Early Chiropractic
DD Palmer and BJ Palmer - the Foundation of Chiropractic
The Early Development of Chiropractic: 1895–1950
The first thirty years of chiropractic, from 1895 to 1925, were shaped by pioneering individuals who challenged conventional thinking and explored new approaches to health and healing. Among the most influential figures of this era were Dr. Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer and his son, Dr. Bartlett Joshua (B.J.) Palmer. Their writings and teachings were often bold and provocative, reflecting a time when many healthcare concepts were still evolving and scientific validation was limited.
To understand chiropractic’s beginnings, it is important to consider the medical landscape of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Antiseptic procedures and anesthesia were only beginning to gain acceptance, and many common medical treatments included bloodletting, leeches, and tobacco enemas. Medicine competed with a wide range of healing disciplines, including homeopathy, botanical medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, nursing, and numerous other therapeutic approaches.
D.D. Palmer began his career as a magnetic healer and possessed a strong interest in human anatomy. Through his observations, he became intrigued by the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. He proposed that small spinal misalignments, which he called “subluxations,” could influence nerve function and potentially affect the body's organs and overall health. Palmer theorized that correcting these spinal disturbances through manual adjustments could support the body's natural healing processes.
In 1897, D.D. Palmer combined his knowledge of magnetic healing and manual manipulation to establish the profession of chiropractic, a term meaning “done by hand,” suggested by one of his early patients, Samuel Weed. Following a period of personal and professional conflict with his son, D.D. left Davenport, Iowa, in 1902. He later sold the Palmer School to B.J. Palmer in 1906. B.J. is widely credited with expanding chiropractic philosophy, education, and professional organization, helping transform chiropractic into a recognized healing art and profession.
The period from 1925 to 1950 is often viewed as an era of maturation for chiropractic. Public awareness continued to grow, although broad acceptance remained a challenge. During these years, chiropractic schools expanded rapidly, with many founded by graduates of the Palmer School who embraced diverse perspectives on chiropractic practice. Influential leaders including Budden, Cale, Cleveland, Coggins, Haynes, Janse, Nugent, Ratledge, Schultze, Watkins, and Wolf championed higher educational standards and helped lay the foundation for the profession's continued growth and development.
Commitment to the Foundation
Two new Schools of Chiropractic Form
During the 1960s and 1970s, the chiropractic profession entered a period of reflection and renewal. Following the passing of B.J. Palmer in 1961, many chiropractors who had been inspired by his teachings became concerned that the profession was gradually moving away from its original philosophy and purpose. A growing number of practitioners believed that the principles developed by D.D. Palmer and expanded by B.J. Palmer needed to be preserved and passed on to future generations of chiropractors. Out of this desire emerged two influential educational institutions that would profoundly shape the profession for decades to come.
One of the most visible leaders of this movement was Sid E. Williams. A graduate of Palmer College and a successful practitioner, Dr. Williams was deeply influenced by B.J. Palmer's philosophy and vision of chiropractic as a distinct healing art centered on the correction of vertebral subluxation. While still a student, he dreamed of establishing a college dedicated to these principles. Through his Dynamic Essentials seminars, the Life Foundation, and the support of hundreds of chiropractors, that dream became a reality when Life Chiropractic College opened in Marietta, Georgia, in January 1975. The school was founded to educate chiropractors who would carry forward the Palmer philosophy, emphasizing service, leadership, and the body's innate ability to express health when interference to the nervous system is removed.
At nearly the same time, another group of chiropractic leaders sought to preserve what they viewed as the foundational principles of the profession. Sherman College was established in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 1973 by Dr. Thom Gelardi and colleagues who wished to create an educational environment devoted to chiropractic philosophy and the correction of vertebral subluxation. Among the school's most influential early leaders was Reggie Gold, whose powerful lectures and writings inspired thousands of chiropractors worldwide. Gold championed a clear and principled vision of chiropractic, emphasizing the body's innate intelligence and the chiropractor's responsibility to locate, analyze, and adjust vertebral subluxations. Sherman College was named in honor of Dr. Lyle Sherman, a close associate of B.J. Palmer and a respected researcher who helped develop many of the profession's early analytical procedures. The college was founded specifically to preserve and advance chiropractic philosophy at a time when many feared those principles were being diluted.
Although Life Chiropractic College and Sherman College developed their own unique cultures and educational approaches, both institutions emerged from a common desire: to preserve the vision of B.J. Palmer and ensure that future generations of chiropractors would continue to study, practice, and advance the foundational principles upon which the profession was built. Together, they became two of the most influential guardians of the chiropractic philosophy during the latter half of the twentieth century.
What is Chiropractic
Conservative Chiropractic
Chiropractors care for patients in many of the same ways as other healthcare providers. During a visit, they talk with patients about their health concerns, symptoms, daily activities, and medical history. They then do an exam, which may include checking posture, movement, strength, and reflexes. Using this information, the chiropractor identifies the problem and creates a care plan that fits the patient's needs. They also keep track of progress and may change the treatment plan as the patient gets better.
Many chiropractors treat problems that affect the muscles, joints, and spine. People often visit a chiropractor for back pain, neck pain, headaches, joint pain, or trouble moving comfortably.
Chiropractors use different hands-on treatments depending on the patient's condition. Some treatments include gentle stretching, muscle work, or steady pressure to help relax tight areas and improve movement. Another common treatment is called a spinal adjustment. During an adjustment, the chiropractor uses a quick, gentle movement to help a joint move more normally.
The goal of chiropractic adjustments is to improve joint movement, help the body function better, and make it easier to move comfortably. Although the spine is the area most often treated, chiropractors may also work on other joints, such as the shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, wrists, and elbows.
By combining careful assessment with hands-on treatment, chiropractors aim to help patients move better, feel less pain, and stay active and healthy.
