Nelson Rockefeller and Osteopathy

 I read a rumor somewhere about a Rockefeller connection to osteopathy- I thought it would have been through Cleveland, since there has a been a long Ohio connection to osteopathy, but I forgot about the prominence of Rockefellers to New York. 

I came upon an article entitled "'Dr. Rockefeller' Tells of his day as an Osteopath", from the New York TImes, Sunday October 22, 1977. The article summarizes Nelson A. Rockeveller, former Vice President of the United States, and former Governor of New York's experiences and interactions with osteopathic medicine, which he recounts in a speech at the inauguration of NYCOM. 

The article goes on to states that Mr. Rockefeller had been under the care of a Dr. W. Kenneth Riland, who now happens to be chairman of the board of governers for NYCOM, and had attended the wedding of a friend's daughter, who had what sounded like TMJ, and had the girl bite down on his thumb from the back teeth, and the joint popped back into place. The rest of the article, was also interesting, as the slightly biting commentary remarked on Rockefeller's relationship with Nixon, questionable loans to Dr. Riland, and remarked that Dr. Henry Kissinger, who was also present " felt that Mr. Rockefeller's constant referral of people to the osteopath was one of his idiosyncracies". That being said, Dr. Kissinger also followed Rockefeller's advice and went to see Dr. Riland. 

This nugget was so charming and delightful to me, to have documented evidence of not only important figures going to seek osteopathic care but that Mr. Rockefeller's constant referral of friends to his osteopath showed how much he trusted his care, and that this sentiment is shared by so many of our patients today. 

Check out the article and read it for your self at https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/02/archives/dr-rockefeller-tells-of-his-day-as-an-osteopath.html