Thailand
Chiropractor Celebrates Seventh
Decade in Practice
Chiropractic pioneer Dr. Ronald J. Watkins, a 1942 graduate from Lincoln Chiropractic
College, recently celebrated his seventh decade of practicing and teaching.
Dr. Watkins and his son moved to Thailand five years ago after his wife passed
away. They practice in Pattaya, which is an oceanfront resort city two hours
from the capital city of Bangkok.
His professional accomplishments include serving at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic
College and Life Chiropractic College. Besides his private practices and collegiate
affiliations, Dr. Watkins has taught technique, neurology and radiology at Cleveland
Chiropractic College, Los Angeles, and has been published extensively.
In his practice, he adjusts about 100 patients each week; his patient base is
comprised of local residents and tourists, expatriates and retirees from several
nations. His chiropractic assistants act as translators.
When he first immigrated to Thailand, Watkins worked with another chiropractor
in a clinic in Bangkok. The people and the government authorities were unfamiliar
with chiropractic, so he was also arrested for practicing medicine without a
license and spent some time at the local police station. The situation was resolved
and he has not been bothered by the authorities since that incident. He now
adjusts some of the local politicians and policemen.
Chiropractic is not a licensed profession in Thailand, although the Thailand
Chiropractic Association is working with the support of the World Federation
of Chiropractic toward the goal of establishing a valid licensing law and board.
Nepal
Palmer Student Journeys to a Beautiful, Mysterious Land
By Amy Logston
Nepal is beautiful and the people are very kind, but the poverty is overwhelming
at times, as was the pollution. You can’t walk down the street without
sunglasses because you will have dirt-filled eyes. Everything is covered with
a tan-colored soot — buildings, cars, streets, sidewalks and me!
We had a total of six adjusting days in Nepal, working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They
were exhausting and wonderful days. Some people seemed really healthy with only
minor back complaints, while others were very sick and might not survive into
the next month.
One older lady couldn’t walk very well, but she had the biggest smile I’ve
ever seen. I adjusted her and then walked with her to help the adjustment along.
The next day, she was my first patient of the morning. She was walking better
and said she felt better. After adjusting her again and spending some more time
with her, she kissed my hands and said, “Thank you.” I guess my chiropractic
hands are truly blessed now.
I met some amazing patients on this trip and experienced some funny and sweet
moments. One person came in with a chief complaint of back pain and handed me
ankle X-rays. One man wanted to know why, when he was sad, water came from his
eyes. One 13-year-old girl became famous in the clinic because her heart operated
at 25-percent of normal capacity. When I put the stethoscope to her chest, it
was like nothing I had ever heard.
Many of my friends and family told me I would touch many lives on this trip,
but the patients touched me much more than I ever thought possible. I’m
forever changed and will never forget this experience.
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