The first chiropractic adjustment was performed to help restore hearing to a deaf janitor named Harvey Lillard. On September 18, 1895, Dr. Daniel David Palmer adjusted Harvey’s spine after connecting his 17-year hearing loss to a back injury. This groundbreaking moment in Davenport, Iowa, marked the birth of chiropractic care.

This remarkable story shows how one man’s curiosity about healing led to a whole new way of helping people feel better. Let’s explore why this first adjustment happened and how it changed healthcare forever.

The Man Behind the First Adjustment

Who Was D.D. Palmer?

Daniel David Palmer wasn’t always a chiropractor. Before 1895, he worked as a “magnetic healer” in Davenport, Iowa. Magnetic healing was a popular treatment back then. It involved using the healer’s hands to channel what they believed was magnetic energy to cure sickness.

Palmer was different from other magnetic healers. He didn’t just wave his hands around or slap patients like others did. Instead, he tried to find the root cause of each person’s health problems. He would place one hand above the problem area and one hand below it, then “flow” his magnetic energy through the patient’s body for about 15 minutes. According to Palmer College of Chiropractic, his fee was $1.00 for each 15-minute session, always paid in cash.

Palmer’s Background and Training

Before becoming a magnetic healer, Palmer had many jobs. He was a teacher, a grocer, and even a beekeeper. He moved from Canada to the United States in 1865 when he was 20 years old. Around 1880, he started learning about magnetic healing from a man named Paul Caster in Iowa.

Palmer was always curious about why some people got sick while others stayed healthy. He would ask doctors, “Why does one person get sick while their neighbor, eating the same food and working in the same place, stays well?” This question would drive his search for answers.

The Story of Harvey Lillard

Who Was Harvey Lillard?

Harvey Lillard was an African American janitor who cleaned the Ryan Building in Davenport, Iowa. This was the same building where Palmer had his magnetic healing office on the fourth floor. Harvey was 39 years old in 1895 and had been almost completely deaf for 17 years.

Harvey’s hearing loss was so severe that he couldn’t hear a wagon rattling on the street or the ticking of a watch. This made his daily life very difficult, especially when trying to talk with other people.

The Injury That Changed Everything

Harvey told Palmer that his hearing loss started with a specific incident. Seventeen years earlier, he had been working in a very cramped space. While bent over in an awkward position, he felt something “pop” in his back. Right after this happened, he lost most of his hearing.

Harvey had tried to get help from many doctors over the years, but none of them could help him. He had even given up hope of ever hearing again. That’s when Palmer became interested in his case.

The Historic First Adjustment

Palmer’s Discovery

One day in September 1895, Palmer noticed something unusual about Harvey’s spine. While Harvey was working without his shirt on, Palmer saw that one of his vertebrae was out of its normal position. There was a noticeable bump between Harvey’s shoulder blades.

Palmer started thinking about Harvey’s story. The timing seemed too important to ignore. Harvey’s hearing loss started right after he felt that “pop” in his back. Could there be a connection?

The Theory Behind the Adjustment

Palmer believed that the misaligned vertebra was pressing on nerves that controlled Harvey’s hearing. He thought that if he could move the vertebra back into its proper place, the nerve pressure would be relieved and Harvey’s hearing might return.

This was a brand new idea at the time. Most people thought that hearing problems only came from issues with the ears themselves. Palmer’s theory that spinal problems could affect other parts of the body was revolutionary.

The Moment That Changed Healthcare

On September 18, 1895, Palmer convinced Harvey to let him try to fix the problem. Harvey lay face down, and Palmer used his hands to apply pressure to the misaligned vertebra. He used what he called the “spinous process” as a lever to push the bone back into position.

The adjustment worked! Within a few days, Harvey’s hearing started to return. He was able to hear the sounds of the street again. Eight months later, Harvey was still hearing well and gave this testimonial:

“I was deaf 17 years and expected to always remain so. I had doctored a great deal without any benefit. 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. My hearing remains good.”

Why This First Adjustment Was So Important

A New Understanding of Health

Palmer’s success with Harvey led him to develop a new theory about health and disease. He believed that many health problems came from misaligned spinal bones that pressed on nerves. This idea became the foundation of chiropractic care.

Palmer called these misaligned bones “subluxations.” He thought that by adjusting the spine back into proper alignment, the body’s natural healing power could work better. This was very different from the medical treatments available in 1895.

The Birth of a New Profession

After Harvey’s successful treatment, Palmer began treating other patients with spinal adjustments. He found that adjusting the spine could help with many different health problems, not just hearing loss.

Palmer realized he had discovered something important. He asked his friend and patient, Reverend Samuel Weed, to help him name this new treatment method. Weed suggested combining two Greek words: “cheiros” (meaning hand) and “praktikos” (meaning done or action). Together, they created the word “chiropractic.”

The Science Behind the First Adjustment

How Spinal Adjustments Work

Modern research helps us understand why Harvey’s adjustment worked. The spine protects the spinal cord, which carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. When vertebrae are misaligned, they can interfere with these nerve messages.

While we now know that spinal adjustments may not cure all diseases as Palmer originally thought, research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics shows that chiropractic care is effective for many conditions, especially back pain, neck pain, and headaches.

What We Know Today

Today’s chiropractors understand that the connection between Harvey’s spinal injury and his hearing loss was likely related to nerve interference. Studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association show that chiropractic care can reduce lower back pain by up to 40% more effectively than medical care alone, and up to 90% of migraine sufferers report relief from chiropractic adjustments.

Modern chiropractic care is based on solid scientific research. Clinical studies published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information show that spinal manipulation provides therapeutic benefits at least as important as other standard approaches for low back pain. This validates Palmer’s original insight about the importance of spinal alignment for health.

The Different Stories About What Really Happened

Harvey’s Daughter’s Version

Not everyone agrees on exactly how the first adjustment happened. Harvey’s daughter, Valdeenia Lillard Simons, told a different story years later. She said her father was telling jokes in the hallway outside Palmer’s office when Palmer joined the group.

According to her version, Palmer was holding a heavy book and laughed so hard at Harvey’s punchline that he slapped Harvey on the back with the book. A few days later, Harvey noticed his hearing was better, which gave Palmer the idea to explore spinal manipulation.

Why the Different Stories Matter

Whether the adjustment was planned or accidental, the important thing is that it worked. Both versions of the story show that Palmer was observant enough to notice the connection between Harvey’s spine and his hearing. This observation led to the development of chiropractic care.

The fact that there are different versions of the story doesn’t change the outcome. Harvey’s hearing improved, and Palmer went on to develop a new way of helping people that has helped millions of patients over the past 125 years.

How Chiropractic Care Has Evolved

From One Patient to Millions

What started with one deaf janitor has grown into a healthcare profession that helps millions of people every year. Today, there are over 60,000 chiropractors in North America alone.

Modern chiropractors receive extensive training and education. They must complete a four-year doctoral program and pass national board exams before they can practice. This is very different from Palmer’s early days when he taught students in just a few weeks.

Modern Chiropractic Care

Today’s chiropractic care combines Palmer’s original insights with modern scientific understanding. Chiropractors use various techniques to help patients with:

• Back and neck pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Sports injuries
• Pregnancy-related discomfort
• General wellness and prevention

Integration with Healthcare

Modern chiropractic care works alongside other healthcare treatments. A study published in JAMA Network Open of 750 active-duty military members showed that chiropractic care combined with usual medical care provides greater pain relief than medical care alone. This shows how far the profession has come since Palmer’s early days.

The Legacy of the First Adjustment

September 18th: Chiropractic Day

Every year on September 18th, chiropractors and patients around the world celebrate the anniversary of that first adjustment. This day is known as Chiropractic Day, Founder’s Day, or Chiropractic Discovery Day.

The celebration reminds us how one moment of curiosity and care led to a whole new way of helping people. Harvey Lillard’s willingness to try something new changed not only his life but the lives of millions of people who have benefited from chiropractic care.

Impact on Modern Healthcare

The first chiropractic adjustment challenged the medical thinking of its time. It showed that the body’s structure affects its function, and that natural healing methods could be effective alternatives to drugs and surgery.

Today, this holistic approach to health is widely accepted. Many healthcare systems now include chiropractic care as part of their treatment options. According to the American Chiropractic Association, chiropractic is now available at 70 major VA medical facilities in the United States, and the VA has launched a chiropractic residency program.

Why People Still Choose Chiropractic Care

Natural Healing Approach

Like Palmer’s first patient, many people today choose chiropractic care because it offers a natural way to heal without drugs or surgery. This approach appeals to people who want to avoid the side effects of medications or the risks of surgery.

For conditions like back pain, headaches, and migraines, chiropractic care can provide effective relief without these concerns.

Proven Effectiveness

Modern research supports what Palmer discovered in 1895. Studies show that patients who saw a chiropractor first for low back pain had 90% decreased odds of both early and long-term opioid use. This is especially important during the current opioid crisis.

Patient Satisfaction

Just like Harvey Lillard was satisfied with his results, modern patients report high satisfaction with chiropractic care. Research shows that higher patient satisfaction levels are associated with chiropractic care than with medical treatment alternatives.

What We Can Learn from Harvey’s Story

The Power of Listening

Palmer’s success came from really listening to Harvey’s story. He paid attention to the timing of the injury and the hearing loss. This careful listening led to his breakthrough discovery.

Modern healthcare providers can learn from this example. Sometimes the most important clues come from really listening to what patients say about their symptoms and when they started.

Thinking Outside the Box

Palmer was willing to think differently about health and disease. Instead of just treating Harvey’s ears, he looked for connections between different parts of the body. This willingness to think creatively led to a major breakthrough.

The Importance of Patient Trust

Harvey’s willingness to try something new was crucial to the success of the first adjustment. He trusted Palmer enough to let him try an unusual treatment. This trust between patient and healthcare provider is still important in modern chiropractic care.

Final Thoughts

The reason for the first chiropractic adjustment was simple: to help a deaf janitor hear again. But the impact of that moment on September 18, 1895, was anything but simple. It started a whole new way of thinking about health and healing that has helped millions of people over the past 125 years.

Harvey Lillard’s story reminds us that sometimes the most important discoveries come from paying attention to connections that others might miss. Palmer’s curiosity about why Harvey’s hearing loss started with a back injury led to insights that changed healthcare forever.

Today, when you visit a chiropractor for back pain, headaches, or other health concerns, you’re benefiting from the same principles that Palmer discovered in 1895. The body’s structure affects its function, and natural healing methods can be powerful tools for getting well.

The story of the first chiropractic adjustment shows us that with careful observation, creative thinking, and a willingness to help others, one person can make a difference that lasts for generations. Harvey Lillard may have been just a janitor, but his story became the foundation of an entire healthcare profession dedicated to helping people feel their best naturally.If you’re dealing with pain or health concerns, remember Harvey’s story. Sometimes the solution might be simpler than you think. Just like Harvey found relief through that first adjustment, you might find that chiropractic care can help you feel better and live a healthier life.