From The TCA Newsletter On the wall of my private office hangs the Tennessee license of Dr. Lola P. Wells DC, PhC. Her name is hand lettered on her state license in a style popular for the time. Her license number was #88, and she received it in 1924. Dr. Lola Wells was a woman ahead of her time. First, she was a woman in a man’s profession. In 1924 virtually all doctors were men. Women stayed home and kept the house. Second, she was a pioneer chiropractor practicing in a state that was rabidly pro-medical. Chiropractors were specifically unwelcome. Third, she touched patients with her hands to evaluate and treat them. This was surely questionable given the Victorian prudishness of the times. Lola Wells was starving to death for patients. Day after day she sat in her empty clinic hoping that someone, anyone, would show up for care. The dreams and hopes of Lola Wells were slowly wilting away. Little did she know that help was soon to arrive in a most unusual fashion. The Shelby County Medical society held their monthly meeting and the ‘chiropractic problem’ was on the agenda. The medical doctors present were briefed on Lola Wells. A woman doctor who touched men?! In a state of righteous indignation, the doctors realized that the time had come to ‘stop the invasive growth of the chiropractic tumor’. The MD’s present voted to have Dr. Lola Wells arrested. The next day Dr. Lola Wells was arrested and charged with practicing medicine without a license. The Memphis Press Scimitar published a small column about the ‘Woman who could heal with her hands’ being arrested. When Lola returned from her jail stay, several patients were waiting for her. They had read the article in the paper and had come for her help. One of those patients was the newspaper reporter who wrote the little article. Lola finally had a few patients. The medical society was furious that Dr. Wells did not take the hint and go away. They had her arrested again. This time the Press Scimitar ran a front page banner headline that stated the following: WOMAN HEALER CANNOT BE STOPPED! Lola Wells returned to her clinic to find throngs of patients awaiting her arrival. Her practice success had been assured by the most unlikely of allies, the unwitting medical society. Never one to shy away, Lola telephoned the president of the Shelby County Medical Society. She begged him to not have her arrested for a couple of weeks so she could at least treat all of the patients that they had already sent her! Needless to say, the society never bothered her again and she practiced with great success for over 50 years. As you begin your practice today, you may be facing some obstacle or difficulty. Take a few moments and think of Lola Wells DC, PhC. I bet it makes you smile. Now go and have a Great day in Chiropractic!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 16:30:17 +0000
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