Chiropractic has come a long way since it’s inception in the late 19th century. The profession has faced many attacks and challenges by chiropractors struggling to define the path of chiropractic as well as outsiders who desired to stop chiropractic’s contribution to American healthcare.
The Founding of Chiropractic
Chiropractic began in 1895 when its founder, Daniel David Palmer, claimed the cause of any and all disease could be removed by–and needing nothing more than–his hands. The name given to this new profession became its identity. After all, chiropractic means “done by hand.”
Chiropractic was not an unknown treatment in 1895, and Palmer never claimed to be the first to use chiropractic for the cure of disease. He did claim, however, to be the first to use specific contacts as short-leverage points for making more specific spinal “adjustments.” Harvey Lillard was the name of D.D. Palmer’s first patient, and an adjustment reportedly curing Lillard’s deafness is regarded as the seminal moment for the new profession.
D.D. Palmer established his science, art, and philosophy of chiropractic and started a school called the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1905. Since then, Palmer has expanded it’s presence to three locations: Davenport, Iowa; Port Orange, Florida and San Jose, California.
SideNote: Dr. Will graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport in 1977 and his son, Dan McCray graduated from the Port Orange location in 2007.
The Beef Between Physician and Chiropractors
For most of its existence, chiropractic has been at odds with mainstream medicine and physicians.
Between 1873 and 1899, each state established statutes to practice medicine. But there were as yet no statutes to practice chiropractic. This put chiropractors at risk of arrest for practicing medicine without a license.
But despite opposition from allopathic medicine, states also began enacting chiropractic licensure statutes in 1905, largely due to the demands for care made by chiropractic patients.
This process of chiropractic licensure in all states was finally completed in 1974. But all the while, licensed or not, chiropractors continued to work as the public demanded. Many chiropractors practicing in states where chiropractic licensure laws were yet to be enacted defiantly opposed the medical statutes they regarded as an infringement of their rights and obligations to serve their patients. Until the 1950s and 1960s, it was not uncommon for chiropractors to be jailed and fined.
As late as 1966, The American Medical Association called chiropractic an “insufficient cult.” The AMA continued to boycott the profession until losing an antitrust case in 1987. The AMA now permits medical doctors to refer patients to doctors of chiropractic for treatment and/or therapy if the medical doctor believes it is in the best interest of the patient.
Chiropractic Today
Today, professional cooperation and mutual appreciation between chiropractic and conventional medicine lie in stark contrast to many years of discord. Cooperation and the collaborative care of patients are now quite common.
Interdisciplinary practices are now becoming more common in a variety of settings, with chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and others working as partners in occupational health, sports medicine teams, and rehabilitation centers.
Contributing Resources: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/chiropractic/where-does-it-come
At McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic we care about the mental and physical well-being of each patient. Dr. Will McCray and Dr. Dan McCray offer a variety of services to help you and your family achieve optimal health with chiropractic care, massage, nutritional recommendations, and various therapies. We pride ourselves in making our patients feel welcome and comfortable so they enjoy coming in to visit one of our chiropractic offices. Feeling comfortable is a major component of the healing process and we hope you see that difference at our offices when you come in for your next visit. Visit our website to find out more on how we can help you achieve optimal health today: http://www.mccraychiropractic.com/
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