Waiting Room
In your waiting room new patients wait and form their estimate of you before your appearance. They are tired patients, worn perhaps with years of disease, and their comfort must be considered. Some time is theirs for use in some way and the use of their minds during the waiting interval must be studied.
For these reasons first of all the waiting room should be furnished quietly, in perfect taste, but well furnished. A good dark rug for the floor rather than matting or linoleum with their suggestion of bareness, a tinted or papered wall done in a soothing shade, upholstered furniture pleasing to the eye and comfortable for tired, weak bodies, and a library table with proper literature for the occupation of the mind—these are the proper furnishings for a waiting room.
Let the table contain chiefly Chiropractic literature and select that literature with care. Be sure that it reflects the view-point toward your profession with which you wish your patients to be impressed. It must be scientific, well written, not sensational, not dealing coarsely or vulgarly with the revolting diseases or features of disease, but quietly convincing. Your literature must impress with the greatness of Chiropractic without setting forth extravagant claims which your patients will expect you to vindicate. Your selection of books for the book-case must convince all observers of your proper literary taste or the book-case had better be omitted. Likewise the pictures on the walls must suggest pleasant things, restful things, good to contemplate.
When possible secure a high-ceilinged room with good ventilation, plenty of fresh air without drafts. And then let all the articles in the room harmonize. One jarring note in form or color may mar the entire effect, which should be that of comfortable simplicity.
Private Office
Even more important than the contents of the waiting room is the equipment of your private office. It is in this room that your work is done. There your patients confide to you their weaknesses; there they determine finally whether to trust themselves to your knowledge and skill; in that room they form their judgment as to your cleanliness, your use of system; there they meet you.