I started a collection of texts from old osteopathic journals that could be of interest to osteopaths and people curious about osteopathy.

You can fin the full list here
Some were translated into French here

Inhibit: Inhibition

Much stress has been laid on the idea of inhibition of the nerves as a remedial agency. Allow me to say that inhibition is almost universally the cause of disease. Dunglison defines inhibit-to restrain or suppress-stimulate, to goad; that which excites the animal economy.

For the student’s benefit, I wish to refresh his mind on anatomy, that he may fully understand what I wish to present as a truth, to guide him while treating his patients, and to point him to the dangers of doing more harm than good by pushing, pulling and kneading the abdomen, with the idea that he inhibits the nerves or excites them to greater energy thereby helping nature do the work of restoration of the normal functional action of the organs of the abdomen.

I will say after forty years’ observation and practice that no good can come to the patient by pulling, pushing and gouging in the sacred territory of the abdominal organs, but much harm can and does follow bruising the solar plexus from which a branch of nerves goes to each organ of the abdomen. Upon that center depends all the functioning of the elaborate work of the abdomen. I say, hands off. Go to the spine and ribs only. If you do not know the power of the spinal nerves on the liver to restore health, you must learn or quit because you are only an owl of hoots, more work than brains. I want the student who wishes to know the work that is done by the organs or contents of the abdomen (the viscera), that he is also to know the danger of ignorance and that wild force used in treating the abdomen cannot be tolerated, taught or practiced as any part of this sacred philosophy.

You must reason. You can reason, I say reason, or you will finally fail in all enterprises. Form your own opinions, select all facts you can obtain. Compare, decide, then act. Use no man’s opinion, accept his works only.

A.T. Still
Journal of Osteopathy, December 1901