Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-11-10
Osteopathy.


Still, Of kirksville, Mo-, in 1892. In
the few years it has been before the
public 1T has made rapid strides to-.
wards attainment of public favor, if
the testimonials of intelligent investi-
gators Is a fair criterion of prevailing
sentiment i'll the East. Fire innuva-
ton upon established custom and prac-
tice, naturally arrays against it not
only those whose professional life is
dependent upon other forms of treat
ment, but those conservatives who ac-
cept without question whatever is
placed before them that is firmly
based upon time-honored custom.
The time has passed, however, for
soothing at the new, simply because it
has not passed the frey ordeal OF
doubt. Every day the mind OF man is
confronted by propositions which con-
flict with his preconceived ideas of or
order and natural fitness of things,
and very often he is obliged, with re-
luctance, to recede from some cher
ished belief by the iconoclastic sledge-
hammer when swaycd by the strong
arm of Truth
Osteopathy certainly presents valid
claims for careful consideration when
it bases its methods solely upon aiding
nature to keep in repair the wonderful
machinery of the human organism.
Recognizing the fact that the body is,
within itself, the only chemical labor
atory in which can be manufactured
the various chemical compounds re-
quired in its growth, development and
repair, not single element of which
can be produced by the most skillful
chemist of any age, it is fair to expect
in these wonders of Nature that har-
mony and concord which marks all
her works and eliminates in the per-
feet workmanship of the Great
Makers hands. The functions of the
human body would go on indefinitely
to produce the same perfect health,
we're it not for transgression of Ma.
lures laws, somewhere, under prob
ably abnormal conditions, prenatal or
otherwise; there has been some ar
rest OF vital forces, some impairment
OF the circulation or damage to cellu-
lar tissues which is responsible for i'm
pairment of the general organism.
Acting upon this premise, osteopathy
steps in to do battle with the cause Of
disease, and by removing it, promote
health. Osteopathy takes the position
that there is not drug or compound
known to pharmacy that will produce
primarily in the human organism a
physiological activity. Their actions,
it is claimed, are summed up in "arti-
fetal stimulation" and artificial Sc
dation," either of which imposes an
additional burden upon the recupera-
tive forces at time when the system
is least able to endure it. The RENE
dy that OsteopatlIy claims to afford is
the restoration of mechanical order in
the human body, insuring normal ac-
tivity Of all its processes; which, it is
claimed will enable it to recover from
diseased conditions without artificial
stimulation or ISOLATION.
Whether this claim is we'll founded,
or not, it is not our province to deter
mine. 1t is simply for public enlight-
eminent that we present the salient
points of the new system and ask for
them and their opponents that un.
prejudiced consideration which the
unqualified endorsement of many emf.
nent people, who have given the sub.
ject investigation and thought, seems
to justify. The presence, in our
midst, OF practitioner in this new
school of treatment of ills that "hu-
man flesh is heir to-" impels us to ad-
monish the public to consider we'll the
claims OF rival systems and hold on to
that which is good. Already there
are some patients IN this community
who claim they have received much
benefit from the periodical visits of
Drs. Potter and Hart, whose stays
have necessarily been limited to few
hours each week. The service has
been materially improved by the as.
signment of a resident practitioner to
this city, in DR.. Lellebelle Patterson,
who is ready at any time during Office
hours, to give the public the benefit of
her stndy and experience.