While undertaking research of original documents and books at the Wellcome Collection in London a few months ago I came across a first edition of the famous book by Margaret Dora Palmer titled \u2018Lessons on Massage\u2019, published in 1901.<\/p>\n
In the opening lines of the book\u2019s preface Palmer (1901) says,<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the earnest and oft-repeated request of my pupils, I publish my lessons on massage, in the hope that they and others will find them as useful as they anticipate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her hopes were well realised for the book was widely used in massage teaching in the UK, Europe and the then British Colonies. It was also transcribed into braille for the school for blind students at the National Institute for the Blind in Great Portland Street, London. The book was popular for several decades, being updated and re-edited many times and running into at least six editions. It continued to be a standard text well into the twentieth century.<\/p>\n
\u2018Lessons on Massage\u2019 opens with a very interesting chapter on the history and development of massage with an extensive overview of massage from ancient times until the time when the book was written. Not least we learn that the word \u2018massage\u2019 is derived from the Greek meaning \u2018to knead\u2019, and an Arabic word meaning \u2018to press\u2019, but it comes through the French,<\/p>\n
There is a chapter each on the anatomy of the musculoskeletal, vascular and neurological systems, and chapters on the upper limb, lower limb, trunk, and head, face and neck. Further chapters cover specific body regions, spinal curvature, general massage and children. It is a fascinating volume covering detailed descriptions and thorough guidance on all aspects of massage.<\/p>\n
I recall seeing notes on massage techniques derived from Margaret Palmer\u2019s work when I was in physiotherapy training myself between 1968 and 1971. There were detailed descriptions for example on positioning, technique, purpose, physiological and therapeutic effects, and for example, effleurage, petrissage, chopping, clapping, tapotement, frictions, hacking, vibrations and many more. Undoubtedly Palmer\u2019s work had a \u00a0significant influence on the advancement \u00a0and use of massage in the development and evolution of physiotherapy patient care and practice \u00a0and also essentially \u00a0in physiotherapy training and education as touch and handling are essential bedrocks of physiotherapy.<\/p>\n
Margaret Palmer was born in 1837 and trained in nursing\/midwifery at Endell Street, London. In 1881 she began to develop an interest in \u2018medical rubbing\u2019 (massage) and in 1891 was employed to manage the Massage Department at the London Hospital, Whitechapel, where she instructed the nursing staff there after completing travels to Europe and America to study massage methods. In 1892 she advertised her private massage school in the \u2018Nursing Notes\u201d publication (Wicksteed, 1948).<\/p>\n
Palmer was considered an authority in \u2018English massage\u2019, and the fly page of her book proudly lists her accomplishments in upper case.<\/p>\n
MASSEUSE AND MANAGER OF THE MASSAGE DEPARTMENT OF THE LONDON HOSPITAL
\nINSTRUCTOR OF MASSAGE TO THE NURSING STAFF OF THE LONDON HOSPITAL
\nMEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OF TRAINED MASSEUSES<\/p>\n
Palmer\u2019s husband and son were both masseurs and her son, Jackson Palmer, provided many of the drawings in her books \u2013 see featured image above. She\u00a0also compiled the section on massage in the Medical Encyclopaedia (King, 1961),<\/p>\n
In 1894 midwives and masseuses Lucy Robinson and Rosalind Paget were joined by Palmer and Elizabeth Manley to discuss the creation of a Massage Society.\u00a0The first minuted meeting of the sub-committee of the Midwives Institute to consider \u201cmassage in all its bearings\u201d, particularly regarding certification of competence, was Chaired by Rosalind Paget<\/a> and the committee members included Margaret Palmer, Lucy Robinson, Elizabeth and Guilelma Manley (sisters) and Augusta Arthur as the Honorary Secretary.<\/p>\n These women were products of the highly varied training opportunities available for massage in the late-nineteenth century. Schooled in a range of massage traditions, leading members brought together an openness and flexibility towards expertise that characterised the early profession (Nias, 2017).<\/p>\n The list of topics covered by the proposed rules for the Society of Trained Masseuses (STM) included massage only to be administered under medical direction. No general massage undertaken for male patients (only exceptionally under the special request of a doctor for specific cases) and no advertising in any but strictly medical papers. Soon other rules and procedures were added such as, \u2018No sale of drugs to patients allowed\u2019.<\/p>\n Initially, the principle of sex segregation not only governed the practice of massage, but also the STM\u2019s principles regarding training, examination and membership. However this rule proved difficult to implement in practice, and there are many examples of the Council making exceptions while continuing to hold steadfast to their Victorian conventions. For example, Palmer\u2019s son Jackson was co-opted by the STM to be the first examiner of male Army masseurs (Wicksteed, 1948).<\/p>\n King H. (1961). Society of Trained masseuses Council Minutes, 2nd March 1906<\/em>.\u00a0 Draft History of the CSP (typescript), p23.<\/p>\nReferences<\/h4>\n