Daniel D. Palmer

Here is a biography of Daniel D. Palmer (often referred to as D. D. Palmer):

Daniel D. Palmer – Life, Work, and Legacy

Introduction

Daniel David Palmer (March 7, 1845 – October 20, 1913) is best known as the founder (or “discoverer”) of chiropractic. Over time, his life and ideas have become both influential and controversial in the fields of alternative medicine and spinal care.

Early Life & Background

• Palmer was born in Brown’s Corners, Pickering Township, Canada West (now Ontario).

• His parents were Thomas Palmer and Katherine (McVay) Palmer.

• He received formal schooling only until about age 11.

• As a young adult, he emigrated to the United States in 1865.

Before developing chiropractic, Palmer worked in various fields: teaching, beekeeping, working in a grocery, and exploring spiritualist / magnetic healing practices.

Founding Chiropractic & Key Events

The First Adjustment

• On September 18, 1895, Palmer claimed to have performed the first chiropractic adjustment in Davenport, Iowa, treating a janitor named Harvey Lillard, whose hearing he said was improved after a spinal manipulation.

• From this event, Palmer developed the concept that misalignments of spinal vertebrae (“subluxations”) impede nerve flow, and restoring alignment could restore health.

Institution Building & Spread

• In 1897, he founded the Palmer School and Cure in Davenport, Iowa (which later became Palmer College of Chiropractic).

• He also founded or helped establish chiropractic schools in other U.S. locations (California, Oregon, Oklahoma).

• He was prosecuted under a medical arts law in Iowa for practicing medicine without a license and served time in jail (or was fined / resisted legal action) rather than comply.

Beliefs & Philosophy

• Palmer held strong spiritualist beliefs and claimed that chiropractic theories were connected to messages received from beyond (e.g. a deceased physician, “Dr. Jim Atkinson”).

• His view of health was that the body had innate healing ability, conveyed via the nervous system, and that interference (via spinal misalignments) was a core cause of disease.

• He distanced himself from formalizing chiropractic into a religion, but his writing and approach often mingled scientific, ethical, and spiritual elements.

Later Years & Death

• Palmer married multiple times (records suggest at least five marriages) and had several children, though historical records are incomplete.

• He died on October 20, 1913, in Los Angeles, California. The official cause was reported as typhoid fever.

• Some accounts also discuss that Palmer may have been struck by a car driven by his son B. J. Palmer (though that version is disputed and considered by historians as myth).

Legacy & Influence

• Palmer’s work laid the foundation for the chiropractic profession, which today includes numerous schools, practitioners, and professional associations.

• The Palmer College remains a major institution in chiropractic education.

• His ideas remain controversial. Modern medicine largely regards chiropractic subluxation theory as lacking firm scientific evidence, especially in claims beyond musculoskeletal conditions.

• Nonetheless, his vision – that the spine and nervous system are central to health – continues to influence how many chiropractors and alternative-health practitioners structure their philosophies.