This article examines a critical but often marginalized episode in the early history of chiropractic, focusing on the contributions and influence of Solon Massey Langworthy, Oakley Smith, and Minora Paxson. While traditional narratives center on D.D. Palmer as the singular founder of chiropractic, this study highlights an alternative lineage that challenged both his authority and his claims of originality.
Through the establishment of independent educational institutions, the development of early systematic curricula, and the publication of foundational texts (Modernized Chiropractic) and journals (Backbone), Langworthy and his collaborators sought to transform chiropractic from a proprietary system into a more structured and widely accessible discipline.
Central to this conflict was a sustained campaign, characterized here as a “war of attrition, ”in which Langworthy strategically expanded his professional, educational, and political influence while simultaneously undermining Palmer’s reputation. The defection of Smith and Paxson from Palmer’s circle to Langworthy’s enterprise marked a turning point in this struggle, enabling a coordinated critique of the founder’s intellectual authority.
Their investigations into the Bohemian healing practice known as napravit formed the basis of a controversial argument: that the core technique of chiropractic, direct spinal adjustment, predated Palmer and may have been appropriated rather than invented.
Drawing on primary sources including early chiropractic publications such as Backbone, this essay analyzes how these competing claims shaped intra-professional conflict and contributed to the fragmentation of chiropractic in its formative years. It argues that the Langworthy-Smith-Paxson alliance played a pivotal role in broadening the intellectual and institutional foundations of chiropractic, even as their challenges intensified debates over legitimacy, ownership, and historical truth.
Ultimately, the historical events described herein invites readers to reconsider the origins of chiropractic not as a singular moment of discovery, but as a contested and evolving process shaped by rivalry, innovation, and competing narratives.
Author keywords: History of Medicine; Chiropractic
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