I will forever be thankful to D.D. Palmer for delivering that first adjustment on September 18, 1895. Because of that adjustment, the profession of Chiropractic was born.
One of my greatest blessings in life was being raised in a chiropractic family. A family that did not and does not fear germs, sickness and disease. A family that understands that healing starts from within and that the power that made the body, heals the body.
My family has early roots within the profession starting with two great great aunts and a grandfather that graduated from the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1923.
Most chiropractors today know of my father, Dr. Fred Barge. My dad was a prolific writer, who wrote several text books that are still being used in the colleges today. He spoke and gave seminars on chiropractic world wide. He dedicated his life to the profession and achieved many top honors that few, if any, can match. Although I attended many of the seminars and gatherings of chiropractors around the U.S. since I was a baby, it was not until I was a student myself at Palmer College of Chiropractic that I realized the impact that my Dad had upon the Chiropractic Profession.
He was a true chiropractic hero who fought for and served our profession from the very beginning of his career and worked for it endlessly until his death. He was admired and respected from those that agreed with him and from those that did not. This was evident at his "funeral" where even his adversaries shed tears. He had a huge impact on our profession.
I always think, yes, he was a great chiropractor but he was even a greater father. Thanks Dad!
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Dr. Henry Barge
The longer I practice, the more I respect and admire my grandfather, Dr. Henry Barge. Dr. Henry graduated from Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1923 (the third in his family to be a chiropractor) in a class that was known as the Crusader Class.
The Crusader class fought hard for the right to practice chiropractic. Six months after my grandfather's graduation 50% of his classmates were in jail or fighting litigation for practicing medicine without a license. It was because of these doctors that we have the right to practice chiropractic today. They fought long and they fought hard, followed by many other chiropractors, until we earned the right to practice chiropractic in all 50 states. If they would have given up, our profession would have been destroyed by the medical profession and millions of people would not have received the positive benefits of our care.
I also have to give credit to the patients of these doctors, many of who went to the jails to see their doctors and to be adjusted! It was also because of their dedication that our profession survived.
All this was simply because---chiropractic works!
In 1938, my grandfather had suffered a stroke while he was duck hunting in the marsh. My Dad, age five at the time, watched as his father struggled to regain his health. My father was fortunate at an early age to be able to see the art of chiropractic at work in the healing of his father.
My grandfather's Aunt Alma, who was also a chiropractor, came to care for him and in 2 1/2 years, thanks to chiropractic, my Grandpa was ambulatory enough to resume his practice. He practiced chiropractic with the use of only one good hand to adjust with and one good leg to stand on. He rebuilt his excellent practice. He was an amazing person.
I honestly never remember a complaint about his disability or ever even thinking that my Grandpa was disabled. I do though, remember my Dad saying that "sometimes it is those who are not disabled that are truly disabled." The more I learn about people the more I understand his quote.
Still Working!
