Birth of the "chiropractic angel": a Caduceus counterpoint

Use of the winged angel with raised hands as a chiropractic emblem began circa 1928. Although often attributed to the National Chiropractic Association (NCA), the emblem was created prior to the NCA's formation, and was initially "copyrighted ... for the exclusive use of members of the American Society of Chiropractors." The emblem appeared as part of the ASC's advertising in popular national magazines, including American Legion Monthly, Cosmopolitan, Liberty, and Physical Culture. First use of the chiropractic angel to represent the NCA and its ally, the Internatonal Chiropractic Congress (ICC), took place at the NCA and ICC joint national convention in Denver in 1933. The emblem was formally adopted by the NCA at its 1934 convention in Pittsburgh. This paper reviews some of the early history of the emblem and its use by the ASC and the NCA.