Brookings, South Dakota chiropractor David Eggers is part of an effort to give DCs the authority to give student athletes in the state their mandatory physicals. The South Dakota DCs have been forced to approach each school district individually to gain that authority. The South Dakota Medical Association, however, is opposed to those efforts. The battle lines are drawn. An issue that should only be about the welfare of the student athletes has turned political. No longer will the issue be about the best care and freedom of choice of provider, but about who has the greatest political clout or who can buy the most influence.
In the midst of the fray enters stage left Charles DuVall Jr.,DC, not as an advocate for chiropractic, but, as he has in the past,* opposing the chiropractic profession.
* Please see "Dr. DuVall Schools New Jersey Health Benefits Commission on Limiting Chiropractic Services" in the April 5, 1999 issue.
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The following letter from Dr. DuVall to a South Dakota,MD, says it all:
| Charles E. DuVall, D.C., INC. 2311 East Ave., Akron, Ohio 44314-1997 Telephone: (330) 745-2141 Fax: (330) 745-9105 Edward DuVall,N.D.,D.C.,M.D. (1900-1973) Charles E. DuVall, Sr.,D.M.,D.C. (1924-1990) |
| Charles E. DuVall, Jr.,D.C.,M.P.S. Diplomate, American Board of Quality Assurance & Utilization Review Physicians Diplomate, Board Certified Forensic Examiner Diplomate, Board Certified Forensic Medicine |
| Michael P. Elston,MD Dear Dr. Elston:
|
05 Nov., 1998 | |
| It was indeed a pleasure to speak with you last week, and I apologize for not answering your letter (fax) sooner. First, regarding your question as to whether the education received by doctors of chiropractic is sufficient to adequately perform a sports physical? YES. The education provided in the accredited colleges is such that a chiropractic physician could perform as good a sports physical as any other physician. However, by simple sports physical I mean just that! I would not consider such a physical to any in-depth diagnostics. As you will note in the material enclosed, I have included articles regarding what chiropractic physicians are permitted to do in the various states. The reason for two articles on the subject is for you to see the changes that took place in a six year period (1989-1995). You will note that as of January, 1995, DCs were permitted to perform the following: (Note: in parenthesis is the number of states that permitted the same in 1989.) (a) School Physicals - 33 (28) (b) Pre-employment Physical - 38 (31) (c) Premarital Physical - 19 (13) With this type of precedent, even though S.D. is one of the states that by this chart does not permit chiropractic physicians to perform school physicals (though they can perform pre-employment physicals), I would doubt that the medical community could stop them from getting this. However, if I may suggest a way to compromise and still present a face of understanding and compromise, along with a careful eye for public well being and consumer advocacy. Support the right of chiropractic physicians to perform sports physicals, make it only for children 12 YEARS OF AGE OR ABOVE! In the section of the CHAMPUS study of chiropractic, (Aug.,1993) that I've enclosed, you will find that when the federal government did the study to see if it would be beneficial and/or feasible to include the CHAMPUS insurance (it wasn't), they stated: "All CHAMPUS-eligible beneficiaries age 16 and older were eligible to participate in the demonstration and receive chiropractic benefits." [the age restriction was considered appropriate in view of MRI's observation (based upon a review of chiropractic literature) that efficiency of chiropractic treatment for young children had not been established and appeared to present more risk that benefit.] emph. mine CED With this and the fact that chiropractic education in the areas of pediatrics is rudimentary at best, i.e., one semester pure didactic, the National Association for Chiropractic Medicine (NACM), of which I am both a founding member and president, set the accepted age for possible treatment via spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) at 12 years of age. And then, as for anyone, only for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal conditions of musculoskeletal origin. I won't go into anymore regarding the NACM, but have included some information on us and would inform you that we are the only chiropractic group that is endorsed and recommended by the NCAHF. You see by taking the 12 yr. old cutoff you can be objective and then if chiropractors scream and yell (and they will), you can tell them if they don't like that you can be as draconian as the feds and push for 16 as the cut and show that. I must tell you that I was the team doctor for a high school near my office for almost 10 years and did pee-wee football and little league physicals during that time and never had any problem. Of course I do have a lot more than general training in chiropractic college. I have also included a copy of my CV for your review. As far as your second question, regarding the allegations by chiropractic association that the chiropractic education is superior to that of the Medical/Osteopathic Physicians is absolutely and completely "BOVINE FECES"! This is typical distortion, misinformation, and dis-information; in other words Standard Operating Procedure for the chiropractic political machine. I believe it was Mark Twain who said, "Figures don't lie, but liars figure." And when you are talking about the chiropractic political machine and their "trash-talk", no truer words were ever spoken. The 'information' which you copied that the chiros are sending out, is the quintessential example of this. What MUST be explained to the legislators is the MOST IMPORTANT FACT, THE CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION IS MORE DIDACTIC, WHEREAS THE MEDICAL/OSTEOPATHIC EDUCATION HAS FAR MORE CLINICAL TRAINING. I would also point out, and this is also very important to educate the legislators too, the fact that medical/osteopathic students are exposed to all varieties of patients in teaching hospitals and university clinics and chiropractic students have only those patients that come in or are brought in by the students to the college clinic thus minimizing the types of conditions seen. It can be basically, and accurately said that the chiropractic students Do Not See Sick People! As I recommended to you when we spoke, get a copy of the book, "Chiropractic: The Victims Perspective", by George Magner, and edited by Stephen Barrett, MD. (Stephen is also on the board of directors of the NCAHF.) If you have to, buy every member of the legislature and the media a copy. This book has 274 bibliographed cites and shows chapter-page-and-verse about everything you want to know about what chiropractic is about very succinctly explains the nonsense. I have also included some other materials my father and I wrote which may also be of some assistance to you. Whatever you do, DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE OR TAKE THE CHIROPRACTORS LIGHTLY. If you do, as sure as God made little green apples the chiros will win and win Big. Since the AMA vs Wilk trial, explained well in the book, the political chiro. machine has acted the "Bully", intimidating everyone. But, chiropractors are like cockroaches: roaches will take over a room until you turn on the light, then they scurry for cover: Chiros will also try to take over, but as soon as you turn on the white-light of science they too will scurry for cover. I hope I have not rambled too much, or failed to answer your questions. If I have please let me know and I will try to be more descriptive or I will contact some of my friends, also NACM & NCAHF members, and we'll do what we can to answer your questions. Also, if necessary I would be more than happy to come to S.D. and address legislators, physicians or media. Oh, DO NOT forget to get to the media with ALL of this information, and have them go after the chiros with the facts. You MUST be aggressive and MUST take the OFFENSIVE! Again, thank you for this opportunity and I hope I have provided you with some useful information. Please do not hesitate to call me at anytime if I can be of any assistance to you or the South Dakota Chapter of the NCAHF. Sincerely: Charles E. DuVall Jr.,DC,MPS | ||
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Who is Charles DuVall Jr., Anyway? It may be hard to understand why a fellow doctor of chiropractic would lobby against his own profession.
To better understand why, Dynamic Chiropractic is seeking testimony from DCs around the country about their experiences with Dr. DuVall (please see "Who is Charles DuVall Jr., Anyway?" by Donald M. Petersen Jr. in the June 14 issue of DC.
Many relevant diagnostic signs are not performed deliberately by the examiner or by the patient at the examiner’s direction. They are observed as the patient reacts to their condition. Fortin’s finger sign, Minor’s sign, and Vanzetti’s sign are three examples of this principle.
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