History of Chiropractic

Daniel Devid Palmer (1846-1913): Founder of Chiropractic

1845 : born in Port Perry, Ontario, Canada

1886 : began hand magnet healing.

1895 : named his healing art as Chiropractic

1895 : Roentogen discovered X-ray.

1896 : established Palmer School in Davenport, Iowa.

1901 : Roentogen won the first Nobel Prize in Physics.

1906 : was put in prison for 23 days because of a violation of medical law.

( In those days in U.S., medical doctors had to report themselves in medical law, but he declared that he was not a medical doctor but a "chiropractor".)

1906 : after he left prison, he traveled to wide spread chiropractic

and he established several chiropractic schools.

Bartlett Joshua Palmer (1882-1961) : Developer of Chiropractic

1882 : born in What Cheer, Iowa.

1902 : graduated from Palmer School.

1906 : took up position of Principal of Palmer School because of his father's imprisonment.

1910 : began to apply X-ray for taking images of body skeleton.

1913 : Chiropractic license was approved in Kansas, the first state in U.S.

1915 : proposed a concept of Major Subluxation.

"Displacements of spinal segment which is causing deterioration of the innate self healing power are only a few in the skeletal system in the body."

1930-1935: estsblished Hole In One Theory.

This theory contains following idea.

1935-1956: Only Toggle Recoil Technique was taught at Palmer School.

1956-1961: Sometimes minor subluxation was adjusted.

1974 : Chiropractic license was approved in Louisiana, the last state for all in U.S.

1975 : International Spinal Manipulation Conference was held: by American National Health Insutitute.
1978 : "New Zealand Report" on chiropractic was submitted by the New Zealand government.: Inglis, BD, Chiropractic in New Zealand: Report of the Commission of Inquiry, Government Printer, New Zealand, 1979
1982 : Some chiropractors filed a suit against American Medical Association for its monopoly: and campaign over TV, radio and every medium to boycott chiropractic.
1987 : The court ruled on above point that American Medical Association un-monopolistic.
1988 : World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) was organized.: 50 countries were members of it.
1990 : Long term British study supports chiropractic.: "Chiropractic is obviously effective for low back pain of mechanical origin." Funded by the Medical Research Council, the National Back Pain Association, the European Chiropractors Union, and the King Edward's Hospital Fund for London.
1991 : "Rand Study" supports chiropractic effectiveness for low back pain.: Shekelle PG, Adams AH, Chassin MR, et al. "The appropriateness of spinal manipulation for low-back pain. Project overview and literature review." RAND STUDY-CHIROPRACTIC REPORT Vol.5 No.6, RAND Corp, 1991.
1991 : WFC Conference were held in Toronto Canada with American Low Back Pain Academy.: Japan was accepted in WFC
1993 : WFC Conference was held in London England with WHO.: WFC and WHO desided to publish "The Role of Chiropractic in Working Health." manual together. ( It is planning to publish in 1997.)
1993 : Study for the effectiveness of chiropractic was submitted funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health.: Pran Manga, Ph.D., et al. "A Study to Examine the Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain"
1995 : Chiropractic's 100th year anniversary.: Some commemorations were held at various cities in U.S.
1997 : World Health Organization(WHO) has authorized WFC as one of the NGO(Nongovernmental Organization), January
1997 : WFC WORLD CHIROPRACTIC CONGRESS TOKYO was held in June successfully: : supported by WHO

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Main adjustment systems (Techniques)

Meric Recoil Technique, found by Dr. D. D. Palmer

This technique uses quite rapid recoil of bilateral hands to adjust spinal segment under consideration of relationship between spinal segment and specific viscus. Cleveland college was teaching only this technique until quite recently.

Toggle Recoil Technique, found by Dr. B. J. Palmer

This is very famous technique which adjusts only upper cervical spine(C1 or C2) according to the so called "Hole In One Theory".

Hole In One Theory: An idea that major subluxation would be found on upper cervicals in many cases. Sherman College was teaching only this technique since its establishment until quite recently.

Diversified Technique

This technique was a main adjusting system untill D. D. Palmer and B. J. Palmer found Recoil Technique. This technique corrects rotatory displacement mainly. Because this technique was devised before the concept of major subluxation had been found, some adjusting method doesn't use contact with specific spinal segment. A general image for chiropractic care in Japan derives from this technique.

Thompson Terminal Point Technique, found by Dr. Clay Thompson

Dr. C. Thompson developed hydraulic drop table(Thompson Table). He discovered pelvic displacement patterns and a relevance between pelvic displacements and difference of leg length. He introduced an examination to decide whether the major subluxation exists at the cervical spine or not.

Gonstead Technique, found by Dr. Clarence Gonstead

Dr. C. Gonstead established X-ray analysing method to judge displacements of spinal segments and pelvic. He advocated that a vertebra can displace to posterior first of all. This idea is much different from diversified technique. This technique is based upon major subluxation and physiological function of the intervertebral disk, and uses an orthodox manipulative procedure. But there are not many experts in this technique because it is quite difficult to master this technique.
He has built the largest chiropractic clinic in U.S. on Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, which has seminar rooms, an airport for cessna, and a motel.

Sacro Occipital Technique (S.O.T.), found by Dr. Major Bertland DeJarnette (1900-1992)

Dr. M. B. DeJarnette learned osteopathy from Dr. A. T. Still and learned cranial technique from Dr. Sutherland, then he graduated from Nebraska Chiropractic College.

1925 -1992 :
He began developing, studying and educating S.O.T. at Omaha Nebraska. And he had made comprehensive survey of cranial technique, reflex technique for viscera and extremity technique. The flow of cerebrospinal fluid is regarded as important in this technique. This technique does't use quick thrusts but uses wedge shaped blocks to insert under the patient's pelvis for pelvic correction using patient's weight. Founder's career shows that S.O.T.has a lot of osteopathy manipulation.

S.T.O. & Harmonic Technique, found by Dr. Mervin Lloyd Rees (1920-1992)

Dr. M. L. Rees discoverd Temporal Sphenoidal Line(TS Line = reflex points for viscera) during The World War 2.

1955 : began to practicing in Sedan Kansas

1956 : began S.O.T.

1974 : was installed as a director of S.O.R.S.I.(Sacro Occipital Research Society International).

1980 : opened his original technique i.e. Harmonic Technique, Soft Tissue Orthopedic Technique.

Applied Kinesiology, found by Dr. George Goodheart

Dr. G. Goodheart found a relationship between each meridian and each muscle, nerve, neuro- vascular reflex point, neuro-lymph reflex point. This is very popular among people who have an acupuncture license in Japan, because it is easy for them to adapt, having knowledge of meridians.

Logan Basic Technique, found by Dr. Hugh Logan

This technique uses continuous pressure for a pelvic ligament with deep sensory reflex to adjust spinal segment.

Pierce-Stillwagon Technique, found by Dr. Walter Pierce & Dr. Glenn Stillwagon

This technique uses drop table as well as Thompson Terminal Point Technique. This is characterized by adjusting method and thought for fifith cervical & pelvic displacements. Toggle recoil Technique and Logan Basic Technique play a part of this technique.

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Patricia Sheppard, D.C.