Part 2 (1/2)
Thus the importance of a careful attention to the normal certainty of all the ribs to which the diaphragm is attached is essential. The eleventh and twelfth ribs may, and do often get pushed so far from their normal bearings, that they are often found turned in a line with the spine, with cartilaginous ends down near ilio-lumbar articulation. When in such position they draw the diaphragm down heavily on vena cava at about the fourth lumbar. Then you have cause for intermittent pulse, as the heart finds no pa.s.sage of blood through the prolapsed diaphragm which is also stopping the vena cava and producing universal stagnation of blood and other fluids in all organs and glands below the diaphragm.
Thus you have a beginning for abnormal growths of womb, kidneys and all lymphatics of liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and all tumors of abdomen.
CEREBRO SPINAL FLUID.
To satisfy the mind of a philosopher who is mentally capable of asking for and knowing truth, when presented by nature, you must come at him outside of the limits of conjecture, and address him with self-evident truths only. When he takes up the philosophy of the great subject of life, to him who does know truth, no subst.i.tute can to any degree satisfy his mental demands. To the one who would deal in conjectures or suppose so's, he will at once be placed in the proper category to which he belongs, which is the drift-wood that floats down the dark river that is overshadowed by the nightmare of ignorance and superst.i.tion. A seeker after truth, is a man of few words, and they are used by him only by the truths or facts discovered. He has no patience with the unmeaning records offered only to please the credulous, and by those of little or no truth that appears during a long recitation of ungrounded statements.
From the above it is wisely seen that the object of these remarks is to present a few truths for the purpose of stimulating the attention of the listener. We will take man when formed. When we use the word formed, we mean the whole building being complete. The brain with all organs, nerves, vessels, and every minutia in form with all materials found or used in life.
BODY IN PERFECT HEALTH.
We look at it in perfect health which means perfection and harmony not in part, but of the whole body. So far we are only filled with love, wonder and admiration. Another period of observation appears to the philosopher. We find partial or universal discord from the lowest observable to the highest in action and death. Then the book of whys is opened and displays its leaves which calls out mental labor even to the degree of agony, to know the cause or causes that produce a failure of a limb in sensation, motion, nutrition, voluntary and involuntary functional exhibits. His mind will explore the bone, the ligament, the muscle, the fascia, the channels through which the blood travels from heart to local destiny, with lymphatics and their contents,--the nerves, the blood vessels and every channel through or over which all substances are transmitted all over the body, particularly the disabled limb in question. It proceeds too and does obtain blood abundantly to and from the heart, but the results obtained are not satisfactory, and another leaf is opened of why no good results are obtained and where is the mystery, what quality and element of force and vitality has been withheld? A thought strikes him that the cerebro spinal fluid is the highest known element that is contained in the human body, and unless the brain furnishes this fluid in abundance a disabled condition of the body will remain. He who is able to reason will see that this great river of life must be tapped and the withering field irrigated at once, or the harvest of health be forever lost.
CHEMISTRY.
As chemical compounds are not known to Osteopathy to be used as remedies, then its use as a study for the student is only to teach that elements in nature do combine and form other substances, and without changes and unions, no teeth, bone, hair, or muscle could appear in the body from the food eaten. Then chemistry is of great use as a part of a thorough Osteopathic education. It gives us the reasons why food is found in the body as bone, muscle and so on, to all kinds of flesh, teeth and bones found in animal forms. Unless we know chemistry reasonably well, we can not do away with much mental worry of what becomes of food after eating. By chemistry the truths of physiology are firmly established in the mind of the student of nature, that in man a chemistry of wonderful powers does all the work of animal forms, and that in the laboratory of nature's chemistry is the ruling power. By elementary chemistry we are led to see the beauties of physiology only.
Thus chemistry of the elementary is one, and physiology is the witness that it is law in man as in all nature. Thus in chemistry we comprehend some of the laws of union in nature which we can use mentally with knowing confidence. In chemistry we become acquainted with the law of cause and change in union, which is a standard law sought by the student of Osteopathy.
NATURE'S CHEMISTRY.
Osteopathy believes that all parts of the human body do work on chemical compounds, and from the general supply manufacture for local wants; thus the liver builds for itself of the material that is prepared in its own division laboratory. The same of heart and brain. No disturbing or hindering causes will be tolerated to stay if an Osteopath can find and remove it. We must reason that to withhold the supply from a limb, to wither away would be natural. We suffer from two causes. First, want of supply (hunger), and the burdens of dead deposits along nerve centers, which five nerves by chemical changes while in fermentation should regulate local or general divisions.
CORRECT METHOD OF REASONING.
In concluding this chapter we will confine our labor to an effort to direct the beginner to a correct method of reasoning. When he is brought face to face with the stern realities of the ”sick room,” the Osteopath begins his inquiries and follows with his questions just far enough to know what division of the body is in trouble. If he finds an arm has lost motion, he goes to arm to explore for cause. He can begin his hunt for cause at hand, explore it carefully for wounds, strains or any lesion that could injure nerves of the arm. If he finds no probable cause there, he should explore bones for dislocations or strains of ligaments at elbow; if he finds no defect there sufficient to locate cause in lower arm or hand; he has only two more places left to inspect, the shoulder and neck with their articulations of bone and muscles. If found normal at shoulder, then go to neck, out of which go all or most of the nerves of the arm; if he finds no lesion or cause equal to the trouble so far, then he has been careless in his search and should go over and over from marrow to periostium of all bones of the neck and head, because there are only five divisions in which a lesion can exist.
Carefully look, think, feel and know that the head of the humerus is true in the glenoid cavity, clavicle true at both ends of its articulation, with sternum and acromion processes. See that the biceps are in their grooves, and ribs on spine are true at manubrium and spine, and that neck is true on first dorsal. True in all joints of the neck, as the nerves of the arm come from the neck, there must be no variation from normal, or trouble will appear from that cause. As the neck has much to do with the arm, we should keep a living picture of the forms of each bone, how and where it articulates with others, how it is joined by ligaments, what blood vessels, nerves and muscles cross or range with it lengthwise, because to overlook a small nerve and blood vessel you may fail to remove a goitre, and all diseases of the head, face and neck.
CHAPTER III.
THE HEAD.
A Free Circulation--Death Blows--Something of the Neck--Order of Treatment--The Pelvis--Brains of Animals--Arterial Motion--Mental Vibrations--Overburdening the Mind--Hemiplegia.
A FREE CIRCULATION.
Before we treat of the head, we must follow blood from the heart to all organs of the head. Not only look at the pictures in Gray, Morris, Gerrish, or some finely ill.u.s.trated work on anatomy, but we must apply a searching hand and know to a certainty that the constrictors of neck, or other muscles or ligaments do not pull cervical and hyoid bones so close as to bruise pneumogastric or any other nerves or fibres that would cause spasmodic contraction of digastric, stylo-hyoid or the whole remaining group of neck muscles and ligaments, with which you are or should be very familiar. Ever remember that the venous drainage must be kept normally active or congestion, and tumefaction, with inflammation of the glands of the head, face and neck will appear, and mark for you this oversight; because the perpetual health, ease and comfort of the head beginning with the scalp and hair, with their nerves, glands and purity of blood supply, a healthy eye, good hearing, healthy action of brain with its magnetic and electric forces to the vital parts which sustain life, memory and reason, depend directly and wholly upon unlimited freedom of the circulatory system of nerves, blood and cerebral fluid. They must be normal in action and quant.i.ty unembarra.s.sed, otherwise bad hearing, ulcers of the ears, cross eyes, pterygium, cataract, granulated lids, staphyloma, lachrymosis and up to full list of diseases of the eye, with tonsilitis, injured voice, tumors and cancers of face, head, tongue, mouth and throat, along with erysipelas, blotches and pimples, and all diseases of the glandular system of the head and neck. Undoubtedly all these afflictions have their origin in obstructed normal action between the heart and the termination of all above it, for want of nerve and blood harmony.
DEATH BLOWS.
Remember that death blows are dealt out freely above the sternum by irritation and constriction of the parts above described. We should often refresh our minds, beginning with the muscles that connect the head and neck, and know to a certainty as we explore that junction that the capitas minor, major and lateralis, long and short of both anticus and posticus regions are indisputably normal to your hand and judgment.
It is almost useless to say to the anatomist who has had the drilling in all branches of that science, previous to obtaining his diploma, to commence and detail the venous and excretory system, through which all those glands are drained, and kept in a healthy condition, but we say this much; let your morning, noon and evening prayer be this, Oh Lord!