§ 6551. Definition of practice of chiropractic. 1. The practice of
the profession of chiropractic is defined as detecting and correcting by
manual or mechanical means structural imbalance, distortion, or
subluxations in the human body for the purpose of removing nerve
interference and the effects thereof, where such interference is the
result of or related to distortion, misalignment or subluxation of or in
the vertebral column.

2. a. A license to practice as a chiropractor shall not permit the
holder thereof to use radio-therapy, fluoroscopy, or any form of
ionizing radiation except X-ray which shall be used for the detection of
structural imbalance, distortion, or subluxations in the human body.

b. The requirements and limitations with respect to the use of X-ray
by chiropractors shall be enforced by the state commissioner of health
and he is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations after
conferring with the board to carry out the purposes of this subdivision.

c. Chiropractors shall retain for a period of three years all X-ray
films taken in the course of their practice, together with the records
pertaining thereto, and shall make such films and records available to
the state commissioner of health or his representative on demand.

3. A license to practice chiropractic shall not permit the holder
thereof to treat for any infectious diseases such as pneumonia, any
communicable diseases listed in the sanitary code of the state of New
York, any of the cardio-vascular-renal or cardio-pulmonary diseases, any
surgical condition of the abdomen such as acute appendicitis, or
diabetes, or any benign or malignant neoplasms; to operate; to reduce
fractures or dislocations; to prescribe, administer, dispense or use in
his practice drugs or medicines; or to use diagnostic or therapeutic
methods involving chemical or biological means except diagnostic
services performed by clinical laboratories which services shall be
approved by the board as appropriate to the practice of chiropractic; or
to utilize electrical devices except those devices approved by the board
as being appropriate to the practice of chiropractic. Nothing herein
shall be construed to prohibit a licensed chiropractor who has
successfully completed a registered doctoral program in chiropractic,
which contains courses of study in nutrition satisfactory to the
department, from using nutritional counseling, including the dispensing
of food concentrates, food extracts, vitamins, minerals, and other
nutritional supplements approved by the board as being appropriate to,
and as a part of, his or her practice of chiropractic. Nothing herein
shall be construed to prohibit an individual who is not subject to
regulation in this state as a licensed chiropractor from engaging in
nutritional counseling.