"Diversity without unity makes about as much sense as dishing up flour, sugar, water, eggs, shortening and baking powder on a plate and calling it a cake." - C. William Pollard
These treatments would vary from practitioner to practitioner, based on the education; training; intellectual, physical and emotional levels of capabilities; and each practitioner's own evolution and consciousness. There were different philosophical belief systems and understandings also at work in this profession, accepted by different practitioners, and governed by the laws, rules and regulations in the lands in which they resided.
Some people, having experienced the treatments of these practitioners, got fantastic results; others, only satisfactory results, and a small few obtained little or no benefit, but this group was very small. Some people, having experienced beneficial results from the treatment, chose to get periodic treatments just to maintain the benefits that were received and to avoid future problems.
Over time, this profession grew and expanded and became more well known, beginning to be accepted as a great and very rational "mainstream" form of health care. Unfortunately, this took far longer than it should have due to many reasons. The foremost reason was the constant bickering and arguing, fighting and criticism put forth by some members of the profession. A small percentage of extremists, on either end of the philosophical spectrum, perpetuated these problems day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.
The main reason this small group was able to cause such problems and delay the advancement of the profession's ability to serve more of the people who needed it, was that there was great apathy. This great apathy was endemic in the "vast silent majority" of practitioners who chose not to get involved, but instead remained silent for far too long. One day, this "vast majority" could no longer tolerate the profession being held back any longer. There were just too many people who needed chiropractic. Unfortunately, there were far too many practitioners in this "vast majority" who had difficulty, paying their bills and loans to keep their doors open to serve the needy. They just weren't making enough money to get by. This was due, in part, to barriers placed in their way by powerful forces.
Some of these forces were healers and other competitive professions that often had prejudicial or inaccurate understanding of the other healing arts, but mainly it was due to the "gigantic monstrosity," which had somehow been created and stood between all healing practitioners and the people who needed their help. No one knew exactly how this "monster" got so huge and powerful, but it did. It was called the "Insurance Industry." It had a stranglehold on all the professions of the healing arts.
Eventually, our "vast silent majority" had to act, but how to resolve the problem? This was the dilemma. The best choice by far was to unify the profession-strength in numbers - and the numbers were significant. But would the "fringe extremists" allow such a course of action? Would they see the broad perspective of the fantastic potential the profession could have, and how the "people" would be served by having this unified force? If, with a unified voice, they could present what they do and the great benefits of their profession, the potential was indeed unlimited. Or would the extremists cry out, "That is not the way I practice; I only did this," or "I don't treat conditions"?
Now, continuing with our fairy tale: The fringers had always blocked unity, and now the vast majority (possibly under the grip of a spell) thought it should give them a choice. So it came to be that a choice was given. It was put up to the profession in the form of a vote. They could choose to:
The logistical aspects would have to be worked out at the state licensing and educational levels. But these issues would be resolved, because even if it was decided to separate the profession, it would be done with agreement, and all things would be possible with a unified profession.
Finally, the time had passed with great debate among the "vast majority," which had ceased being "silent," and the fringe elements, which had been called many names at many times. The road became clear: The day of the vote came. The ballot simply read:
Unity
Separation
With this awesome vote, the exercise in courage and democracy was carried out. It was an incredible sight to witness, and did justice to the great American political process. All accepted the vote as being the final and ultimate resolution.
And all the chiropractors lived happily ever after, serving patients forever and ever.
Alan Post,DC
Saunderstown,
Rhode Island
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.
On Feb. 1, 2024, two more legislators – John R. Carter (R-Texas) and Robert “Bob” Good (R-Va.) – co-sponsored the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2023, bringing the co-sponsor total to 155, two more than the total achieved over the entire two-year congressional cycle in which identical legislation last appeared (2021-22).
While working at the Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M., one of the primary care physicians stated that imaging every patient prior to receiving chiropractic was not medically necessary. It was at that point I reconsidered the need for the imaging of every patient to avoid malpractice.
