Daniel David Palmer—Inventor of Chiropractic

Abstract

DD Palmer (1845–1913) was born in Canada but moved to the US at an early age. He pursued a multitude of professions before he learned osteopathy from Andrew Still, copied several of his concepts, and thus created chiropractic. He then famously claimed that 95% of all diseases are caused by spinal subluxations and that adjusting these abnormalities is therefore the optimal therapy for nearly all conditions. Today, we know that subluxations, as understood by chiropractors, do not exist. Palmer and his son managed to popularize chiropractic regardless. DD Palmer founded several schools of chiropractic and wrote several books that still form the basis of this therapy. He died after being hit by a car driven by his own son.

Displacement of any part of the skeletal frame may press against nerves, which are the channels of communication, intensifying or decreasing their carrying capacity, creating either too much or not enough functioning, an aberration known as disease. The nature of the affection depends upon the shape of the bone, the amount of pressure, age of patient, character of nerves impinged upon and the individual makeup. (DD Palmer)