Philosophy of OsteopathyStill, A. T. (Andrew Taylor)
Philosophy
Philosophy of Osteopathy
Still, A. T. (Andrew Taylor)
Osteopathic medicine
The diaphragm is possibly the least understood as being the cause of
more diseases, when its supports are not all in line and normal
position, than any other part of the body. It has many openings through
which nerves, blood and food pass while going from chest to all parts
below. It begins at the lower end of the breast-bone and crosses to ribs
back and down, in a slanting direction to the third or fourth lumbar
vertebra. Like an apron, it holds all that is above it up, such as heart
and lungs, and is the fence that divides the organs of the abdomen from
the chest. Below it are the stomach, bowels, liver, spleen, kidneys,
pancreas, womb, bladder; also the great system of lymphatics of the
whole blood and nerve supply of the organs and systems of nutrition and
life supply. All parts of the body have a direct or indirect connection
with this great separating muscle. It assists in breathing, in all
animals, when normal, and when prolapsed by the falling in and down of
any of the five or six ribs by which it is supported in place, then we
suffer from the effects of suspended normal arterial supply, and venous
stagnation below diaphragm. The aorta meets resistance as it goes down
with blood to nourish, and the vein as it goes back with impurities
contained in venous blood, also meets an obstruction at the diaphragm,
as it returns to the heart through the vena cava, because of the packing
of a fallen diaphragm on and about the blood vessels that must not be
obstructed. Thus heart trouble, lung disease, brain, liver, womb, tumors
of the abdomen and through the list of effects can be traced to the
diaphragm as the cause.
I am strongly impressed that the diaphragm has much to do in keeping all
the machinery and organs of life in a healthy condition, and will try
and give some of the reasons why, as I now understand them. First, it is
found to be wisely located just below the heart and lungs; one being the
engine of the blood, and the other is the engine of the air. This strong
wall holds all substances or other bodies away from any chance to press
on either engine, while performing their parts in the economy of life.
Each engine has a sacred duty to perform under the penal law of death to
itself and all other divisions of the whole being, man. If it should
neglect its work of which it is a vital part, should we take down this
wall and allow the liver, stomach and spleen to occupy any of the places
allotted to these engines of life, a confusion would surely be the
result; ability of the heart to force blood to the lungs would be
overcome and cause trouble.
A CASE OF BILIOUS FEVER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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