A. T. STIL-,, Au·roBl(XjR~PHY OF AndrewT. Still -WITH A- HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOP­ MENT OF THE SCIENCE OF OSTEOPATHY : : : T ogether w ith on account of the founding of the , , , , , , , Amer ican Sc hoo l of Osteopathy; and lectu res de li vered before that , , , , , Ins ti tution from time to ti me dur ing the progress of the discovery , , , , , , , ILL US TRAT E D Pul>tlsl\edby KIRKSVILLE, MO. the Aulf\or 1897 • Copyr liht. 1 897, by A. T. STILL DEFINITIONS. Os-te-op-li.-thy, s. [Gr. lxrreov (osteon) =a bone, and 'l!"a8oJ (pathos) = suffering.] Legal: "A system, method, or RCience of healing." (See statutes of the State of Missouri.) Historical: Osteopathy was discovered by Dr. A. T. St ill, of Baldwi n, Kan., 1874. Dr. Still reasoned that "a natural flow of blood is health ; and disease is the effect of local or genera l disturbance of blood-that to excite the nerves caw,es muscles to contract and compress venous flow of blood to the heart ; and the bones could he used as levers to relieve pressure on nerves, veins, and arteries. ( A. T. Still.) . Technical : Osteopathy is that ~cience which consists of such exact, exhau st ive, and verifiable knowledge of the structure and functions of the human mechanism, ana­ tomical, physio logica l, and psychological, including the chen1istry and physics of its known elements, as hRS made discoverable certain organic laws and remedial resour ces, with in the body itsel f, by which nature unde r the scien­ tific treatment peculiar to osteopathic pract ice, apart from all ordinary methods of extraneous, artificial, or med i­ cinal stimulation, and in harmonious accord with its own mechanical principles, molecular activities; and 1netabolio processes, may recover from displacements, disorganiza ­ tions, derangements, and consequent disease, and regain its norn1al equilib rium of form and functi on in health and strength. Os-te -li-path, s. The same as OsTEOPATHIST (q. v. ). Os-te-o -pli.th-'ic, a. Of or belonging to Osteopathy ; as, osteo­ pathic treatment. Os-te-o -pli.th-ic-li.1-ly, adv. In an osteopathic manner; ac cording to the ru les and principles of Osteopathy. Os-te -op' -a.-thist, s. One wh o believes or practises in oste,. opathy ; an Osteopath. Dip' -16-mate in Osteopathy. Thll techn ical and official desig­ nat ion of a graduate and practitioner _in Osteopathy, the forn,al title of such graduate or practitioner being D. 0. -Diplornate or Doctor in Osteopathy. : PREFACE. I WILL inform the reader at the outset that this book is written to state facts, without being con­ fined to exact dates and figures. Events that have made lasting impressions on my mind, stated as correctly as possible from memory, are narrated here without regard to the rules of fine ,vriting. I never kept any notes of my life, therefore the stories may appear disconnected. \Vhen I tell you of an e~·ent it wi'il be the truth as I remember it, regardless of how it may look in print. I want to avoid "biography" as I write, for the reason that "biographies" are so nicely worded that the reader often has to ask \vbom the narrator" is giving a write-up." Not­ ,vithstandi ng I am often told that I ought to get a professional "biographe r" to take my life, I have concluded to reserve it for myself. When I read about the battles of the Rebellion, "How Major A. T. Still charged on rebels with uplifted saber, uging his men to victory," I be- 6 PREF.ACE. gin to doubt history, for I know there was not a saber drawn nor any yelling during a bard fight of two hours' duration between thirty-five thousand combatants on a side. I remember also the reporters of the sixties, who never tried to write the truth, and could not if they wanted to, because five to ten miles was as near as they ever got to bullet s ; and I think they are sometimes just as afraid of the truth to-day as they then were of lead. I will say to the reader, if you wish to read my story, please read as I write it, and not the garbled account of some newspaper misrepresentative. A. T. STILL. KmKSVILLE, Mo., June 15th, 1897. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I . Early Life-Schoolboy Days, and the Unsparing Rod-A Judge of Dogs-My Flint-Lock Rifle-The First Cook Stove and Sewing -Machine-End of the World Coming- 1,ly First Discovery in Osteopathy, • . Page 15 CHAPTER II. The Wild Game of the Frontier-Mr. Cochran's Deer-The Deer's Foot-Treed by a Buck- I Capture an Eagle-Night Hunting-Brother Jim's Horn--The Philosophy of Skunks and Buzzards-Milking Under Difficulties-Attacked by Panth ers, . Page 84 .CHAPTER III. 1>1yFather-Trans(erred to lllissouri-Long Journey-The First Steamboat-At St. Louis-An Unscrupulous Divine -Hardships in The West-The First Methodist Preacher in Northeast Missouri-Presiding Elder-Trouble in the 1>1.E. Ch11rch-Stand Taken by Elder Abra1n Still-Re ­ ' moval to Kansas, • Page 51 CHAeTER IV. In Which I Take a Wife-The Iufair-A Destructive Hail­ Storm-At Wakarusa !lliBBion-Bereavement-The Pro­ Slavery Trouble-,-A Dangerous Ride-The Pro-Slavery Men Drilling-My Legislative Elfl)8rience, . Page 59 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. I Enlist in Company F, Ninth Cavalry Volunteer&-Our Mission-At Kansas City-Pursuit of Price-The Army at Springfielrl-Summary Vengeance on Guerrillas-Captain Company D of the Eighteenth Kansas Milit ,ia-Major of the Twenty-First Kansas Militia-On the !llissouri Frontier - Fighting Joe Shelby-Osteopathy in Danger-Burying Dead Under a Flag of Truce-The Regiment Treated to a Surprise, . • Page 81 CHAPTER VI. The End of the War-Rejoicing at the Dawn of Peac e-Ne w Danger&-The Evil of Drugs- Terrible Visions-A Picture Drawn-Digging in Indian Graves for Subjects-Studying from the Great Book of Nature..:..The Ravages of That Ter­ ribl e Disease l'rleningitis--Prayers and 11iedicine-Deatb of Four Members of My Family-ls Medicine a Failure? Page 91 CHAPTER VI I. As an Inventor-The Tired Arni-The Reaper and Mower­ The Rake-The Steel Fingers-An Invention Lost-On a Farm-A Smart Wife-Churning-The Philosophy of Butter-Another Invention-Studying the Drive-Wheels of Nature-The Science of Osteopathy Developed, Page 102 CHAPTER VIII. An Effort to Draw the Attention of the People to Osteopathy­ Failure at Baldwin, Kans.-Hi story of Baker University - Prayers for the Man POB11essed-Brother Jim 's Scepti­ cisn1-F aith of My Good Wife-A Wandering Osteopath -My Story in Clinton County-Treating Asthma-My Studies-A Hypno tist, . Page 110 CHAPTER IX. My First Case of Flux-Old Methods-More Cases-Believed to be Possessed of the Devil-Prayers from Fools-A Dis­ located Neck-Leaving Macon-At Kh·ksville-Motber Ivie- Dr. 1''. A. Grove-Judge Lind er-Chinn 's Cheering CONTENTS. 9 Way-Robert Harri S,-:.A· Helpl ess Cripple -Typhoid Fever-F,ieble in Health and Purse-Punching for In ­ ebriacy-An Ointment for Drunkenness, . Page 119 CHAPTER X. \ Reflections on the Seventies-ChOOE<ing a Path in Life-Wbat Life ls-Anxiety to Leave It-Child's Pluck-The Brain the Only Hope-The Widow's Trials-Brain Triumphant -The Greatest Legacy Energy, . Page 185 CHAPTER XI . Working Alone-Success-The Pile Doctor and Lightning­ Rod Peddler-Dr. William Smith Comes to lnvestigat&­ The Lesson in Electricity-Motor and Sensory-What is Fever?-Dr. Smith a Convert-The Success of Lady Osteo­ paths-Especially Excellent in Obstetrics-Diseases of the Season-The Allego1·y of Joshua-Basic Prin ciples-The Too-much-talk Man-Charter ot the American School of Osteopathy, . Page 144 CHAPTER XII. Introduction to Lectures-Honest Critici srn Invited-Not a Writer of Books-Old Ren1edies and Death-To Study Osteopathy-Thorough Knowledge of Anatomy ESl\ential -W oes of a Bald-Headed Doctor-The World on Trial­ Jndge of the Living and the Dead- The Trial Proceeds-­ For Twenty Thousand Years-Struggles of Nat ions-­ Soldier Under the New Flag, . Page 178 CHAPTER XIII. Something about Infallible Signs-Appealing to My Little Pr eacher- Anxiety in Waiting for an Answer-The Charges and Specifications-Divine Law of Finger and Thisrnb, · . Page 199 CHAPTER XIV. The Great Vision-A Wonderful Procession-An Assembly to Benefit the Human Race-War-Defeat-Sun-ender-The Doctors in Council-Forceps and Laceration-The · Spy on 10 CONTENTS. Osteopathy-A Disturbed Artery and the Result-Nature's System of Midwifery-Osteopathy Defined-Wh ips of Qui­ nine to Drive Out Fever-T he Corpus Callosum-Cor­ puscl-The Equipmentl:I as Fre mont's Surgeon - How God Manifests Himself, • . Page 212 · CHAP TER XV. Variou H Diseases-Normal and Abnormal - Nerves and Veins -H ow Often to Treat-Do Not Bruise the ?iluscles-The Battery and Engine-Beware of the Buzzards, Page 227 CHAPTER XVI. A Demand for a Revolution-A Plea for . an Advance in Os­ teopathy -Ob ject of Osteopathy - How to Irriga te-Death Defined-Ho w Pain is Created - The Building of theThigh­ Rone-Th e Solvent Powers of Life-The Destruction of Pain-The Object of Moving Bones and Muscles, Page 243 CHAPTER XVII. The Vermiform Appendix - Operating for Appendicitis-Ex · pelling Power of the Vermiform Appendix-Care Exer ­ cised in Making As.~erti ons- The Human Machinery­ Wh ich Best, God's Machine or Man's?-Tbe .