Technic and Practice of Chiropractic

by Joy Maxwell Loban

A general knowledge of medical diagnosis, of pathology, bacteriology, etc., enables a Chiropractor to meet the physician on common ground; in fact, it gives the Chiropractor a distinct advantage, since he knows not only what his medical friend knows but also the all-important facts regarding the spine which are unknown to others. Such knowledge and the ability to discuss disease intelligently also furnishes common ground with every patient. Each patient is a specialist in the disease he believes himself to have and he expects from his doctor a greater knowledge than his own.

The recognition of contagious or infectious diseases as such is an absolute necessity in order to obey the laws and safeguard the public health. The exact condition and degree of vitality of the patient and the knowledge of the existence of abscess, gangrene, intestinal obstruction, etc., often warns the Chiropractor that his adjustment would be dangerous to the patient. Much possible injury is avoided by accurate diagnosis. Even the frequency with which adjustments should be given depends upon diagnosis.

Special Cases

There are certain cases which a Chiropractor is powerless to aid and immediate recognition of such cases will save much trouble. In intestinal obstruction from intussusception or from strangulated hernia, for instance, it is best to advise the calling of a surgeon immediately, while in obstruction from volvulus or intestinal paralysis the adjustments may afford relief and should at least be tried first of all.

Any internal abscess presents a possibility of rupture into a serous cavity or the substance of a parenchymatous organ and is therefore dangerous, while a superficial abscess, pointing toward the surface, can best be cared for by adjustment. A badly ulcerated or gangrenous appendix may rupture under adjustment and be followed by diffuse peritonitis. The fragile walls of the ileum in typhoid may perforate under adjustment, while in its earlier stages the disease is easily curable. The rotted vertebral bodies in Potts’ Disease (spinal caries) may be crushed under the heavy hand of an ignorant adjuster.

Intelligent case-taking must include accurate diagnosis.

Frequency of Adjustments

The frequency of adjustments in practice should be determined entirely by the nature of the case and the circumstances in which patient and adjuster are placed. No hard and fast rules can be laid down but some general advice may be profitable.

Acute fever cases may be adjusted, until the fever is broken, oftener than any other type of cases. The chief object is the regulation of the temperature, after which the body is able properly to repair itself. Sometimes it may be necessary to give from two to six adjustments in a day and in at least one tetanus case the adjustments were given at intervals of about ten minutes for several hours until the fever was under control. After such a series it is wisest to refrain from adjusting again for several days so that the patient may recuperate during the interval, providing the fever does not return. It has been noticed that after a series of adjustments given at short intervals the improvement of the patient often extends over a period of days or weeks.