On July 2, the chiropractic profession lost another of its pioneers with the passing of Gerry Hinton,DC, of Slidell, Louisiana. Dr. Hinton died of lung cancer two days before his 70th birthday. City flags were flown at half-staff in his honor.
A graduate of Texas Chiropractic College in 1950, Dr. Hinton returned to his hometown of Slidell to practice chiropractic. He maintained a practice until failing health forced his retirement.
"My dad introduced me to Dr. Hinton when I was a student at TCC," recalls ACA Chairman Dr. Michael Flynn. "Two things stood out: his great pride in chiropractic and his confidence. Dr. Hinton shaped the chiropractic profession in Louisiana like no other, and his commitment to family, community and profession is the hallmark of a career that left many footprints."
Dr. Hinton joined the Louisiana Chiropractic Association in 1950, 24 years before DCs were licensed to practice in the state. He was among a dozen doctors who worked diligently for passage of the state's chiropractic licensing act. Louisiana was the last state in the U.S. to pass a chiropractic licensing act, and Dr. Hinton was among those on hand when the governor signed the law in 1974. Dr. Hinton then served for nine years as a member of the Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He was named "Chiropractor of the Year" in 1984 by the Chiropractic Association of Louisiana.
Dr. Hinton led a politically active life. He was a Slidell city councilman for 16 years and the first chiropractor elected to the Louisiana Senate in 1983, where he served two four-year terms representing St. Tammany Parish. He was a member of the Labor/Industrial Relations Committee, and was named chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. He was instrumental in helping ensure chiropractic inclusion in HMOs and negotiating chiropractic's entry into the Medicaid program
"Dr. Hinton did more for this city and area than most people know," observed Slidell Mayor Sam Caruso. "As a senator, he was responsible for millions in state dollars spent on Slidell projects."
"Senator Hinton was the consummate doctor-politician," observed Dr. Glenn Manceaux, the ACA delegate from Louisiana. "His colleagues in the legislature often came to him for advice on health issues. He was willing to sacrifice for this profession."
Dr. Hinton is survived by his wife, Jayne; son Glynn; daughter Jill Hinton Lashouto; and five grandchildren.
