W. R. C. Latson | |
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| Born | 1866 (1866) New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 11, 1911(1911-05-11) (aged 44–45) Riverside Drive, U.S. |
| Education | Eclectic Medical College ofNew York City (M.D.) |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, writer |
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William Richard Cunningham Latson (1866 – May 11, 1911) was an Americanphysician andoccultist. He advocated fornaturopathy,physical culture andvegetarianism.
Latson attended the Eclectic Medical College ofNew York City and obtained hisM.D. degree in 1904.[1][2] Latson was a skin disease specialist who authored works on diet, medicine and hygiene. His bookThe Attainment of Efficiency, first published in 1910 was concerned with mental health. It went through eight editions.[2]
Latson was a proponent ofautointoxication, 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.[2]
He was a member of the Advisory Board for the American Bureau of Personal and Vocational Psychology.[3] Latson was associated with the Health-Culture Company and was editor of their magazineHealth Culture.[1] Latson was married to Beatrice Cochrane Knountz, they divorced in 1906.[4]
Latson was interested in physical culture and was considered an expert onself-defense. During the early 20th century, he authored many newspaper articles onboxing, 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".[5] They appeared inThe Denver Post as illustrations in a June 11, 1911 article titled "When a Thug Attacks You".[6] The photographs were published many years later in the bookOnce Upon a City: New York 1890 to 1910, in 1958 and in the June, 1972 issue of theAmerican Heritage magazine.[5]
Latson took interest in Hindu occultism and oriental mysticism. He described himself as an "esoteric psychologist".[7] 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."[8]
He was a naturopath and authored articles forThe Naturopath and Herald of Health. He is listed inBenedict Lust'sUniversal Naturopathic Encyclopedia, published in 1918.[9]
Latson was a vegetarian. In 1900, he authoredFood 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 ofmeat.[10] Latson noted that all the food elements in meat can be obtained from non-flesh products such as cereals, fruits, nuts and vegetables.[10] The book was positively reviewed in theMedical Record for presenting the "physiological and chemical facts relating to the subject in a pleasing, readable manner".[11]
Latson is alleged to have had an affair with Alta Marhevka (real name Ida Rosenthal), his secretary.[5] Marhevka was fascinated by oriental mysticism, occultism and theosophy.[12][13] She described Latson as her "Man God".[14] Marhevka changed her name and renounced her Jewish faith after studying oriental mysticism with Latson.[15][16][17] Latson was found dead with a gunshot to the head, in his apartment at 660Riverside Drive on May, 11, 1911.[18] 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.[19] Marhevka believed that Latson had survived physical death and she would meet his soul on theastral plane. She stated that they intended to commit suicide together.[12] An autopsy found that Latson had taken poison before he shot himself.[20]
The coroner's jury returned a verdict that Latson's death was suicide and Marhevka was cleared from all suspicion.[21] 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.[15][22] 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.[13]
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