Clarence Gonstead

Clarence Selmer Gonstead (July 23, 1898 – October 2, 1978)

Clarence Gonstead
was an American chiropractor. He created the Gonstead technique.
Born July 23, 1898
He established a large chiropractic facility in Mount Horeb,
Willow Lake, South
Wisconsin.[1][2][3]
Dakota
Died October 2, 1978
Early life (aged 80)
Clarence Gonstead was born in Willow Lake, South Dakota,[4] the Mount Horeb,
son of Carl Gonstead (1871–1956) and Sarah Gonstead (1874– Wisconsin
1918). His family later moved to a dairy farm in Primrose, Resting Mount Horeb,
Wisconsin. At the age of 19, Gonstead was bedridden with place Wisconsin
rheumatoid arthritis.[5] After his arthritis was cured by a
Nationality American
chiropractor, he was motivated to enroll in the Palmer School of
Alma mater Palmer School of
Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.[6]
Chiropractic
Gonstead became a member of the chiropractic fraternity Delta Occupation Chiropractor
Sigma Chi. Gonstead earned a doctor of chiropractic degree in Years active 1923–1978
1923 and returned to Wisconsin. He first practiced with Dr. Olson,
Known for chiropractic
the man who inspired him to become a chiropractor, before
technique
establishing a practice in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. His younger
brother, Merton Gonstead (1902–1983), joined his practice in 1929 Title Doctor
for a few years before starting his own practice. Clarence Gonstead Spouse Elvira (Meister)
remained a sole practitioner for the next twenty years. Gonstead

Career
Gonstead's method of chiropractic practice was an extension of his training at the Palmer School of
Chiropractic. While Gonstead was a student, school president B. J. Palmer began promoting the
neurocalometer (NCM), an invention of chiropractor Dossa Dixon Evins (1886–1932).[7][8] Gonstead
assisted in various efforts to improve the quality of these two instruments. In the 1940s Gonstead became a
consultant for Electronic Development Laboratories (EDL). EDL made the original Nervoscope, a
competitor device to the NCM. Over the years, Gonstead helped the company define the device's
sensitivity, parameters, and function. Gonstead also worked with various X-ray companies to optimize full-
spine 14x36 X-ray exposure, primarily the use of split screens to account for varying patient density on the
lateral film.[9][10][11]
Gonstead's first office was located above a bank building in
downtown Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. In 1939, Gonstead built the
first Gonstead Chiropractic Clinic (or second office) in downtown
Mount Horeb. In 1964 he opened a second clinic just outside
Mount Horeb which treated 300 to 400 patients per day. It was
designed by John Steinmann.[12] The next year, 1965, a motel
(Karakahl Country Inn) was constructed next to the clinic to
accommodate out-of-town patients and chiropractors attending his
seminar.

Later years
In 1974, Gonstead sold his clinic and seminars to Alex and Doug
Cox. Gonstead's inventory was later auctioned. His clinic continues
operation under the ownership of the non-profit C.S. Gonstead
Chiropractic Foundation.[13][14] 1925 advertisement for the
Neurocalometer from Palmer School
of Chiropractic
Personal life
In 1924, Gonstead married Elvira Meister (1901–1991).[4]
Gonstead died in 1978 at the age of 80.[4] He was buried at Mount Horeb Union Cemetery in Mount
Horeb, Wisconsin.[4][15]

See also
History of chiropractic

References
1. "The History of Clarence S. Gonstead, D.C" (http://gonstead.com/who-was-dr-gonstead/).
Gonstead Clinical Studies Society. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
2. Baldwin, Johanna (13 August 2006). "To Her Not-Quite Friends" (https://www.nytimes.com/2
006/08/13/nyregion/thecity/13peop.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). The New York Times.
Retrieved 2015-12-11.
3. Miramar Chiropractor Has International Patient List (https://archive.today/20240527152843/h
ttps://www.webcitation.org/6dgkcreCE?url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/n
ews/0EB4D932A46144F9%3Fp=AWNB) (The Miami Herald December 28, 1997)
4. "Clarence S. Gonstead" (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56982925/clarence-gonstead-18
98-1978/). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, WI. October 4, 1978. p. 36. Retrieved
August 9, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Who was Dr. Gonstead?" (http://gonstead.com/who-was-dr-gonstead/). www.gonstead.com.
Retrieved 2012-08-13.
6. "ICON Chiropractic | Gonstead | | Balanced health for a better life | Balanced health for a
better life" (https://web.archive.org/web/20170626134132/http://iconchiropractic.com/gonstea
d-chiropractic.html). www.iconchiropractic.com. Archived from the original (https://www.iconc
hiropractic.com/gonstead-chiropractic.html) on 2017-06-26.
 7. Moore, J. S. (1995). The neurocalometer: watershed in the evolution of a new profession (htt
p://isharonline.org/content/neurocalometer-watershed-evolution-new-profession)
(Chiropractic History: 15: 2: 51-54) PMID 11613400 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/116134
00)
8. Chiropractic: An Illustrated History (https://books.google.com/books?id=1iJtAAAAMAAJ).
Mosby. 1995. ISBN 978-0-8016-7735-9.
9. Amman, Matthew (2007) The Machines and Tools of Clarence Gonstead, D.C. (http://web.b.
ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=0736
4377&AN=36269379&h=%2bUp9vZTdrCSlx2qhVKa7Ao1BcRvAYt30AXMBFmUeVe2C%2
feI45D%2fwz3RHUxFlIxC%2bJY%2blF7fG56IC71fhuy%2f5Eg%3d%3d&crl=f&resultNs=Ad
minWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profil
e%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d07364377%26AN%3d36
269379) (Chiropractic History 27: 2: 55-58)
10. "Dossa Dixon Evins - Inventor & Innovator" (http://chiropractichistory.blogspot.com/2010/01/d
ossa-dixon-evins-inventor-innovator.html). Chiropractic History Blog. January 23, 2010.
Retrieved August 18, 2015.
11. Kirk Eriksen (2004). Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex: A Review of the Chiropractic and
Medical Literature (https://books.google.com/books?id=2oJ9cf6uyZMC). Lippincott Williams
& Wilkins. ISBN 978-0-7817-4198-9.
12. John Steinmann (http://midcenturymodernmilwaukee.blogspot.com/2011/12/john-steinmann.
html) Mid Century Modern Milwaukee December 2011
13. Matthew J. Amman. "Preserving the Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic – A Case of National
Support" (http://gonstead.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Preserving_the_Gonstead_Clini
c_of_Chiropractic.pdf) (PDF). Gonstead Preservation Group. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
14. Eager, Curious Stalk Gonstead Sale For Deals (https://archive.today/20240527152805/http
s://www.webcitation.org/6dgjYYUG2?url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/ne
ws/0EAF08411555A0D3%3Fp=AWNB) (Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI) - November
15, 1992)
15. Barbara Migliaccio (January 31, 1992). "Elvira Gonstead Dies at Age 90" (http://dynamicchir
opractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=43062). Dynamic Chiropractic, Vol. 10, Issue 03.
Retrieved May 1, 2016.

External links
Gonstead Clinical Studies Society official website (http://www.gonstead.com/)
"Property Tax Fought in State Court" (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3711225/property_ta
x_fought_in_state_court/). Waukesha Daily Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. 23 Mar 1972.
p. 20. Retrieved 27 November 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

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