Neurypnology, or, The rationale of nervous sleep, considered in relation with animal magnetism : illustrated by numerous cases of its successful application in the relief and cure of disease / by James Braid.

  • Braid, James, 1795?-1860.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Neurypnology, or, The rationale of nervous sleep, considered in relation with animal magnetism : illustrated by numerous cases of its successful application in the relief and cure of disease / by James Braid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    it can in no way alter the importance of hypnotism, as a curative power, and extraordinary means of controlling and directing mental functions, in a parti- cular manner, by a simple association of impressions, whether we thus act on the brain as a single organ^ or as a combination of separate organs ; or whether the primary associations have originated from a special organic connection, or from some accidental and unknown cause, or from preconcerted arrange- ment and arbitrarj^ association. In such operations as particularly require the use of the eyes, 1 have never seen patients in the hypno- tic state perform what they attempted with the same celerity and accuracy as they were capable of doing when awake, and with the aid of sight. In short, I have never witnessed any phenomena which were not reconcileable with the notion that they arose from the abnormal exaltation or depression of sensations and ideas, or to their being thrown into unusual and varied ratios by the processes resorted to. Having heard it reported, that by establishing a connection betwixt two patients by a chain or string, that manipulating one would manifest the same phenomena in both, I tried the experiment, but with the precaution that the patients should be in separate rooms, so that the one could not hear, nor feel, from the motion of the air, what the other was doing. I formed the connection by a cord in some cases, and in others by a copper wire, and had parties stationed where they could observe the movements of both at same time. We could discover no such sympathetic influence as is asserted to have been realized by others.