A Chiropractic History Lesson
San Francisco Chiropractic - Blog on the History of Chiropractic Therapy
It’s said chiropractic got its start in Iowa in 1895, but, according to the World Chiropractic Alliance, Hippocrates knew of its importance much earlier, saying “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.” Hippocrates’ contemporary Herodutus cured diseases through spinal manipulation, and drew criticism from Aristotle who said, “He made old men young and thus prolonged their lives too greatly.”
The father of chiropractic, however, was D.D. Palmer, Iowa teacher, bee-keeper and magnetic healer, who in 1895 cured a janitor of deafness by adjusting a vertebra in his spine. He went on to treat an array of other ailments, including stomach problems, migraines, flu and heart trouble with his innovative, drug-free approach. It was Palmer who coined the term “chiropractic,” using the Greek words chiro, meaning “hand” and practic, meaning operation, and developed much of the science and philosophy on which chiropractic care is now based. In 1898, he accepted his first chiropractic students at the Palmer School & Infirmary of Chiropractic and a new discipline was born.
But, alas, no good deed ever goes unpunished. Palmer ran into trouble as a result of his efforts. Accused as a charlatan by the medical community, he was eventually arrested for practicing medicine without a license and sentenced 105 days in jail and a $350 fine. Palmer served his sentence and eventually paid his fine but never deserted chiropractic study. He went on to publish two books on Chiropractic before his death, “The Science of Chiropractic” and “The Chiropractic Adjuster.”
Today 22 million Americans seek out chiropractic care each year for safe, non-invasive treatment for pain and other ailments, and, of course, to promote the natural recuperative power of their bodies, so they too “can prolong their lives too greatly” for Aristotle’s liking.
If you’d like more information on what chiropractic can do for you today, contact the San Francisco chiropractic office ChiroCare.
http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/consumer/history.htm