History of Osteopathy – Part 1

In this first part on the history of theosteopathy I'm telling you about its origins and its development in its native land: the United States.

Manual medicine

The man used his hands to cure since the dawn of time.

In fact, we find many traces of manual therapy in antiquity both in ancient Thailand 4000 years ago and in Pharaonic Egypt.

Hippocrates himself used techniques of joint manipulation, just like Galen or Avicenna.

Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917)

Born on August 6, 1828 in Virginia, United States, he is considered the founding father of theosteopathy.

He is the son of a doctor and Methodist minister, who will teach him the basics of medicine.
A cavalry captain during the Civil War, he enlisted as a doctor And surgeonThis experience will allow him to develop his knowledge in anatomy.

In 1864, the death of four members of his family following meningitis deeply upset him.

This will lead to a profound questioning of the medical concepts of his time.

Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathy in 1874, believing that human beings were endowed with the strength ofself healing and resources natural to fight against diseases.

Considering that the structures of the body and the functions they must fulfill are interdependent, he therefore deduces that it is necessary to maintain thebody in perfect mechanical condition to stay in good condition health.

The American School of Osteopathy

In 1892, in the face of medical successes, Still created the first school of osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri. It will offer a doctorate of osteopathic medicine from 1897.

Initially modest in size, it continued to grow and still exists today but is now called “AT Still University”.