Dr. M.B. DeJarnette

Rose Ertler Memorial

De Jarnette Library

A Brief History of the Development of DeJarnette Blocks

A Brief History of the Development of DeJarnette Blocks

16 September, 2001
David L. Rozeboom, D.C., C.C.

I

Osteopathic Use

A.

The Swart Strap Technic This technic was developed by Dr. Swart, an osteopath of Kansas City, Mo. The strap was placed around the ilium and around the foot or the knee. The patient then used leg pressure to adjust the ilium. (1)

B.

Segmented Table Verbal reports that a Dr. Talpin, D.O., had made an adjusting table which had sections in it that moved up and down by use of a foot operated hydraulic pump. (2)

II

DeJarnette Observations and Development

A.

The farmer and the Board and Fulcrum (3) This story was told many times by Dr. DeJarnette. I got it from Bill Kessler. Let me give it to you in his own words:
The Major said many times that he was called to the farm of a very large German farmer in the area that had been in the act of lifting something and had a sudden sharp pain and fell to the ground unable to move. The Major was called and wanted to place the farmer on his side for a "million dollar roll" and couldn't move him. The Major got a 2 x 4 and a block of wood to roll him over, in placing the 2x4 under the ilium and lifting him, he said "Hey! That took the pain away!!!" The Major said that was what started him on the blocking research.
Apparently, this occurred about 1938.

B.

DeJarnette's Scientific Approach To His Stated Intention To:
1. "Develop a method of obtaining relaxation of the innominate (meningeal) prior to an iliac or ischial adjustment. (1)
2. "Control certain types of intracranial tension" leading him to investigate "some abnormal functional position of the sacrolumbar spine." (emphasis added) (4)

C.

DeJarnette's Dedication To:
1. Understandings of chiropractic
2. Proving what worked and what didn't
3. Discovering what was true and what was false
4. Evaluating all of his findings to see how important they were in terms of therapeutic benefits
All of the above were implemented by use of his engineering training and his ability to finance them, using his own money.

III

The Stages of Block Development

1938?

Serendipitous observation - Farmer in the pig pen, combined with previous study:
Leg length equalization technic
• Knee on short leg side moved medial, flexed, and straightened.
• Knee on long leg side, moved lateral, flexed, and straightened.
• It worked, but what correction did it accomplish?
Accurate definition of the vertebral subluxation.- A Subluxation of Motion
Using the relative leg length as an indicator of sacro-iliac condition. This is very tricky. Relative leg length does not stand alone and does not measure the amount of health present in the body. Rather, it might track what the body is doing about the problems in the body.
Major's concept of the dura (living matrix) as an interrelated whole, which is the most important of all.

1939 - 1950?

Observations of the immediate and significant changes made by blocking procedures-folded up towels and books. Evaluation of those changes based on the amount of therapy they produced.

1950 - 1960?

Hibernation of the blocks as a therapy until the time was right and further understandings were gained.

1957

Investigation by X-ray of the total meningeal changes produced by moving the legs in a particular manner, (SOTO and COTI).

1961 - 1962

Researching methods of normalizing the minus and plus sacrolumbar angulation. Blocking technic was poised to step onto the healing arts field in all of its power.

1964 - 1968

Blocking procedure was released in small increments.

1968

First appearance of the cough test to determine functional sacral base plus or minus or normal.

1969

Everything comes together - Categories released!!!

For further information, see "Important Dates in DeJarnette Sacro-Occipital Technic," by David L. Rozeboom, D.C., C.C.

References:

1.

Sacro Iliac Technic, 1938

2.

Personal correspondence from Charles Blum, D.C.

3.

Personal Correspondence from William Kessler, D.C.

4.

The Blessings of Sacro Occipital Technic, M.B. DeJarnette, Sept. 1968