SOME DEFINITIONS AND HISTORIES.
Romantic Story of Osteopathy's Origin--An Asthma Cure--Headache Cured
by Plowlines--Log Rolling to Relieve Dysentery--Osteopathy is Drugless
Healing--Osteopathy is Manual Treatment--Liberty of Blood, Nerves and
Arteries--Perfect Skeletal Alignment and Tonic, Ligamentous, Muscular
and Facial Relaxation--Andrew T. Still in 1874--Kirksville, Mo., as a
Mecca--American School of Osteopathy--The Promised Golden Stream of
Prosperity--Shams and Pretenses--The "Mossbacks"--"Who's Who in
Osteopathy."
The story of the origin of Osteopathy is romantic enough to appeal to the
fancy of impressionists. It is almost as romantic as the finding of the
mysterious stones by the immortal Joe Smith. In this story is embodied the
life history of an old-time doctor and pioneer hero in his restless
migrations about the frontiers of Kansas and Missouri. His thrilling
experiences in the days of border wars and through the Civil War are
narrated, and how the germ of the idea of the true cause and cure of
disease was planted in his mind by the remark of a comrade as the two lay
concealed in a thicket for days to escape border ruffians. Then, later,
how the almost simultaneous death of two or three beloved children, whom
all his medical learning and that of other doctors he had summoned had
been powerless to save, had caused him to renounce forever the belief that
drugs could cure disease. He believed Nature had a true system, and for
this he began a patient search. He wandered here and there, almost in the
condition of the religious reformers of old, who "wandered up and down
clad in sheep-skins and goat-hides, of whom the world was not worthy." In
the name of suffering humanity he desecrated the grave of poor Lo, that he
might read from his red bones some clue to the secret.
One Osteopathic journal claims to tell authentically how Still was led to
the discovery of the "great truth." It states that by accidentally curing
a case of asthma by "fooling with the bones of the chest," he was led to
the belief that bones out of normal position cause disease.
Still himself tells a rather different story in a popular magazine posing
of late years as a public educator in matters of therapeutics. In this
magazine Still tells how he discovered the principles of Osteopathy by
curing a terrible headache resting the back of his neck across a swing
made of his father's plowlines, and next by writhing on his back across a
log to relieve the pain of dysentery. Accidentally the "lesion" was
corrected, or the proper center "inhibited," and his headache and flux
immediately cured.
You can take your choice of these various versions of the wonderful
discovery.
Ever since Osteopathy began to attract attention, and people began to
inquire "What is it?" its leading promoters have vied with each other in
trying to construct a good definition for their "great new science."
Here are some of the definitions:
"Osteopathy is the science of drugless healing." For a genuine "lesion"
Osteopath that would not do at all. It is too broad and gives too much
scope to the physicians who would do more than "pull bones."
"Osteopathy is practical anatomy and physiology skillfully and
scientifically applied as _manual_ treatment of disease." That definition
suits better, because of the "manual treatment." If you are a true
Osteopath you must do it _all_ with your hands. It will not do to use any
mechanical appliances, for if you do you cannot keep up the impression
that you are "handling the body with the skilled touch of a master who
knows every part of his machine."
"The human body is a machine run by the unseen force called life, and that
it may run harmoniously it is necessary that there be liberty of blood,
nerves, and arteries from the generating point to destination." This
definition may be impressive to the popular mind, but, upon analysis, we
wonder if any other string of big words might not have had the same
effect. "Liberty of blood" is a proposition even a stupid medical man must
admit. Of course, there must be free circulation of blood, and massage, or
hot and cold applications, or exercise, or anything that will stimulate
circulation, is rational. But when "liberty of blood" is mentioned, what
is meant by "liberty of arteries"?
"Osteopathy seeks to obtain perfect skeletal alignment and tonic
ligamentous, muscular and facial relaxation." Some Osteopaths and other
therapeutic reformers (?) have contended that medical men purposely used
"big words" and Latin names to confound the laity. What must we think of
the one just given as a popular definition?
A good many Osteopaths are becoming disgusted with the big words,
technical terms and "high-sounding nothings" used by so many Osteopathic
writers. The limit of this was never reached, however, until an A.B.,
Ph.D., D.O. wrote an article to elucidate Osteopathy for the general
public in an American encyclopedia. It takes scholarly wisdom to simplify
great truths and bring them to the comprehension of ordinary minds. If
writers for the medical profession want a lesson in the art of simplifying
and popularizing therapeutic science, they should study this article on
Osteopathy in the encyclopedia.
A brief history of Osteopathy is perhaps in place. The following summary
is taken from leading Osteopathic journals. As to the personality and
motives of its founders I know but little; of the motives of its leading
promoters a candid public must be the judge. But judgment should be
withheld until all the truth is known.
The principles of Osteopathy were discovered by Dr. Andrew T. Still in
1874. He was at that time a physician of the old school practicing in
Kansas. His father, brothers and uncles were all medical practitioners. He
was at one time scout surgeon under General Fremont. During the Civil War
he was surgeon in the Union army in a volunteer corps. It was during the
war that he began to lose faith in drugs, and to search for something
natural in combating disease.
Then began a long struggle with poverty and abuse. He was obstructed by
his profession and ridiculed by his friends. Fifteen years after the
discovery of Osteopathy found Dr. Still located in the little town of
Kirksville, Mo., where he had gradually attracted a following who had
implicit faith in his power to heal by what to them seemed mysterious
movements.
His fame spread beyond the town, and chronic sufferers began to turn
toward Kirksville as a Mecca of healing. Others began to desire Still's
healing powers. In 1892 the American School of Osteopathy was founded,
which from a small beginning has grown until the present buildings and
equipment cost more than $100,000. Hundreds of students are graduated
yearly from this school, and large, well-equipped schools have been
founded in Des Moines, Philadelphia, Boston and California, with a number
of schools of greater or less magnitude scattered in other parts of the
country. More than four thousand Osteopaths were in the field in 1907, and
this number is being augmented every year by a larger number of physicians
than are graduated from Homeopathic colleges, according to Osteopathic
reports.
About thirty-five States have given Osteopathy more or less favorable
legal recognition.
The discussion of the subject of Osteopathy is of very grave importance.
Important to practitioners of the old schools of medicine for reasons I
shall give further on, and of vital importance to the thousands of men and
women who have chosen Osteopathy as their life work. It is even of greater
importance in another sense to the people who are called upon to decide
which system is right, and which school they ought to rely upon when their
lives are at stake.
I shall try to speak advisedly and conservatively, as I wish to do no one
injustice. I should be sorry indeed to speak a word that might hinder the
cause of truth and progress. I started out to tell of all that prevents
the sway of truth and honesty in therapeutics. I should come far short of
telling all if I omitted the inconsistencies of this "new science" of
healing that dares to assume the responsibility for human life, and makes
bold to charge that time-tried systems, with their tens of thousands of
practitioners, are wrong, and that the right remedy, or the best remedy
for disease has been unknown through all these years until the coming of
Osteopathy. And further dares to make the still more serious charge that
since the truth has been brought to light, the majority of medical men are
so blinded by prejudice or ignorance that they _will_ not see.
This is not the first time I have spoken about inconsistencies in the
practice of Osteopathy. I saw so much of it in a leading Osteopathic
college that when I had finished I could not conscientiously proclaim
myself as an exponent of a "complete and well-rounded system of healing,
adequate for every emergency," as Osteopathy is heralded to be by the
journals published for "Osteopathic physicians" to scatter broadcast among
the people. I practiced Osteopathy for three years, but only as an
Osteopathic specialist. I never during that time accepted responsibility
for human life when I did not feel sure that I could do as much for the
case as any other might do with other means or some other system.
Because I practiced as a specialist and would not claim that Osteopathy
would cure everything that any other means might cure, I have never been
called a good disciple of the new science by my brethren. I would not
practice as a grafter, find bones dislocated and "subluxated," and tell
people that they must take two or three months' treatment at twenty-five
dollars per month, to have one or two "subluxations" corrected. In
consequence I was never overwhelmed by the golden stream of prosperity the
literature that made me a convert had assured me would be forthcoming to
all "Osteopathic physicians" of even ordinary ability.
As I said, this is not the first time I have spoken of the inconsistencies
of Osteopathy. While yet in active practice I became so disgusted with
some of the shams and pretences that I wrote a long letter to the editor
of an Osteopathic journal published for the good of the profession. This
editor, a bright and capable man, wrote me a nice letter in reply, in
which he agreed with me about quackery and incompetency in our profession.
He did not publish the letter I wrote, or express his honest sentiments,
as I had hoped he might. If what I wrote to that editor was the truth, as
he acknowledged in private, it is time the public knew something of it. I
believe, also, that many of the large number of Osteopaths who have been
discouraged or disgusted, and quit the practice, will approve what I am
writing. There is another class of Osteopathic practitioners who, I
believe, will welcome the truth I have to tell. This consists of the large
number of men and women who are practicing Osteopathy as standing for all
that makes up rational physio-therapy.
Speaking of those who have quit the practice of Osteopathy, I will say
that they are known by the Osteopathic faculties to be a large and growing
number. Yet Osteopathic literature sent to prospective students tells of
the small per cent. of those who take the course who fail. It may not be
known how many fail, but it is known that many have quit.
A journey half across one of our Western States disclosed one Osteopath in
the meat business, one in the real estate business, one clerking in a
store, and two, a blind man and his wife, fairly prosperous Osteopathic
physicians. This was along one short line of railroad, and there is no
reason why it may not be taken as a sample of the percentage of those who
have quit in the entire country.
I heard three years ago from a bright young man who graduated with honors,
started out with luxurious office rooms in a flourishing city, and was
pointed to as an example of the prosperity that comes to the Osteopath
from the very start. When I heard from him last he was advance
bill-poster for a cheap show. Another bright classmate was carrying a
chain for surveyors in California.
I received an Osteopathic journal recently containing a list of names,
about eight hundred of them, of "mossbacks," as we were politely called. I
say "we," for my name was on the list. The journal said these were the
names of Osteopaths whose addresses were lost and no communication could
be had with them. They were wanted badly, it seemed. Just for what, aside
from the annual fee to the American Osteopathic Association, was not
clear.
I do know what the silence of a good many of them meant. They have quit,
and do not care to read the abuse that some of the Osteopathic journals
are continually heaping upon those who do not keep their names on the
"Who's Who in Osteopathy" list.
There is a large percentage of failures in other professions, and it is
not strange that there should be some in Osteopathy. But when Osteopathic
journals dwell upon the large chances of success and prosperity for those
who choose Osteopathy as a profession, those who might become students
should know the other side.