The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile.

Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    In April 1845 I reported my first mesmeric successes in tlie Calcutta Medical Journal; and as my whole subsequent pro- ceedings were determined by the results of my first experi- ments, it is necessary to relate shortly how I became practi- cally acquainted with mesmerism. At the time of making my first experiment, I had never seen any one mesmerised,'nor read a mesmeric book, and had only conversed with one person who had witnessed the mes- meric phenomena. My informant, being a trustworthy gentle- man, excited my curiosity; but as I could get no books upon the subject, I determined to experiment for myself, leaving the when and the how undetermined. Accident decided this for me, and under circimistances that precluded the possibility of mistake. On the 4th April 1845, a Hindoo of the lowest caste was brought to the hospital with a double hydrocele. The water was di-awn off one side of the scrotum, and two drachms of the usual corrosive sublimate injection were thrown in. On feeling the pain from the injection, the man threw his head over the back of the chair, and pressed his hands firlnly upon his groins, making the grimaces of a person in pain. Seeing him suffer- ing in this way, it occurred to me to attempt to mesmerise him; and turning to my native assistant, I asked him if he had ever seen a person mesmerised ? He said that he had seen it attempted in the Medical College, Calcutta, but without success. I have a great mind to try it on this man, I said, but as I never saw it done, I shall probably not succeed. Without a word said to the man, (his eyes being still closed,) I began to make passes from the crown of his head to the pit of his stomach, without touching him. I continued this for half an hour, and then gave it up in despair, seeing no sen- sible effect. While resting myself, (the thermometer being 85°,) I desired the man to open his eyes, and he said that he saw smolce. This roused my attention, and tempted me to persevere, as I had heard of the m.esmeric haze. He shortly removed his hands from the groins, crossed his arms on his breast, and all signs of uneasiness disappeared. In half an hour more he took no notice of my questions, and remained