Chiropractic vs. Medicine
In the early 20th century, Dr. Charles Mayo, physician, surgeon and co-founder of the famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, brought his wife for care at the B.J. Palmer Chiropractic Research Clinic in Davenport, Iowa. Dr. Mayo had taken his wife to other physicians, including doctors in Europe, all distinguished diagnosticians and specialists. They had all agree upon a diagnosis - osteochondromatosis of the knee joint. They had also tried everything medical to heal Mrs. Mayo, but all treatment had failed.
Dr. Mayo brought his wife to Dr. Palmer for his Chiropractic professional services. He addressed Dr. Palmer as “Mr. Palmer.” To this Dr. Palmer replied, “This is a case of Greek meeting Greek; a test of steel against steel; a test of our simple Chiropractic principle and practice against your complex medical theories and experiments.” Dr. Palmer examined Mrs. Mayo's spine. “Why are you only examining her spine?” questioned Dr. Mayo. “Because we are going to locate the vertebral subluxation cause of her sickness so we can correctly adjust it,” replied Dr. Palmer. Dr. Mayo rejoined, “There is no such thing, and if there were, you couldn't adjust it by hand only.” “Dr. Mayo,” Dr. Palmer said to the world-renowned clinician, “while you are here, we are going to ask you to keep your mouth shut.”
Mrs. Mayo then received her first chiropractic adjustment to release the pressure from her spinal cord and spinal nerves. Afterward Dr. Mayo asked, “Is that all you're going to do? What's wrong with my wife? Where is she sick? What is your diagnosis?” Dr. Palmer replied, “We don't know. What is more, we don't care.” “You are a very ignorant man,” retorted Dr. Mayo. “We are ignorant of everything you think we should know,” countered Dr. Palmer. “You too are a very ignorant man. You are ignorant of everything we think you should know about the cause of disease in the backbone of sick people. We know cause; you know there is a difference or you wouldn't be here. That's the difference in your approach, which has done your wife no good, and our approach, which will get your wife well. The fact that you brought her here proves that your methods have failed.”
Following several months of regular chiropractic adjustments Mrs. Mayo was completely well. Dr. Mayo said it was impossible for her to get well with what Dr. Palmer did, and yet he admitted that she was well. Dr. Palmer expounded, “Medical doctors are concerned with knowing everything about effects, while chiropractors are vitally concerned with cause in the backbone and how to correct it. What a difference between medical care and Chiropractic care!”
Following this event about 70% of all referrals to the Palmer clinic were from “someone” at the Mayo clinic.
Dr. Philip Greenwood, D.C.
Murrieta, California
