Daniel David Palmer National Historic Person of Canada, Port Perry, Ontario - Canadian National Historic Sites on Waymarking.com

Palmer, affectionately known by his fellow practitioners as D.D., was born in Audley, Pickering Township (present day Ajax), Ontario, of Scottish and Irish ancestors on his maternal side and English and German ancestors on his paternal side. He grew up in Port Perry and was gainfully employed in a match factory meanwhile earning an education in his spare time. His father had failed in business and Daniel as eldest of the children helped provide for the family. His parents moved to the United States. He and his brother stayed behind and were only to rejoin the family, then in Iowa, in 1865 when he was just twenty. It was in America that he first worked as a magnetic healer. According to Palmers theories, disease stems from misaligned vertebrae. His clinical observations and analyses led him to conclude that proper manipulation of the spine restores nerve flow and ensures good general health. If an organ is malfunctioning it must not be receiving an ample supply of natural healing power. Palmer was inspired by the practices of ancient Greeks and Egyptians. He coined the term chiropractic, describing his spinal manipulations, by combining two Greek words, "cheir" meaning hand and "praktikos" done, which in combination give “done by hand.” Palmer performed his first vertebral adjustments in 1895 and two years later founded the Palmer School and Cure in Davenport, Iowa. Later it became the Palmer School of Chiropractic which exists to this day. There is also a Florida campus. His son, daughter-in-law and grandson went on to become respected chiropractic practitioners also. In 1910 D.D. published a “Text-book of the Science, Art and Philosophy of chiropractic: for students and practitioners.” This book came out three years before his death and it describes in detail his theory of “nerve force” and proposes 58 techniques of vertebral adjustments for specific diseases. Knowing he was getting on in age he rushed to see it concluded to encapsulate his lifework. At one time the Palmer College of Chiropractic owned a property on Old Simcoe Road in Port Perry believing it to be the place of birth of Daniel David. It is now known the house was associated with another Palmer family and therefore not the appropriate site for a chiropractic museum. 215 Mary Street round the corner from Palmer Memorial Park has been shown by recent research to be where he resided in his youth. To-day 15% of Canadians consult a chiropractor each year. There are approximately 6500 practitioners across the country according to the Canadian Association of Chiropractic. The Palmer designation is the first recommended by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) to positively consider a person associated with an alternative form of medicine. With this commemoration D.D. Palmer joins the likes of Sir Frederick Banting, Dr Norman Bethune, Sir William Osler, Hans Selye and Wilder Penfield recognized as outstanding Canadians in medicine, with the qualifier that he is honoured in a non-traditional school. Chiropractic has nonetheless become mainstream.
Credit: Norman Anick, "Daniel David Palmer and Chiropractic Medicine," Agenda Paper, Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, November 1993-45.

Classification: National Historic Person Province or Territory: Ontario Location - City name/Town name: Port Perry Link to Parks Canada entry (must be on www.pc.gc.ca): [Web Link] Link to HistoricPlaces.ca: Not listed

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