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Dr. Oakley Smith
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Born on January 19th, 1880, on an Iowa farm, Dr. Oakley Smith DC, DN emerged as a pioneering figure in chiropractic and naprapathic history. In 1898, he became one of the earliest students to study under D.D. Palmer, the founder of modern Chiropractic, spent more time with Palmer than any other student and earned "extra merit" on his diploma – he was the first and only student to earn this distinction. Dr. Smith's groundbreaking contributions include the development of the Smith Spinal Analysis –the first method to record what a practitioner's fingers felt; the first to use the term 'sub-luxation;' and the first to pioneer the study of the intervertebral foramen.
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History of Naprapathy
Naprapathy was formally established in 1907 by Dr. Oakley Smith. During an educational expedition across Europe, Smith encountered practices that were deeply rooted in the esteemed Bohemian (Czech Republic) healing tradition. Eager to expand his knowledge, Smith conducted extensive interviews with Bohemian immigrants, unveiling a striking revelation that the chiropractic techniques he had acquired, albeit distinctly dissimilar to contemporary practices, had been assimilated by D.D. Palmer.
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In light of his meticulous research and insightful interviews, Smith collaborated with fellow chiropractors to publish "A Textbook of Modernized Chiropractic" in 1906, which introduced the concepts that would later be recognized as Naprapathy. Demonstrating a commitment to advancing this novel discipline, Smith subsequently established the Oakley Smith School of Naprapathy in Chicago in 1907, marking the inception of the first educational institution dedicated to naprapathic medicine.
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Through Dr. Oakley Smith's unwavering commitment to rigorous exploration and his tireless efforts to disseminate knowledge, naprapathy emerged as a distinct field, embodying a unique blend of traditional healing wisdom and modernized therapeutic concepts.
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Dr. Smith honored the Bohemian culture by incorporating the Czech term "napravit," which signifies "to correct or fix." Drawing inspiration from this word, he combined it with the Greek term "pathos" (meaning to suffer, be affected, or feel) to coin the term "naprapathy," which can be understood as "correcting suffering."
