Chapters in American Osteopathic History

by Angela | Apr 1, 2016 | Bookshop

Chapters In American Osteopathic History

Chapters in American Osteopathic History

Following our blog last week about Andrew Taylor Still, Carol Trowbridge published another book entitled Chapters in American Osteopathic History. This book has chapters covering Mark Twain and Osteopathy; The Flexner Report; The Electronic Reactions of Abrams; An Abrams Connection; The Baruch Grant for Physical Medicine – 1943.

The first Chapter of Carol Trowbridge’s book covers Mark Twain and Osteopathy. “Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a popular American writer and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876 and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, the later often called the Great American Novel.”

Carol Trowbridge further writes “Mark Twain was more than slightly interested in osteopathy, and may have been introduced to osteopathy as early as 1889 when A.T. Still set up practice for several months in Hannibal, Missouri. He had, on numerous occasions, written about the merits of osteopathy.”

Further on in the chapter, Carol writes “Along the way, osteopathy attracted many converts, and in 1905, the cause was furthered by the New York debut of a play called ‘Mrs. Leffingwell’s Boots’, in which the popular playwright, Augustus Thomas made an osteopath one of the heroes. In February, 1905, The Osteopathic Physician reported on the play: ‘Much fame has come to osteopathy in Gotham thorough a high-class comedy which is having a successful run at the Savoy Theatre. It is called Mrs. Leffingwell’s Boots, and it bids fair after an initial month of success to become the hit of the season.’
The reporter went on to explain that apparently an osteopath had cured Mr. Thomas’ son of a slight spinal affliction after regular physicians had failed and had shown his gratitude by including an osteopath in his play.”

To read more of “Chapters in American Osteopathic History” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £15.00 here: Chapters in American Osteopathic History

Dr. J.M. Littlejohn’s Lectures on Applied Anatomy

by Angela | Feb 16, 2016 | Bookshop

Lectures on Applied Anatomy

Dr. J.M. Littlejohn’s Lectures on Applied Anatomy

Dr. John Martin Littlejohn’s Lectures on Applied Anatomy commences with an Introduction by John Wernham “The Applied Anatomy presented here by J.M. Littlejohn is essential reading for any student of Classical Osteopathy. Covering every aspect of the human body it begins with an outline of the spinal mechanics, supported by the four arches and their function. The nervous systems, sympathetic and central, with special reference to the 5th and 10th cranial nerves are given a prominence in osteopathic thinking that is unknown to Medicine. Ganglia and plexuses receive close attention with their sub-divisions and the great spinal centres are included in a survey that yields a very considerable amount of information and fundamental knowledge in 68 pages that is unobtainable elsewhere.”

The opening chapter begins: “Applied anatomy is the application of our general knowledge of the anatomy of the body as it lives and moves from day to day. Anatomy in general gives bones, muscles, etc., but we have to know the superficial anatomical landmarks and their relations to all the organs and structures of the body. The final object is to obtain a knowledge of the normal adjustment of each part of the body to every other part and to the body as whole.”

In his writings on Applied Anatomy J.M. Littlejohn further writes “The science and system of therapeutics we call osteopathy constitutes the application of physical treatment for conversion into a physiological process within the body. This implies that the body is living and has the vital power to convert the physical into the physiological and that this living body is a mechanism which, together with the vital organism, is in control of all its different parts. It is this control which enables us to give osteopathic treatment. If the body did not possess this power of taking a treatment given in the abdomen and applying it to the head, our treatment would be valueless. This means that the nervous system, presided over by the brain, with the assistance of the spine, is at the head of all the work that can be carried out to deal with disease, osteopathically.”

To read more of “Dr. J.M Littlejohns Lectures on Applied Anatomy” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £18.00 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/dr-j-m-littlejohns-lectures-on-applied-anatomy

Autobiography of John Wernham

by Angela | Feb 8, 2016 | Bookshop

Autobiography of John Wernham

The 2011 reprint of John Wernham’s book entitled “Osteopathy An Historical and Autobiographical Account” includes an Epilogue added by Principal, Gail Roots……

“This Autobiography was first published by John Wernham in 1999. Since then, despite him nearing the century mark, John Wernham was incredibly active, treating, writing, lecturing, printing, publishing and travelling – and studying! – until his demise on 9th February 2007. In order to give him justice, it is only fitting to include in this present edition (2011), an update on those latter years that were so fruitful. I had the good fortune and the immense pleasure of accompanying him during this time, and am delighted, therefore, to bear witness to this incredible man’s achievements in his twilight years.

John Wernham never refused an opportunity to lecture about Classical Osteopathy. His eagerness and dedication took him to Finland – to within 50km of the Arctic Circle! – to Sweden, Holland – where he appeared on Dutch TV; to Italy, France and Germany. These visits often resulted in groups of students visiting the College in Maidstone for seminars to learn about Classical Osteopathy. This was a key feature in recent years, and included groups from Japan, Spain, Canada and the USA. It also led to sister associations being formed; in Italy the Associazione Italiana Osteopatia Classica, and in Japan the Japanese Institute of Classical Osteopathy. Collaboration between these associations and the College ensure the spreading of Classical Osteopathic teaching, so dear to John Wernham’s heart, in those countries.”

To read more of “Osteopathy – An Autobiographical and Historical Account” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £25 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/osteopathy-an-autobiographical-and-historical-account/

Essay on the Relation of Microorganisms to Disease

by Angela | Nov 26, 2015 | Bookshop

Essay on the Relation of Microrganisms to Disease

In the opening chapter entitled “The Germ Theory of Disease” in his “Essay on the Relation of Microorganisms to Disease”, Jocelyn Proby writes: “It is not, surely, unfair to say that the structure of orthodox medicine is built up in the germ theory of disease. ……. Each disease or group of diseases is believed to be produced by a specific organism which is a separate species of animal or plant, or where such an organism has not been discovered it is assumed to exist but is thought to be ultra-microscopic…….Disease is believed to arise because organisms coming in from outside gain entrance to the human body in one way or another and there work havoc.”

In Chapter One of the Relation of Microorganisms to Disease Proby gives “some outline of the germ theory of disease as it is generally accepted by the orthodox school of medicine and by the public at large…… Our next task must be to discover whether there are not other theories which would account better for the clinical and experimental phenomena which need to be explained and which might provide a basis for a different and more satisfactory system of treatment.”

Jocelyn Proby writes further about this in Chapter Two entitled Alternative Theories in The Essay on the Relation of Micro–Organisms to Disease, asking such questions as “Why do men get diseases?”

To read more of “Essay on the Relation of Microorganisms to Disease” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £8 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/essay-on-the-relation-of-microorganisms-to-disease/

Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn

by Angela | Nov 19, 2015 | Bookshop

The Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn

In his biography The Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn, published in 1999, John Wernham begins his introduction “Any attempt to analyse the character of J. M. Littlejohn is confronted with a complex that has no entry and no completion. He was and remains an enigma.”

This book is a true account by the one man who knew him, lived next door to him, travelled with him, studied under him and spent his lifetime practising, teaching and publishing what Littlejohn taught him…..John Wernham.

In The Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn, John Wernham writes that Littlejohn was “a warm parent and a tough disciplinarian; he was a quiet man, soft-spoken and with a manner that was diffident and sometimes withdrawn to the point of indifference. Wryly, perhaps, it was often noted that his farewell was a shade more cordial than his greeting and there can be no doubt at all that he was a man who preferred to be left alone.

My first encounter with John Martin was on the cricket field, a family field it must be said and I, being something of a fast bowler at the age of eight years, had reached sufficient renown to show the head of the house something of my true metal. With all this very much in my mind, I put on every ounce of speed of which my puny arm was capable in the determination to topple the great man’s stumps. But the batsman retired without losing his wicket and the bowler never completed the over and has never quite made it ever since”.

In The Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn, John Wernham also wrote “He was orientated to his beloved osteopathy to such an extent that domestic affairs sometimes took second place. Not that the family lacked the basic necessities of life. One friend of the family once remarked, ‘If you are feeling down, pay a call on the Littlejohns and you will feel the better for it.’ There were many such friends who took advantage of this American style in hospitality and the house was often bulging with all kinds and types of guests.”

To read more of “The Life and Times of John Martin Littlejohn” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £25 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/the-life-and-times-of-john-martin-littlejohn

Osteopathy – An Autobiographical and Historical Account

by Angela | Nov 11, 2015 | Bookshop

Osteopathy – An Autobiographical and Historical Account

The Prologue of Osteopathy – An Autobiographical and Historical Account begins: “Looking back over a long life in the service of Osteopathy it is a somewhat sobering spectacle and, at times, profoundly disturbing. Memory is often sobering and profound but if it is laden with osteopathic history then it becomes a battle indeed. The story has it’s roots in prejudice mixed with contempt and was to be regarded as just one more piece of impudent quackery. Now that we have suffered the baptism of fire and our true worth demonstrated it would appear that our future is assured, if only in a limited sense. Whether or not the Littlejohn Philosophy will survive is a problem yet to be solved and we must take comfort that the truth always survives – in the long term.”

John Wernham continues with Osteopathy – An Historical and Autobiographical Account: ”Of course there was a time when I was blissfully unaware what had been arranged on my behalf, on which I was due to be engaged from somewhere about the middle of my career in this earthly life to the end, so far as I know. It has been recorded that I first saw light on Thursday, second of May, 1907, at four o’clock in the morning, which meant that I hauled the local doctor out of his bed at this uncomfortable hour, much to his annoyance, no doubt. Of the details concerning the birth nothing is known except that my mother was well under five feet in height and I was the eleventh child; could this mean that it was a good idea to keep going in this child-bearing business?”

To read more of “Osteopathy – An Autobiographical and Historical Account” you can purchase a copy from the JWCCO Bookshop for £25 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/osteopathy-an-autobiographical-and-historical-account

Dr J.M. Littlejohn Lectures on the Fundamentals of Osteopathic Technique

by Angela | Nov 11, 2015 | Bookshop

Dr J. M. Littlejohn Lectures on the Fundamentals of Osteopathic Technique

An excerpt from Dr J.M Littlejohn Fundamentals of Osteopathic Technique discusses the Osteopathic Lesion: “A lesion is a maladjustment in any field that perverts physiology. The structural, or anatomical lesion results in a precession of attachments: the intraosseous lesion involving, two or more bones, interferes with the attachment of the soft tissues, and the intervertebral lesion is the one that is sufficient to disturb the issuing nerves. A primary lesion produces mechanically a physiological imbalance without reference to the extent to which the imbalance is found within the body. A secondary lesion is one which maintains the existence of perverted functioning.”

In his Fundamentals of Osteopathic Technique Dr J.M Littlejohn concludes: “The principle to be laid down in dealing with these structural lesions is to first attack the secondary lesion and then deal with the primary lesion. The bones are our primary objective because these form the fundamental framework to which all structures are attached”

Dr J. M. Littlejohn Lectures on the Fundamentals of Osteopathic Technique can be purchased from the JWCCO Bookshop for £35 here: http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/dr-j-m-littlejohns-lectures-on-the-fundamentals-of-osteopathic-technique

Lectures on Osteopathy Volume 1

by Angela | Nov 10, 2015 | Bookshop

Lectures on Osteopathy Vol.1

This Excerpt from Lectures in Osteopathy Volume 1 details the elements of Force and Thrust:

“Force and Thrust. These two elements of Force and Thrust are all too commonly used in the day-to-day practice of manipulative therapy. They were prescribed long ago by the earlier practitioners of osteopathic techniques and it is much to be regretted that Thrust is beginning to creep back into our teaching; the effects of using force on the patient may still be observed, with all the attendant distress and discomfort that plagues the operator and patient alike.”

Lectures in Osteopathy Volume One continues: “Unfortunately, the introduction of force into our adjustive techniques is often the result of impatience, from the frustration of technical incompetence, or at the worst from a belief that such a method is the only effective method.

The truth is that we cannot impose our will in terms of a tough manual system of physical mechanics and expect the living body to accept the processes of an entirely materialistic point of view and it’s application in practice.”

Lectures in Osteopathy Vol 1 concludes: “Such a concept has little meaning in classical osteopathy and if we are to survive it is incumbent upon us to listen to the voice of nature and refrain from the imposition of technique for it’s own sake.”

Lectures in Osteopathy Volume 1 can be purchased for £25 from the JWCCO Bookshop here:
http://www.johnwernhamclassicalosteopathy.com/lectures-on-osteopathy-volume-1/