The daily sentinel., 1908-01-09
0steopathy, Its History and Treatment

contagious. and infectious febrile dis
onset. which is commonly ushered in
by headache, sore throat. and vomit-
ing, together with very rapid pulse,
sharp rise OF temperature, and by
the appearance of an erythematous
rash, seen usually by the second day
upon the upper thorax and neck.
which then spreads rapidly over the
greater part, of the entire surface. of
the body, and is followed after its dis
appearance by desquanation. 1t is
almost constantly associated with a
more or less intense inflammation of
the pharnyx and with enlargement of
the neighboring Emphatic glands,
and is further marked by q grave
tendency to certain complications.
One attack usually confers immunity"
This is the definition of scarlet
fever as given by one of the standard
medical authorities. Under the chap
ter heading of Medical Treatment"
quote again from the same author:
"As there is unfortunately no speci-
fic treatment for scarletina, all en-
deavors to control the disease, must
rest, as heretofore, upon purely SYM
ptomatic basis."-Corlett.
+ In this definition Of scarlet fever,
and classifying the symptoms, they
have done well, and the osteopaths
study the medical works on symptom
atology. physiology, anatomy.
AS quoted above under the caption
of Medical Treatment, the author
makes a frank confession that there
is no specific in medicine (drugs) for
the cure of scarlet fever. Continuing.
he says, the treatment is symptom
attic: meaning, that the symptoms
as they arise. In scarlet fever we
have all the symptoms mentioned in
the first paragraph of this article;
but remember symptoms are merely
effects, they are secondary. They
are the results of some cause, or
causes.
The osteopathic school does not
have much use for symptoms and ef-
fects any more than as a means of
diagnosis and quarantine in the inter-
ests of public health. What the osteo-
path is more concerned about is the
locating and removing of the cause
of all these symptoms. The osteo-
pathic physician goes to the founda-
ton, which in human subjects hap
pens to be the framework, the osseous
structure; in other words, the bones,
as the chief cause, commonly called,
the predisposing cause. What does
he find? He finds first of all mus
cles contracted, ligaments contracted,
these. or, as u result of these he finds
bones (vertebrae and ribs) slightly
drawn out of place. A rib may be
drawn one thirty-second of an inch
out of place and press upon a nerve,
sufficient to cause serious harm to
the excretory organs. liver. bowls and
kidneys
In scarlet fever. as in most other
diseases, the osteopathic physician is
more concerned about the causes.
than the effects that these causes
have produced. 1t is true that in the
great majority of cases the contracted
muscles and Iigaments, strained
fascia and mis-adjusted bones existed
several days or. maybe. several weeks
before the patient was aware of even
slight rise in temperature, OF a sore
throat. or rapid pulse. Not only
so-these barriers to the circulation
of the blood and lymph, as well as
the nerve force, which are natures
own remedies. and the system only
source of vitality and growth; the
only elements with which the system
wards off, or combats with disease
and other enemies of our bodies; or
reconstruct herself from bruises,
shocks or lacerations must of neces-
sity have existed previous to the ap-
pearances of these symptoms, or toxic
matter. germs, or infection or contag-
ton could not have gained foot
hold. or a suitable soil for their de-
velopment.
Having ascertained the real cause
OF the symptoms. which collectively
are called scarlet fever, the osteo-
pathic physician establishes his
comp. OF course, It is at the spinal
column and he sees to it that muscles
and ligaments are relaxed, and that
the bones are gently slipped into
place. A careful readjustment is
made. Coincident with his work the