† motorpathyn.
U.S. Medicine. Obsolete. rare.
Treatment of disease by movement (esp. passive movement) of muscles, or by massage. Cf. kinesiatrics n. at kinesi- comb. form .
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > physiotherapy > [noun]
motorpathy1853
physiatrics1890
physiotherapy1900
physicotherapy1903
physical therapy1919
physio1967
1853 H. Halsted (title) Exposition of motorpathy; a new system of curing disease, by statuminating, vitalizing motion.
1863 A. Holbrook Normal 24 Motorpathy, the cure of disease by rubbing or kneading the parts affected.
1868 H. B. Day Opium Habit 322 One more valuable method of relief and cure whose enthusiastic discoverers (or rather adapters) have outraged etymology worse than the regular practice by trying to build on their one good thing an entire system under the title of ‘Motorpathy’.
Derivatives
motorpathic adj.
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1864 Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Motorpathic, of, or pertaining to, motorpathy.
1865 H. B. Stowe House & Home Papers (1869) 146 Our land is now full of motorpathic institutions to which women are sent to have hired operators stretch and exercise their inactive muscles.
1867 Merwin's Conn. River Business Directory 313 (advt.) The Motorpathic Treatment, a system of satuminating [read statuminating] vitalization, aided in particular cases by a few celebrated vegetable alternatives and a discriminating use of medicated hot and cold baths, speedily removes most diseases.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1853