How to mesmerise : a manual of instruction in the history, mysteries, modes of procedure, and arts of mesmerism, or, animal magnetism, hypnotism, clairvoyance, thought reading, and mesmeric entertainments / by James Coates.

  • Coates, James, 1843-1933.
Date:
[between 1890 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: How to mesmerise : a manual of instruction in the history, mysteries, modes of procedure, and arts of mesmerism, or, animal magnetism, hypnotism, clairvoyance, thought reading, and mesmeric entertainments / by James Coates. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    downvmrd pressure. With your left hand you will take the right hand of your subject in a natural and easy way. At the same time you bring your thumb pressure to bear on the forehead. You will press with the knuckle joint of the third finger of the right hand. The pressure must be simultaneous, and your thumb contact at the forehead. The magnetic or mesmeric circle will be complete. When you are making the contact, you will say in a firm and decided manner—Now—you—cannot—open—your —eyes.^' You will invariably find that in the majority of persons whose eyes are not far apart, they cannot open their eyes (they may or may not be asleep). Proceed to another and another, and do the same. Those whose eyes are closed, let them remain on the platform; send the rest down. My favourite method of getting control and influencing a great number of subjects at the same time (irrespective of the nature and character of the various types of phenomena likely to be presented by them) is as follows:—When the requisite number of volunteers are secured, I direct each to settle down com- fortably in their seats, to take and hold tightly the thumb of the left hand in the hollow of the right, close their eyes,* and lean their heads back (generally against the back of their seats or against the wall). Standing at a distance of three or four feet from the subjects, I make a series of rapid downward passes—at distans—over all, commencing at the left end of the line, and working to the right, time occupied ranging from five to ten minutes. During which time all previously influenced subjects pass into the mesmeric state, and are afterwards, if necessary, aroused into the somnambulistic or mesmeric-psycho- logical stage. The others who are not, apparently, * This is done simply to withdraw the subjects’ attention from their surroundings.