D.D. Palmer In His 1910 Text The Chiropractor's Adjuster:

J.M., a farmer, about 60 years of age, entered my office on crutches. In answer to my question, "Well, sir, what is the matter with you ?" he said; "Three years ago a cow kicked me on the ankle. I managed to walk to the house, but have been unable to bear any weight on that foot since. I have tried several doctors and many remedies, but nothing has done me any good."

"An examination of the ankle showed no displacement, no local injury, the subjective symptoms pointing to a sprained ankle. By pressure above the ankle I discovered a hypersensitive nerve which I traced to the lumbar region. I tried to explain to him that the instant he was kicked he jerked his leg away from danger, wrenching a lumbar vertebra of his backbone, thereby placing a pressure upon the nerve which reached to, and had its ending in, the affected ankle.

"He did not accept my explanation. In about six months he returned; he was yet on crutches. I remembered him and his case. I found the affected nerve at its exit in the lumbar region and again followed it to the ankle. He insisted on my treating the ankle, saying his back was all right; that the ailment was in the ankle. He insisted that the kick of the cow was the cause, not a displaced bone in his back. I refused to touch the ankle, telling him I did not want to rob him of his money nor fool away my time.

"In about three months he again returned, walking on one leg and two crutches, as on the two previous calls. He threw down a ten-dollar bill, saying: "I might as well fool my money away here as elsewhere."

"After one adjustment of a lumbar vertebra, he walked out of the adjusting room and said; ‘See what I can do. I can bear considerable weight on that foot’. In time he was able to discard the crutches."¹

D.D. Palmer, D.C., Ph.C.