Roughly 70 years ago, my Uncle Max was treated for crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis. His hands were bunched up into balls and he needed a wheelchair for mobility beyond his own house.
I am 36 years old and Uncle Max died long before I was born. However, his story is still told in our family. Max is remembered partly because he was a very colorful person. He is also remembered because, for a short time, he was cured of his arthritis.
In 1942 Max took an extended trip to Ontario where he was treated by a Dr. Locke who was receiving recognition worldwide for having a potential cure for arthritis. Nobody recalls exactly what the family thought about Max's trip when he left, but they certainly remember what he was like when he returned.
Max returned upright and no longer needed his crutches. Apparently the treatment included work related to diet and massage.
For years my mother has searched for records of this doctor. Knowing that he was renowned for his work, she knew that there must be come record of him somewhere.
Last week she finally found a plaque that has been posted in Dr. Locke's honor. The marker is found outside of his former home which is now a landmark.
Here is a link to a website with photos. [1] Unfortunately, this is all we know of Dr. Locke at this point. He died the same year that Max returned home. Max's symptoms gradually returned and he died of the disease.
Perhaps there is someone who frequents these forums that knows more about Dr. Locke and his methods. Wouldn't it be wonderful if this forgotten practice could be re-introduced? Dr. Locke deserves a spot in the Integrative Medicine Hall of Fame.
Adam Cochran is the owner and operator of talkingDigital [2], a podcast network and production studio.
Links:
[1] http://www.ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_STU/Plaque_Stormont11.html
[2] http://talkingdigital.org
[3] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/dr-mahlon-w-lockes-arthritis-treatments-1880-1942#comment-1003
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/dr-mahlon-w-lockes-arthritis-treatments-1880-1942#top
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/694%23comment-form
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/694%23comment-form
[7] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/dr-mahlon-w-lockes-arthritis-treatments-1880-1942#comment-1006
[8] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
Comments
Adam Cochran is the owner and operator of talkingDigital [2], a podcast network and production studio.
I saw your last post related to not being able to go back and Edit what you've written, and that's one of the frustrations with Lumigrate for others is that I'm the only one that can edit. But what else would I do all day, if not edit things!? SO I made the edit for you into your original piece -- wanted you and others who write and read to know that about editing and my 'customer service'.
This is VERY interesting! There's someone in the 1,600 or 3,300 or something in between following along on facebook who focuses his treatment on feet, so maybe he'll know. I can send him the link if I can remember who he is. Luckily he doesn't change his profile picture so I'll pick him out and I think I know the first letter of his last name. (The good thing about having had a good memory in the past is now when it's spotty at least sometimes there's a bright spot that clues me in! LOL).
My mother's grandfather was a physician in Chicago during the depression -- the sign in the photo talks about his business having fueled the local economy. In their case, the people of Chicago couldn't pay him for his services and he kept treating them, but the family all had to move into the 'family mansion' and turn it into a boarding house in the depression -- that's where my mother spent her youth. With the influenza epidemic of 1918/19 he had zero deaths, in a city hard hit by the epidemaic. He credited 'poison cocktails' he prescribed to his patients, which were a few drops of iodine in milk. Today, I, along with most people with thyroid disorder, purchase things to supplement iodine. As I understand it from a local chiropractor, people's bodies were acclamated by living near the ocean and getting it from the seafood OR from eating the raw organs of animals if they lived inland. Meat has iodine in it but it's heat sensitive.
I'll say this about feet! I had a marvelous massage therapist when I moved here 7 years ago who was a master with reflexology and she saw I had orthotics in my shoes as she was working on my feet in my first massage. (For a time I had to even have a rolled up towel in the shower under my arches -- that was before I got onto bioidentical hormone supplementation which improves the laxity of my connective tissues.) She said 'and you'll either not need orthotics anymore or will need to have them changed' and I remember lying there thinking 'yeah, right, lady -- that'll be the day!'. I got up off the table and got dressed, put on my shoes and it was literally like 'what are these foreign objects doing in my shoes!' I went home, put the inserts that came with the shoes (Merrills I believe I was wearing in those days) and never have used orthotics again. This weekend I paddled around my house bare footed and have zero foot pain overall.
As for diet. PSYCHE! I was JUST talking with Deirdre Rawlings about THAT this weekend, related to autoimmune diseases. MORE on it's way to Lumigrate about that very soon, but there's also very much on Lumigrate already. (Such as the video on Food Allergies from ND Christopher Lepisto, and lots in the Forums here).
Adam, thank you for the really interesting story and post! I hope we can find more out via the Grate Group! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [8] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!