1. The Embryology of Chiropractic: From Magnetic Healing to Palmer’s Third Theory
Joseph C. Keating, Jr., Ph.D. (Deceased)
Past Member, Board of Directors
National Institute of Chiropractic Research
Past President and Member, Board of Directors
Association for the History of Chiropractic
Patrick Montgomery, D.C., F.A.S.A.
Member, Board of Directors
Associate Professor
Logan College of Chiropractic

2. responsible for the content of
The authors are solely
responsible for the content of
this presentation

3. Health care in the 19th Century was primitive
Health care in the 19th Century was primitive. Treatment was often more harmful than the disease itself. A visit to the physician was often a last resort.

4. A famous quote from Benjamin Rush, M. D
A famous quote from Benjamin Rush, M.D.: “The Constitution of this Republic should make specific provision for medical freedom as well as for religious freedom. To restrict the practice of the art of healing to one class of physicians and deny to others equal privileges constitutes the Bastille of our science. All such laws are un-American and despotic. They are vestiges of monarchy and have no place in a republic.”

5. Samuel Hahnemann, M.D. ( ) introduced homeopathy and the law of similars (“similia similibus curantur”) in Germany. His ideas offered a gentle alternative to heroic medical practice and became popular in America in the early 19th century

6. Homeopathic Medicine
The principle of homeopathy, the “law of similars” may be stated as “like cures like” (“similia similibus curantur”)
Dr. Hahnemann’s theory and practice involved administering “infinitesimal doses” of substances that produced symptoms like those of the patient’s disease

7. Homeopathic Medicine
A few homeopathic remedies were adopted by allopathic physicians (e.g., nitroglycerine for angina)
19th century American homeopaths were usually better educated than allopaths (the homeopaths took their training in European universities)
The American Medical Association (AMA) branded homeopathy as quackery in the 1850s
Homeopaths invented the term “allopathy”

8. Franz Anton Mesmer, M.D., Patients also welcomed the “animal magnetism” of Dr. Mesmer. Mesmer’s 1776 dissertation at the University of Vienna was entitled “The influence of the planets upon the human body by means of a magnetic fluid.” He developed thriving magnetic practices in several European cities.

9. Magnetic Healing (Animal Magnetism)
Mesmer’s theories were refuted by a French scientific commission, which included Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia - a noted physicist of that era
Mesmerism was introduced to North America by itinerant lecturer Charles Poyen of France in the 1830s

10. Magnetic Healing (Animal Magnetism)
Magnetic practitioners were briefly licensed in a few American states
Both Andrew T. Still, founder of osteopathy, and D.D. Palmer, founder of chiropractic, practiced magnetic healing

11. Dr. D.D. Palmer, Magnetic Healer 1887

12. The Palmer School and 40-room in-patient infirmary were located on the fourth floor of the Ryan Block Building at Davenport in 1900

13. Dr. Palmer, Magnetic
D.D. first practiced magnetic in Burlington, Iowa in 1885 or 1886, but soon relocated to the Putnam Building in the Ryan Block (2nd and Brady Streets) of Davenport, Iowa
He may have been self-taught in magnetic, but he acknowledged studying a variety of alternative healing methods (including osteopathy and Christian Science)
He sought a “scientific” explanation for the “cures” he believed he achieved with magnetic

14. Dr. D.D. Palmer used his sensitive fingers to locate inflammations, which he “cooled off” by pouring his personal excess vital magnetic force into them. It was a precursor to the “specificity” of chiropractic diagnosis and treatment (adjusting)

15. During his years of magnetic practice, Palmer developed his technique of tracing nerves to and from their presumed spinal origins and dysfunctional end-organs. Nerve tracing became one of D.D.’s two principal chiropractic assessment methods

16. D.D.’s waiting room, early 1890s

17. Earliest events in chiropractic history
September 18, 1895: D.D. Palmer adjusts Harvey Lillard
April 1896: D.D. Palmer coins the term “chiropractic,” meaning done-by-hand
July 1896: D.D. incorporates the Palmer School of Magnetic Cure (PSMC)
January 1897: D.D. Palmer offers to teach chiropractic; tuition is $500 for the three-month course at the PSMC

18. How do Magnetic and Chiropractic treatments differ
How do Magnetic and Chiropractic treatments differ? If a journal heats we pour on water to cool it; in the human machine we pour on magnetism to relieve inflammation. With the chiropractic treatment we adjust the journal and box so that they will not heat; in the human machine we adjust each part to its proper place so that all works in harmony without friction (emphasis added).

19. Dr. D.D. Palmer’s Three Theories of Chiropractic
D.D. Palmer’s concept of his three theories of chiropractic were all about…
Inflammation!

20. Characteristics of D.D. Palmer’s Several Theories of Chiropractic - Part 1
Concept
1897-
1902
1903-
1906
1908-
1914
therapeusis?
Yes No
method of treatment?
manipu-lation
adjustment
Innate?
absent
nerves;
Intelligence
circulatory obstruction?

21. Characteristics of D.D. Palmer’s Several Theories of Chiropractic - Part 2
Concept
1897-
1902
1903-
1906
1908-
1914
machine metaphor?
Yes No
nerve pinching?
foraminal occlusion? ?

22. Characteristics of D.D. Palmer’s Several Theories of Chiropractic - Part 3
Concept
1897-
1902
1903-
1906
1908-
1914
nerve vibration? ?
Yes
religious plank?
absent
optional?
obligatory?
tone?
(vital)
Absent

23. D.D.’s Three Theories are the basis of all present chiropractic techniques.
1st Theory: Manipulate anything that is ‘out of place’, including all joints, organs, etc.
2nd Theory: Adjust the spine only by hand only where the nerves are pinched, for the elimination of nerve interference.
3rd Theory: Adjust where nerves are encroached upon to elimination of nerve interference.

24. Chiropractic Techniques
According to the American Chiropractic Association’s website, there are 15 most commonly used techniques.
They are:

25. Chiropractic Techniques
1. Diversified
2. Extremity manipulation/adjusting
3. Activator Methods
4. Gonstead
5. Cox Flexion/Distraction
6. Thompson
7. Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT)
8. Applied Kinesiology
9. NIMMO/Receptor Tonus
10. Cranial
11. Manipulative/Adjustive instruments
12. Palmer Upper Cervical (HIO)
13. Logan Basic
14. Meric
15. Pierce-Stillwagon
These are listed in descending order

26. Chiropractic Techniques
All chiropractic colleges teach diversified.
There are 6 major types of diversified technique.
Several of the other top 15 techniques are taught at chiro colleges as ‘core techniques’.
Several of the other top 15 are taught as electives.
Logan College boasts the most electives at 14.