Jenna Jones

117739

CP 1102

The History of Chiropractic

The evolution of chiropractors in Canada was slow going and rough to say the
least. Chiropractic colleges originated in United States in 1897 but it was not until 1909
that Canada opened their first chiropractic college called Robbins Chiropractic Institute
(RIC) in Ste. Marie, Ontario (4). However shortly after RCI closed the institution in
1913. A year later (1914) Canadian Chiropractor College (CCC) opened in Hamilton,
Ontario (4). CCC had Hodgin Commission come in on behalf of Ontario Medical
Education and give presentations from all health professions (4). The Commission did a
report, which gave the Chiropractic Profession a devastating blow (4). On top of all this,
Toronto also opened a Chiropractic College (TCC) in 1920 (4). Both the opening of the
new school and the Commissions report did not help CCC leading to its closure in 1923
(4). TCC also ended up closing its doors in 1926 after only 6 years of operation. (4). All
three schools suffered from low matriculation standards, inadequate facilities and
minimal funding and investment in education (4). From 1926 to 1945, Canada had to rely
on the United States to educate Canadians to maintain the level of our chiropractor
practitioners. (4). However the people who graduated from the Canadian colleges prior
to 1926 eventually became the pioneers of the development of the new professionally
owned College in Canada (4). The college was called Canadian Memorial Chiropractic
College (CMCC). CMCC has been opened since 1945 and has continued to successfully
educate and develop chiropractors to maintain the spinal health of Canadians (4).
The CMCC vision, mission and model care, Stephensons 33 postulations and
Palmers postulates all have similar philosophies. Stephenson and Palmer are of the belief
that the existence of God is the explanation for all things (1). In regard to treatment, they
believe in focusing on the one area and treating it. The reason for the pain is usually
subluxation at the vertebrae above or below, which has lost its position (1). This is
impinging the nerve interfering with the nerve transmission (1). CMCC follows the same
belief system when it come patient care, they treat the symptoms and not the whole body
(2). CMCC also is an evidence-based practice, incorporating the new research as it is
released (2). They devote the time to develop the best chiropractors in spinal health (2).
One historical event that happened in the chiropractic profession was in 1975 at
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) conference. When
a group a leading scientists, Medical Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathy and Doctors of
Chiropractic got together to discuss spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) (3). This was the
first time for an interprofessional dialogue and cooperation around a common interest (3).
In my opinion, this is an important event that should be recognized as the beginning of
collaboration and communication between health professionals with a common goal. The
more doctors that are able to utilize one another will only benefit their patients, leading to
their faster recovery. Currently the doctors are better at referring to one another and in
some cases combining their private practices. If us as doctors continue communicating
and collaborating with one another, our medical health care can only improve from here.

Jenna Jones

117739

CP 1102

References
1. Wiese G, Callender A. History of spinal manipulation. In: Haldeman S, editor.
Principles and practice of chiropractic. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Medical;
2005.
2. Cmcc.ca. About CMCC - Who We Are - Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
[Internet]. 2015 [cited 4 October 2015]. Available from:
http://www.cmcc.ca/page.aspx?pid=426
3. Courses.cmcc.ca. Timeline Module [Internet]. 2015 [cited 4 October 2015].
Available from:
http://courses.cmcc.ca/static/Timeline_History_Module/index.html#/4/8
4. Herbert V, Herbert L, Joseph K. Early Canadian Chiropractic Colleges.
Chiropractic History. 1997;17(2):57-68.