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Few realize that chiropractic is rooted in mystical ideas. Its birthday is said to be September 18, 1895, when Daniel David Palmer “adjusted” the spine of a janitor named Harvey Lillard, allegedly curing his deafness. Convincing himself that 95% of all diseases—such as “insanity, sexual dysfunction, measles, and influenza”—were caused by displaced vertebrae, Palmer went on to open chiropractic schools and even seriously considered establishing chiropractic as a religion. He coined the term “innate intelligence” to describe the “energy” or “vital force” that enables the body to heal itself. Chiropractors manipulate the spine to correct vertebral “subluxations” that block the flow of the “innate.” The confusing part is that “subluxation” is a common medical term. Real orthopedic subluxations are partial dislocations between joint surfaces. They exist and show up on x-rays, whereas chiropractic subluxations don’t: They’re undetectable and there’s no science to support their existence. Not all modern chiropractors buy into imaginary subluxations, but many do, and they market the scientifically implausible idea to patients.