The Eccentric Founders of Chiropractic Care: The Lives and Legacy of Daniel David Palmer and Bartlett Joshua Palmer

Chiropractic care is a form of medicine that focuses on the treatment of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine. It’s a practice that has been around for over a century and its roots can be traced back to two very influential and eccentric individuals: Daniel David Palmer and his son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer.

Daniel David Palmer was born in Canada in 1845 and moved to the United States in 1865. He was a magnetic healer, a type of practitioner who believed in the power of magnetism to cure ailments. He later became interested in the concept of spinal manipulation as a means of treating medical conditions, and in 1895, he founded the first chiropractic school in Davenport, Iowa.

Bartlett Joshua Palmer, born in 1880, was Daniel’s son and heir to the chiropractic dynasty. He was instrumental in spreading the chiropractic message, writing several books and establishing chiropractic colleges across the United States. He was known for his charismatic personality and strong leadership skills, and he helped shape the development of the chiropractic profession.

Both Daniel and Bartlett Palmer were known for their unorthodox beliefs and practices. They were known to promote chiropractic as a cure-all for a wide range of medical conditions, including cancer and heart disease. This drew criticism from the medical community, who saw chiropractic as quackery and a threat to their profession.

Despite the criticism, chiropractic care continued to gain popularity, and today it is a widely accepted form of alternative medicine. According to the World Health Organization, chiropractic is a recognized health care profession in over 100 countries, and it is estimated that over 20 million people in the United States alone receive chiropractic care each year.

The Palmer family also had a lasting impact on the chiropractic profession through their establishment of the Palmer College of Chiropractic, which is still in operation today and is considered the birthplace of chiropractic. The college is known for its rigorous curriculum and its emphasis on spinal manipulation as the central aspect of chiropractic care.

The lives and legacies of Daniel David Palmer and Bartlett Joshua Palmer have had a profound impact on the development of chiropractic care. Despite their beliefs and practices which were considered controversial at the time, they were instrumental in establishing chiropractic as a recognized form of alternative medicine and in shaping its development over the last century. Their influence can still be seen today in the Palmer College of Chiropractic and in the millions of people who seek chiropractic care each year.