Mesmerism.

Date:
[1840]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Mesmerism. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    object in view, let him place bis bands upon tbe patient’s shoulders, and draw them down his arms and forearms to the palms of his hands, and from the head down either side of the f*ce and body, and let him continue these movements for some time, either in contact with the patient or not, until the effect be produced. Such are the most ordinary modes of ope rating, but it would be impossible here to notice every variety of method which is employed. Now as to the effects produced, the first symptoms are often peculiar sensations on the surface of the body, as warmth, pricking, twitchings, and spasms ; the pulse and respiration become affected ; after a time, the sight generally becomes less clear, the nervous sensations are increased, and gradually the patient is oppressed with a deep sleep, the limbs refuse to sustain the body, the head is inclined forward or to one side if not sup ported, and the body, if in the sitting position, will fall if not prevented ; the limbs, head, or body of the patient may, at the same time, be most forcibly attracted in any direction by the mere movement of the hand of the operator. This sleep is often so profound, and in it the various senses are so blunted, that no noise or pain disturbs it; this is called coma or Mesmeric sleep, and after the operation has been repeated several times, or when the patient is very susceptible, this state of sleep is succeeded by one of somnambulism closely resembling what is commonly observed ill ordinary sleep-walkers. All the advantages which the professors of Mesmerism expect to derive from its application cannot yet be known ; indeed the subject may still be considered in its infancy, although it has been much more investigated on the continent than in this country ; still, however, it is asserted that many nervous affections, including epileptic and other fits, some kinds of paralysis and mania, have been cured by it; and that patients may, whilst under the influence of the mesmeric sleep, undergo severe and excruciating operations without being sensible of pain. There are, then, if these assertions be true, ample grounds to authorize the fullest investigation, and strong reasons for viewing the conduct of those who, from sinister or selfish motives, would prejudice the public mind against it, as evincing anything but a fervent desire to benefit their fellow- creatures, and as justly reprehensible by every friend to humanity ; whilst those who, from love of fun, endeavour to turn it into ridicule, would do well to satisfy themselves most perfectly that there is no truth in the conclusions at which clever scientific men have arrived concerning it, before they lend their aid, feeble though it may be, for the purpose of retarding knowledge on a subject which promises to confer as much benefit on many as it seems to bestow amusement upon them. It is idle, at the present day, to call Mesmerism a new or fanciful theory, for it is already more than half a century since Mesmer began publicly to assert his possession of this power; and although he was the first who as signed to it a specific name — animal magnetism, as he considered it in some way allied to mineral magnetism—there were many others who, be fore him, employed it for the benefit of their fellow-creatures, and the testimony of the learned and acute is not wanting to confirm accounts rela ting the success of their endeavours. How far the ancients were acquainted with the existence of this natural power we shall, probably, never know ; still it is far from improbable, in deed many deem itf almost proved, that the priests, not only Greek and Homan, but also thjple of the Chinese, Persians, Egyptians, and Chaldees, were in the constant habit of employing it for the purpose of curing diseases. Those who are curious on this subject would be much gratified