Technic and Practice of Chiropractic

Liver: Fourth thoracic nerves (especially the right) to gangliated cord, via great splanchnic nerve to coeliac plexus, by hepatic plexus to interior of liver. The hepatic plexus gives off the cystic plexus which controls the gall-bladder.

Stomach: Sixth and seventh dorsal nerves by white rami to and through the ganglia of the gangliated cord to coeliac plexus. The gastric plexus is an offshoot of the coeliac and gives off Auerbach’s plexus to the muscular coat, and Meissner’s plexus to the submucous and mucous coats of the stomach. The nutrition of the stomach walls, their peristaltic action, and the secretory action of the stomach glands are thus brought under the direct influence of the sixth or the seventh dorsal subluxation.

Pancreas: Eighth dorsal nerve by great splanchnic to coeliac plexus, to hepatic and superior mesenteric plexuses, and by the pancreatico-duodenal branches of the former and pancreatic branches of the latter to the pancreas.

Spleen: The coeliac plexus, the left semilunar ganglion, and the left vagus and right phrenic nerves give off branches which form the splenic plexus. Spinal connection by way of ninth dorsal nerve, by rami communicantes to gangliated cord to great splanchnic nerve to coeliac plexus to splenic plexus. Many nerve pathways like this one are less indirect than they sound; various names have been given to different parts of the same pathway through which, often, the axons pass without interruption. On the way from the cerebral cortex to one of the abdominal viscera there may be only three, sometimes four or five, neurons connected end to end.

Duodenum: Coeliac plexus by way of duodenal branches of hepatic plexus and branches from the superior mesenteric plexus. Spinal connection from eighth dorsal nerve and possibly branches from the upper lumbar ganglia of the sympathetic may join the superior mesenteric plexus, as results in duodenal disease are occasionally reported following specific adjustment of L 1 or 2.

Jejunum and Ileum: Connection same as for duodenum, by superior mesenteric plexus. Adjustment of L 2 in typhoid fever is undoubtedly correct so that it is probable that the lumbar ganglia send branches to this vicinity.

Peritoneum: Nerve supply to the peritoneum is rather general owing to its great extent. It is supplied by the sympathetic from both the lower thoracic and lumbar portions of the gangliated cord through the various abdominal plexuses and in general it may be said that any localized peritoneal disease will yield to the same adjustment as would be made for disease in the immediately subjacent organ.

Suprarenal Capsules: These important glands are supplied by amyelinic fibres derived from the gangliated cord by the lesser splanchnic nerve and connecting with pre-ganglionic fibres from the tenth dorsal nerve. The suprarenal plexus is an offshoot of the coeliac.

Kidneys: Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth dorsal nerves by way of lesser and least splanchnic nerves to renal plexus, an offshoot of the coeliac. McConnell’s experiments and the frequently duplicated clinical feats of Chiropractors prove this to be a vital and dominant nerve pathway in kidney disease.

Ureters: Nerves derived from inferior mesenteric, pelvic, and spermatic plexuses. Most important connection seems to be from first lumbar nerve by lumbar ganglia to inferior mesenteric plexus.

Caecum and Vermiform Appendix: The inferior mesenteric plexus, which supplies these organs probably carries to them chiefly fibres derived from the lumber ganglia which complete a connection with the second lumbar vertebra, especially on the right side.

Colon: Third and fourth lumbar vertebrae, influencing lumbar ganglia and thus inferior mesenteric plexus.

Rectum: Lower lumbar ganglia by inferior mesenteric and plevic plexuses, through superior and inferior hemorrhoidal plexus to rectum. Adjustment L 4 or 5. Visceral branches from the third and fourth sacral nerves also pass directly to the rectal wall and sacral adjustment may affect rectum or anus.

Bladder: The urinary bladder is innervated by the vesical plexus from the pelvic, and by sacral nerve fibres direct. It is said that the vesical plexus contains many spinal nerve fibres which are derived from the second and fourth lumbar nerves especially. Clinically the second or the fourth lumbar will control the bladder much oftener than the sacrum.

Prostate Gland, Seminal Vesicles, Penis, and Urethra: By the vesical and prostatic plexuses derived from the pelvic plexuses, divisions of the hypogastric plexus, which is formed of the abdominal aortic plexus and filaments from the lumbar ganglia. The latter receive filaments from the second and third lumbar nerves. There is a connection with the sacral nerves also by the pelvic plexus, though the lumbar adjustment appears the more potent.

Testes and Scrotum: Ilioinguinal from second lumbar, genital branch of genito-femoral from second and third lumbar nerves, internal pudic nerve from the pudendal plexus, and spermatic and pelvic plexuses. The most effective adjustment for scrotal or testicular diseases is L 3.

Uterus and Vagina: Uterovaginal plexus from the pelvic and containing spinal nerve fibres from L 4, L 5, and sacrum.

Ovaries and Fallopian Tubes: The ovarian plexus receives fibres from the abdominal aortic and through it from the lumbar ganglia, influenced by second lumbar adjustment.

Brachial Plexus: The brachial plexus of spinal nerves arises from the nerves from the fifth cervical to the first thoracic inclusive and controls the voluntary muscles of the upper extremity, with its integument. Muscle groups, rather than single muscles, are represented for the most part in the spinal segments giving off these nerves, and the ramification of the nerves within the plexus is such that almost any given muscle might be affected by more than one spinal subluxation. Below are given the principal connections:

Pectoralis Major and Minor Muscles: Sixth or seventh cervical through internal anterior thoracic nerve and first dorsal through external anterior thoracic.

Shoulder Joint: The joint, muscles covering the joint, and integument of this region are innervated by the circumflex nerve which traces through the plexus to fifth and sixth cervical nerves. Sixth cervical adjustment usually affects this joint.

Serratus Magnus Muscle: Sixth cervical by long thoracic, or External Respiratory Nerve of Bell.

Elbow Joint: Sixth cervical vertebra by musculocutaneous nerve.

Anterior Arm Muscles: Sixth cervical.

Posterior Arm Muscles: Seventh cervical and first dorsal.

Lumbosacral Plexus: This plexus, derived from the anterior primary divisions of the lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal nerves, supplies the muscles and integument of the lower extremity, taking with it axons derived from the sympathetic by the lumbar ganglia to supply the blood-vessels, perspiratory glands and sebaceous glands of this region. The latter are responsive to adjustments of the first or second lumbar vertebrae.

Hip-Joint: Third and fourth lumbar nerves by femoral and obturator or accessory obturator nerves and fifth lumbar or first sacral by the nerve to the quadratus femoris or the great sciatic. Fourth lumbar seems the most potent connection and is usually adjusted for hip-joint disease.

Psoas Magnus Muscles: Anterior branches of the second and third lumbar nerves.

Anterior Thigh Muscles: Supplied mostly through the femoral nerve from the second and third lumbar nerves.

Internal Thigh Muscles: Second and third lumbar nerves (chiefly but not wholly) through the obturator, accessory obturator and femoral nerves.

Gluteus Maximus: From the fifth lumbar and first and second sacral nerves through the inferior gluteal branch of the sacral plexus.

Obturator Externus: Second, third, and fourth lumbar nerves through the obturator nerve.

Posterior Thigh Muscles: Fourth and fifth lumbar and sacral nerves through the great sciatic.

Great Sciatic Nerve: This great nerve, direct continuation of the sacral plexus, arises from the fourth and fifth lumbar and first three or four sacral nerves and is widely distributed to muscles and integument of the lower extremity. Sciatica, or sciatic rheumatism, is most commonly relieved by adjustment of fourth or fifth lumbar vertebra; but there is a condition commonly diagnosed as sciatica which is really a sciatic neuritis and due to vasomotor disturbance affecting the blood-supply to the nerve trunk. This responds to adjustment of first or second lumbar because the amyelinic fibres which control these blood-vessels are derived from lumbar ganglia of the sympathetic.

Anterior Leg Muscles: Fourth and fifth lumbar and first sacral nerves through the anterior tibial.

Posterior Leg Region: Fourth and fifth lumbar and first and second sacral through the internal popliteal and posterior tibial.

Knee-Joint: This joint receives branches from the great sciatic through both internal and external popliteal, and from the femoral and obturator. It is therefore connected with the lower lumbar and sacrum and with the second lumbar. The latter connection seems oftenest involved in knee joint inflammations.

Foot: Fourth and fifth lumbar and sacral nerves through the great sciatic and its branches.

Sensor Areas of Lower Extremity: In general, any given cutaneous area receives sensor branches from the nerve which supplies the subjacent muscle area. For accurate diagnostic purposes a good chart of sensor distribution may be consulted.

DISEASES AND ADJUSTMENTS

The appended list includes the diseases with which the profession has had experience but is not in any sense a complete list of diseases. It is merely intended for quick and handy reference. In obscure cases or diseases not mentioned it is suggested that the practitioner carefully diagnose the case with reference to the location of the morbid process and then refer to Special Nerve Connections to find the nerve pathway between the spine and the organ indicated as the seat of the disease. Standard works on anatomy and physiology will explain more fully the paths and functions of the nerves but information gleaned from them must be sought out and pieced together from scattered statements and discussions.

CONCLUSION

The correct use of the foregoing table depends entirely upon correct diagnosis. Knowledge of the vertebra to be adjusted for the correction of any disease is useless unless the disease be recognized when met. Diagnosis may be, and usually is, aided by Palpation and Nerve-Tracing, which may be considered as divisions of diagnosis since the subluxation and the tender nerve are evidences (symptoms) of disease. But these two divisions can never wholly take the place of a complete diagnosis which calls to the aid of the examiner every harmless method of ascertaining the patient’s condition. The part may not suffice for the whole.

The Chiropractor has an opportunity to become the best of diagnosticians because he has at his command all the usually taught methods and in addition Palpation and Nerve-Tracing, which are especially useful in differential diagnosis. (See “Schedule of Examination.”) The profession is at present lamentably weak in diagnosis and as long as they remain so they will fail to achieve the possible maximum of results from the application of a theory which, per se, is applicable to all disease but which is often imperfectly applied in practice.