“There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time is come.” -Victor Hugo
This blog would not be complete without telling the story of the discovery of chiropractic, a term coined by Methodist Minister Samuel H. Weed in 1896, meaning “done by hand” in Greek.
Daniel David Palmer, otherwise known as D.D. Palmer, was a magnetic healer in the late 1800′s. He operated his magnetic healing business on the top floor of the Ryan Building in Davenport, IA.
According to Joseph Maynard, in his book Healing Hands, one day, the janitor, an African-American man by the name of Harvey Lillard, walked into the office to clean up. D.D. asked him to come closer, knowing that Lillard was deaf, and asked him about the cause of his deafness.
“Well, Doc,” Harvey Lillard began, “I guess it was about 17 years ago that I stooped over trying to do something or other when I heard a snap in my neck. Then I noticed I got a bump, see it? Haven’t been able to hear a darn thing since. I’ve been to all sorts of doctors, but what do they know? They even tried to tell me I had the bump since I was born.”
D.D. asked Lillard if he could examine the bump. His thought process was that if the bump caused his deafness, then removal of the bump should restore his hearing. He asked Lillard if he could work on him. Lillard agreed and D.D. proceeded to thrust on the bump for three consecutive days.
On the third day, Lillard jumped up and shouted “Doc! Doc! I hear!” In fact, he heard the rumble of the horse-drawn trolley cars riding over the cobblestones four stories below.
Differing Accounts
D.D. Palmer always claimed that he adjusted Lillard’s 4th dorsal (thoracic) vertebra.
B.J. Palmer, D.D.’s son, claimed that he was there at the time of the first chiropractic adjustment and that D.D. adjusted Lillard’s axis (C2).
Which account is true? I guess it depends on if you believe D.D. or B.J.
Anything is possible with Innate Intelligence controlling the body. Maybe three T4 adjustments really did unlock the Innate Intelligence’s ability to restore Lillard’s hearing.
D.D. Palmer made it very apparent to his son B.J. that he wanted to keep this new science to himself and make a fortune off of it.
B.J. had to convince D.D. that between the two of them, they would never help as many people as they would if they taught it to others.
Knowing that, and knowing that B.J. claimed his father adjusted Lillard’s axis, I can easilty understand how D.D. would tell people he adjusted T4. He wanted it to be kept secret. He wanted to keep the knowledge to himself, and maybe B.J. Sharing it with others diminished any hope he had of making a fortune. Considering axis is a part of the Upper Cervical anatomy, I can understand this logic.
In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter what account is true. All I know is that I am grateful for D.D. Palmer’s discovery and what that has meant in my life and my family’s life.
“It has been one of the rules of my life, that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. In Chiropractic this is especially so; particularly when laying the foundation for a coming science which is destined to be the grandest and greatest of this or any age.” -D.D. Palmer
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Palmer was actually a student of Andrew Taylor Still, who was the first to practice manipulative medicine as early as the 1870s:
http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ost_still
I worked in the Multi-Media Department at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM – now AT Still University) for about 2 years. You can see some of the graphics that I produced for that institution by clicking the website link and following the appropriate thumbnails in the bottom two rows.
Robert
Robert, I have never heard or read about D.D. Palmer being a student of Andrew Still. Could you show me that? I would be really interested in seeing something about that.
Interesting article, Dr. Harshe. I appreciate your remarks about the 1st chiropractic adjustment by D.D. Palmer. It is fun to think/debate about whether it was “4th Dorsal” (or even the 1st Dorsal/Thoracic as one account suggests) or if it really was 2nd Cervical as B.J. contended.
Since our current knowledge of neuroanatomy clearly identifies distinct connections of most C-spine nerves, and even some upper Thoracic nerves, traveling upward into the superior cervical ganglion in the upper neck, it makes perfect sense for the Palmers to observe this in a clinical setting. There is a link, regardless of spinal level.
>>I would like to submit my 2 cents worth in support of Axis being the real segment involved:
1–There is an obvious and direct link between upper cervical dysfunction and distortion of the upper spinal cord. Brain stem pressure can result from an Axis misalignment. We know that Atlas (C1) or Axis (C2) misalignments can cause dentate ligament stretching and dura mater tension affecting the function of the delicate structures in the upper neck. The whole head and body can be directly impacted by decreased nerve function in such a vital area. Recent phase contrast upright MRI studies are suggesting even more theories about structural misalignment in the upper C-spine causing canal stenosis, cerebellar tonsils being pulled in the foramen magnum, and decreased venous flow out of the head.
2–A Thoracic adjustment certainly has real influence on the neural structures in the head and neck, but T1 through T4′s limited range of motion provides NO direct impact on the tension of the spinal cord as we find in the upper cervical spine. Of course there is valid input into the sympathetic nerve system when any part of the spine is manipulated, but and we must not confuse these secondary influences from the sympathetic chain and peripheral nerves with the potentially more destructive results of direct pressure/contortion of the spinal cord in the upper neck.
It has been noted that D.D. said he “racked the vertebra back into place” in the upper back region rather than the upper neck because of his fear or greed or desire for secrecy. It is also plausible that he was still developing the concepts and trying to understand why brain-to-body nerve connection was so important. Another idea is that he didn’t want people to know he was working in the upper neck because of the prevalence of ignorance and fear, not unlike today. Although society in the late 19th century was open to many new ideas, it was already starting to show biased favor and legal support for the medical model. Even Osteopathy was scorned and attacked for many years until they moderated their founder’s original ideas and joined up with the mainstream medical philosophy of the AMA.
I would like to suggest that Robert’s idea (1st comment on this post) about a link to Andrew T. Still is a very interesting footnote from history, but not germane to the discussion.
D.D. and B.J. Palmer were developing a completely NEW science and art of chiropractic based on their radical hypothesis that an Innate Life Energy controls every function of the body using the brain and nerve system to communicate and coordinate all the functions of our cells and organs. (History still hasn’t given them their justly deserved credit for pushing the ground breaking concepts of vitalism, metaphysical influences on health and life, and the role of the central nervous system…even though every single anatomy and physiology text confirms the Palmer’s early teachings about the CNS being the conduit for life).
Back to the point of what we observe in the 1st adjustment: part of the spine had lost its normal range of motion which impairs/disrupts nerve communication between brain and body. Less life function (deafness) was the result. Then the chiropractor unlocks or adjusts the spine, restoring neurological connections to all their end organs (through both the superior cervical nerve network and the cranial nerves of the brain stem), and communication and function returns.
We restore balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems when we improve the function of the upper cervical spine.
Once Harvey Lillard’s neural impulses were flowing freely again, the result was improved function of cranial nerve VIII and better blood flow to the head and inner ear…and like magic he could hear again! It still happens today. We see a vast of array of systems becoming well.
We simply restore what was missing so life function and health can return.
Great comment Dr. Blackketter. Loved it!
Regarding Palmer as a student of AT Still:
http://www.rcosteopatia.com/noticia.asp?id=24
I was told by many, and the self-serving character of DD Palmer suggested in your article above supports this, that Palmer went home during a break from his studies at KCOM and found that he could make a lot of money by healing people with the “laying on of hands”, which he had learned under A. T. Still. So, he never returned to KCOM and purported to “discover” chiropractic.
Robert, I actually don’t doubt that was true. D.D. was very self-serving. However, as referenced in the article you shared, chiropractic and osteopathy are based on two different philosophies. Not to mention, osteopathy was assimilated into medicine beginning in the 1960s, so now they can actually practice medicine, whereas chiropractic is a separate and distinct health care discipline from osteopathy/medicine. That was established in 1906 when a chiropractor named Shegataro Morikubo successfully defended himself against osteopaths in court based on the fact that chiropractic was separate and distinct in it its philosophy from osteopathy.
So D.D.’s discovery may be suspect in how he happened upon it (I can believe that), but the premise on which chiropractic is based is much different.
Brandon and Robert,
Great discussion! I think a few points of clarification may help…?
1. Neither A.T.Still nor D.D. Palmer should lay claim to being “the first to practice manipulative medicine” for several reasons.
Dr. Still claimed he wasn’t practicing medicine, but was trying to restore the natural healing power of the body by getting the joints moving and the fluid/lymph circulation flowing again.
Dr. Palmer claimed he wasn’t practicing medicine, but restoring proper tone and function to the nerve system and spine so the body would heal naturally.
They both understood the vitalistic nature of life and health from within.
2. Manual therapy, including bone-setting, traction, massage, manipulation of all the joints in the body, etc. has been around for literally thousands of years. Go back and research the ancient Chinese, Mayan, Egyptian, and Greek histories and their early healing arts. You will see that people knew the benefits of this manual work and philosophy long before the late 19th century.
3. Osteopathy and Chiropractic were at their source very similar, yet different enough to be legally and practically distinct from one another and separate from medicine. Bones/joints and fluid circulation from manipulation (D.O.)
VS.
Spinal function and nerve flow from adjustment (D.C.)
Granted, this often look very similar to a casual observer, but the intent AND the reasoning behind it AND the specificity required differs on many points. And at their core they were both more conservative and less invasive than medicine.
4. Regardless of who taught the Palmers some of the early moves used by Chiropractors (A.T. Still, bone-setters, and ancient illustrations), the chiropractic hypothesis was/is wholly unique. That is why we like to say the “1st chiropractic adjustment” was done by D.D. Palmer in 1895 in Davenport, IA. This does not diminish A.T. Sill’s contributions to manipulative medicine. Neither does it infringe on any other professions therapeutic treatments.
As a side note, I’m sure A.T. Still would role over in his grave with despair seeing how far Osteopathy has moved from his original vision.
5. ChiropracTIC and the Palmers gave us a progression forward over eons of time and trial and error and new ideas that eventually they added a NEW improved way of health and life. Their theory is simply this:
A controlling life energy or innate intelligence uses the central nervous system to direct/coordinate/control all cellular function in the body. The spine must be aligned and balanced properly for the nerve system to have ideal tension and function. This allows us a strong clear connection to that innate life source…health, harmony, ease, and the ability to live fully well is the natural result.
It is as simple as that.
Robert, the assertion that D.D. Palmer was a student of A.T. Still’s is completely false. The website you linked to does not prove in any way, shape, or form that D.D. was a student of Still’s. I can link to websites that say that JFK was an alien invader, but that doesn’t make it true.
The idea that D.D. Palmer was a student of Still’s and somehow “ripped off” the osteopathic profession is a popular tale in both the chiropractic and especially osteopathic professions, but it stems from hyperbole and unchecked facts. I don’t have the time for references right now but I will post them later. This myth was started by an old report of someone having seen D.D. Palmer’s signature on a visitor’s registry from the osteopathic college in Kirksville. No one ever fact-checked this, so reference to this report was cited in subsequent historical journal articles, some of which were written by DC’s. A number of years ago, a couple of DC’s decided to investigate this further and found that no such register exists at the Kirksville school, and that the registry didn’t even exist until many years after DD developed chiropractic.
The only known exchange between Still and Palmer came in the form of a debate at a spiritualists’ revival where they argued about the “supremacy” the artery vs the nerve. Palmer readily acknowledged in his writings that manipulation is not a new science, but that adjustment of specific vertebrae for a specific intent WAS new, and thus dubbed it chiropractic. I’ll post more when I get a chance.
Thanks Steve. I’m not as well versed in the details of that history like you are, so I appreciate you clearing that up.
Sorry Steve, but who will check your “facts”?
The proof is in the experience. I started going to chiropractors in 1980 and continued to do so on a regular basis, getting manipulations from a substantial number of DC’s, until 1998 – the level of success was, as expected in any medical profession, varied. Some, I felt were very good and I looked forward to seeing them again. However, I didn’t know how pliable the human body was until my first osteopathic manipulation. And, whereas the chiropractor always asked me where it hurt and proceeded to address that area locally, the osteopath, curiously, would be manipulating some other part of my body with great success in the area that hurt. Also, the chiropractors almost always wanted an x-ray to proceed and I was never given an x-ray by an osteopath – such is the level of the osteopath’s understanding of the human structure and the ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves, etc. that cover it.
Admittedly, there is some concern within the Osteopathic training community about an apparent move towards more traditional medicine with it’s volume of prescription (though this is largely due to the patient community that expects a drug to cure it’s every discomfort) – at least that is the feeling I got around the time I left KCOM at the end of 2000. That said, there is no doubt in my mind that the core philosophy of Osteopathic Medicine is superior in its overall understanding of the human body and the holistic approach to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Robert, having busted my butt through chiropractic school, and having gone through the same amount of sciences that an M.D. or a D.O. goes through, I can tell you that your statement about a D.O. having superior understanding of the human body compared to a chiropractor is flat out wrong.
The chiropractors you went to in the past, honestly, weren’t doing a very good job in letting you, the patient, know what chiropractic truly is. Treating the area of chief complaint is NOT what chiropractic is about. Unfortunately, you had the misfortune of coming across chiropractors that didn’t really understand chiropractic. If they did, they would not have cared about diagnosing your local pain, but would have focused on addressing the overall function of your nervous system instead.
As far as taking x-rays go, I would question the osteopath who DOES NOT take x-rays. I have as good an understanding of the muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons as any osteopath. My palpation skills are as good as any osteopath, and I can move bones as good, if not better, than any osteopath. However, what osteopath can determine the unique assymetry of the vertebrae of the spine by palpation alone? You have been duped into thinking that a D.O. has superior understanding of the body by not taking x-rays. In my opinion, they are cutting corners. Taking x-rays is called being responsible. You wouldn’t work on your car without lifting up the hood, and I won’t adjust anybody without taking x-rays. Same concept.
In our office, we focus on the upper cervical spine where the Atlas (C1) is the most freely movable vertebra in the entire spine… and also because of its close proximity to the brain stem (for example, Christopher Reeve shattered his C1 and damaged his spinal cord near the brain stem… remember he had lung disfunction and died of heart failure… 2 organ systems controlled by the brain stem). We take specific x-rays to measure the exact misalignment of C1 down to a 1/4 of a degree. Based on that, we perform a specific adjustment to restore C1 to its normal position… and people get a lot better. Their health problems, from low back pain, to allergies, to depression, have gotten better in our office. What osteopath has the skill or understanding to do that without an x-ray and without prescribing a pill?
Don’t get me wrong, I know there are great D.O.s out there (Dr. Mercola), but there also great chiropractors out there as well. I’m sorry you experienced chiropractic from someone who didn’t know what they were doing. I’m afraid that happens far too much in our profession.
I mean this with all respect, Robert. You’re a good guy and I just wanted to briefly clear up your understanding of chiropractic.
Well, Brandon;
You can’t possibly believe that the 8 or so chiropractors that I saw in that 18 year period all happened to be sub par when based on the chiropractic community as a whole. What are the odds that they would all be “bad” representatives – and I say that comparatively speaking, because a few of them were exceptional, such as a blind man I went to a few times in Windsor, MO (he certainly couldn’t read an X-ray).
And your car analogy actually isn’t very good. The very best mechanics I ever met were part of a family in Killeen, TX who could just start a car and sense what was wrong by the vibrations they felt and sounds they heard – one of the sons went on to win every mechanic contest sponsored by Ford from diagnosing a personal vehicle to working on an Indy qualifier.
I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree – you with your chiropractor’s dedication,
and me with my comparative experience as a patient of both DO’s and DC’s.
That said, the original point of my blog message was the FACT that AT Still developed and perfected a manipulative approach to alleviating pain and healing the body decades before Palmer “discovered” chiropractic, which is just a variation on those techniques.
All I can say is that if those 8 chiropractors are treating pain locally, yes, that is a bad representation of chiropractic.
But hey, I can agree to disagree… Nothing wrong with that.
Pretty impressive about that mechanic, though.
I will add that if osteopathy has helped you, then stick with that. Chiropractic is not for everyone, and I understand that. We should have talked about this when we were in the same ward together… would have been fun discussions.
Regardless of whether AT Still influenced D.D. or not, the unique hypothesis of disturbed nervous system tone was way ahead of its time. D.D. was talking about inflammation a hundred years before our modern health care experts. This hypothesis lead to an investigation of the relationship of nerve tracts to bony canals, which ultimately lead to the importance of the upper cervical spine and the notion of specific adjusting.
(Interestingly enough B.J. Palmer has a series of illustrations of manipulative “moves” in a book entitled “An exposition of Old Moves” which is basically an argument for the use of the toggle recoil method of adjusting in a full spine context. He has multiple areas of the book where he has taken a photograph of himself setting up on a patient for some move so the reader gets a sense of what it is. And then he says: “This move is similar (or stolen from) to osteopaths…see such and such book” usually written by an osteopath).
D.D.’s Restoration principle combined with x-ray lead to a variety of systems of analysis based on different theories of articular disturbance of the UC spine.
While you can get a great thoracic release and great cranial work from a modern osteopath, many of whom are very skilled in their art, you will not find them taking three dimensional views of the upper cervical spine and adjusting down a vector for the purpose of correcting misalignment components of an atlas subluxation.
This is simply not a variation of osteopathy.
Dr. Z Ward, nice to hear from you on this topic. I’ve always appreciated your input / ideas / analysis!
Sort of funny how things can go round and round a point and yet never really settle on an agreement, and BTW agreeing to disagree doesn’t really resolve anything IMHO…especially since the original thing we possibly “disagreed about” isn’t even a thing. See my post above for details on what a chiropractic adjustment is, why it is done, etc. and how that “thing” is not manipulative medicine regardless when or from where the ideas came.
http://genesis-chiropractic.com/1st-chiropractic-adjustment-vs-osteopathy.html
So, I wanted to thank you for your reminder of the “Old Moves” text that I loosely referenced. And also you were bringing together some of the Big Idea issues about the nervous system with the added ideas about restoration and inflammation.
The Palmers were way ahead of their time in the science and philosophy and eventually the art (application, technique, manual moves, etc). I elaborated and expanded on this with many more links on my own weblog to further clarify some of the points made in this stream of comments about the uniqueness of D.D. and B.J.’s work and why the upper cervical spine is key to unlocking the body’s innate potential to live well and healthy.
http://genesis-chiropractic.com/the-1st-chiropractic-adjustment.html
Re: Robert’s comments/experiences (and those of many others who enjoy and benefit from osteopathic manipulations) — None of our boisterous talk about chiropractic takes anything away from the profound contributions of osteopathy or A.T. Still.
We are simply seeking to educate and give credit to the founders and developers of something we hold dear. It is not for personal gain, but for broader recognition and enlightenment for society about the unique vitalistic vision and original ideas that birthed the chiropractic profession.
It WAS different.
Period.
And that’s okay…regardless anyone’s personal feelings or experiences or beliefs. It is not a competition.
It still IS different today; but only rarely, and unfortunately you need to seek out the few scattered proponents of the early truth because the principle has been muddied and mixed and maligned.
Dr. B Harshe – thanks again to you for this forum allowing us to shed light on some of these things.
Great points Zach. I completely forgot about that book about “Old Moves.” Obviously general chiropractic and osteopathic manipulations are one and the same, though each one varies in their philosophy. But neither can claim to be the first to use spinal manipulations. So we got that covered. But you were spot on about UC chiropractic. Nothing like it in the world anywhere.
Great discussions though. I’ve really enjoyed it!