Group of 25 Depression-era photographs of Mahlon W. Locke, a Canadian physician who attracted international attention through the practice of an early form of alternative medicine popularly called “toe twisting.” Dr. Locke originally perfected his process of foot manipulation on a footsore local blacksmith and was said to have relieved many chronic cases of arthritis as well as a variety of podiatric-related afflictions. Visitors came by the tens of thousands to his clinic in Williamsburg, Ontario for their turn to have their maladies cured. During the height of his fame in the 1930s he was tending to hundreds of people each day. Locke, a humble man who embraced the attention of his adoring patients, famously charged “no more than $1” for each encounter so that he could heal as many people as possible. Film of him working shows that the toe-twisting process was rapid, lasting just a few seconds. On and on he would spin, around and again in a swivel chair as he moved from foot to foot. While Dr. Locke’s story is somewhat eyebrow-raising, he is largely respected as somewhat of a medical pioneer, particularly for his advocation of orthopedic footwear as a means to prevent the need for recurring treatments.

These photographs were made during the peak of Dr. Locke’s popularity and were likely sold as memen-toes (pardon the pun) to visitors who came to Williamsburg for treatment. They depict the doctor, always smiling, either posing or performing his toe twist for a delighted patient. Other photos demonstrate his popularity, with throngs of visitors outside of his clinic. Accompanying these photographs is an original copy of Dr. Locke, Healer of Men, a biography by James MacDonald.


[Historical Photography, Early Photography, Great Depression, Canadiana, Books, Quackery, Quack Medicine, Medical History, Medical Photography]