29-33 Summary and Analysis

Chiropractic:

Chiropracty is a quack, bunk science, and quack chiropractors seem to have sprung up all over time. The madness was started with Andrew Still, who perverted the science of osteopathy. The quackery was furthered by a man named Palmer, who taught anyone and everyone the technique. Now, instead of learned medical people, chiropractors are retired baseball players or piano-movers with no anatomical knowledge. Mencken is convinced that chiropractors do no good, and in fact harm ailing patients. In Mencken's typical sarcastic fashion, he welcomes the deaths of these patients, as it would mean less stupid people in the world.

Mencken is willing to admit there may be some beneficial effect of chiropracty, but that it must be studied scientifically by medical experts. Mencken offers any medical expert "cigars and music" if they will gather together and properly evaluate chiropractic medicine...