The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-01-08

veins. would produce the effect which
was called disease.
With this thought in mind came
such questions as: What is disease9
What is tever? Is fever an effect
or is it being as is commonly des-
cribed by medical authors9 l took
disease to be an effect. experimenting
in and proving the position, being sus-
tanned each time by Natures response
in the affirmative.
Early in the sixties took course
of instruction in the Kansas City
School of Physicians and Surgeons.
studying such branches as were taught
in the medical schools of that day. l
took up the regular practice of an all
lopathic physician. l was called
good doctor.
The Proper Study Of Mankind is Man
During all this time had devoted
much time to the study of anatomy.
which attracted me strongly. read
every book on the subject could get
hold of. but my chief source of study
was the book of Nature. found my
self more and more believing that
"the proper study of mankind is
man.. and the best method to pursue
it is to dissect and study the body it.
self. The skinning of wild animals
ia my youth brought me into contact
with muscles. nerves and veins.
The skeletons of the Indians were
my next study in bones. and went
on making numberless experiments
with bones until | became very fami-
liar with the entire bony structure of
the human body. Finally tried an
experiment of my own; | made a pic
ture or chart Of the bones of the
whole body. then stood blindfolded. or
with my back to table. A bone
would be handed to me by an assist
ant. would take it in my hands
and by the 'feel'' of it would name
it and direct where it should be plac-
ed on the chart Fright or left). l
carried this to the extent of even the
smallest bones of the hands and feet
and those of the spine. until the chart
was filled in complete. This l used
to do over and over agan. For not
less than twelve months l studied
bones alone. before taking up Des-
criptive Anatomy, because l wanted
to know what bone is and its use.
became as familiar with every bone
as was with the words father
and mother. Of course. all this
meant untiring work. and | have
hardly expected my students to follow
me oyer the entire length of this por-
ton of my road. Nevertheless. | be-
lieve as strongly today as ever that
the closer they follow this road, the
better for their patients. They must
study and know the exact construction
of the human body, the exact location
of every bone. nerve. fibre. muscle
and organ the origin. the course and
flow~of all the fluids of the body. the
relation of each to the other and the
function it is to perform in perpetual
ing life and health. In addition. they
must have ability to enable them to
detect the exact location of any and
| all distractions to the regular move
ments of this grand machinery of
life. and supplement this ability with
skill to remove all such distractions.
From this study in bones went on to
the study of muscles. ligaments. It's
sues, arteries. veins. lymphatlcs and
nerves.
began now to feel that was ir-
resistibly headed for some road: what
road myself knew not. OF one thing
was certain: was getting farther
away from the use of medicines in the
treatment of ills and ails. | was a
physician of the old school in name
but not in fact. | carried on my
theories: practiced them wherever
| could find people who would place
confidence in me. until the Civil War
came on. Then enlisted and went
to the front. -
On resuming nv duties as private
citizen after the war took up again
the study and research of my allah
sorbing topic: how to cure diseases
without medicine. and on June %.
1874. there came into my mind the
first clear conception of the practical
workings of what is now known as the
Science of Osteopathy. This day l
celebrate as its birthday.
One Of the First Cases L Treated
In the autumn of 1874 l was given a
chance to try my ideas on case of
fux. was walking with friend on
the streets of Macon. Missouri. in
which town was visiting, when
noticed in advance of us woman