It was on September 18, 1895, while working late in my office on the 4th floor of the Ryan Building at the corner of Second and Brady Streets, that participated in something significant, worthy of retelling here.
World’s first chiropractic patient regains hearing!
It was on that day I noticed that our building’s janitor, a Mr. Harvey Lillard, failed to react to a noisy fire engine that passed loudly right under my window on the street below. I initiated a conversation with the man only to realize that he did not possess all of his hearing faculties.
He Heard a Popping Sound
Through pantomime and shouting, I was able to learn that while he had had normal hearing for most of his life, recently he had bent over in a cramped, stooped position and felt something “pop” in his back. Upon standing upright he noticed that his hearing was impaired.
With his permission, I ran my hand down his spine and discovered that one of his vertebrae was clearly out of its normal position.
May I Move the Bone Back?
Could the popping sound from his back, misaligned vertebra and his subsequent hearing loss be related? And would his hearing return if the spinal bone could be restored to its original position?
After some persuasion, I was able to convince Mr. Lillard to allow me to move the offensive bone back into a more normal relationship with the vertebrae above and below it.
Using the spinous process as a lever, I was able to move the bone back into its former position and soon after, the man could hear as before.
New Cure For Hearing Loss?
While this may not be a cure for hearing, it does appear that the relationship between the spine and bodily function deserves greater investigation. What do you think? By all means, share your comments or theories.