Neuropathy A. P. Davis, M.D., N.D., D.O. 1909      DISLOCATION OF VERTEBRAE: THE CAUSE OF DISEASE  
 
    Dr. D. D. Palmer, of Davenport, Iowa, roundly asserts that "pinched nerves are the cause of eighty or ninety per cent of all diseases"; and he also asserts, and states in his journal, that nerves which influence any part of the system emerge from the spine." That he is mistaken in the latter expression one only has to refer to nerves which come from the brain, end in the nasal organs, in the eyes, in the ears and teeth, which are certainly not spinal nerves. What part of the spine does the sixth nerve come from? What part the fourth? What part the auditory? One only exposes his ignorance by such assertions. No science can be strengthened by assuming too much for it, nor about it.

    That there are impingements of nerves along the spine we readily and freely grant, and know to be a fact; but to assert that luxations, or every partial luxations, as he is wont to assert, are responsible for nerve impingements, we most emphatically deny. And, one who ever examined a spinal column can very readily see that to dislocate a vertebra, absolute violence must be inflicted! When a vertebra is luxated anywhere, a paralysis immediately ensues to all parts below the luxation, in which the nerves coming out of the foramina below the luxation occur, and suspension of all functions where the nerves below the part end. The most easily luxated vertebra is said to be the fifth cervical, and it requires a direct force to produce such a condition. Simply the deviations of contour of the spinous processes do not prove fixations, for the bones are in no way luxated necessarily, because the processes deviate: even in curvature there is not generally a luxation, if ever, but simply an abnormal muscular atrophy, on the concave side of the curve, due to primary irritation of nerve filaments ending in that part - squeezing the blood out, lessening nutrition, and producing permanent contraction. A condition of gradual nerve-waste goes on in the muscular system anywhere the muscular system contracts permanently, or for any considerable length of time, which is the condition in all cases of spinal curvature. Contraction of muscle is a prime factor in drawing the spinous process aside - that Palmer calls luxations. The facts prove otherwise generally.

    The very structure of the bones of the spine show a compactness which precludes the very idea of " luxation." It is a known fact that white cartilaginous tissue is nonelastic, and that sort prevails in the make-up of the coverings of the spine. The white fibro-cartilaginous tissue has the property of toughness, but not much elasticity, and between the vertebrae there seems to be a degree of sponginess which affords a spring-like cushion, preventing, perhaps, brain concussion in sudden movements, as in walking and jumping.

    The cartilages which hold the vertebrae together possess a large quantity of that kind denominated white fibrous, non-elastic constituents, and is strong enough to draw the periosteum from its attachment before giving away, or stretching perceptibly. With that sort of tissue on the anterior aspect of the whole spinal column and sides, and the various fibro-cartilaginous attachments to the posterior aspect, including the lamina and processes, with the five layers of muscular fiber and their fascia, it would seem strange that a little contraction of a muscle, through nerve irritation, should cause a luxation!

    We are inclined to attribute the belief of spinal luxation, or sub-luxation, to a morbid mental conception, rather than to anything else. Hence luxations of the spine are not causes of disease. That is an assumption without the shadow of a possibility only in cases of positive violence.

    Then how do you account for spinal adjustment? We have no assurance of adjustment where no luxations exist, and when they are not out. That spinal treatment results are certain and astonishing we accord knowingly. That they are brought about by restoring luxated vertebrae we as positively deny. There is no accounting for the theories promulgated by Dr. Palmer. Having been familiar with his assumptions since 1899, and knowing his peculiar bent of mind, we hesitate not to state that his "adjustment," as he terms it, does good; but his theories are amuck. He advocated "anchylosis" at one time as the cause, but I have not heard of that lately. His assumptions do not annul effects, for great good results from spinal treatment.
 
 
"THE PINCHED NERVES" - "LUXATIONS A CAUSE"

    There are certain persons who are wont to believe assertions regardless of a reason. Any sort of a reason seems to satisfy some that a thing is so simply from the fact that it is said in connection with a thing they do not understand. The "mysterious" always has been a bane to human progress. Let one become fascinated with a delusion, and there is an almost absolute suspension of reason. But one faculty in the brain is excited; it being utterly devoid of reason and having no limitation, carries the subject clear out into space, and generally leaves him there alone and wrapped in hopeless delusion. Ignorance of what one’s faculties are, and what they stand for, and what a healthful combination is, and the results thereof, are questions but little needed by, the masses; this has produced the "floundering" for ages, and set at naught many well-meant problems.

    A man says he "originated an idea," and if, perchance, someone else had the same idea for years, the latter, having more combativeness and approbativeness and executiveness, springs it upon the public as "his own," and no reason offered, nor absolute proof, changes the idea in his brain; and being "acquisitive" to a large degree, persistency, characteristic of the faculties which lend support to the other faculties, holds sway, and the fight continues. There may not be a single principle involved, but the stubborn will hold out to the very last, despite of reason, common sense, or truth!
 
    Any philosophy, to be beneficial to the people, must be reasonable, provable and simple, easy of application, effectual in the line claimed. If every man would be honest enough to recognize the limitations of human power, and the circumscribed limitations of human intellect, the world would be better off. Old rubbish must be eliminated, new thought investigated, and practical principles applied and fully demonstrated, and be molded in the mind long enough to become fixed, then the world will be bettered, by being filled with what tends to uplift everybody. When men and women of matured intellects shall be the educators, instead of young girls, and boyish urchins are eliminated from our public schools of learning, and proper mental thoughts imbibed from mature minds, the world will be on the road to progress.
 
 
WHAT CONDITION DO WE RELIEVE IN SPINAL TREATMENT?
 
    Inasmuch as we deny luxations being the causes of nerve impingements, we proceed to state the reasons for results obtained in this peculiar treatment. That want of normal elimination of waste material - lack of metabolism allows accumulation in the tissue, we have reasons to believe, and that these accumulations separate nerve-end footlets, and the accumulation presses against sensory fibers, causing pain, is doubtless tile case in many instances. Then, as we have said elsewhere, that two forces control the entire physical organism, the separation of the poles of these two forces allows of an excess of either the one or the other products of the forces to accumulate, and if an acid in excess accumulates, irritation ensues, producing contraction of muscular or other tissue, and pain is the result; and if the negative force predominates, a breaking down of the tissues takes place, and hence we have boils, typhoid fever, or any other condition which chemical changes may, produce anywhere in the body where the end footlets of nerves are distributed.

    This is verified in the fact that which we have an excess of the positive element in the stomach, we have colic, and the treatment of the spine, from which point emanate the nerves which end in the stomach, positively and instantaneously stops the pain - the colic. That same kind of result takes place in typhoid fever, diphtheria, or any other condition involved. This accounts, rationally, for the two forces governing all action, or result of pressure, accumulation or atrophy of muscle, spinal curvature, or whatever pathological condition is manifested in conditions called disease. The "adjustment," as Dr. Palmer calls it, of the spine unites these two forces, and a neutralization of the acid and alkaline elements ensues. The stimulation resulting from treatment increases the metabolism, and elimination of the accumulation in the parts is dispersed, and blood is allowed to flow and nerves are freed from pressure, and, their end-footlets united, harmony is restored at once. Every case on record of relief is a verification of this two-force influence.