The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-08-03
OSTEOPATHIC DEPARTMENT.
Brown GOODWIN, Editor.
Impressions of osteopathy.

> Impressions of osteopathy.
L remember we'll the first time | eve
heard the word "Osteopathy." 1t wa
during my school days in Lebanon
Tenn. Judge Goodnight of Kentucky
who was friend OF our family, ha,
been seriously i'll and had Amos
despaired of recovery. Some friend
mad induced him, almost as last re
sort, to go to Kirksville, Mo-, littl
place l had never heard of before, to b,
treated there for his trouble, which was
believe, of nervous character O
course, the new word sounded strang,
IN my ears, and l had a hearty laugh
over what seemed to be such a ouee,
name for the method of healing prac
ticed there. Naturally, all l thought OF
In connection with it had reference tc
bt mes, and l imagined that those foolish
folks in the Missouri village supposed
that whenever a man was sick he had
something wrong with his bones, prob.
ably that they were rotting away and
would soon leave the poor unfortunate a
mass of flesh and blood somewhat like a
iellytish.
Further information l could rot get.
knew of no way Of getting it. So
treated the whole matter as a huge
joke, and felt deeply sorry in my soul
for the deluded people in the distant
town.
After bit l learned that our friend
the Judge was recovering and might
soon be well. l was amazed. At the
same time | heard also that there was a
school in Kirksville where about 500
students were preparing for the profess
sion OF an Osteopathic physician. And
someone said that there was a large in
Urinary there, and that scores of people
went to it suffering from various diseases,
many of whom were entirely cured or
greatly benefited. My establishment in
creased, but l was still incredulous.
Somewhat unexpectedly, about this
time correspondence began between a
well-known Kirksville citizen and my
father. was almost through my Sem
mary course, and DESTROYS of undertake
ing work somewhere. The result of this
correspondence and further investiga-
ton was that | was called to the pastor
ate OF church in Osteopathy's home.
Two years ago my work began, with
many misgivings. | could not appre-
ciate the situation. 1t was all so un-
usual and so full of strange sights and
scenes. Although the church to which
had gone bore an enviable reputation,
| wondered whether | was not get ing
settled down among set of ignoramuses
or idiots. THE words are strong, but
they tell exactly the sensation | had
IL all seemed so extraordinary as to be
unreasonable to my critical Judgment.
Besides, thought it was wise to heed
the advice of friendly physician of the
old school at my former home: Don't
monkey with Osteopathy." The fire.
quent talk about treatments, and all
their "bone-business" las [ called it)
amused me greatly. Still, | thought
that the residents, and the students as
well, looked like at least fairly intelligent
people. But | would have none of their
antics tried on me l had too much
respect for myself and too much regard
for my old theories.
Finally, one day l had severe attack
of neuralgia after being out some time
in cold wind, and one of the Osteop-
aths at my boarding Place solicited a
trial of his powers. After some discus
sion l agreed, taking my place in chair
with the remark, 'But l know your
rubbing won't do me any good" Not
withstanding my assured conviction Il |
might almost say, my determination, |
arose in few minutes after his careful |
manipulatious were completed, COM
paratively free from pain.
This was the beginning of better
things for me. l laid aside my pre-
JUDGES and entered upon careful in
of the claims of the science.
Before this had supposed that there
was little sense and less science connec-
ted with the strangely named healing
art. But in the course, of human
events 1 found oft better. had a
thorough examination of my own an,.t-
'my followed by frequent treatments.
As a result my incipient nervousness,
which had caused me considerable I'M
sasiness and threatened more serious
.hings, was relieved. found that many
about me, as l became acquainted with
hem, bore testimony to the good they
lad received.
Thus did my good impressions of
)steopathy begin to replace the bad and
a take root in my mind C;noo +hot