for almost every condition known to medicine, except generalized conditions, and even some of these have pedal manifestations, can be seen at one time or another in the foot. The therapeutics of these diseases has far-reaching ramifications. Certain of them will respond to direct local treatment. Others again require systemic treatment, and here the chiropodist must step aside for the physician. One should ground himself in local, external treatment, lotions, ointments, massage, passive motion, electricity, the proper application of heat and cold, and all the other measures that are of use in the local treatment of disease conditions. Furthermore, there should be a thorough understanding of rest and its application, by means of rest in bed, partial rest, so that an extremity may be rested, appliances for promoting this rest, appliances for the support and correction of deformities and weakness, the materials that are best fitted for such appliances and the materials that will best meet the requirements of the case under consideration. There is enough for the Chiropodial Chiropodist to do, without his wishing to infringe on the surgical fields. If he knows his own subject so well that he can correctly advise and treat the individuals who apply to him for relief, he has reached a pinnacle that all men may well envy. His field is only limited by himself, his location and his ability to work hard and conscientiously. “When a man builds a better mouse trap than his neighbor, the world will wear a path to his door. When a chiropodist knows the human foot as he should know it, he will have very little time for leisure and his patients will only be limited by his physical ability to attend them. First, be a good chiropodist, then if the demand or your inclination is to specialize, train yourself in your specialty, but do not try to do it the first two or three years that you are in practice; spend that time in gaining a knowledge of feet and people. Above all when you specialize do not hang out a sign or have posters printed in blazing letters, so that they who limp may read, “ Dr. John Smith, Chiropodial Orthopedist. The world is full of cults, the dictionaries must be revised often, to keep abreast of the mushroom medical cults; this sign would only add another line in the dictionary and another cult for people to wonder about. The best medical men I know have signs that signify nothing except that they are Doctors of Medicine, you do not see signs reading Diagnostician, Surgeon, Ophthalmologist, Orthopedist, etc. Why then, if you are a chiropodist, try to advertise to the world that you are something else? By their works shall ye know them. 14 Arthur D. Kurtz, M.D.