A Moment of Silence for Dr. Julius Dintenfass
Julius Dintenfass, DC, 86, who worked for three decades to get chiropractors licensed in New York state, died in the hospital May 8 in Coconut Creek, Florida, where he had a vacation home.
As a national spokesman for chiropractic, Dr. Dintenfass received the first chiropractic license in New York (1963), was the founding chairman of the New York State Board of Chiropractic, and was appointed to the N.Y. State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
Later in life, Dr. Dintenfass became involved in city politics, serving as mayor of Woodsburgh Village, Long Island, N.Y. from 1987 to 1989.
Dr. Dintenfass was the director of chiropractic in the New York City Dept. of Health, and a consultant to U.S. Dept. of Health in Washington, D.C. He authored Chiropractic: A Modern Way to Health in 1966, which was considered the first complete patient guide to chiropractic.
A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Columbia College and Eastern Chiropractic College in New York (1936), he practiced in Brooklyn, and later on Central Park South in Manhattan, and in Woodsburgh.
James Edwards, DC, of Emporia, Kansas, sent DC the obituary from the New York Times that highlighted Dr. Dintenfass' life. Dr. Edwards had a personal memory: "Dr. Dintenfuss' book prompted me to go on to chiropractic college after an MD had delivered an AMA 'quack pack' to me in hopes of convincing me not to pursue a career in chiropractic. Thank you, Dr. Dintenfass. Your life touched mine and I am forever grateful for all you did for this profession."
Dr. Dintenfass is survived by his wife, Ruth, daughters Ellen, Nancy and Marilyn, a sister, Tes, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
