Osteopathy began as an intended reform to medicine of the day in the 1870’s by Andrew Still MD, of Missouri. After losing several family members during encephalitis epidemics, Still was motivated to reconsider the basis for medical therapy to bring them more in line with laws of nature. At that time medical treatment relied heavily on ineffective conventional drug therapy including ingestion of mercury and blood letting.
Still did extensive anatomic and physiologic study and developed treatment protocols consistent with his studies, termed osteopathic manipulation. He expressed himself in terms of mechanical and electrical principle consistent with the science of his day. As a result of his clinical success, he was encouraged to teach others his methods and in 1892 opened the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville Missouri. Success of his students lead to the rapid spawning of other schools. Modern physical treatments today such as chiropractic, physio, and massage were born from A.T. Stills pioneering and at the time controversial health care. Osteopathy is indeed, the mother of modern manual therapy.