130 Years of History, Courage & Purpose
With Founder’s Day approaching on September 18, it is worth taking a moment to remember where chiropractic came from, the people who fought to establish it, and the principles that have continued to guide the profession for more than a century. Today, chiropractic is practiced around the world. We have advanced education, modern technology, research, imaging and a much greater understanding of the human body and nervous system. But chiropractic began very differently.
It Started With An Idea
On September 18, 1895, in Davenport, Iowa, D.D. Palmer performed what is recognized in chiropractic history as the first chiropractic adjustment on a man named Harvey Lillard, who had reported hearing loss after an incident and restored his hearing!
Palmer believed there was an important relationship between the spine and the nervous system and that disturbances in the spine could affect the body's ability to function properly. This was the beginning of a profession built around a simple but profound idea: The nervous system matters. Our understanding of that relationship has continued to evolve over the last 131 year, but the importance of the nervous system has remained central to the chiropractic story.
D.D. Palmer became known as the Founder and Discoverer of Chiropractic. In 1897, he established the Palmer School and Cure, which eventually became Palmer College of Chiropractic. He was not simply creating a new technique; he was developing a different way of looking at health. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, he was interested in the relationship between the body's structure, function and nervous system. This became the foundation of the chiropractic profession.
His son, B.J. Palmer, took the profession his father had started and helped expand it dramatically. He developed chiropractic education, promoted research, expanded the Palmer school and became one of the profession's strongest voices. But chiropractic faced enormous opposition in those early years. Chiropractors weren't simply criticized, they were arrested.
D.D. Palmer himself was convicted of practicing medicine without a license and spent time in jail. Thousands of chiropractors were prosecuted during the early decades of the profession. These doctors were willing to sacrifice their freedom for something they believed was important enough to preserve. That is a history worth remembering.
The Fight for Chiropractic
As chiropractic grew, so did opposition from organized medicine. In 1976, chiropractor Chester Wilk and three others filed an antitrust lawsuit against the AMA and other organizations, challenging efforts they believed were being used to restrict chiropractic and prevent cooperation between medical doctors and chiropractors. The legal battle lasted 17 years, with the courts ruling against the AMA's efforts to restrain chiropractic, making Wilk v. AMA one of the most important legal victories in the history of the profession. Think about the courage required to take on an organization as powerful as the American Medical Association. Once again, chiropractors were being asked: How much are you willing to stand for what you believe? And once again, they stood up.
Another important figure is Dr. Reggie Gold, who graduated from Palmer College in 1957 and became one of the most influential chiropractic philosophers and educators of the twentieth century. Gold emphasized the importance of the nervous system and the idea that chiropractic should not simply be viewed as something someone seeks when they are experiencing symptoms. His work helped keep chiropractic philosophy alive through generations of doctors. And that brings us to an important question:
What Has Changed?
A lot. Chiropractic education has evolved. Our understanding of anatomy and physiology has expanded. Our knowledge of the nervous system has grown tremendously. Technology and imaging have advanced. Research continues to investigate adjustments, movement, pain, function and the many ways the nervous system interacts with the rest of the body. Chiropractic today does not look exactly like it did in 1895. And it shouldn't. A profession that continues to learn should continue to grow.
What Has Stayed The Same?
For more than 130 years, chiropractors have continued asking questions about how the spine and nervous system interact and how we can help people achieve better function. That is the thread connecting D.D. Palmer, B.J. Palmer, the chiropractors who went to jail, the doctors who fought in court, educators like Reggie Gold and the chiropractors practicing today.
And now, we are writing the next chapter. We get to decide what health looks like for the next generation. We get to continue learning, continue asking questions, educate our communities, and serve families. We get to remind people that their health is about more than simply getting rid of a symptom. So this Founder’s Day, take a moment to appreciate the journey from one adjustment in Davenport, Iowa, in 1895 to a profession practiced around the world today. 131 years later, the story continues. And we are part of it.
“The power that made the body, heals the body.” - B.J. Palmer
Happy Founder’s Day!
Dr. Allison
