Annals of the Swiss Chiropractor's Association -- Volume VIII

Edited by -- Pierre C. Tschumi, D.C.

See pages xxxx on how to order

There are some chiropractors who adjust only one way -- their way. And it's always the same way. Rack 'em and crack 'em----next! While the world has turned a few times, these people insist on doing the same things on every patient. Maybe it's because they're too lazy to vary techniques -- or too stupid -- but they go through life riding the same horse until either the horse stumbles or the rider falls. The result is that for every positive result gained with a patient by accident, there are usually far more who are injured and, in turn, produce people who think of a chiropractor as little more than a not-so-glorified masseur.

In Volume VIII of the Swiss Annals this is succinctly addressed by R.W. Sandoz, D.C., in his article, "Chiropractic Care of the Aged Patient." While Sandoz expresses the belief that the elderly patient might incorrectly be considered too fragile for adjustive procedures, he feels that a careful evaluation is needed before specific treatment is introduced. Interesting case studies are presented to make this article one of the better papers I've read on conservative geriatric care.

Also in the same volume, Sandoz presents papers on the criteria for assessing clinical progress and on spinal equilibration. The latter elaborates on the concepts of one of our best early researchers, Fred Illi.

These three papers by Sandoz, alone, are enough to make this volume a valuable asset to your clinical practice. Each volume of the Swiss Annals, is, as always, sodden with valuable research information. An article by Droz and Crot on occipital headaches produced an interesting paper that, with a few codicils, demonstrated the efficacy of adjustive therapeutics for this condition.

In his article on extravertebral manipulations, J.P. Ladermann hypothesizes that the maintainence of extravertebral articular integrity can reflexly affect both functional disturbances and pain syndromes on virtually the same level as specific spinal adjustments.

In the section of invited papers by members of the healing arts outside the chiropractic profession, the one on CAT scans of the spine should be read by every chiropractor interested in diagnostic imaging. CAT scans, thermography, MRIs and other forms of visual diagnostics could very well make the flat x-ray films of today obsolete in the not too distant future. Any form of expression that addresses the need for information on these subjects is important.

Other papers on the detection of apical lung pathologies from lower cervical x-rays, and radiographic studies of lateral bending pre- and post-manipulation, are just a few of the additional articles that round out this extraordinary volume.

The biggest problem with reviewing any of the Swiss Annals is that there is little to be critical of. You might disagree with a conclusion here and there, but not with the articulate manner in which it's presented. Each volume of the Annals is an achievement in both the skill of research and the art of presentation. Printed on the finest paper and authored by some of the more literate researchers in the profession, Volume VIII -- like all the others -- is an important addition to any chiropractic physician's library.

RHT