Animal magnetism : being the first part of Animal magnetism and homoeopathy : with notes illustrative of the influence of the mind on the body / by Edwin Lee.

  • Lee, Edwin, -1870.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal magnetism : being the first part of Animal magnetism and homoeopathy : with notes illustrative of the influence of the mind on the body / by Edwin Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    At another time, Calixte, after having been mag- netised, a card was placed on the region of the heart, and he named without hesitation the ace of clubs. His eyes were padded over and bandaged with a thick handkerchief, he then played with the most sceptical several games at ecarte, with new cards, without making the least mistake. If his adversary named, in playing, a different card from that which he played, the somnambulist was annoyed, com- plained of his bad faith, and added—“ Why do you try to deceive me ? 1 can see them better than yourself, and to prove it, you hold such and such cards in your hand.” One of the players, suspicious in the extreme, having raised the bandage in order to convince him- self that no ray of light could arrive at the organ of sight, was scolded by the somnambulist in no measured terms, and owed his conversion to mag- netism to the following experiment: — “ So you think I can see with my eyes,” said the somnambulist to him ; “ are you then so blind as not to comprehend that my eyelids being pressed upon by padding and a bandage, which annoy me terribly, it is impossible for me to perceive anything in the ordinary way? Well then, go into the next room, stick against the wall with a wafer, any card you please, and you will soon know whether I shall be able to tell it or not.” This was accordingly done, and Calixte named, without much hesitation, the king of diamonds, which was correct. Twelve pieces of ribbon of different colours and shades were given to the patient, who distinguished them in the most exact manner. . A stop-watch, of which the hands had been pur- posely deranged, was applied to the region of the heart, and he told the hour which was indicated.* The same individual was magnetised lately in Paris, by Mr. Macpherson Adams, who has pub- * Ricard, Traite de Magi.etisme Animal.