John Howard, DC
John Howard enrolled at the Palmer School in 1905. He opened his own chiropractic college in 1907, with D.D. Palmer\’s endorsement. For more on Howard:
D.D. Palmer letters to John Howard. *Special thanks to Dr. Jim Winterstein and NUHS.
Howard’s Reminiscences
In 1934, Howard reflected on the beginnings of chiropractic and his philosophy. Excerpts from these later writings of Howard’s were developed into an article in 1998: Philosophy of Chiropractic and Reminiscences of its Early Development and Growth .
In that memoir, Howard suggests the philosophy of chiropractic was linguistic maneuvering for legal reasons. He even writes, “In the early days it was necessary to protect the ‘Child’ by evasive terminology in order to avoid the chill and ice of the law, and ‘Analysis’ was used for Diagnosis, ‘Adjustment’ was employed for treatment, ‘Pressure on the nerve’ was used for Reflex stimulation and inhibition, etc. These terms were used to protect the child until legal clothing could be secured. The child is now grown and has some legal adornment, meager as it is in some States, if we stick to the fundamental principles and philosophy, a befitting suit will be acquired.”He His exact phrasing has been used in recent literature aimed to dismiss the chiropractic paradigm and the philosophical underpinnings. This is a modern attempt to reshape the profession along the lines of the biomedical paradigm.
This is quoted in recent literature aimed to dismiss the chiropractic paradigm and the philosophical underpinnings. In this modern attempt to reshape the profession along the lines of the biomedical paradigm, Kremer writes, “The opposition to rational chiropractic was led by B.J. Palmer, who sought to ‘protect’ chiropractic by using evasive terminology in order to avoid the ‘chill of the law,’ such as ‘analysis’ for diagnosis, ‘adjustment’ for treatment… etc..” then Kremer concludes, “It is unfortunate that altogether too many of the pioneers in chiropractic began to believe this ‘evasive terminology’ to be the gospel, promulgated by B.J. Palmer for more than a half a century.”
This is important to point out because the arguments have many flaws. For example, we now know that D.D. Palmer used the terms adjustment and analysis earlier than previously thought and certainly before the major legal battles. We also know that Howard’s student, Forster, wrote a textbook on subluxation, principles, and analysis, that was used in various editions at the National School well into the 1980s.
Furthermore, when one actually reads the opening chapter of Howard’s text from 1912, the impression is very different. Howard embraced the core principles of D.D. Palmer’s paradigm and attempted to add to the philosophy. He also included a wide array of drugless healing methods as part of chiropractic. He is the true originator of the Middle Chiropractic Paradigm. This was written about in a recent article and by Dr. Senzon. The Middle Chiropractic Paradigm was an attempt to include a variety of natural methods to supplement and support the chiropractic adjustment.
Excerpts from Howard’s Philosophic Basis of Chiropractic
Vibration. – Unique Position of Chiropractic. – Hereditary Influences. – Spinal Subluxations in Their Relation to Vibration. – Temperments. – Indivdiuality of the Nerve Fibers. It is unwise whent it comes to a matter of health, to allow our prejudices to hinder us from investigating new ideas. What advancement would have been made in teh world if there had not been some liberal minds broad enought to investigate the claims of unaccepted truths? In some respects it is well that nature has given us this desire to travel in well-eaten paths; to follow old and accepted ideas, instead of being driven hither and thither by every wind of doctrine; but when the old and well-beaten paths have led to so many disappointments, is it not time to stop, consider, and investigate the new? Even the most casual study of the structure of the Spinal Colunn will furnish convincing proofs that we are making no extravagant, unprovable assertion when we claim that a vast percentage (probably 90% would be a very conservative estimate) of the ailments, diseases and deformities of teh body, are influenced directly or indirectly by some mal-alignment of the vertebral sections of which teh column is composed. The greatest truths are those which we are most apt to overlook in our search for something mysterious and complicated; right at our hand, within easy grasp, lies the truth, waiting recognition and acceptance… The thoughtful student cannot fail to be profoundly impressed with the evidences of the wisdom and skill of that Creative Intelligence, the Great Master Architect of the most marvellous of all structures – the human body. His wonder and admiration is intensified a hundredfold when he further considers the human body not only as a masterpiece of architectural skill and beauty, but as an intricate and complicate machine, throbbing and pulsating with the life of a hidden fire; ceaselessly and noiselessly, year after year performing its rounds of varied and strenuous duties, faithfully and uncomplainingly, asking not a moment’s repose. It si not time wasted to pause for a moment in our eager and laudable desire for the acquirement of scientific and practical knowledge, and reflect on the marvels of the human body; not as a subject for mere material knowledge, but that we may thorugh this study elevate our thoughts to a higher plante – that of Mind. The intimate relation which exists between mind and matter, leads us to the conclusion that matter is itself but a manifestation of Mind. This truth, wonderful in its very simplicity, can no longer be relegated to the regions of hypothetical theory, nor scoffed at as the wild ravings and fantastic dreams of visionary mystics. It is now an accepted fact, as much as the “X-ray,” wireless telegraph, etc., that all matter, of whatever grade of fineness or coarseness it may be, is but a varying expression of the one Universal Substance which underlies all things, which indeed, its very name Sub-stance clearly indicates. Such being the case, it must be reckoned with and taken into account not only as a factor, but as the factor in the solution of the great all-important problem – the cause and cure of disease. Universal Substance, therefore as we have already seen vibrating at such inconceivable velocity, the very contemplation of which staggers and confounds the mightiest intellect, is what produces all external phenomena, which our senses cognize and which we interpret as heat, color, sound, etc…Lecture 1
1. Disease and Mal-Alignment of Spinal Column
2. Mind and Matter
Universal Vibration: 5. Disease and Vibration
