RESOLUTION
SUBJECT:
Ceremony of Gratitude to Native Americans ???
SUBMITTED BY:
Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon
REFERRED TO:
WHEREAS,
Most Osteopathic Physicians study Anatomy with the aid of bodies, which the
former inhabitants donated for that purpose, AND,
WHEREAS,
Their remains are respectfully and ceremoniously buried with our gratitude for
their contribution to our learning, AND,
WHEREAS,
In his Autobiography, A.T. Still states, “The best way to study man is to dissect
a few bodies.” AND,
WHEREAS,
Dr. Still acknowledges that he, like most frontier physicians, robbed Indian
graves to aid in his study of anatomy, AND,
WHEREAS,
“Indian after Indian was exhumed and dissected,” Autobiography, A.T. Still,
AND,
WHEREAS,
"Indian graves were desecrated and the bodies of the sleeping dead exhumed in
the name of science.”, Autobiography, A.T. Still, AND
WHEREAS,
"The dead Indians never objected to being object-lessons for the development of
science." AND,
WHEREAS,
He continues, "Their relatives knew 'nothing about it;’…” AND,
WHEREAS,
The knowledge which he gained by his study, allowed him to relieve the
suffering of countless thousands of human beings, and contributed greatly to the
development and advancement of the OSTEOPATHIC PROFESSION,
RESOLVED,
that the AOA, in the opening ceremony at OMED 2014 or 2015, hold a public
ceremony offering acknowledgement, apology, and gratitude to the Native
American Tribes of Kansas and Missouri, for the contribution of their elders, to
the development of the OSTEOPATHIC PROFESSION, and be it futher,
RESOLVED,
That the AOA through its Foundation, establishment of a Native American
Scholarship Fund, to assist Native American students attending Colleges of
Osteopathic Medicine.
Action Taken __________________
Date _________________________