Still's loss sent him on a personal and professional search for the truth. He was driven to understand why some people became sick, and others remained healthy. The doctor grew to reject the prevailing medical practices of frequent amputation and the overuse of drugs. Still developed his methods of diagnosis and treatment by relying on the belief that the human being should be treated as a unit. A person cannot get sick in one area of his body without having other areas affected.
All body systems operate in unison.
Through experimentation and clinical observation, Still developed the art of osteopathic treatment, applied directly to the musculoskeletal system. In addition, he eliminated many toxic drugs from his practice. Dr. Still was eager to present his new ideas and methods of treatment to the medical community. Still and his family had helped found. The University refused him.