Harvey Lillard’s Mop

Origin
Harvey Willard was the first chiropractic patient. Working as a janitor in Iowa, he had been deaf for 17 years after he heard a pop in his back. David D. Palmer worked as a magnetic healer in the same office as Willard and examined his spine. Palmer discovered a lump between his shoulders and believed it to be misaligning the nerves connecting his inner ear and vertebrae. Palmer pushed and Willard’s hearing reappeared several days later.

Effects
The mop affects the spinal vertebrae and causes one or more of them to fall out of alignment with the spine. Most cases result in hearing loss and inability to stay balanced, as the nerves connecting the ear and backbone are normally distorted. Few instances have seen pain throughout the torso and difficulty controlling the limbs, but that is as extreme the effects go.