It was September 18, 1895 and at the time Dr. D.D. Palmer was trying to
understand the cause and effect of disease. His patient, Harvey Lillard,
was a black janitor working in the same building as Dr. Palmer in
Davenport, Iowa. 17 years before, while working in a cramped, stooped
position, Mr. Lillard felt something give way in his spine. The
immediate result was not only pain...but he also found he had lost his
hearing. He allowed Dr. Palmer to examine his spine to see if anything
could be done. Dr. Palmer discovered a "lump" on Mr. Lillard's back and
suspected that a vertebra might be out of "alignment" and "pinching" a
nerve affecting Mr. Lillard's ears.
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First
adjusting
bench, 1895
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With an admittedly unrefined chiropractic technique, Dr.
Palmer adjusted the vertebra with a gentle thrust. Lillard was excited
to hear noises from the street below. After a couple treatments, much of
Mr. Lillard's hearing was completely restored. Chiropractic was born.
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Harvey
Lillard
African-American and
First Chiropractic Patient
September 1895
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To quote Mr. Lillard:
“I was deaf 17 years and I expected to always remain so,
for I had doctored a great deal without any benefit. I had long ago made
up my mind to not take any more ear treatments, for it did me no good.
Last January, Dr. Palmer told me that my deafness came from an injury in
my spine. This was new to me; but it is a fact that my back was injured
at the time I went deaf. Dr. Palmer treated me on the spine; in two
treatments I could hear quite well. That was eight months ago. My
hearing remains good.”