Summary
Spencer Henry of Cult Liter dives into the controversial and strange origins of chiropractic care, covering D.D. Palmer's journey from magnetic healer to chiropractic founder. Palmer claimed to receive the principles from a ghost named Dr. Jim Atkinson during a spiritualist seance, then performed the first adjustment on Harvey Lillard around 1895. The episode traces how Palmer wanted to establish chiropractic as a religion to circumvent medical licensing laws, openly comparing himself to Christ and Muhammad in a 1911 letter. Spencer also examines the modern state of chiropractic, citing research that supports its use for musculoskeletal conditions like back and neck pain while noting the lack of evidence for broader claims like curing autism, ADHD, or boosting immune function. He covers several notable deaths associated with chiropractic adjustments, including Playboy model Katie May (arterial rupture leading to stroke in 2016) and musician Robbie Basho (fatal stroke from a whiplash procedure). The episode concludes with the story of chiropractor Joanne Gallagher, who persuaded a patient to stop anti-seizure medication, leading to the patient's death. While acknowledging that many people find genuine pain relief through chiropractic, Spencer emphasizes the importance of understanding both the benefits and the risks.
Key Points
- D.D. Palmer founded chiropractic after allegedly receiving the concept from a ghost during a seance
- Palmer wanted to turn chiropractic into a religion to avoid medical licensing laws
- Chiropractic has evidence-based support for musculoskeletal conditions like back and neck pain
- No evidence supports chiropractic claims to cure autism, ADHD, or boost immune function
- Rare but serious complications include arterial dissection leading to stroke, estimated at 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 6 million manipulations
- Notable deaths include Katie May (2016 stroke after neck adjustment) and musician Robbie Basho (fatal whiplash procedure)
- Modern chiropractic is split between evidence-based practitioners and those making unsupported broad health claims
- Chiropractors require a four-year undergraduate degree plus 3-5 years at an accredited college and clinical internship
Key Moments
A ghost named Dr. Jim Atkinson gave D.D. Palmer the concept of chiropractic
D.D. Palmer claimed to have received the knowledge and philosophy of chiropractic from the spirit of a deceased doctor named Jim Atkinson during a seance at the Mississippi Valley Spiritualist Camp. Palmer described this as inspiration from an intelligent spiritual being.
"it was during a seance where Dede claims that he was visited by the spirit of a doctor named Jim Atkinson, who had passed away 50 years prior"
The first chiropractic adjustment allegedly restored a deaf man's hearing
Around 1895, Palmer noticed a hump on Harvey Lillard's back and performed the first chiropractic adjustment, which allegedly restored Lillard's hearing. His daughter offered an alternate story — Palmer slapped Harvey's back after a joke.
"Dee Dee had noticed that there was a hump on Harvey's back and thus performed the first ever chiropractic adjustment, which allegedly miraculously seemed to restore Harvey Lillard's hearing"
D.D. Palmer wanted chiropractic to become a religion with himself as its leader
In a 1911 letter, Palmer compared himself to Jesus, Muhammad, and other religious founders, explicitly stating he wanted to make chiropractic a religion to avoid medical practice laws, with himself as the fountainhead and leader.
"I am the fountainhead. I am the founder of chiropractic in its science, in its art, in its philosophy, and in its religious phase"
D.D. Palmer's son allegedly hit him with a car at a homecoming parade
On August 27, 1913, B.J. Palmer allegedly drove his car into his father D.D. Palmer during a homecoming parade. D.D. died two months later, and while his death was officially attributed to typhoid, he himself claimed the crash was intentional.
"BJ allegedly drove his car into his father. D.D. Palmer ended up dying two months later"
