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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    the 14th October, and the mass, half an hour after its removal, weighed one hundred and three pounds. Dr. Stewards Notes of Dr. Esdaile^s Mesmeric Operation on lAth October. The time occupied in the operation was six minutes, in- cluding the application of ligatm-es to the spermatic arteries, and three or four other vessels that spouted. The arterial hjemorrhage was very small indeed, but the welling of blood at the moment of each transverse cut was appalling, the loss could not have been less than 10 or 12 lbs. The patient remained throughout most perfectly still and motionless. I held his pulse the whole time, and counted it carefully. Immediately on the removal of the tumom*, it sank to zero; his face became pale, and cold sweat bedewed his forehead; and it was not till his head was lowered by the withdrawal of one or two pillows that he recovered from the collapse caused by so sudden and great a withdrawal of vital stimulus from the heart and brain. The pulse gTadually retm'ued, and was found, when fii'st counted, to be 120, very small, compressible and intermitting, but there was not the slightest evidence of consciousness or of pain. It was now deemed necessary by Dr. Taylor and myself to pour some wine and hartshorn down his throat; but as he could not swallow in this state, it was allowed us to dash cold water in his face, blow in his eyes, * and fan him, by which means he awoke from his trance, recovered sufficient sensibility to drink some brandy and water, and presently subsided into perfect repose; the pulse, however, remaining very weak, and settling at 100. No active liEemorrhage ensued with this re- action, but two or three more small vessels were tied, and cold wet cloths were applied to the raw surface. The patient was then carefully removed to a clean bed^ In the course of the afternoon, .as I was informed, some symptoms of collapse occurred, such as vomiting and restless- ness, and some seven or eight more vessels were successively