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

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Does nature think before it acts

It is surely in the line of reason to think so if its work is to be called as it witness. As we view the world of vegetation we see the most wonderful display of wisdom and genius. If we follow vegetation’s law to the forest and from there to the vast and extended plain we see astounding wisdom speaking in such thunder tones that the most stupid of our race is made to rejoice, though their minds cannot penetrate farther than the beautiful. The greater mind stands aghast, eyes beaming with wonder and joy. He, too sees the skill that is bestowed upon vegetation all over tree and shrub. The size of bough, and trunk, powerful in form, strong in fiber, anchored to earth by roots to sustain a body erect of many tons weight, holding its foliage hundreds of feet above earth’s surface, with strength of trunk to stand the pressure of thousands of tons of angry winds. Then see the motherly kindness it shows to its children, keeps them in her bosom until ripe as food and seed, and at the proper time severs the tie that binds children to mother, they sail off with the breezes, enter the soil, and plant themselves in the earth and begin the work of building another being to take the place of their waning mother.

When we think of that wonderful engine of life that dwells in the forest and what it does, we feel that wisdom is unbounded in all nature. The searcher passes from forest and field to the briny ocean, only to see tree of greater magnitude, not only as large as the trees of the forest but with power of locomotion and minds to direct, with weapons of offence and defense, whose mind and strength command respect of man and beast of all seas. But as he is used to the old saying that “precious gems are found in small packages” he begins to turn his thoughts to that gem of all gems of the terrestrial plains, hills and dales, MAN. He sees in the study of man, that mind, motion and matter have been united in one, by the mind and hand of the Infinite, and that to study and comprehend man will call to mortal minds the days of an eternity.

Man, that machine, that biological being, calls for greater research than all the trees of the forest and the living of all oceans combined. He is the miniature universe, mind, motion and matter made to love and work as one.

A.T. Still
Journal of Osteopathy, November 1898