Chiropractic Pioneer Celebrated
CANADA: Government of Canada commemorates Daniel David Palmer as a person of national historic significance: The Honourable Bev Oda, Member of Parliament for Durham and Minister of International Cooperation, today unveiled a plaque from the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, on behalf of Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Jim Prentice. The plaque commemorates Daniel David Palmer as a person of national historic significance. The ceremony in Port Perry Township of Scugog, celebrated Palmer’s importance in the history of Canada as creator of chiropractic medicine.
Born in Pickering County (present day Ajax) in 1845, Palmer grew up in Port Perry. His clinical observations and analyses of persons with health ailments led him to conclude that proper spinal alignment through manipulation of vertebrae would restore the nerve force needed to ensure good general health. In 1895, Palmer performed his first vertebral adjustments, and two years later founded a school of chiropractic in Iowa, where he had moved at age twenty. He tabulated his methods in the Text-book of the Science, Art and Philosophy of Chiropractic: for Students and Practitioners. Published in 1910, this manual is deemed indispensable by his followers.
Revered in the fraternity of chiropractors across North America and, indeed, wider afield, 1500 people attended the 1938 ceremony where Port Perry honored its former citizen by dedicating Palmer Memorial Park on the shores of Lake Scugog. A massive bronze bust of D. D. Palmer was added to the park in 1946, and the Government of Canada recognized the importance of Palmer in 1993, when he was designated a National Historic Person of Canada.
“Chiropractic has progressed from the margins of health care at its conception to a mainstream medical practice,” said Mr Prentice. “By recognizing the national historic significance of Daniel David Palmer, the Government of Canada pays tribute to his remarkable accomplishments which contribute immensely to the fine medical system we know and love in Canada today.”
Parks Canada manages a nation-wide network of national historic sites that commemorate persons, places and events that have shaped Canada’s history and which offer visitors the opportunity for real and inspiring discovery.
Parks Canada works to ensure that Canada’s historic and natural heritage is presented and protected for the enjoyment, education, appreciation and inspired discovery of all Canadians, today and in the future.
Source: www.canadianbusiness.com
Trial Date Set to Challenge New Texas Fraud Law
TEXAS: Recently enacted legislation that seeks to criminalize present day ambulance chasing is under attack by a small group of health professionals and lawyers who want to continue the practice, says the Texas Committee on Insurance Fraud, an industry group of insurance companies, state agencies and other associations that seek to put an end to insurance fraud.
A temporary restraining order to prevent HB 148 from taking effect was filed in federal court by a plaintiff attorney and chiropractor on August 27. HB 148 is a law that made it a crime to solicit crash victims by phone. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks denied the request for a restraining order, but the plaintiffs, Donald McKinley, an Austin area chiropractor, and attorney Christopher Villasana, are alleging that the law is unconstitutional. A trial date of Oct. 9 has been set in Austin, Texas, to hear the plaintiffs’ challenge to the law. The Texas Attorney General’s Office is defending the legislation and successfully argued against the restraining order.
HB 148 by Rep. Todd Smith of Euless was signed by Governor Perry and became law on Sept. 1. The legislation makes it a crime for lawyers or health professionals to solicit crash victims by phone or in person for the first 30 days after a traffic accident.
Accident victims are free to seek medical care or be represented by a lawyer. The bill restricts both health professionals and lawyers from making the initial contact with crash victims by phone or showing up at their front door.
“This practice of harassing accident victims has gone on way too long,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Texas Committee on Insurance Fraud. “Telemarketers have used every trick in the book to solicit these people and we hope to put an end to all of this very soon.”
Legislation preventing lawyers from soliciting business by phone has been in place for more than 20 years under the barratry statute. The law also prevents health professionals from written solicitations within the first 30 days after an accident. HB 148 expanded the prohibition to include in person and telephone solicitations.
The legislation was strongly supported by both the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Texas Chiropractic Association.
Source: Texas Committee on Insurance Fraud, insurancejournal.com/news