“Osteopathic spinal centers” was a term commonly used in the early
period of osteopathic development. From the facts, first, that
a few centers have been actually determined in the cord, viz.,
genito-urinary, vasomotor, etc.; second, that the innervation from
the spinal segment to various thoracic, abdominal and pelvic viscera
correspond with a considerable degree of accuracy to certain vertebral
sections, and third, displacements of tissues of the spinal column
affect viscus integrity, depending upon the locality of the structural
perversion as to the organ involved and is a clinical observation of
great import, arose the misnomer “osteopathic centers.” For one to ask
what “centers” should be “treated” in this or that disease shows a
lack of the conception of osteopathy as if he asked what “movements”
to give when “treating” a certain disorder. It is as unosteopathic, as
it is unscientific, broadly speaking, to suppose osteopathic technique
implies the application of movements to certain nerve centers.