A Travelling Chiropodist
Photograph by John Thomson
In Late Qing China, the streets of major
cities were full of 'quack doctors', many of whom practised as
barbers and ear-cleaners. Here an itinerant chiropodist is
operating on a painful corn and dressing the toe-nails of his
patient; a second customer leaning out of a dilapidated window
patiently waits his turn, while smoking the pipe of peace.