Instructor: Simon Senzon, MA, DC
8 Credit Hours
Course Description: In this 8 hour lecture, participants will learn the history of chiropractic’s early principles. Participants will learn the basic principles of chiropractic from several perspectives and be able to apply those principles to how they practice.
Format: Online learning with video and PowerPoint presentations.
Approved Provinces: NL, ON, QC
Approved PACE States: AK, KS, ME, NV
Approved States: CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, GA**, ID, IL, IA, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VT, VA, VI, WA, WY
Approved Territory: PR
It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that the program is approved in the state to which they would like to receive credit.
*Approval of this course is not acknowledgment or ruling by the Board that the methods taught in this course are recognized and approved by the Board as the appropriate practice of chiropractic as defined in Section 331.010, RSMo.
**Georgia has approved a maximum of 3 credit hours under the category of philosophy.
“Postgraduate programs sponsored, co-sponsored or hosted by Sherman College of Chiropractic may not always reflect the views of the college or its employees.”
Chiropractic Principles 300:
D.D. Palmer’s First Chiropractic Theories
D.D. Palmer’s first chiropractic adjustment was delivered to Harvey Lillard in 1895, but his first writings on chiropractic were not published until 1897. And yet, it was not until 1902 that he truly developed his first real chiropractic concepts. In early 1902, he started by using the term “luxation” and then later included the term “sub-luxation.” He also introduced his first thoughts on vertebral adjusting as well as the concepts of Innate nerves, Educated nerves, and the role of intervertebral foramina in subluxation theory. While the first use of subluxation in chiropractic may have been from Palmer’s student O.G. Smith, a timeline of several of Palmer’s earliest concepts are uncovered during this lecture. Modern students will be introduced to the formation of several core chiropractic theories and thereby learn a greater appreciation for the development and foundation of chiropractic’s ideas.
Chiropractic Principles 301:
Early Chiropractic Theory Part 1
Several of D.D. Palmer’s earliest students shaped chiropractic theory by forming schools, publishing texts, initiating legislation, and fighting court battles. This lecture introduces the modern students to the foundational theories of A.P. Davis, Solon Langworthy, Oakley Smith, and Shegatoro Morikubo. These four early leaders had a significant impact on the development of chiropractic theory because future texts would draw upon their ideas, especially the books by Davis, Smith, and Langworthy. Morikubo played a unique role as primarily an advocate of B.J. Palmer’s theories in the courts and in his published writings. His actions and writings inspired many early chiropractors and helped to shape the legal landscape. This lecture introduces the modern reader to the core ideas from these individuals.
Chiropractic Principles 302:
Early Chiropractic Theory Part 2
Shegatora Morikubo wrote a few important articles on chiropractic principles. He introduced several concepts and philosophical approaches that were reflected in the Palmer School during this period. John Howard was one of the most influential chiropractors from the first generation. Not only did he found National Chiropractic College and pioneer the inclusion of Naturopathic methods within the chiropractic profession but he integrated most current theory. It is also important for the modern reader to understand several ways that scholarship about Howard has been mistaken. By accurately assessing Howard’s influence, the modern chiropractor might better understand the foundation of several important chiropractic ideas and events.
Chiropractic Principles 303:
Early Chiropractic Theory Part 3
Howard’s three volume encyclopedia was published in 1912. It represented an integration of the ideas from D.D. Palmer, A.P. Davis, Smith, and Langworthy. The text develops several chiropractic principles and lays out a philosophical foundation for the profession. The early writings of Willard Carver and B.J. Palmer helped to shape several chiropractic theories. Carver would become known as the father of full-spine analysis. B.J. Palmer’s earliest writings in his Volumes 3 and 4, established the foundation for several core chiropractic theories.
Chiropractic Principles 304:
Early Chiropractic Theory Part 4
The works of Joy Loban, James Firth, and Alva Gregory also had an important influence on the chiropractic paradigm. Firth was an early student of B.J. Palmer’s and a core faculty member for many years. His textbook on diagnosis was the first of the Palmer greenbooks not authored by a Palmer. It went into five editions and influenced two generations of chiropractors. Gregory’s books were an attempt to integrate the biomedical paradigm into chiropractic. His life and work had a greater impact on the early profession than previous historians may have realized especially through the influence of his student, Riley. Loban had a great influence on the profession as well. His two most prominent students were Hugh Logan and Fred Illi.
Chiropractic Principles 305:
Early Palmer Theories in Volume 2
In 1907, B.J. Palmer published his first solo text. The book includes many of his first theories including his CTE Cycle or creation, transmission, and expression. This became the foundation for his interference theory, which would guide the profession for much of the 20th century.
Chiropractic Principles 306:
D.D. Palmer’s 1st Book and A Brief History of Subluxation
The first part of this lecture explores D.D. Palmer’s first book. In 1906 and 1907 the first books by D.D. Palmer and B.J. Palmer were published. In these texts we get the foundations of both Palmer’s theories. By carefully analyzing Volume 1 of the greenbooks against articles written from 1904-1906, it is possible to determine which chapters of that first book were authored by D.D. Palmer. The second part of this hour contains a brief lecture from 2016 on the history of chiropractic subluxation theory and its relevance for modern practice. It is also directed at assisting the chiropractor to accurately assess and critique the peer-review literature on subluxation.
Chiropractic Principles 307:
B.J. Palmer’s Volume V
In 1909, B.J. Palmer published his second book on philosophy of chiropractic as Volume V. The first edition of this text lays out his subluxation theories. Many of these theories became the foundation for the Palmer School for decades to come. These ideas would help shape the discourse of the profession in ways that few historians have acknowledged. By carefully studying the ideas from this early period the modern reader can learn how these ideas influenced Palmer’s students from J.R. Drain to R.W. Stephenson and also how those ideas are still impacting modern practice.
