Chiropractic History
The history of chiropractic is a journey from a single "miraculous" event to a globally regulated healthcare profession. Below is the complete history organized into its key eras and milestones.
1. The Foundation: D.D. Palmer (1895–1910)
Chiropractic was founded in Davenport, Iowa, by Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer, a Canadian teacher and "magnetic healer."
The First Adjustment (Sept 18, 1895): Palmer adjusted Harvey Lillard, a janitor who had been nearly deaf for 17 years. Palmer noted a displaced vertebra in Lillard's back and "racked it into position." Lillard's hearing reportedly improved significantly. The Name: The term was coined by Rev. Samuel Weed, combining the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (practice/action).
Vitalism: Early chiropractic was rooted in the concept of Innate Intelligence—the belief that the body has a self-healing energy that travels through the nervous system. Of course some years after the discovering of Chiropractic all this concepts and theories evolute.
2. The Development: B.J. Palmer (1910–1960)
D.D. Palmer’s son, Bartlett Joshua (B.J.) Palmer, is known as "The Developer." He took his father's small school and turned it into a global movement.
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Technical Innovation: B.J. introduced X-rays (Spinography) in 1910 to objectively see spinal misalignments (subluxations).
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The "Era of Prosecution": In the early 20th century, thousands of chiropractors were jailed for "practicing medicine without a license." They used the defense that they were not practicing medicine (drugs/surgery) but "adjusting the cause" of disease.
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Legal Recognition: Kansas became the first state to license chiropractic in 1913. It took until 1974 for Louisiana to become the final U.S. state to do so.
3. The Fight for Legitimacy (1960–1990)
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This era was defined by a fierce battle with organized medicine.
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Wilk v. AMA (1976–1987): Chester Wilk and four other chiropractors sued the American Medical Association (AMA) for an illegal conspiracy to destroy the profession.
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The Verdict: In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the AMA, finding they had engaged in an illegal boycott. This paved the way for chiropractors to work in hospitals and collaborate with MDs.
4. Modern Era: Integration & Science (1990–Present)
Today, chiropractic is the third-largest primary healthcare profession in the world (after medicine and dentistry).
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WHO Recognition (1997): The World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized chiropractic and later published guidelines for education and safety.
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Evidence-Based Practice: Modern chiropractors often focus on musculoskeletal health, moving away from purely vitalistic philosophy toward biomechanics and neurology.
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Global Spread: It is now a university-level degree in dozens of countries, including Brazil (since 2000), Australia, and the UK.
Key Historical Terms:
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The Founder: Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer.
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The Developer: B.J. Palmer (son of D.D. Palmer, who expanded the profession).
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Subluxation: The term historically used to describe a spinal joint that is misaligned or not functioning properly.
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Innate Intelligence: A historical philosophical term referring to the body's self-healing capability.
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Straight vs. Mixer: A division between those who focus only on spinal adjustments (straights) and those who integrate other therapies (mixers).
The roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the beginning of recorded time. Writings from China and Greece written in 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering of the lower extremities to ease low back pain. The understanding that the spine is somehow involved in health and wellness, as well as the practice of using manual manipulation as a source of healing, dates back to the time of the ancient Greek philosophers. In fact, Hippocrates once said, "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases."
The ancient clay tablet shows Asklepios, the 'mild physician' accompanied with "Hygeia", the Goddess of Health, who performs a correction of the vertebral column.
