William Harvey Lillard

Harvey Lillard was an African-American janitor{{cite web|url=http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2006/may/kent.htm|title=World Chiropractic Alliance, 2006|publisher=}} who worked in the Ryan Building in Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa.{{cite web|url=http://www.sore-back.com/chirohistory.htm|title=Welcome sore-back.com - Hostmonster.com|website=www.sore-back.com}} He was the first person to be treated with the technique known as chiropractic by D.D. Palmer.Lillard H. "Deaf seventeen years". The Chiropractic 1897a (Jan); Number 17 (Palmer College Archives), p. 3{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CrQLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5731,7447547&hl=en|title=Ludington Daily News - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YV0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ws4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6413,2317640&dq=harvey+lillard&hl=en|title=Herald-Journal - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}

Lillard maintained the corner building where Palmer had his office on the 4th floor. In September 1895 he told Palmer that he had lost most of his hearing and was almost completely deaf. Lillard added that he "could not hear the racket of a wagon on the street or the ticking of a watch."{{cite web|url=http://www.cuppchiropracticclinic.com/userfiles/858/pdf/311.pdf|title=Chiropractic Clinic, PDF file|publisher=}} When asked how he had become deaf he replied that, 17 years before, while bent over in a cramped, stooping position{{cite news|url=http://www.chirobase.org/05RB/AYOR/01.html |title=At Your Own Risk: The Case Against Chiropractic – The Iowa Grocer's Dream |author=Stephen Barrett, Samuel Homola |year=1969 |work=Chirobase}} he "heard something "pop" in his spine"{{cite web|url=http://norwoodchiropractic.org/history.htm|title=Norwood Chiropractic|publisher=}} and immediately lost most of his hearing.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/1994/oct/oct1994d.htm|title=World Chiropractic Alliance, 1994.|publisher=}}

Palmer later told that he then offered to take a look at Lillard's spine and found a lump just between his shoulders;1957 (Nov): ICA International Review [12(5)] includes:-B.J. Palmer authors "History in the making" (pp. 1, 9); discusses D.D. Palmer's magnetic healing and Lillard's adjustment, relates "bump" was in Harvey's neck. he persuaded Lillard to allow him to "rack his bone back into position."{{cite web|url=http://www.ewerspecific.com/history.aspx|title=Dr. Jon Ewer of Ewer Specific Chiropractic, serving Greensburg and Pittsburgh, PA|website=www.ewerspecific.com}} Palmer, in fact, thought Lillard's hearing loss was due to a misalignment that blocked the spinal nerves which control the inner ear, the so-called vertebral subluxation;{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}} he decided to push the vertebrae back into place1958 (August): ICA International Review of Chiropractic [13(2)] includes: B.J. Palmer authors "Fourth dorsal or axis? A misstatement of fact – and why" (p. 1); BJ claims his father adjusted Harvey Lillard's axis, rather than his thoracic spine. and, after a few days, Lillard said that his hearing was better and almost completely restored.[http://philosophyofchiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Lerner.pdf Lerner, Cyrus. Report on the history of chiropractic] (unpublished manuscript, L.E. Lee papers, Palmer College Library Archives)."SciArtPhi" – Palmer, D.D. (1910) The Science, Art and Philosophy of Chiropractic Portland, Oregon: Portland Printing House Company. Lillard described:

{{Quote|I was deaf 17 years and I expected to always remain so, for I had doctored a great deal without any benefit. I had long ago made up my mind to not take any more ear treatments, for it did me no good. Last January Dr. Palmer told me that my deafness came from an injury in my spine. This was new to me; but it is a fact that my back was injured at the time I went deaf. Dr. Palmer treated me on the spine; in two treatments I could hear quite well. That was eight months ago. My hearing remains good.|source=Harvey Lillard, 320 W. Eleventh St., Davenport, Iowa.[http://data.memberclicks.com/site/ahc/ChiroHistoryPrimer.pdf Keating JC Jr, Cleveland CS III, Menke M (2005). "Chiropractic history: a primer"]. Association for the History of Chiropractic. Retrieved 2008-06-16.[http://philosophyofchiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Lerner.pdf Lerner, Report on the history of chiropractic], p. 41.}}

The date of Lillard's treatment is not confirmed. Some sources indicate September 6,{{cite web|url=http://upcspine.com/chiropractic2.htm|title=About Up C Spine - History of Chiropractic|website=upcspine.com}} while others indicate September 15{{cite web|url=http://npco.org/history.htm|title=Non-Profit Chiropractic Organization (NPCO)|publisher=}} and 18{{cite web|url=http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/consumer/history.htm|title=World Chiropractic Alliance, History.|publisher=}} of September. Some sources also indicate that the month and year were changed by B. J. Palmer, the son of Daniel David Palmer.{{cite web|url=http://philosophyofchiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Lerner.pdf|title=Lerner Report - TIC|publisher=}} Others indicate different years, 1894–1896, and month, January–April, as well.{{cite web|url=http://www.chiro.org/Plus/History/Persons/PalmerBJ/BJ_Palmer_Chronology.PDF|title=Keating J. BJ Palmer, Chronology.|publisher=}}

Lillard died on September 7, 1925, and was buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Seattle.[http://www.lakeviewcemeteryassociation.com/burials.php Lakeview Cemetery website.] Search for Lillard. Only use last name.{{cite web|url=http://queenannechiro.com/chiropractic/harvey-lillard/|title=Chiropractic History: Whatever Happened to Harvey Lillard?|publisher=}}[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19940417&id=4rEpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f-oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3157,5447217 Chiropractor Touts His Strong Beliefs], Gainesville Sun, 17 April 1994.

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Category:1856 births

Category:1925 deaths

Category:19th-century African-American people

Category:Janitors

Category:People from Davenport, Iowa

Category:American chiropractors

Category:American deaf people

Category:Burials at Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)

Category:African-American history of Washington (state)