Karl Christian Heinrich Sell (born 1907 in Kiel, died 14.06.1982) was a German orthopedic surgeon and the founder of the discipline of manual medicine or chirotherapy.[1]
Sell established the first school of chirotherapy in Neutrauchburg near Isny in 1953. Chirotherapy as practised by Sell was partly based on his experience as a military surgeon and on established practices within chiropractic and osteopathy. It is distinguished from chiropractic and osteopathy by being part of rational-critical scientific medicine. His work resulted in the recognition of chirotherapy as a medical specialty by the German Medical Association in 1976. The original school in Neutrauchburg is now named the Karl Sell Medical Seminary (Ärtzteseminar Dr. Karl Sell).[2]
Sell received the Ernst von Bergmann Plaque from the German Medical Association in 1978.