Chiropractic Care and The Flu Epidemic of 1917-18
Chiropractic care was first linked to the immune system during the deadly flu epidemic in the early 1900s. The data reported that flu victims under chiropractic care had an estimated .25 percent death rate, much less than the average rate of 5 percent among flu victims who did not receive chiropractic care.
–Psychology Today
In Davenport, Iowa, 50 medical doctors cared for 4,953 cases with 274 deaths, while 150 chiropractors saw 1,635 cases with one death. Outside of Davenport, medical doctors treated 93,590 patients, with 6,116 deaths. That’s one death out of every 15 patients. Chiropractors saw 4,735 patients and only six died. That’s one out of every 789.
In the same epidemic, New York health authorities (ho kept records of flu as a reportable disease) showed that under chiropractic care, only 25 patients died of influenza out of every 10,000 cases, only 100 patients died of pneumonia out of every 10,000 cases. This comparison is made more striking when viewed in the following table:
| Influenza | Cases | Deaths |
| Under Medical Care | 10,000 | 950 |
| Under Chiropractic Care | 10,000 | 25 |
| Pneumonia | Cases | Deaths |
| Under Medical Care | 10,000 | 6400 |
| Under Chiropractic Care | 10,000 | 100 |
Yes, the medical profession was seeing a majority of the worst of the worst; however, one of the most significant statistics backing chiropractic care comes from the state of Oklahoma. There were 233 cases in which the medical doctors had cared for patients and eventually pronounced them as “lost” or beyond hope… chiropractors took care of all 233 with only 25 deaths. – Healthfultips
How chiropractic boosts immunity
Research is consistently working to show a clear connection between chiropractic care and the immune system. The nervous system and immune system are hardwired to work together to create optimal responses for the body and interact with each other more often than you may think. Both systems release hormones and tiny messenger molecules that can communicate with each other and other organs in the body.
The nervous system relays information from the entire body to the brain and can directly influence receptors in the immune system. The brain has the ability to use nerve cells to communicate directly with the immune system and trigger an immune response, and vice versa. The immune system can send signals to the brain to inform it of any foreign, unwanted antigens. The brain can then tell the nervous system to react.
Some studies show increased levels of antibodies and other essential cells in the immune system following an adjustment. In some cases, patients who were sick with colds, sore throats, and sinus congestion reported accelerated recoveries after their adjustments.
Summary
Chiropractic care aims to remove any interference in the nervous system that may impact your daily functions. This is because the nervous system controls the functions of your entire body. Adjustments on specific inflamed body areas reduce stress on the nervous system, allowing it to better communicate neurologically with the rest of the body, thereby enhancing overall health and physiological function.
Don’t delay emergency care
Do not delay urgent or routine care because of COVID or other respiratory conditions. Seek immediate care for severe or sudden health events or emergencies. Delaying medical care can be a threat to your health and well-being.
