W. R. C. Latson
{{short description|American physician and writer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = W. R. C. Latson
| image = W. R. C. Latson.png
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1866}}
| birth_place = New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1911|05|11|1866}}
| death_place = Riverside Drive, U.S.
| education = Eclectic Medical College of New York City (M.D.)
| occupation = Physician, writer
| spouse = {{marriage|Beatrice Cochrane Knountz||1906|end=div}}
}}
William Richard Cunningham Latson (1866 – May 11, 1911) was an American physician, occultist, physical culturist and vegetarian.
Biography
Latson attended the Eclectic Medical College of New York City and obtained his M.D. degree in 1904.{{cite journal|year=1911|title=Deaths|journal=Journal of the American Medical Association|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t98707585&view=1up&seq=742|volume=56|issue=2|pages=1590}}Hoolihan, Christopher. (2001). An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform, Volume 1. University of Rochester Press. pp. 610-611. {{ISBN|1-58046-098-4}} Latson was a skin disease specialist who authored works on diet, medicine and hygiene. His book The Attainment of Efficiency, first published in 1910 was concerned with mental health. It went through eight editions.
Latson was a proponent of autointoxication, the belief that disease is the result of the body's inability to evacuate toxic matter. Latson dedicated a book to this subject, Common Disorders with Rational Methods of Treatment in 1904, which described dietary and hygienic methods to eliminate toxins from the body.
He was a member of the Advisory Board for the American Bureau of Personal and Vocational Psychology.[https://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/4138 "William Richard Cunningham Latson (1866-1911)"]. Jane Addams Digital Edition. Latson was associated with the Health-Culture Company and was editor of their magazine Health Culture. Latson was married to Beatrice Cochrane Knountz, they divorced in 1906.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34998386/the-brooklyn-citizen/ "Love for Doctor Explains Girl's Odd Actions"]. The Brooklyn Citizen (May 12, 1911).
Latson was interested in physical culture and was considered an expert on self-defense. During the early 20th-century he authored many newspaper articles on boxing, exercise and self-defense. In 1906, Percy Claude Byron was commissioned to take a series of studio photographs depicting "Dr. Latson's Method of Self Defense". [https://archive.today/20201017013041/https://www.eskrimakombat.com/dr-latsons-method-of-self-defense-new-york-city-1906-and-the-god-man-scandal-of-1911 "“Dr. Latson’s Method of Self Defense” (New York City, 1906) and the “God-Man” scandal of 1911"]. eskrimakombat.com. They appeared in The Denver Post as illustrations in a June 11, 1911 article titled "When a Thug Attacks You".[https://vintagenewsdaily.com/method-of-womens-self-defense-vintage-photos-from-1906-illustrate-modes-for-warding-off-a-street-bully-or-foul/ "Method of Women’s Self Defense: Vintage Photos From 1906 Illustrate Modes for Warding Off a Street Bully or Foul"]. Vintage News Daily. The photographs were published many years later in the book Once Upon a City: New York 1890 to 1910, in 1958 and in the June, 1972 issue of the American Heritage magazine.
Latson took interest in Hindu occultism and oriental mysticism. He described himself as an "esoteric psychologist".Shearer, Alistair. (2020). The Story of Yoga: From Ancient India to the Modern West. Hurst & Company. p. 145. {{ISBN|978-1787381926}} Historian Robert Love commented that Latson in his office at Riverside Drive "presided over elaborate secret rituals — Hindu dancing included — designed to free his female patients from their libidinal restraints."Love, Robert. (2010). The Great Oom: The Improbable Birth of Yoga in America. Viking. p. 74. {{ISBN|978-0670021758}}
Vegetarianism
Latson was a vegetarian. In 1900, he authored Food Value of Meat, Flesh Food Not Essential to Mental or Physical Vigor, which argued that mental and physical health can be attained without the consumption of meat.{{cite journal|year=1901|title=Food Value of Meat, Flesh Food Not Essential to Mental or Physical Vigor|journal=The Medical Era|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015070485910&view=1up&seq=44|volume=11|issue=2|pages=554}} Latson noted that all the food elements in meat can be obtained from non-flesh products such as cereals, fruits, nuts and vegetables. The book was positively reviewed in the Medical Record for presenting the "physiological and chemical facts relating to the subject in a pleasing, readable manner".{{cite journal|year=1902|title=Food Value of Meat|journal=Medical Record|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924056973393&view=1up&seq=555|volume=61|pages=547}}
Death
Latson is alleged to have had an affair with Alta Marhevka (real name Ida Rosenthal), his secretary. Marhevka was fascinated by oriental mysticism, occultism and theosophy.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1911-05-13/ed-1/seq-1/ "Girl Tries Suicide"]. Evening Star (May 13, 1911)[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34998949/the-buffalo-enquirer/ "No Longer Desires to Join Latson in the Spirit World"]. The Buffalo Enquirer (May 15, 1911). She described Latson as her "Man God".[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1911-07-01/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1789 "Jury Calls it Suicide"]. The New York Times (July 1, 1911). Marhevka changed her name and renounced her Jewish faith after studying oriental mysticism with Latson.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3030797/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/ "Latson Pupil Faints in Manhattan Court"]. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (May 15, 1911).[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045433/1911-05-14/ed-1/seq-10/#date1=1789 "Girl Mystic Seeks to Join Dead Master"]. The Washington Herald (May 14, 1911).[https://www.nytimes.com/1911/05/15/archives/changed-her-faith-for-dr-latson-his-secretary-known-as-alta.html "Changed Her Faith for Dr. Latson; His Secretary, Known as Alta Marhevka, Is Identified as Ida Rosenthal"]. The New York Times (May 15, 1911). Latson was found dead with a gunshot to the head, in his apartment at 660 Riverside Drive on May, 11, 1911.[https://www.nytimes.com/1911/05/13/archives/differ-on-killing-of-dr-wrc-latson-coroners-physician-suspects-foul.html "Differ on Killing of Dr. W.R.C. Latson; Coroner's Physician Suspects Foul Play Because No Powder Marks Appeared"]. The New York Times. (May 13, 1911). Although a suicide note was found, suspicion was pointed to Marhevka the last person to visit his apartment. A few days later she attempted suicide and was arrested.[https://www.nytimes.com/1911/05/14/archives/latsons-secretary-tries-to-end-life-alta-marhevka-found-nearly-dead.html "Latson's Secretary Tries to End Life; Alta Marhevka, Found Nearly Dead from Gas, Would "Follow Him to Eternity"]. The New York Times (May 14, 1911). Marhevka believed that Latson had survived physical death and she would meet his soul on the astral plane. She stated that they intended to commit suicide together. An autopsy found that Latson had taken poison before he shot himself.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1911-05-13/ed-1/seq-3/ "Occult Doctor Died Alone"]. The Sun (May 13, 1911).
The coroner's jury returned a verdict that Latson's death was suicide and Marhevka was cleared from all suspicion.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88086023/1911-07-07/ed-1/seq-7/#date1=1789 "Free Girl of Murder Charge"]. East Oregonian (July 7, 1911). After being charged with her own attempted suicide, Markevka denied she made a suicide pact with Latson and that her own attempt was due to an unwell state of mind at the time.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86058226/1911-05-17/ed-1/seq-2/ "Denies Death Pact]. The Richmond Palladium and Sun-Telegram. (May 17, 1911). In court, she said that her attempted suicide was a "most foolish act" and she wanted to move on with her life and forget the incident.
Selected publications
- Practical Dietetics: Food Value of Meat, Flesh Food Not Essential to Mental or Physical Vigor (1900)
- [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.200971/page/n1/mode/2up Common Disorders with Rational Methods of Treatment] (1904)
- Walking for Exercise and Recreation (1905)
- The Attainment of Efficiency (1910)
- The Enlightened Life & How to Live It (1910)
- [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011437196 A Catechism of Health] (1911)
- [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011212123 Secrets of Mental Supremacy] (1913)
Gallery
W. R. C. Latson 1908.png|Latson in 1908
Alta Marhevka.png|Alta Marhevka, Latson's secretary in 1911
W. R. C. Latson advert.png|Drugless Methods of Cure advert, 1913
Dr. Latson book advert.png|Works by Dr. Latson, 1913
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://hemamisfits.com/2015/01/04/the-womanly-art-of-self-defense-and-the-god-man-mystery/ The “womanly art of self-defense” and the “God-Man Mystery”]
{{People in veganism and vegetarianism}}
{{Physical culture}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Latson, W. R. C.}}
Category:19th-century American physicians
Category:20th-century American physicians
Category:Alternative detoxification promoters
Category:American health and wellness writers
Category:American self-help writers
Category:American vegetarianism activists