B. J. Palmer
Encyclopedia
Bartlett Joshua Palmer (September 14, 1882-May 21, 1961) born in What Cheer, Iowa
, was a pioneer of chiropractic
. B.J. was son of Daniel David Palmer
("D.D."), the founder of chiropractic.
(or "D.D."), the founder of chiropractic. The Palmer family of six resided in the back of a grocery store that D.D. operated. In 1885 D.D.'s wife became sick and died, after which D.D. remarried numerous times. When D.D. had settled with a new wife, he moved the family to Letts, Iowa
, and he worked as a schoolteacher and a magnetic healer, developing chiropractic. Palmer claimed that he cured a deaf man, Harvey Lillard, who was a janitor by trade, by manipulating his spine. Palmer also claimed he cured a person of heart problems by spinal manipulation.
When D.D. had discovered chiropractic, he felt the desire to keep it secret for fear of others stealing his ideas. Eventually, patients and his wife convinced him to teach chiropractic. D.D. was reluctant to allow B.J. to learn chiropractic, but eventually gave in and allowed B.J. to study under him. B.J. was reported to have been serious about his studies and responsibilities within chiropractic. He was one of the first in the mornings in the infirmary, and one of the last to leave. D.D. was quite a restless soul and left more than once to try and start a new chiropractic college elsewhere. B.J. assumed control of the school that his father had founded in Davenport, Iowa
. As a result of his development and promotion of the profession, B.J. became known as the "Developer" of chiropractic.
On January 12, 1906, son David Daniel Palmer was born to B.J. and Mabel Heath, and would be the couple's only child. In keeping with his educational efforts for the profession, he became known as "The Educator." They had an estranged relationship for a number of years when David Daniel decided to attended University of Pennsylvania and later its Wharton School of Business. David explained that he knew that he would one day be in charge of the school, and wanted an education in business to allow him to better manage the college. He also graduated from Palmer as a Doctor of Chiropractic.
B.J. Palmer also became involved in a number of technological advances in his region of Iowa. He owned the first automobile in the area, and he would use it when he made house calls. In 1922, Palmer purchased a local radio station
, WOC (whose call letters stood for "Wonders Of Chiropractic"), and began using it to market chiropractic, as well as to broadcast farm, sports and weather reports. Ronald Reagan, future President of the United States and actor, was given his first broadcast job by Dr. Palmer to broadcast sports for WOC. A second station in Des Moines
, WHO
, ("With Hands Only") was purchased in 1930. Television stations were later added under the same call letters.
Following with the extensive world travels that was the trend in the 1920s, B.J., Mabel, and son David traveled through most of Asia. He later wrote a book called 'Round the World with B.J.' that would detail those trips and the people they met. He also published and read some of these stories in the Palmer School's newspaper and on WOC radio station.
B.J. Palmer brought many different smaller businesses to the campus while he was president. He opened a printery, a bakery, an automotive service station, a woodworking facility, and a number of others. Instead of paying someone else to produce products, if he felt he could sustain them on the campus, he brought it there.
Mabel Heath died in 1949 from stroke complications. In 1951 B. J. purchased a home on St. Armands Key in Sarasota Florida where he lived out his final years. He died in 1961 due to intestinal cancer. His son, David Daniel Palmer, assumed the role of President of Palmer School of Chiropractic after his father's death.
, Davenport, Iowa. It contains many of the souvenirs collected on their tours of the world. The Palmers added on a porch addition surrounding the original house in the 1920s to help hold their extensive collection.
B.J.'s winter home in Sarasota, Florida is located at 342 No. Washington Drive on St. Armands Key. The home contains many original artifacts including his Roycroft furniture, lamp and clown collection, bedroom furniture, death certificate and a collection of framed documents.
states that in 1913 B.J. Palmer ran over his father, D.D. Palmer, at a homecoming parade for the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Weeks later, D.D. Palmer died in Los Angeles. The official cause of death was recorded as typhoid. The book Trick or Treatment
remarked "it seems more likely that his death was a direct result of injuries caused by his son." There was speculation it was not an accident, but rather a case of patricide
. They had become bitter rivals over the leadership of chiropractic. B.J. Palmer resented his father for the way he treated his family, stating that his father beat three of his children with straps and was so much involved in chiropractic that "he hardly knew he had any children". D.D. claimed that his son B.J. struck him with his car. Chiropractic historian Joseph C. Keating, Jr.
has described the "patricide" interpretation of the event as a myth and "absurd on its face" and cites an eyewitness who recalled that D.D. was not struck by B.J.'s car, but rather, had stumbled. He also says "Joy Loban, DC, executor of D.D.'s estate, voluntarily withdrew a civil suit claiming damages against B.J. Palmer, and that several grand juries repeatedly refused to bring criminal charges against the son." D.D. Palmer died October 20, 1913. One cause of the rumors was the competition between the schools (Palmers and Universals).
What Cheer, Iowa
What Cheer is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 678 at the 2000 census.- The name What Cheer :When the future What Cheer was founded in 1865, it was named Petersburg for Peter Britton, the settlement's founder. This name was rejected by the Post Office, forcing a...
, was a pioneer of chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
. B.J. was son of Daniel David Palmer
Daniel David Palmer
Daniel David Palmer or D.D. Palmer was the founder of chiropractic. Palmer was born in Pickering, near Toronto, Canada. While working as a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, United States he encountered a janitor, Harvey Lillard, whose hearing was impaired...
("D.D."), the founder of chiropractic.
Early life
B.J. was son of Daniel David PalmerDaniel David Palmer
Daniel David Palmer or D.D. Palmer was the founder of chiropractic. Palmer was born in Pickering, near Toronto, Canada. While working as a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, United States he encountered a janitor, Harvey Lillard, whose hearing was impaired...
(or "D.D."), the founder of chiropractic. The Palmer family of six resided in the back of a grocery store that D.D. operated. In 1885 D.D.'s wife became sick and died, after which D.D. remarried numerous times. When D.D. had settled with a new wife, he moved the family to Letts, Iowa
Letts, Iowa
Letts is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 392 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and he worked as a schoolteacher and a magnetic healer, developing chiropractic. Palmer claimed that he cured a deaf man, Harvey Lillard, who was a janitor by trade, by manipulating his spine. Palmer also claimed he cured a person of heart problems by spinal manipulation.
When D.D. had discovered chiropractic, he felt the desire to keep it secret for fear of others stealing his ideas. Eventually, patients and his wife convinced him to teach chiropractic. D.D. was reluctant to allow B.J. to learn chiropractic, but eventually gave in and allowed B.J. to study under him. B.J. was reported to have been serious about his studies and responsibilities within chiropractic. He was one of the first in the mornings in the infirmary, and one of the last to leave. D.D. was quite a restless soul and left more than once to try and start a new chiropractic college elsewhere. B.J. assumed control of the school that his father had founded in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. As a result of his development and promotion of the profession, B.J. became known as the "Developer" of chiropractic.
Life
B.J. Palmer was born on September 10, 1882 and had three sisters. He apparently had a strict childhood. On May 30, 1904, B.J. married a woman named Mabel Heath. Both worked as chiropractors and instructors at Palmer College. Mabel Heath Palmer had a heavy load of students and taught mostly anatomy classes. B.J. Palmer ran his research clinics in Davenport for 16 years and eventually became convinced that upper cervical spine was the key to health. He coined the new method "Hole-In-One" (HIO) as known as Upper Cervical via Toggle Recoil application. Subsequently, he modified the PSC (Palmer School of Chiropractic) curriculum to reflect his new ideas. Palmer advocated the use of the Neurocalometer and X-ray machines.On January 12, 1906, son David Daniel Palmer was born to B.J. and Mabel Heath, and would be the couple's only child. In keeping with his educational efforts for the profession, he became known as "The Educator." They had an estranged relationship for a number of years when David Daniel decided to attended University of Pennsylvania and later its Wharton School of Business. David explained that he knew that he would one day be in charge of the school, and wanted an education in business to allow him to better manage the college. He also graduated from Palmer as a Doctor of Chiropractic.
B.J. Palmer also became involved in a number of technological advances in his region of Iowa. He owned the first automobile in the area, and he would use it when he made house calls. In 1922, Palmer purchased a local radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, WOC (whose call letters stood for "Wonders Of Chiropractic"), and began using it to market chiropractic, as well as to broadcast farm, sports and weather reports. Ronald Reagan, future President of the United States and actor, was given his first broadcast job by Dr. Palmer to broadcast sports for WOC. A second station in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, WHO
WHO (AM)
WHO is a clear channel radio station broadcasting 50,000 watts on 1040 AM with a news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The station can be heard over most of the continental United States during nighttime hours...
, ("With Hands Only") was purchased in 1930. Television stations were later added under the same call letters.
Following with the extensive world travels that was the trend in the 1920s, B.J., Mabel, and son David traveled through most of Asia. He later wrote a book called 'Round the World with B.J.' that would detail those trips and the people they met. He also published and read some of these stories in the Palmer School's newspaper and on WOC radio station.
B.J. Palmer brought many different smaller businesses to the campus while he was president. He opened a printery, a bakery, an automotive service station, a woodworking facility, and a number of others. Instead of paying someone else to produce products, if he felt he could sustain them on the campus, he brought it there.
Mabel Heath died in 1949 from stroke complications. In 1951 B. J. purchased a home on St. Armands Key in Sarasota Florida where he lived out his final years. He died in 1961 due to intestinal cancer. His son, David Daniel Palmer, assumed the role of President of Palmer School of Chiropractic after his father's death.
B.J. and Mabel Palmer Residence
The house that B.J. and Mabel Palmer lived in is located at 808 Brady StreetB.J. Palmer House
The B.J. Palmer House, is located on the Brady Street Hill in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is on the campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.- B.J. Palmer :...
, Davenport, Iowa. It contains many of the souvenirs collected on their tours of the world. The Palmers added on a porch addition surrounding the original house in the 1920s to help hold their extensive collection.
B.J.'s winter home in Sarasota, Florida is located at 342 No. Washington Drive on St. Armands Key. The home contains many original artifacts including his Roycroft furniture, lamp and clown collection, bedroom furniture, death certificate and a collection of framed documents.
Questioned involvement in father's death
The allegations that B.J. had hit his father with a car during the homecoming parade followed B.J. Palmer for the better part of a generation had its beginnings on August 27, 1913. The 2008 book Trick or TreatmentTrick or Treatment
Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial is a 2008 book about alternative medicine by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. Singh is a physicist and the writer of several popular science books...
states that in 1913 B.J. Palmer ran over his father, D.D. Palmer, at a homecoming parade for the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Weeks later, D.D. Palmer died in Los Angeles. The official cause of death was recorded as typhoid. The book Trick or Treatment
Trick or Treatment
Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial is a 2008 book about alternative medicine by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. Singh is a physicist and the writer of several popular science books...
remarked "it seems more likely that his death was a direct result of injuries caused by his son." There was speculation it was not an accident, but rather a case of patricide
Patricide
Patricide is the act of killing one's father, or a person who kills his or her father. The word patricide derives from the Latin word pater and the Latin suffix -cida...
. They had become bitter rivals over the leadership of chiropractic. B.J. Palmer resented his father for the way he treated his family, stating that his father beat three of his children with straps and was so much involved in chiropractic that "he hardly knew he had any children". D.D. claimed that his son B.J. struck him with his car. Chiropractic historian Joseph C. Keating, Jr.
Joseph C. Keating, Jr.
Joseph C. Keating, Jr. was trained as a clinical psychologist who spent the majority of his life teaching and researching the chiropractic profession. He is best known for his published works as a historian of chiropractic.-Early life:...
has described the "patricide" interpretation of the event as a myth and "absurd on its face" and cites an eyewitness who recalled that D.D. was not struck by B.J.'s car, but rather, had stumbled. He also says "Joy Loban, DC, executor of D.D.'s estate, voluntarily withdrew a civil suit claiming damages against B.J. Palmer, and that several grand juries repeatedly refused to bring criminal charges against the son." D.D. Palmer died October 20, 1913. One cause of the rumors was the competition between the schools (Palmers and Universals).