Dr. Bill Kriva and Dr. John Lay discuss the critical importance of understanding chiropractic history for both seasoned practitioners and new graduates. They delve into the challenging early days of the profession, highlighting how D.D. and B.J. Palmer navigated a healthcare landscape dominated by the American Medical Association (AMA), which actively sought to monopolize medical education and eliminate competing health professions. A key historical point is the AMA’s aggressive stance on licensing, initially resisted by B.J. Palmer, which led to chiropractors being prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license. The conversation powerfully pivots to the 1917 Spanish Flu epidemic, revealing government data that showed chiropractors were “tremendously more effective” in treating patients than medical doctors, with significantly lower death rates. This historical success directly influenced the widespread passing of chiropractic licensure laws in states across the country. They also touch upon lesser-known historical aspects like B.J. Palmer’s Clearview Sanitarium, a mental hospital that successfully treated mental health conditions chiropractically, a practice largely lost with the advent of psychiatric medications. The episode concludes with a strong call to action for chiropractors to learn, embrace, and share their rich history, emphasizing that knowing their roots empowers them to articulate the profound capabilities of chiropractic, foster conviction, and build thriving, impactful practices. They even share a fun historical tidbit about Ronald Reagan working for B.J. Palmer’s radio station.
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