Dr DD.Palmer delivering an early chiropractic adjustment
On Sept 18, 1895 in Davenport Iowa, along the banks of the Ole Mississippi, a new science, art and philosophy was born… Chiropractic. A Canadian gentleman by the name of DD Palmer who was dabbling in magnetic healing delivered the first chiropractic adjustment to Mr Harvey Lillard. Lillard, a deaf janitor in the building in which Palmer worked, explained he lost his hearing 18 years earlier. While working in a broom closet he felt a pop in his upper back and neck and went deaf as post ever since. Dr Palmer postulated that if a displaced vertebrae could cause deafness, correcting that displaced vertebrae could restore his hearing. After Palmers 3rd “Adjustment” Mr. Lillard arose from the table, walked to the window and for the first time in 18 years testified he could hear wagon wheels rolling over cobble stone streets. Chiropractic exploded onto the health care scene in the United States and globally.
Since 1895 Chiropractic has endured a lot of challenges. It has survived ridicule, attacks and attempts to suppress and eliminate the profession. Despite this Chiropractic marched forward because it works and has been demanded by a population of people who recognize its value in the health care arena. In the early days, the new kid on the block had to deal with medical boards bullying, attempting to make chiropractic illegal. Some Chiropractors were even jailed for practicing medicine without a license. State by sate, chiropractors defeated legislature and protected the peoples right to a different form of health care. Alternative forms of health care were very popular in the early part of the twentieth century. Chiropractic quickly became a favorite with consumers because of its success in helping people get well.
When legislative attempts to suppress Chiropractic were unsuccessful, organized medicine turned to propaganda. Ever wonder why so many medical doctors seem to have a negative bias towards chiropractic. In the 1960’s and 70’s medical institutions had actively taught young medical students that Chiropractic was a form of quackery and if they were ever caught referring a patient to a chiropractor they could lose their license to practice medicine. In 1987 the chiropractic community had won a historic anti-trust lawsuit known as Wilk Vs the American Medical Association for trying to suppress and eliminate chiropractic.
Despite the evidence and science that supports chiropractic care today, strong biases still rages against the profession. Unfortunately this causes many people to miss out on the benefits that Chiropractic can offer them. Many hundreds of millions of people swear by chiropractic adjustments and testify to the positive impact it has made in their life and health. Chiropractic has survived because it works. It is simple, practical and resonates with people. Happy 123 Birthday Chiropractic…You ROCK!