Philosophy of Osteopathy

by A. T. Still

I dislike to write, and only do so, when I think my productions will go into the hands of kind-hearted geniuses who read, not to find a book of quotations, but to go with the soul of the subject that is being explored for its merits,—weigh all truths and help bring its uses front for the good of man.

Osteopathy has not asked a place in written literature prior to this date, and does not hope to appear on written pages even to suit the author of this imperfectly written book.

WITHOUT ACCEPTED THEORIES.

Columbus had to launch and navigate much and long, and meet many storms, because he had not the written experience of other travelers to guide him. He had only a few bits of drift-wood not common to his home growth, to cause him to move as he did. But there was a fact, a bit of wood that did not grow on his home soil.

He reasoned that it must be from some land amid the sea whose shores had not before been known to his race. With these facts and his powerful mind of reason, he met all opposition, and moved alone; just as all men do who have no use for theories as their compass to guide them through the storms. This opposition a mental explorer must meet.

I felt that I must anchor my boat to living truths and follow them wheresoever they might drift. Thus I launched my boat many years ago on the open seas, fearlessly, and have never found a wave of scorn nor abuse that truth could not eat, and do well on.

TRUTHS OF NATURE.

We often speak of truth. We say great truths, and use many other qualifying expressions. But no one truth is greater than any other truth. Each has a sphere of usefulness peculiar to itself. Thus we should treat with respect and reverence all truths, great and small. A truth is the complete work of nature, which can only be demonstrated by the vital principle belonging to that class of truths. Each truth or division as we see it, can only be made known to us by the self evident fact, which this truth is able to demonstrate by its action.

If we take man as our object to base the beginning of our reason, we find the association of many elements, which differ in kind to suit the purpose for which they were designed. To us they act, to us they are wisely formed and located for the purpose for which they were designed. Through our five senses we deal with the material body. It has action. That we observe by vision which connects the mind to reason. High above the five senses on the subject of cause or causes of this, is motion. By the testimony of the witness the mind is connected in a manner by which it can reason on solidity and size. By smell, taste and sound, we make other connections between the chambers of reason and the object we desire to reason upon; and thus our foundation on which all five witnesses are arrayed to the superior principle which is mind.

After seeing a human being complete in form, self moving, with power to stop or go on at will, to us he seems to obey some commander. He seems to go so far and stop; he lies down and gets up; he turns round and faces the objects that are traveling in the same direction he does. Possibly he faces the object by his own action. Then by about facing, he sees one coming with greater velocity, sees he can not escape by his own speed, so he steps aside and lets that body pass on, as though he moved in obedience to some order. The bystander would ask the question, "How did he know such a dangerous body was approaching?" He finds on the most crucial examination, that the sense of hearing is wholly without reason. The same is true with all the five senses pertaining to man, beast, or bird. This being the condition of the five physical senses, we are forced by reason to conclude there is a superior being who conducts the material man, sustains, supports and guards against danger; and after all our explorations, we have to decide that man is triune when complete.