JM Littlejohn

About me:

I was born in Glasgow, Scottland, where I spent much time educating myself. I went to the University of Glasgow where I received a Master of Arts (MA) in 1889, Bachelor of Divinity (BD) in 1890 and a Bachelor of Laws (LLD) in 1892. In addition, time was spent with the eminent Scottish physiologist Dr KcKendrick studying physiology and anatomy, and in 1892 I recieved the William Hunter Medal in Forensic Medicine. My health led me to seek a milder and dryer climate, and that is why I sailed for New York late in 1892. There I enrolled at Columbia University where I studied political philosophy, resulting in my first book publication, 'The Political Theory of Schoolmen and Grotius', published at College Springs, Iowa in 1895. The book recieved good reviews, including in "The Christian Reviewer" (of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 29 June 1895). From N.Y. I moved on to the Amity College in Iowa where I took up office. My health was still not good, and on recommandations I sought out a certain Dr Andrew T Still of Kirksville MO for treatment. The treatments of Dr Still and his philosophy of osteopathy impressed me that much that I resigned from the Amity College and moved to Kirksville in 1897. Dr Still invited me to give guest lectures in physiology to the students of the American School of Osteopathy and in 1898 I enrolled as a student myself, and I recieved my D.O. in 1900. In paralell I was a Professor in physiology, and was appointed the 2nd Dean of the School. I also wrote and published three books on the subject Osteopathy, Physiology and Psychology while in Kirksville. In Kirksville I also had the great pleasure of getting to know my fellow Scotsman. Dr William Smith, the first teacher in anatomy at the ASO. After Kirksville I left for Chicago, where I together with my brothers opened the Chicago College of Osteopathy and the Littlejohn Hospital. I was surrounded by many intelligent D.O.'s, including Drs Carl P McConnell and Edgar Comstock, and Dr Harrison Fryette was one of my early graduates. I continued doing researh (some with the AT Still Research Institute) and writing (published 5 further books on the principles of osteopathy while in Chicago). In 1913 I decided to return to Europe and the U.K., and I started plannig the opening of an osteopathic school together with some of my American colleagues residing in the U.K. This resulted in the British School of Osteopathy opening in London in 1917. The rest is history.