T I E ZOIST

No. XXXVII.

A P R I L , 1852.

I. O n th e T h eory o f Im agination a» the cause o f M esm eric

P h en om en a , and on m oney challenges in M esm erism , B y
W i l l i a m G r e g o r y , M . D . , P r o f e s s o r o f C h e m is t r y in
t h e U n iv e r s it y o f E d i n b u r g h . C o m m u n ica te d b y D r .
E lb o ts o n .

*' O r . Davey cron-examined by Mr. Serjeant Wilkins,— Are yon ■ contributor

to a w o rk called The Zout ?— I am.
“ D o yon believe in mesmerism ’ —Most certainly, and so do all right-thinking
men.
** T h en any mas who doe* not believe in mesmerism is not of sound mind ?—
H e either does not think sufficiently, or is prejudiced.
11 O n yon believe in clairvoyance ?—I do, Sir.
“ D o yon believe that all right-thinking men believe in clairvoyance ?— I do.
" Have yon ever effected any core by mesmerism ? — I have cured three per­
sons by mesmerism who were insane,
1* What is your definition of delusion ?— A belief in that which is untrue. I
d o n 't pretend to give a perfect definition of it, but that is the general definition.
“ Now, for instance, I am not of a right thinking mind because I don't believe
in clairvoyance ?—That is because you have not sufficient opportunity of inquiry.
* ' Mr. Serjeant Wilkins.—Never mind; t should not at all object to break a
lance with yon upon that subject. But yon say that the fact of my assertion that
clairvoyance is nonsense argues unaoundneas of mind on my part ?
“ Witness.— To a certain degree (laughter).
“ Then you would say that every gentleman who advances the same thing is
to a certain degree of unsound mind f
" Witness.— His mental state is to be pitied j he does not know what is true
(laughter)/'— Times, Jan, 14, 18b2. Report o f the Commission on the state of
mind of Mrs. Comm log.

“ When doctrines ntentiallg faUt, and which have been over and over again
proved to have a notoriously demoralising tendency, are brought to bear upon
the realities o f life, more especially upon the practice of the medical profession,
then indeed we are called upon with one voice of acclamation, to repudiate them
in the strongest terms; and, if necessary, by appeal to the public authorities.
U poo this principle, therefore, we are glad to observe that Dr, Davey’s unqualified
declaration in favour o f mesmerism was the following day brought under the
notice of the magistrates at the Middlesex Sessions, when, after the annual report
VOL. X . B
2 On the T heory o f Im agination, if c.

o f the visitor* of the Hanwell Asylum bed been reed, ‘ Mr. F. Laurie rote and
■aid he wished to put a question of great importance to Mr. Rotcb, the chairman
o f the visiting committee of the Colney Hatch Asylum, and also to Mr. Wilkes,
chairman o f the visiting committee of Hartwell, relating to one of their medical
officers, formerly at Hartwell, bat who had been transferred to Colney Hatch.
He referred to Dr, Duvey, and he saw tbat in hie evidence before the Commis­
sioners o f Lunacy, in Mrs, Cnmming’s case, he stated his belief in clairvoyance
and mesmerism, and his opinion that every right-minded man entertained the
same belief, and that disbelief showed a want o f aanity in a man (laughter), al­
though he perceived their feelings on the subject, from the manner in which the
statement had been received. He also stated that he had cured three persona
from insanity by mesmerism,' As a public officer, entrusted with the sole care o f
nearly bOO pauper lunatics, he thought the public had a right to know whether
such proceedings had been carried on in these asylums with the consent of the
visiting justices. Considering that they contained nearly 2,000 pauper lunatics,
many of them having no friends but the visiting justices, the public had a right
to know tbat these poor people bad not been tampered teith or experimentalised
on ; and that these asylums were placea of mercy, and not theatres for practising
these abominable delusions. Dr. Davey might believe in what be liked, but they
were the guardians of these poor persons, and he must confess it was most alarm­
ing to him to find a medical officer o f one of the asylums expressing these opi­
nions, although he believed him to be sincere in what he said. Ho wished to
ask, therefore, whether the visiting justices were aware of anything o f the kind ;
and whether or not the inmates of the asylum were liable to bo tampered with or
experbitentalired on, by any of these abomination*?’
" In reply to these very pertinent remarks, ' Mr- Wilkes expressed his satis­
faction that the inquiry had been made, and, on the part o f the visiting com­
mittee of Hanwell Asylum, assured them that no experiments of the nature
alluded to bad been auuounced to the committee, or had any such proceeding
been sanctioned by them. To the best o f his belief they had neither been made
at Hanwell or Coloey Hatch.'
"Theassertion, that no such experiments have been reported to the committee,
does not appear to us, as we shall presently shew, satisfactory: nay, if the asser­
tion o f Dr. Davey that he has cured insanity by mesmerism, be true {which ioe
do wet b eiietej, we do not perceive upon what principle he should withhold the
same curative measure at Coloey Hatch as he adopted at Ceylon."
“ Here is a physician who declares not only his unqualified belief in mes­
merism, and asserts that not to believe in clairvoyance indicates, to a certain
degree, unsound ness of mind, but who goes yet further and inaists tbat cases of
insanity may be cured by mesmeric treatment”
“ They (medical officers to our great public charities) should be known to
walk in the legitimate paths, and adhere strictly to the recognised, and, we may
emphatically add, orthodox principles of their profession. I f instead o f adopt­
ing (his, the prescribed honourable course, the physician or surgeon at the bead
of a large public institution should condescend ao far to forget his trust as to
disseminate empirical doctrine—if be should set about teaching or practising ubs -
mkbi 3 u , homoeopathy, hydropathy, or allopathy (!)• he ought aa sore to be de­
posed from his situatioo aa any clergyman of the church of England, who may
take it into bis head to declare from the pulpit his belief in the miracle of Prince
Hohenloe, or in the miraculous conception of Joanna Sou thente. The cases are
precisely analogous. All the learned professions are founded and raised upon
fixed principles, and those dissentients who find it their interest to defeat and un­
dermine them by scattering spurious doctrines abroad, put themselves clearly
enough beyond the pale of the profession they originally adopted." — Medical
Times, Jan. 24, 1852. Proprietor, Mr. Churchill, Princes Street, Soho.

T o D r . E l lio t s o n .
E d in b u r g h , 1 7 th D e ce m b e r , 1 8 5 1 .
M y d e a r S ir ,— I e n c lo s e a p a p e r w h ic h I h a v e j u s t w r it t e n ,
 B y Prqfeaaor G regory. 3

o n t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e o f m e s m e r is m , e s p e c ia lly w it h u s , w h ic h
a m o n g t h e d o c t o r s a n d p h y s io lo g is t s , i n c l u d i n g B r e w s t e r , w h o
la t e ly a l l u d e d t o t h e s u b j e c t i n a p u b l i c le c t u r e , is t h i s :—
T h e y a d m i t , n a y , c o n s id e r it a b s u r d t o d o u b t , t h e fa c t s
w h ic h h a r e b e e n m o s t a b s u r d ly c a lle d b i o lo g i c a l, a n d w h ic h I
c a ll t h o s e o f s u g g e s t io n , w h ic h , a n d w h ic h a lo n e , s o m e o f
th e m h a r e s e e n a n d te s te d , t h e s u b je c t s , as y o u k n o w , b e in g
in a w a k i n g a n d c o n s c io u s , b u t s o m e h o w im p r e s s ib le s ta te .
T h e r e r y s a m e f a c t s a s o c c u r r i n g e v e r y d a y in t h e m e s m e r ic
s ta te , t h e y h a d r e je c t e d t ill a b o u t a y e a r a g o w it h o u t e n q u ir y .
H a v i n g a d m i t t e d t h e s e fa c t s , t h e y a s c r ib e t h e m a ll t o t h e
i m a g i n a t i o n , a n d a s s u g g e s t io n is e m p l o y e d d ir e c t ly , th is m a y
p a ss, a l t h o u g h it m e r e ly a m o u n t s t o s a y in g t h a t t h e f a c t s a r e
p r o d u c e d w i t h t h e a id o f a m e n t a l im p r e s s io n ; h o w , o r in
w h a t m a n n e r , d o e s n o t ap pear. D e lig h t e d w ith t h is fa n c ie d
e x p l a n a t i o n , t h e y p r o c e e d t o d e c la r e th a t a ll t h e p h e n o m e n a
o f m e s m e r i s m , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o f t h e s le e p , a r e d u e t o t h e
s a m e c a u s e , i n s o fa r a s t h e y e x is t a t a l l ; b u t t h e y h a r e n o t
s t u d ie d t h e s e , t h e y d o n o t e v e n k n o w w h a t t h e y a r e , o r t h e y
c o u l d n e v e r a s c r ib e t o t h e im a g in a t io n t h in g s w ith w h ic h it
has n o t h in g w h a te v e r t o d o . T h e s e c r e t r e a s o n is , th a t t h e y
t h u s f a n c y t h e y e s c a p e th e n a u s e o u s n e c e s s it y o f a d m it t in g
a n e x t e r n a l p h y s ic a l a g e n t , t h e e x is t e n c e o f w h ic h is a s c e r ­
ta in a s t h a t o f e le c t r ic it y , a s t h e c o m m o n e s t fa c t s s h e w . The
first p a r t o f m y p a p e r is d e s ig n e d t o s h e w h o w e n t ir e ly ig n o r a n t
th e y a r e o f t h e fa c t s t o b e e x p la in e d , w h ic h is n o w o n d e r ,
s in c e t h e y h a v e n e v e r lo o k e d a t t h e m . T h is , y o u w ill s e e , is
th e p o s i t i o n o f D r . S im p s o n , D r . B e n n e t t , a n d t h e ir f o llo w e r s .
T h e s e c o n d p a r t is d e v o t e d t o t h e e x t e r m in a t io n o f t h e
w r e t c h e d f a l la c y o f b a n k - n o t e c h a lle n g e s , & c ., o n e o f w h ic h ,
to t h e e x t e n t o f £ 5 0 0 , is a s c r ib e d , w h e t h e r t r u ly o r n o t I
c a n n o t s a y , t o D r . S im p s o n . H e h a s n e v e r a llu d e d t o t h e
s u b je c t t o m e . T h e re ca n n o t b e g re a te r n on sen se, and y e t I
am e v e r y d a y b o t h e r e d a b o u t t h i s tra s h , e v e n b y th o s e w h o
c a ll t h e m s e l v e s m e s m e r is t s , b u t w h o i f t h e y k n e w a n y t h in g
o f m e s m e r i s m , k n o w n o t h in g o f l o g i c o r c o m m o n s e n se .
E v e r y o u r s f a it h fu lly ,
"William G regory.

T h e d is p u t e d q u e s t io n o f m e s m e r is m h a s n o w , in th is
c o u n t r y , p a s s e d in t o a n e w p h a s e o f its p r o g r e s s . N o t m any
y e a r s a g o , t h e w h o le o f th e f a c t s a lle g e d b y m e s m e r is t s w e r e
d e n o u n c e d a s fla g r a n t im p o s t u r e a n d m is e r a b le h u m b u g , b e ­
c a u s e , i n t h e o p in io n o f t h e c r it ic s , t h e y w e r e im p o s s ib le ,
a n d t o a d m i t t h e m w o u ld c o n t r a d ic t a ll t h e la w s o f n a t u r e .
E v e r y o n e m u s t h a v e h e a r d , t im e s o u t o f n u m b e r , th e r e m a r k ,
4 On th e T heory o f Im agination, flfc,

t h a t n o a b s u r d it y c o u l d h e g r e a t e r th a n t o b e l ie v e t h a t o n e
p e r s o n c o u l d t h r o w a n o t h e r i n t o a s ta te o f s le e p o r c o m a ,
s im p ly b y m e s m e r ic p a sse s o r b y g a z in g , w ith o r w it h o u t
co n ta ct. T h a t o n e m a n s h o u ld , b y th e s e o r s im ila r m e a n s ,
o r i n a n y w a y w h a te v e r , b e r e n d e r e d s u b je c t t o t h e w ill o f
a n o t h e r , a n d in c a p a b le o f r e s is t in g it , w h ile y e t a b le t o r e a ­
s o n u p o n h is c o n d i t io n , w a s sa id t o b e n o t o n l y a b s u r d , b u t
d a n g e r o u s , a s a n n ih ila t in g m a n ’ s f r e e -w il l. N o one but a
f o o l c o u l d ’ b e lie v e t h a t a m e s m e r is e r h a d t h e p o w e r o f c a u s in g
h is p a t ie n t t o s e e w ith h is , t h e o p e r a t o r ’ s, e y e s , t o p e r c e iv e
h is s e n s a tio n s , t o t h in k h is t h o u g h t s . T h e n o tio n , th a t th e
p a t ie n t c o u ld s y m p a t h iz e w ith p e r s o n s w ith w h o m h e w a s
p la c e d en rapport, w it h o r w it h o u t c o n t a c t , w a s o n l y fit f o r
B e d la m . A s t o c la ir v o y a n c e , in its v a r io u s form B o f v is io n
w it h o u t t h e u s e o f t h e e y e s , v is io n t h r o u g h o p a q u e b o d ie s ,
v is io n a t a d is t a n c e , in t r o v is ió n , in t u it iv e p e r c e p t io n o f d is ­
e a se s o r o f r e m e d ie s , r e t r o v is io n , a n d p r e v is io n , n o d o u b t
c o u l d b e e n t e r t a in e d t h a t t h e w h o le t h i n g w a s t h e r e s u lt o f
im p o s t u r e . S u c h , a c c o r d i n g t o o u r p e r s o n a l e x p e r ie n c e , w h ic h
is c o n f ir m e d b y a b u n d a n t r e c o r d e d t e s t im o n y , w a s t h e la n ­
g u a g e o f s c e p t ic s o f a ll k in d s , a n d m o r e p a r t ic u la r ly o f m e d ic a l
m e n , d o w n t o a v e r y r e c e n t p e r io d . I t is w o r t h y o f n o t ic e ,
t h a t t h o s e w h o p r o c l a im e d t h e a b o v e o p in io n s m o s t lo u d ly
a n d m o s t c o n f id e n t ly h a d n o t o r io u s ly n o p r a c t ic a l k n o w le d g e
o f t h e s u b je c t . T h e y h a d n o t in v e s t ig a t e d it f o r t h e m s e lv e s ,
a n d fe lt s e c u r e in t h e ir p o s it io n a p riori , t h e m o s t u n t e n a b le ,
s u r e ly , t h a t m e n c a n o c c u p y i n q u e s t io n s o f fa c t . A n im a l
m a g n e t is m h a d t o p a s s t h r o u g h t h e s t a g e o f v ir u le n t o p p o s i­
t i o n , w it h o u t e n q u ir y in t o it s m e r it s , a n d f o u n d e d o n a fo r e ­
g o n e c o n c lu s io n , w h ic h in e v it a b ly a w a its a ll d is c o v e r ie s in
n a t u r a l s c ie n c e .
B u t th e scen e has ch a n ged. M e s m e r is m has p assed
t h r o u g h a la r g e p o r t io n o f t h a t s t a g e o f it s h is t o r y ; o r r a th e r ,
a la r g e p a r t o f m e s m e r is m h a s l e f t t h a t s t a g e , a n d e n t e r e d o n
a new on e. H o w h a s t h is b e e n b r o u g h t a b o u t ? P a r t ly b y
t h e s lo w , h u t s u r e a g e n c y o f t i m e ; b u t c h ie fly b e c a u s e a c c i ­
d e n t a l c ir c u m s t a n c e s h a v e le d m a n y w h o w e r e p r e v io u s ly s c e p ­
t ic a l, t o se e a n d e x a m in e f o r th e m s e lv e s c e r t a in fa c t s , w h ic h
u p t o a r e c e n t p e r io d t h e y h a d r e je c t e d w it h o u t d u e e n q u ir y .
T h e r e s u lt h a s b e e n , t h a t th e s e e n q u ir e r s h a v e s e e n t h o s e
fa c t s , a n d n o w d e c la r e t h a t it is im p o s s ib le t o d o u b t t h e m .
T h e c la s s o f fa c t s h e r e a llu d e d t o is t h a t w h ic h h a s m o s t a b ­
s u r d ly b e e n c a lle d E l e c t r o - b i o l o g i c a l ; a n d w h e n S i r D a v id
B r e w s t e r , i n h is r e c e n t a d d r e s s t o t h e P h ilo s o p h ic a l I n s t i t u ­
t i o n o f E d i n b u r g h , d e c la r e d t o h is a u d ie n c e th a t th e s e p h e n o ­
m e n a m u s t b e a d m it t e d , h e w a s o n l y e x p r e s s in g t h e s e n t í -
 B y P rofesso r G regory. 6

m e n t s o f a l a r g e n u m b e r o f p e r s o n s w h o , lik e h im s e lf, h a d
b e e n l i t t l e m o r e t h a n a y e a r b e f o r e , u t t e r l y s c e p t ic a l a s t o
th e s e v e r y p h e n o m e n a . B u t S i r D a v id B r e w s t e r a n d m a n y
o t h e r g e n t l e m e n h a d in t h e in t e r v a l a v a ile d th e m s e lv e s o f t h e
o p p o r t u n i t y o f in v e s t ig a t io n a f f o r d e d b y t h e v is its 't o S c o t l a n d
o f M r . L e w i s a n d D r . D a r lin g , w h o e x h i b i t e d t h e p h e n o m e n a
in q u e s t i o n o n p e r s o n s in t h e w a k in g s t a t e . *
B e f o r e p r o c e e d i n g fu r t h e r , it is n e c e s s a r y t o s t a t e , t h a t
e v e r y o n e o f t h e p h e n o m e n a e x h ib it e d b y th e s e g e n t le m e n ,
a n d a l s o b y m a n y w h o im it a t e d t h e ir m o d e s o f p r o c e e d i n g ,
h a d l o n g a g o b e e n d e s c r ib e d a s o c c u r r i n g in th e m a g n e t i c o r
m e s m e r ic s l e e p , a n d w e r e q u it e fa m ilia r t o a ll p r a c t ic a l m e s ­
m e r is t s . T h e y h a d b e e n f u l l y d e s c r ib e d in m a n y w o r k s o n
m e s m e r is m , a n d h a d , a l o n g w ith t h e m e s m e r ic B leep it s e lf,
b e e n u n h e s i t a t i n g l y a n d w it h o u t e n q u ir y , r e je c t e d ^ b y m a n y ,
p e r h a p s a l l o f t h o s e s c e p t ic s w h o n o w a d m it t h e m .
M o r e o v e r , i t is t o b e n o t e d , th a t a ll t h e e x p e r im e n t s o f
D r . D a r l i n g , a n d a ll th e p u b li c e x p e r im e n t s o f M r : L e w is ,
b e l o n g t o t h e c la s s o f s u g g e s t iv e p h e n o m e n a , in w h ic h t h e
o p e r a t o r , b y c o m m a n d o r b y s u g g e s t io n , d ir e c t ly a n d a v o w e d ly
a c t s o n t h e m i n d o r im a g in a t io n o f t h e p a tie n t. The pheno­
m e n a p r o d u c e d b y th u s a c t i n g o n t h e im a g in a t io n h a d , a s
a b o v e m e n t i o n e d , l o n g b e e n o b s e r v e d in t h e c a s e o f p e r s o n s
i n t h e m e s m e r i c s le e p . N a y , i t w ill b e f o u n d , o n e x a m in a ­
t i o n , t h a t t h e y h a d a ls o b e e n r e c o r d e d a s o c c a s io n a l ly p r e s e n t ­
i n g t h e m s e l v e s in p e r s o n s in t h e w a k in g s ta te . T h e o n ly
t h i n g n e w , p r e s e n t e d u n d e r t h e n o v e l t it le o f e l e c t r o - b i o l o g y ,
w a s t h e r e m a r k a b l e fa c t, t h a t t h e s ta te in w h i c h c o m m a n d o r
s u g g e s t io n o p e r a t e s o n t h e m in d o f t h e p a t ie n t , m a y e a s ily
b e p r o d u c e d w it h o u t t h r o w in g M m in t o th e m e s m e r ic s le e p .
T h is s t a t e i s c a lle d th e im p r e s s ib le s t a t e .
S u c h , t h e n , is t h e g e n e r a l s ta te o f m a tt e r s . T h ere m ay
b e p r o d u c e d i n a la r g e n u m b e r o f p e r s o n s , w h e t h e r a s a c c o m ­
p a n y in g t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p , o r in t h e w a k in g c o n d i t i o n , a n
i m p r e s s ib le s t a t e , in w h ic h t h e p a t ie n t is s u b je c t t o t h e e x ­
p r e s s e d w i l l , c o m m a n d , o r s u g g e s t io n o f t h e o p e r a t o r , w h ic h
h e c a n n o t r e s is t . H is s e n s a t io n s , e m o t io n s , m e m o r y , f a n c y ,
b e lie f, h i s m u s c u la r m o v e m e n t s a n d b o d i l y s e n s ib ilit y , a r e a ll
c o m p le te ly u n d er co m m a n d . T h is is n o w r e c o g n i s e d a s c e r ­
t a in ly t r u e o f p e r s o n s w h o , in a ll r e s p e c ts , e x c e p t t h e o n e t o
w h ic h t h e c o m m a n d o r s u g g e s t io n r e fe r s , a re w id e a w a k e , a n d
in f a l l p o s s e s s io n o f t h e ir b o d i l y a n d m e n t a l fa c u ltie s . O f
c o u r s e , t h o s e w h o h a v e o f t e n s e e n a n d h a v e b e e n s a tis fie d o f
th is , c a n n o t h e s it a te t o a d m it th a t it m a y a ls o b e , a s i t u n ­
d o u b t e d ly is , t r u e iu th e c a s e o f p e r s o n s in t h e m e s m e r ic
state.
 0 On th e T heory o f Im agination,

L e t us n o w c o n s id e r f o r a m o m e n t w h a t t h e fa cta a re,
w h ic h a r e th u s a t la s t r e c o g n i z e d , a s o c c u r r in g i n t h e w a k in g
s t a t e , a ft e r h a v in g b e e n s o l o n g a n d fie r c e ly d e n ie d a s a c c o m ­
p a n y in g t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p .

I . T h e im p r e s s ib le s t a t e is p r o d u c e d in t h e p a t ie n t b y h is
g a z in g f ix e d ly a£ a n o b j e c t i n h is h a n d o r e ls e w h e r e , a n d poB-
s i b ly , o r e v e n p r o b a b ly , i n c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e c o n c e n t r a t io n
o f h is t h o u g h t s , a n d t h e a c c o m p a n y in g s t illn e s s . O r it m a y
b e p r o d u c e d b y t h e o p e r a t o r 's fix e d g a z e , w h ile t h e p a t ie n t 's
e y e is a ls o fix e d o n t h e o p e r a t o r . O r , fu r t h e r , i t m a y b e
fo u n d as a c h a r a c t e r is t ic o f th e m e s m e r ic s le e p , h o w e v e r t h a t
m a y have b een p rod u ced . O r , fin a lly , i t m a y b e f o u n d t o
e x is t s p o n t a n e o u s ly in c e r t a in in d iv id u a ls . I n t h e t w o first
m e t h o d s it is , in a ll p r o b a b ilit y , i n d u c e d b y a n in t e r n a l c h a n g e
in t h e p a t ie n t 's n e r v o u s s y s t e m , c a u s e d b y w h a t m a y b e c a lle d
a n a p p e a l t o t h e im a g in a t io n , o r , iD o t h e r w o r d s , b y t h e p h y ­
s ica l e ffe c t s o f fix e d g a z in g o n t h e n e r v o u s s y s t e m o f h im w h o
gazes. W h e n th e m e s m e r ic s le e p o c c u r s in c o n s e q u e n c e o f
p a sse s , g a z in g , o r c o n t a c t , t h e s a m e e x p la n a t io n a p p lie s ; b u t
w h e n t h a t s le e p is c a u s e d w it h o u t a n y a p p e a l t o t h e im a g in a ­
t i o n , a s w e s h a ll s e e it m a y , w e a re n o t e n t it le d t o a s c r ib e t o
t h a t c a u s e t h e im p r e s s ib ilit y o f t h e p a tie n t, N e it h e r can w e
d o s o in th o s e c a s e s in w h ic h th e p a t ie n t is n a t u r a lly im p r e s ­
s ib le , B u t it is c e r t a in , t h a t in th e g r e a t e r n u m b e r o f c a s e s
t h e im p r e s s ib le s ta te is p r o d u c e d b y m e a n s o f a n a p p e a l t o
t h e im a g in a t io n o f t h e p a t i e n t ; a n d w h e n h e is i n th a t s ta te ,
t h e v e r y c h a r a c t e r o f t h e p h e n o m e n a n o w t o h e d e s c r ib e d c o n ­
sists in t h e ir c o n n e c t io n w ith , a n d d e p e n d e n c e o n , t h e im a ­
g in a t io n ; t h a t is, o n m e n ta l im p r e s s io n s m a d e o n t h e p a t ie n t .
F o r th is r e a s o n , w e c a ll t h e m t h e p h e n o m e n a o f s u g g e s t io n ,
o r s u g g e s t iv e p h e n o m e n a .
I I . T h e im p r e s s ib le s t a t e b e i n g p r e s e n t , w e f in d , in a
la r g e p r o p o r t io n o f c a s e s , t h a t t h e m u s c u la r p o w e r s o f t h e
p a t ie n t a r e e n t ir e ly u n d e r c o n t r o l. T h e o p e r a to r has o n ly t o
c o m m a n d , o r t o s u g g e s t , in a t o n e o f fir m c o n v i c t i o n o f h is
p o w e r , t h a t a n y m u s c le o r s e r ie s o f m u s c le s s h a ll a c t o r s h a ll
b e in c a p a b le o f a c t io n , a n d t h e r e s u lt fo llo w s . T h e p a t ie n t
c le n c h e s h is h a n d , a n d c a n n o t o p e n i t ; o r o p e n s it , a n d c a n ­
n o t s h u t i t : h e is c o m p e ll e d t o s it d o w n a n d r e n d e r e d u n a b le
t o r is e , o r h e m u s t r ise a n d c a n n o t s it d o w n . H e is d e s ir e d
t o s t r ik e o u t a t t h e o p e r a t o r 's fa c e , b u t c a n n o t t o u c h it i f t h e
o p e r a t o r te lls h im t h a t h e c a n n o t ; h is b lo w fa lls s h o r t , o r
p a s s e s t o o n e s id e o r o t h e r ; h e is u n a b le t o p e r fo r m t h a t e a s y
a c t, b u t t h a t o n ly . H e is r e n d e r e d u n a b le t o p ic k u p a b a n k ­
n o t e , w h ic h is h is i f h e c a n o n ly s e iz e i t ; o r w h e n it is p la c e d
 B y P rofessor G regory. 7

in b i s h a n d , h e c a n n o t d r o p i t i f n o t p e r m it t e d t o d o s o . He
c a n n o t j u m p o n , b u t c o m e s d o w n b e f o r e o r b e h in d , o r t o o n e
s id e o f a h a n d k e r c h i e f o n t h e flo o r . H i s h a n d is la id fla t o n
t h a t o f a n o t h e r , b a c k t o b a c k , o r p a lm t o p a lm , o r t h e tip s
o f h is A n g e r s t o u c h t h o s e o f a n o t h e r , a n d i n n e it h e r c a s e c a n
h e , i f f o r b i d d e n b y t h e o p e r a t o r , ta k e h is h a n d a w a y . If
c o m m a n d e d t o m o v e t o a c e r t a in p o in t , h e w ill o v e r c o m e a n y
r e s is t a n c e o f f e r e d t o h im , o r , i f o v e r p o w e r e d b y m a n y m e n
w ith m a i n f o r c e , h e w ill s t r u g g le t i ll u t t e r ly e x h a u s t e d . Or
a g a in , i f t o l d th a t h e ca n n o t m o v e , n o in d u c e m e n t c a n p r e ­
v a il o n h i m t o d o s o . H i s w ill is e x e r t e d , b u t it s p o w e r is
g o n e , a n d h e lo o k s a n d f e e ls , n o d o u b t , v e r y fo o lis h . In
s h o r t , t h e c o m m a n d o f t h e o p e r a t o r u r g e s t o in s t a n t a n d
p o w e r f u l a c t i o n , o r u t t e r ly p a r a ly z e s o n e o r a n y n u m b e r o f
t h e v o l u n t a r y m u s c le s , in s p it e o f a ll th e e ffo r t s o f th e p a t ie n t .
I I I . H i s s e n s a t io n s a re e q u a lly o b e d ie n t t o t h e o p e r a t o r .
I n a n i n s t a n t h is w h o le f r a m e b e c o m e s in s e n s ib le t o p a in ,
n a y , t o t o u c h ; t h e s e n s e o f t o u c h is a n n ih ila t e d , a n d as
q u ic k ly r e s t o r e d . O r , w h ile t h e r e s t o f h is b o d y is in its
u s u a l s t a t e o f s e n s itiv e n e s s , o n e A n g e r , o n e h a n d , o n e a r m ,
o n e l e g , o r b o t h , o r th e h e a d , o r a n y o t h e r p a rt, is s t r u c k
w it h i n s t a n t in s e n s ib ilit y . W h e n t h a t m e m b e r is p r ic k e d ,
p i n c h e d , c u t , o r b u r n e d , h e k n o w s n o t h in g o f it , u n lesB h e
h a p p e n s t o l o o k to w a r d s it , a n d a t s u c h a t im e a li m b m i g h t
b e c u t o f f w it h o u t h is s u s p e c t in g it , p r o v id e d h is e y e s w e r e
d ir e c t e d e l s e w h e r e . A n y c o m m o n o b j e c t in b i s h a n d , a k n if e
o r p e n c il f o r in s t a n c e , b e c o m e s a t th e w o r d o f c o m m a n d , b u t
s lo w ly a n d le is u r e ly , b u r n in g h o t o r in t e n s e ly c o l d , h e a v y as
le a d , o r l i g h t as a ir. T h e w a t e r h e d r in k s b e c o m e s m ilk ,
b e e r, w i n e , b r a n d y , le m o n a d e , p u n c h , s o d a -w a t e r , s y r u p , o r
w o r m w o o d , b o i l i n g h o t o r i c y c o ld , a c c o r d i n g a s h e is t o l d .
I n a h o t a n d c r o w d e d r o o m h e is m a d e t o s h iv e r w it h c o ld ,
a n d t h a t s o e ffe c t u a lly , t h a t in a fe w m in u t e s h is h a n d fe e ls ,
e v e n t o o t h e r s , lik e th a t o f o n e w h o h a s b e e n k n e a d in g s n o w ­
b a lls ; o r o n a fr o s t y d a y h e fe e ls o p p r e s s e d w ith h e a t , t h r o w s
o f f h is c o a t , is d r e n c h e d i n p e r s p ir a t io n , flu s h e d a n d h o t t o
th e h a n d ; a c c o r d i n g t o t h e o r d e r s o f h is t o r m e n t o r .
I V . I n lik e m a n n e r , h is e y e s d e c e iv e h im . H e ta k es a
p ia n o -fo r t e fo r a h orse, a w a tc h fo r a s n u ff-b o x , a m a n fo r a
c h il d , a l a d y f o r a g e n t le m a n , a f r ie n d f o r a s t r a n g e r , b u t
o n l y i n o b e d i e n c e t o t h e s u g g e s t in g v o ie p . H e w ill in s is t
t h a t t h e c l o c k b e f o r e h im m a r k s h a lf-p a s t f o u r , w h e n t h e
h a n d s p o i n t t o n o o n , o r v ice versd, i f t o l d s o . H e w ill s e e
a ll m a n n e r o f t h in g s a n d p e o p l e b e f o r e h im , w h e r e n o n e o f
th e m a r e . H e w ill s e e a n d b a g , t o o , g a m e , in v is ib le t o a ll
e y e s b u t h i s . H e w ill s e e a b a llo o n r is in g f r o m th e flo o r , a n d
8 On the T heory o f Im agination, fyc.

f o llo w i t w it h h is e y e s t h r o u g h t h e r o o f o r w in d o w t i ll i t is
lo s t i n t h e h e a v e n s j a n d h e w ill lik e w is e f o llo w t h e a e r ia l
v o y a g e o f M o t h e r B u n c h o n h e r b r o o m s t ic k , o r o f M e p h i s ­
t o p h e le s h u r r y in g t h r o u g h th e air t o t h e B r o c k e n o n t h e b a c k
o f a g oa t. H i s e a rs a r e e q u a lly u n d e r c o n t r o l. A t th e w ord
o f th e o p e r a t o r , h e h e a r s t h e s w e e t e s t m u s ic , t h e lo u d e s t
t h u n d e r , o r t h e m o s t e lo q u e n t s p e e c h . A n d th e sam e w o rd
caD r e n d e r h im b o t h b l i n d a n d d e a f. H e a ls o s m e lls t h e
s n u f f in a s n u f f - b o x , w h ic h is r e a lly a w a tc h , a n d n o t o n l y
s m e lls i t , b u t is t h r o w n b y it , i f t h e o p e r a t o r c a lls i t h i g h -
d r ie d S c o t c h o r L u n d y f o o t , in t o a s e v e r e p a r o x y s m o f s n e e z ­
i n g a n d c o u g h i n g , w h ic h w e h a v e s e e n la st f o r fift e e n o r
t w e n t y m in u t e s . A l l t h e s e n s e s , in s h o r t , a r e s u b je c t t o t h e
sw ay o f t h e o p e r a to r. I t is u s e le s s t o r e s is t. T h e p a t ie n t
k n o w s a n d c a n t e l l y o u th a t h e s e e s o n l y d e lu s iv e o b j e c t s , o r
h e a r s d e lu s iv e s o u n d s , b u t s t ill h e c a n n o t b u t b e a r , s e e , fe e l,
ta s t e a n d s m a ll, a s h e is c o m m a n d e d . I n th e case o f e x p e ­
r im e n t s o n m u s c u la r m o t io n s , t h e p a t ie n t o f t e n m a k e s s u p e r ­
h u m a n e ffo r t a t o r e s is t, b u t fin d s it a ll in v a in .
V . T h e m e m o r y o f t h e p a t ie n t is c o m p le t e ly u n d e r t h e
c o n t r o l o f th e o p e r a t o r , a t w h o s e c o m m a n d th e p u z z le d v ic t im
in v a in t r ie s t o r e c a ll h is o w n n a m e , o r t h a t o f t h e o p e r a t o r ,
o r th o s e o f h is r e la t io n s a n d M e n d s . I n lik e m a n n e r h e fin d s
h im s e lf u n a b le t o r e c a ll a s in g le le t t e r o f t h e a lp h a b e t , a n d
h is c o u n t e n a n c e , w h ile t r y in g t o do s o , is lu d ic r o u s l y ex­
p r e s s iv e .
V I . T h e o p e r a t o r c a n c a ll u p a n y e m o t io n , b y t h e s a m e
s im p le c o m m a n d . F e a r , a n g e r , g r ie f , p r id e , p u g n a c it y , la u g h ­
t e r , & e ., a re i n t u r n v iv id ly f e l t a n d e x h ib it e d , i n s p it e o f
t h e u t m o s t r e s is t a n c e o n t h e p a r t o f t h e p a tie n t, w h o m a y
i n t h e c o u r s e o f a fe w m in u t e s b e d r o w n e d i n te a rs a n d s o r e
w ith la u g h t e r . H e m a y b e m a d e t o b e l ie v e a n y a s s e r tio n ,
a n d t o a c t in c o n s e q u e n c e , t o q u a r r e l w ith a b y s t a n d e r f o r a
s u p p o s e d a ffr o n t , t o f a n c y h i m s e lf t o b e a n y in d iv id u a l n a m e d ,
a n d t o a c t a n d s p e a k i n c h a r a c t e r ; t o e n g a g e in a n y o c c u p a ­
t i o n s u g g e s t e d , s u c h a s fis h in g , s h o o t i n g , t a ilo r in g , p a in t in g ,
s in g in g , s p o u t in g , s w i m m i n g ; t o t a k e s h e lt e r f r o m a s t o r m ,
a n d s w im f o r h is life i n t h e f l o o d ; t o fly f o r s a fe t y f r o m a
b e a r , a lio n , o r a s n a k e ; a n d t o b e c o m e , a ft e r d r in k i n g w a te r
a s w h is k y , s o h e lp le s s ly d r u n k a s t o e x h ib it e v e n t h e u n p le a ­
s a n t p h y s ic a l c o n s e q u e n c e s o f in e b r ie t y , t o s t a g g e r a n d fa ll
o n a t t e m p t in g t o w a lk , a n d in s o m e c a s e s t o b e w ith d iffic u lt y
s o b e r e d a ft e r a c o n s id e r a b le t im e , h is i n t o x ic a t i o n a p p a r e n t ly
in t e r f e r i n g w ith h is im p r e s s ib ilit y .
V I I . L a s tly , th e o p e ra to r c a n ca u se h is p a t ie n t t o fall
i n t o a q u ie t (n o t s o m n a m b u lis t ic o r m e s m e r ic } s le e p , in o n e ,
 By ProfeBsor G regory. 9

twOj o r m o r e m in u t e s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o m m a n d , a n d in
s p ite o f a l l h i s e ffo rts t o k e e p aw a ke* I n t h is s le e p , t h e
p a t ie n t n e i t h e r h e a rs n o r a n s w e r s a n y o n e e x c e p t t h e o p e r a t o r ,
w h e n t h e l a t t e r sa y s , " A w a k e ! ” N a y , t h e lo u d e s t n o is e s
a t h is e a r , a s w e ll a s p u llin g , s h a k in g , p in c h in g , & c ., fa il t o
a w a k e h i m , t i l l th e m a g i c w o r d is s p o k e n , o r t h e a llo t t e d
t i m e h a s e x p ir e d .

S u c h a r e t h e f a c t s , t h e p h e n o m e n a o f s u g g e s t io n , w h ic h ,
u n d e r t h e n a m e o f e l e c t r o - b i o l o g y , a r e n o w a d m it t e d t o o c c u r
i n p e r s o n s i n t h e w a k in g b u t im p r e s s ib le s t a t e ; a n d m a n y
m o r e , a n a l o g o u s t o th e s e , m i g h t b e m e n t i o n e d . A ll th o se
a b o v e d e s c r ib e d h a v e b e e n w itn e s s e d b y h u n d r e d s , b y t h o u ­
s a n d s o f in t e l l i g e n t p e r s o n s ; w e o u r s e lv e s h a v e o f t e n se e n
e v e r y o n e o f th em .
S u r e l y w e h a v e h e r e a b o d y o f m o s t s t r ik in g a n d w o n ­
d e r f u l p h e n o m e n a , w o r t h y o f o u r b e s t a t t e n t io n , w e r e it o n ly
f r o m t h e o b v io u s b e n e fit t o b e d e r iv e d f r o m t h e a p p lic a t io n o f
t h i s p o w e r o f s u g g e s t io n t o t h e p u r p o s e s o f m e d ic in e a n d
su rgery. H o w g r a t e fu l w ill n o t m a n y b e f o r t h e b o o n o f
c o m p u l s o i y s le e p , o r f o r t h a t o f in s e n s ib ilit y t o p a in in th e
l i m b t o b e o p e r a t e d o n , w it h o u t t h e n e c e s s it y o f lo s i n g c o n ­
s c io u s n e s s I
N o w , o b s e r v e , th a t t h e v e r y p e r s o n s w h o h a v e r e c e n t ly
s e e n a n d a d m it t e d th e s e w o n d e r fu l fa c t s , h a d fo r m a n y y e a r s ,
w it h o u t e n q u ir y , d e n ie d a n d r e je c t e d t h e w h o le o f t h e m , a s
d e s c r ib e d b y m e s m e r is t s , t h a t is , a s o c c u r r in g d a ily i n t h e
m e s m e r ic s le e p . H a d t h e y e x a m in e d f o r th e m s e lv e s th e p h e ­
n o m e n a o f th a t s t a t e , t h e y w o u ld h a v e f o u n d t h e s a m e fa c ts
t o b e t r u e l o n g b e fo r e e le c t r o - b i o l o g y w as h e a r d o f.
B u t t h e fa c ts b e i n g a d m it t e d , w h a t is t h e e x p la n a t io n o f
th e m ? H e r e t h e r e c e n t ly c o n v e r t e d s c e p t ic s a r e q u it e r e a d y
w ith a n a n s w e r . T h e y a r e c a u s e d b y t h e im a g in a t io n . If
y o u a s k t h e m , w h a t i s t h e im a g in a t i o n , th e r e p ly is n o t q u it e
so r e a d y , b u t it a p p e a r s t o m e a n , t h a t t h e fa c t s a r e t h e r e s u lt
o f a c h a n g e in th e n e r v o u s s y s t e m o f t h e p a t ie n t , w h ic h
c h a n g e is c a u s e d b y a m e n t a l im p r e s s io n . N o w , a d m it t in g
th is e x p la n a t io n , a n d , in s p it e o f its v a g u e n e s s , w e d o n o t
fe e l d is p o s e d t o d e n y it, s u r e ly t h e k n o w le d g e t h a t s u c h w o n ­
d e r fu l e ffe c t s m a y b e p r o d u c e d b y t h e im a g in a t io n is n o t o n l y
n e w b n t o f g r e a t p r a c t ic a l v a lu e .
B a t i f w e a s k , f u r t h e r , h o w t h e im a g in a t io n a c t s in p r o ­
d u c i n g th e s e r e s u lts ? h o w it h a p p e n s , th a t a m a n 's h a n d , h is
f o o t , o r h is m e m o r y is p a r a ly z e d b y a c t i n g o n h is im a g in a ­
t i o n ? h o w b is im a g in a t io n a c t s in s u b je c t in g h im t o t h e w ill
o f a u o t h e r , o r in m a k in g h im s e c im a g in a r y o b je c t s a s re a l,
10 On the T heory o f Im agination, if « .

a n d r e a l o n e s d iffe r e n t f r o m w h a t t h e y a r e , o r t a s t e w a te r as
w in e o r te a ? w e t h in k i t w ill b e f o u n d t h a t th is b o a s t e d e x ­
p la n a t io n a m o u n t s o n l y t o th is , t h a t t h e p a t ie n t ’ s m i n d is
a p p e a le d t o , a n d s o m e h o w c o n c e r n e d in , th e m a t t e r , B n t it
is d iffic u lt t o s e e h o w th is s h o u ld d im in is h t h e v a lu e o f t h e
p h e n o m e n a , a s p h y s io lo g ic a l a n d p s y c h o l o g ic a l fa cta . In
s h o r t , w e m a y a d m it t h is e x p la n a t io n , w h ic h a m o u n t s t o d e ­
c l a r i n g t h a t s u g g e s t iv e p h e n o m e n a a re p h e n o m e n a o f s u g g e s ­
t i o n , a p r o p o s it io n w h ic h w e t r u s t n o o n e w ill b e f o u n d h a r d y
e n o u g h t o d is p u te .
H e r e , h o w e v e r , a r is e s a n o t h e r q u e s t i o n ; n a m e ly , a re ail
m e s m e r ic p h e n o m e n a s u g g e s t iv e ? I t w o u ld a p p e a r t h a t t h e
f o r m e r l y s c e p t ic a l p h y s io lo g is t s , w h o n o w a d m it t h e p h e n o ­
m e n a a b o v e d e s c r ib e d , a r e o f t h is o p in io n , a n d h a v in g f o u n d
t h e im a g in a t io n a k e y t o t h e fa c t s w h ic h t h e y h a v e se e n ,
c o n c lu d e th a t i t m u s t s u ffic e f o r a ll t h e r e s t , w h ic h t h e y h a v e
u o t s e e n , f o r a ll t h e f o r m s o f s y m p a t h y a n d c la ir v o y a n c e so
fa r a s th e s e m a y b e t r u e . B n t th is is n o t q u it e s o c le a r .
H a v e th e s e g e n t le m e n s t u d ie d t h e fa c ts ? H a v e th e y fo u n d
t h a t in th e s e , a s in th o s e o f s u g g e s t io n , th e m in d o r im a g i­
n a t i o n o f t h e p a t ie n t is a lw a y s a p p e a le d t o ? W e r a t h e r t h in k
n o t , f o r w e , w h o h a v e e x a m in e d t h e m , h a v e m e t w ith n u ­
m e r o u s f a c t s iu t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f w h ic h s u g g e s t io n h a s n o
s h a r e w h a te v e r . H o w t h e n d o e s it h a p p e n , t h a t t h e y , w h o
h a v e n o t e v e n s e e n th e s e a lle g e d fa c t s , a r e s o e a s ily s a tis fie d
o n t h is h e a d ? W e r a t h e r im a g in e t h a t it is b e c a u s e t h e im a ­
g in a t io n t h e o r y w h ic h w e a d m it t o a p p ly , a n d h a r e o u r s e lv e s
a p p lie d , t o t h e p h e n o m e n a o f s u g g e s t io n , ( a lt h o u g h it h a r d ly
e x p la in s t h e m q n it e s a t is fa c t o r ily ,) w ill e n a b le t h e m , i f e x ­
t e n d e d t o all t h e p h e n o m e n a , t o g e t r id o f t h e o b n o x i o u s
id e a o f a n e x t e r n a l p h y s ic a l a g e n t , o r , a s it is c a lle d , a m a g ­
n e t i c flu id . B u t w e n e e d h a r d ly s a y , th a t i f t h is is t o b e
d o n e a t a ll, it c a n o n l y b e b y a c a r e fu l s t u d y o f a ll t h e fa c ts ,
a n d b y p r o v i n g t h a t a ll a r e e q u a lly d e p e n d e n t o n m e n t a l i m ­
p r e s s io n s . W e s h a ll n o w p r o c e e d t o e x a m in e tiñ a p a r t o f t h e
s u b je c t .
T h e firs t r e m a r k w e w o u l d m a k e is , th a t , e v e n in t h o s e
e x p e r im e n t s in w h ic h a n a p p e a l is m a d e t o t h e im a g in a t io n
o f t h e p a t ie n t , b y c o m m a n d , s u g g e s t io n , o r o t h e r w is e , t h e
b e s t e a s e s a r e n o t t h o s e i n w h ic h a liv e ly im a g in a t io n is o b ­
served. O n t h e c o n t r a r y , p e r s o n s o f a v e r y liv e ly a n d e x c it ­
a b l e t e m p e r a m e n t a re les s e a s ily o p e r a t e d o n , a n d t h e b e s t
s u b je c t s a r e th o s e w h o s e m in d s a r e s lu g g is h a n d p a ssiv e . W e
d o n o t m e a n t o sa y , t h a t th e la t t e r a r e n o t im p r e s s ib le , a n d
e a s ily i m p r e s s e d ; b u t t h a t a v iv id im a g in a t io n is a n o b s t a c le
t o im p r e s s ib ilit y , r a t h e r th a n a h e lp t o it . A ll e x p e rie n c e d
 B y P rofesso r G regory. 11

m a g n e t i z e r s k n o w th is , a n d fin d , in c o n s e q u e n c e , a la r g e r p r o ­
p o r t i o n o f i m p r e s s i b l e s u b je c t s a m o n g illit e r a t e p e a s a n ts th a n
a m o n g p e r s o n s o f a c t iv e i n t e l l e c t a n d h ig h im a g in a t iv e p o w e rs .
B u t , s e c o n d l y , m a n y p h e n o m e n a o c c u r in w h ic h n o a p p e a l
is m a d e t o t h e im a g in a t io n o f t h e p a t ie n t . T h u s , f o r in s t a n c e ,
i n f a n t s , s l e e p i n g p e r s o n s , a n d a n im a ls , m a y b e s t r o n g ly a f­
f e c t e d b y g a z i n g o r p a s s e s w it h o u t c o n t a c t . D u p o t e t s ta te *
t h a t s l e e p i n g p e r s o n s a r e p e c u l ia r ly s u s c e p t ib le t o m a g n e t ic
a c tio n . W e h a v e s e e n s le e p in g c h il d r e n a n d s l e e p in g a n im a ls
s t r o n g l y a f f e c t e d b y g a z in g , a s w e ll a s b y p a s s e s w it h o u t c o n ­
ta ct. T h e r e p o r t o f t h e C o m m it t e e o f t h e F r e n c h A c a d e m y
o f M e d i c i n e ( r e p o r t e r , M . U u s s o n ) i n 1 8 3 1 , w h ic h M r . C o l -
q u h o u n h a s p u b li s h e d , n o t o n l y a d m it s t h e f a c t t h a t p h y s ic a l
m a g n e t i c e f f e c t s a r e p r o d n c e d w it h o u t t h e k n o w le d g e o f t h e
p a t i e n t , a n d c o n s e q u e n t ly w it h o u t a p p e a lin g t o h is im a g in a ­
t i o n , b u t a c t u a l l y d e d u c e s fr o m t h e f a c t th e lo g ic a l in f e r e n c e ,
t h a t t h e t h e o r y o f im a g in a t io n , p r o p o s e d in t h e r e p o r t o f
1 7 8 4 , is q u i t e in a d e q u a t e t o e x p la in it .
T h i r d l y ; i t is a m a t t e r o f f r e q u e n t e x p e r ie n c e w it h p r a c ­
t i c a l m a g n e t i z e r s , t h a t p e r s o n s w h o h a v e a t firs t b e e n t h r o w n
i n t o t h e m e s m e r i c s le e p b y t h e u s u a l p r o c e s s e s , a n d w h o e x ­
h i b i t a h i g h d e g r e e o f s u s c e p t ib ilit y , m a y b e p u t t o s le e p
w i t h o u t t h e i r k n o w le d g e . W e h a v e o u r s e lv e s s e e n a n d d o n e
t h i s , a n d c a n n o t e n t e r t a in a d o u b t o f t h e f a c t . N a y , it h a s
h a p p e n e d f r e q u e n t l y , a n d o n o n e o c c a s io n a t le a s t in o u r o w n
e x p e r i e n c e , t h a t w h e n t h e m e s m e r is e r h a s b e e n a c t i n g o n o n e
p a t i e n t , a n o t h e r p a t ie n t , in a d if f e r e n t r o o m , a n d n o t a w a re
o f t h is , h a s n o t o n l y e x p e r ie n c e d t h e in f lu e n c e , b u t h a s b e e n
p u t t o s le e p . "W h e n th is h a p p e n s , it is f r e q u e n t ly o b s e r v e d
t h a t t h e e f f e c t , o n t h e p a tie n t a c t u a lly o p e r a t e d o n is d im in ­
i s h e d , o r a l t o g e t h e r n e u t r a liz e d .
F o u r t h l y ; b l in d p e r s o n s m a y n o t o n ly b e a c t e d o n a n d
p n t t o s l e e p , b u t t h is m a y b e d o n e w it h o u t t h e ir k n o w le d g e .
D r . E s d a i l e m e n t i o n s a n in s t a n c e o f a b lin d m a n , w h o m h e
c o u l d a t a n y t im e t h r o w i n t o c o m a w it h o u t h is h a v in g a n y
i d e a t h a t h e w as a c t e d o n , a n d t h is n o t o n l y t h r o u g h a w a ll,
h u t a t t h e d is t a n c e o f 8 0 y a r d s . W e h a v e o u r s e lv e s s e e n a
b l in d p a t i e n t s t r o n g ly a ffe c t e d , n a y , p u t t o s le e p b y o u r s i le n t
g a z e , w h i l e h e w a s e n g a g e d in c o n v e r s a t io n w ith a n o t h e r
person . T h e s a m e p a tie n t, w h ile c o n v e r s in g , h a s a ls o b e e n
p u t t o B le e p b y a n o t h e r o p e r a t o r , w h o w a s t r y i n g a t s o m e d is ­
t a n c e , u n k n o w n t o t h e b l in d m a n , t o p u t a n o t h e r t o s le e p .
T h is w e h a v e s e e n , a n d th e s a m e p a t ie n t c o u l d d is t in g u is h ,
w h e n t h u s a c c id e n t a lly o r u n e x p e c t e d ly a ffe c t e d , t h e p e r s o n
w h o s e i n f l u e n c e p u t h im t o s le e p , b y t h e v e r y d if f e r e n t s e n s a ­
t i o n s h e e x p e r i e n c e d fr o m t h e t w o o p e r a t o r s .
12 On th e T heory o f Im agination, fife.

W e s e e , t h e r e fo r e , t h a t t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p m a y b e p r o ­
d u c e d w it h o u t a n y A p p ea l t o t h e im a g in a t io n . W e m ig h t
a d d a n o t h e r p r o o f o f th is , n a m e ly , t h e f a c t th a t , in s o m e
s u s c e p t ib le c a s e s , m a g n e t iz e d o r m e s m e r is e d w a te r w ill p r o ­
d u c e t h e s le e p , t o t a ll y u n k n o w n t o th e p a t i e n t ; w h ile u n m a g ­
n e t iz e d w a t e r , i f g iv e n a s m a g n e t iz e d , a n d t h e r e fo r e a id e d b y
a d ir e c t s u g g e s t io n , w ill fa il t o d o s o .
A n d t in s le a d s u s t o c o n s id e r t h e p h e n o m e n a o f t h e s le e p ,
o n c e p r o d u c e d , w h e t h e r b y a d ir e c t a p p e a l t o t h e im a g in a t io n ,
t h a t is, w ith s u c h a n a p p e a l, o r w it h o u t it , a s w e h a v e s e e n
it m ay be.
T h is m e s m e r ic s le e p , in o n e s t a g e , is id e n t i c a l w it h s p o n ­
t a n e o u s s o m n a m b u lis m , a n d it is w e ll k n o w n t h a t th e r e c o r d e d
c a s e s o f B le e p -w a lk in g (s e e C o l q u h o u n 's Is i» R evelata, a n d h is
t r a n s la t io n o f W i e n h o l t f s L e c t u r e s ) a ffo r d m a n y p r o o fs o f t h e
e x is t e n c e o f p o w e r s u n k n o w n t o t h e w a k in g s t a t e . N ew
s e n s e s , a s it w e r e , a r e d e v e lo p e d , a n d in flu e n c e s a r e p e r c e iv e d
a n d r e c o g n i z e d , b y w h ic h t h e s a m e p e r s o n s , i f a w a k e , w o u ld
n o t b e a ffe c t e d . T a k i n g , h e r e , a r tificia l s o m n a m b u lis m , t h e
fir s t f a c t w e w o u ld a d d u c e is th e p o w e r o f in s t a n t ly a n d w it h
c e r t a in t y d is t in g u is h in g w a t e r , o r a n y o t h e r o b j e c t , w h ic h h a s
b e e n m e s m e r is e d o r m a g n e t iz e d , f r o m s u c h a s h a s n o t . If
a g la s s o f w a te r b e m e s m e r is e d b y t h e h a n d o r b r e a t h , o r
m a g n e t iz e d b y a m a g n e t , o r b y a c r y s t a l, o r b y a c u r r e n t o f
e l e c t r ic it y , o r b y m e a n s o f a w ir e c o n n e c t e d w ith s u b s ta n c e s
i n a s ta te o f c h e m ic a l c h a n g e , & c ., 8 tc., a n d i f th is g la s s b e
p la c e d a m o n g a n y n u m b e r o f o t h e r s , e x a c t ly s im ila r , e x c e p t
th a t t h e y h a v e n o t b e e n s o a c t e d o n , a n d a ll t h is in t h e a b ­
s e n c e o f t h e p a t ie n t , h e w ill, w it h o u t h e s it a t io n , p i c k o u t t h e
m e s m e r is e d g la s s f r o m a ll t h e r e s t . T h is s im p le e x p e r im e n t
w e h a v e t r ie d v e r y o f t e n , w ith e v e r y p r e c a u t io n , a n d h a v e
n e v e r s e e n it fa il, a lt h o u g h t h e r e m a y b e Borne p e r s o n s
w h o , i n t h e s le e p , d o n o t p o s s e s s t h is p o w e r . N a y , it has
b e e n s h e w n b y R e i c h e n b a c h , th a t m a n y s e n s itiv e s p o s s e s s t h e
f a c u lt y o f d is t in g u is h in g m e s m e r is e d w a te r e v e n in t h e n a tu r a l
w a k in g s ta te .
N o w , w e m a in t a in th a t th is o n e e x p e r im e n t is a lo n e s u ffi­
c i e n t t o p r o v e t h a t t h e r e d o e s e x is t a s o m e t h in g e x te r n a l,
w h e t h e r w e c a ll i t a f lu id , a n in flu e n c e , a n im p o n d e r a b le , o r
a fo r m o f m o t io n , w h ic h m a y b e c o m m u n ic a t e d b y t h e h u m a n
h a n d t o w a te r, a n d i f t o w a te r , t h e n t o o t h e r s u b s t a n c e s , in ­
c lu d i n g t h e h u m a n n e r v e . B u t i t a ls o p r o v e s t h a t t h e r e a r e
fa c t s b e y o n d th e r e a c h o f t h e im a g in a t io n t h e o r y ; f o r h e r e ,
n o t o n ly is t h e im a g in a t io n n o t a p p e a le d t o , b u t i f w e t r y t o
m is le a d t h e p a t ie n t , h e d e t e c t s t h e t r u t h , in s p it e o f o u r s u g ­
g e s t io n o r a p p e a l t o h is im a g in a t io n . W c recom m en d to
 B y P rofessor G regory. 13
th o s e w h o n o w s o lo u d l y c r y o u t t h a t n il m e s m e r ic p h e n o m e n a ,
as w e ll a s t h o s e c a lle d b i o lo g i c a l, a r e p r o d u c e d b y t h e im a g in ­
a t io n , t o t r y t h is e x p e r i m e n t , as w e h a r e d o n e , b e fo r e t h e y
m ake s o s u r e o f t h e ir e x p la n a t io n . I t h a s b e e n t r ie d b y
o th e r s , t i m e s o u t o f n u m b e r , a n d , i n o u r h u m b le o p in io n , i t
d e m o n s t r a t e s t h e e x is t e n c e o f p h y s ic a l e m a n a t io n s p e r c e p t ib l e
b y t h e s e n s i t i v e n e rv e , a n d c a p a b le o f p a s s in g f r o m o n e p e r s o n
to a n o t h e r . I t is a f u n d a m e n t a l a n d m o s t im p o r t a n t fa c t ,
easy o f v e r ific a t io n .
T h e s e c o n d fa ct w e w o u l d m e n t i o n , a s b e a r in g o n t h is
q u e s t i o n , i s th a t o f t h e e x is t e n c e o f lu m in o u s e m & n a tio u s
h o r n m a g n e t s , c r y s t a ls , t h e h u m a n fa c e , h a u d s , a n d b r e a t h ,
a n d i n a l o w e r d e g r e e , f r o m a ll n a t u r a l o b j e c t s . T h e s e lu m in ­
o u s e m a n a t i o n s are v is ib le in th e d a r k t o m a n y w a k in g s e n s i­
tiv e s . W e k n o w o f o n e la d y , w h o p e r c e iv e s t h e m s o b r ig h t ly
a n d s o c o n s t a n t l y , t h a t s h e is a fr a id t o s le e p i n t h e d a r k ; a n d
w e k n o w m a n y , w h o see t h e m f r o m m a g n e t s , c r y s t a ls , o r t h e
hand. A l l p e r s o n s i n t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p , s o fa r a s out e x ­
p e r i e n c e g o e s , see t h e m , a n d t h e m o r e s e n s it iv e p e r c e iv e
t h o s e o f m a g n e t s , c r y s t a ls , a n d t h e h a n d o r fa c e , e v e n in d a y ­
lig h t. A n d s o fa r i s t h e im a g in a t io n fr o m h a v in g a n y sh a r e
i n t h is p h e n o m e n o n , t h a t i t is h a r d ly p o s s ib le t o t h r o w a
p e r s o n i n t o t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p , w it h o u t h a v in g o u r a t t e n t io n
c a lle d b y t h e p a tie n t t o th e s e lu m in o u s e m a n a t io n s . And a
f e w c a s e s w i l l so o n c o n v i n c e t h e e n q u ir e r t h a t th e s e s le e p e r s
d e s c r ib e a r e a l e x te r n a l p h e n o m e n o n ; f o r e a c h s p o n t a n e o u s ly
g iv e s h i s o w n a c c o u n t o f t h e m , a n d n e v e r fa ils t o n o t ic e t h e
b lu is h t i n g e o f th e lig h t a t o n e p o le o r o n o n e h a n d , a n d t h e
r e d d is h t i n g e o n t h e o p p o s it e o n e ; a s w e ll as, i n th e c a s e o f
g re a t p o w e r in th e m a g n e t , c r y s t a l, o r h a n d , o r e x t r e m e s e n ­
s it iv e n e s s i n th e p a t ie n t , th e o c c u r r e n c e o f a ll t h e r a in b o w
. tin ts a t b o t h p o le s ; r e d , h o w e v e r , p r e d o m in a t in g a t t h e p o s i­
tive, a n d b l u e a t t h e n e g a t iv e p o le . A n in g e n io u s w r it e r in
th e N o rth B ritish R eview h a s a t t e m p t e d t o e x p la in t h e b e a u ­
tiful g e n e r a l a g r e e m e n t o f n u m e r o u s o b s e r v e r s , b y t h e s u p ­
p o s itio n t h a t th e lu m in o u s a p p e a r a n c e s d e s c r ib e d b y t h e m a r e
a l t o g e t h e r im a g in a r y , e x c it e d , it is t o b e p r e s u m e d h e t h in k s ,
by s u g g e s t i o n a c t in g o n a v e r y e x c it a b le n e r v o u s s y s t e m .
N o w w e d o n o t h e s it a te t o s a y , t h a t s u c h a n a g r e e m e n t ,
o c c u r r i n g , a s it h a s d o n e i n t h e e x p e r im e n t s o f R e i c h e n b a c h ,
in a t l e a s t 1 0 0 d iffe r e n t w a k in g s e n s itiv e s , t h e m a jo r it y o f
w h o m w e r e h e a lt h y a n d w h o w e r e n o t s u b je c t e d t o le a d in g
q u e s t io n s , b u t le ft t o t e l l t h e ir o w n s t o r y , a n d w h o , in a p e r ­
fe c tly d a r k c h a m b e r , f o llo w e d in t h e ir d e s c r ip t io n s t h e c h a n g e s
ca u sed i n t h e l ig h t b y m o v in g t h e m a g n e t s , o r a p p r o a c h in g
o th er b o d i e s t o t h e m ; o r in t h e l i g h t f r o m w ir e s , w h ic h , o u t -
 14 On the T heory o f Im agination, fyc.

a id e o f t h e r o o m , w e r e a lt e r n a t e ly i n c o n t a c t w it h , a n d s e p a ­
r a t e d f r o m , m a g n e t s , c r y s t a ls , h a n d s , m e ta ls , h e a t, lig h t , e l e c ­
t r ic it y , c h e m ic a l a c t i o n , & c ., & c ., fe e ., c a n n o t lo g ic a ll y b e
a t t r ib u t e d t o a n y t h in g b u t t h e e x is t e n c e o f a r e a l, e x t e r n a l,
p h y s ic a l fa c t . T o s u p p o s e o t h e r w is e , is t o a d m it a d e g r e e o f
c o i n c i d e n c e i n t h e fa n c ie s o f 1 0 0 d r e a m e r s , w h ic h w e d o n o t
h e s it a te t o p r o n o u n c e a b s o lu t e ly im p o s s ib le , b o t h p h y s ic a lly
a n d m o r a lly . A n d w h e n w e fin d t h e o b s e r v a t io n s o f th e s e
w a k in g s e n s itiv e s c o n f ir m e d b y a ll m e s m e r ic s le e p e r s , w it h o u t
t h e s lig h te s t k n o w le d g e o f w h a t o t h e r s h a v e o b s e r v e d , a u d
w it h o u t a n y q u e s t io n s , le a d in g o r o t h e r w is e , b e i n g a s k e d , w e
r e g a r d t h e e v id e n c e o f t h e e x t e r n a l, o b je c t iv e , e x is t e n c e o f
t h e s e lu m in o u s e m a n a t io n s , a n d c o n s e q u e n t ly o f t h e ir c a u s e ,
a s t h o r o u g h l y e s t a b lis h e d . N o r m u s t w e f o r g e t th a t w e h a v e ,
i n t h e s e n s a t io n s a lr e a d y s p o k e n o f a s c a u s e d b y m e s m e r is e d
w a te r, Sec., a n a d d it io n a l b o d y o f e v id e n c e t o t h e s a m e t r u t h .
T h e t h i r d f a c t w e s h a ll a d d u c e is a ls o o b s e r v e d in th e m e s ­
m e r ic s le e p , b u t is k n o w n , t o o , a s a s p o n t a n e o u s p h e n o m e n o n
in t h e w a k in g s ta te . W e a llu d e t o t h a t e x t r a o r d in a r y s y m ­
p a t h y w it h a n o t h e r p e r s o n , b y w h ic h t h e p a t ie n t p e r c e iv e s a ll
th e s e n s a tio n s o f t h a t o t h e r p e r s o n . T h e re are m a n y su scep ­
t i b l e B leepers, w h o , i f t h e y b e i u c o n t a c t w ith t h e h a n d o f
a n o t h e r , w ill in s t a n t ly t e ll w h a t s e n s a t io n , p a in fu l o r o t h e r ­
w is e , t h a t p e r s o n fe e ls , a n d t h is , b y fe e lin g t h e s a m e o n t h e
s a m e s p o t th e m s e lv e s . I f a p e r s o n h o ld t h e s le e p e r b y o n e
h a n d , a n d t h e o t h e r h a n d o f t h e o p e r a t o r b e p in c h e d , p r ic k e d ,
e n t, o r b u r n e d , u n k n o w n t o t h e s le e p e r , t h e la t t e r n o t o n ly
fe e ls it , b u t c o m p la in s lo u d l y o f t h e in ju r y , a n d fix e s a t o n c e
o n t h e s u ffe r in g s p o t. T h is w e h a v e s e e n a n d te s t e d v e r y
o fte n . B u t a s t ill m o r e r e m a r k a b le f a c t is, t h a t w h a t e v e r t h e
e x p e r i m e n t e r ta s te s is a ls o in s t a n t ly p e r c e iv e d , a n d o f t e n
nam ed. N a y , w e h a v e Been a s le e p e r s u ffe r a c u t e ly f r o m
n a u s e a w h e n t h e o t h e r t a s t e d a n a u s e o u s d r u g , w it h o u t a n y
s u g g e s t io n w h a te v e r , n a y , a l t h o u g h it w a s s a id , lo u d e n o u g h
t o b e h e a r d b y t h e s le e p e r , t o b e G ugar, o r a n o r a n g e , o r a
f ig , & c . S u c h fa c t s e v id e n t ly p r o v e t h e e x is t e n c e o f s y m ­
p a t h y o r c o m m u n it y o f s e n s a tio n b y c o n t a c t , a n d w e c a n n o t
f o r m a n y id e a o f t h e ir c a u s e s w h ic h d o e s n o t im p ly a p h y s ic a l
in f lu e n c e , o r a t le a s t a n e x t e r n a l in flu e n c e , a c t i n g o n t h e
n e r v o u s s y s t e m o f t h e sle e p e r.
B u t w h e n w e s e e t h e v e r y s a m e r e s u lts , a s w e m a y s e e in
s o m e p e c u lia r ly s u s c e p t ib le c a s e s , o c c u r r i n g w it h o u t c o n t a c t ,
t h is c o n c lu s io n is as it w e r e r e n d e r e d p a lp a b le a n d ir r e s is t ib le .
W e h a v e s e e n th e s le e p e r f e e l a n d ta s t e e v e r y t h in g f e lt a n d
t a s t e d b y t h e o p e r a t o r , w h ile t h e la t t e r s t o o d a t s e v e r a l y a r d s
d is t a n c e , a n d w a s c o n c e a le d f r o m s i g h t , b a d t h e s le e p e r ’s e y e s
 B y P ro fesso r G regory. 15

been o p e n , " b y a d o o r o r w a ll. T h is f a c t h a s v e r y o f t e n b e e n

o b s e rv e d a n d r e c o r d e d ; a n d i t h a s o ft e n h a p p e n e d t h a t t h e
sleeper h a s f e l t a n d d e s c r ib e d a c c id e n t a l p a in s o r s e n s a t io n s
o f d ie o p e r a t o r a n d h a s d r a w n a t t e n t io n t o t h e f a c t . H ere
again; t h e i m a g i n a t i o n t h e o r y fa ils , a n d w e a re c o m p e l l e d t o
a d m it a n e x t e r n a l in flu e n c e .
T h e f o u r t h fa ct ia t h i s : t h e s le e p e r w ill o f t e n e x h ib it , a s
in d e e d m a n y w a k in g p e r s o n s d o , a s t r o n g a n t ip a t h y t o c e r t a in
o b je c t s , a n d t o c e r t a in p e r s o n s , a n d w ill a t o n c e d e t e c t t h e ir
a p p r o a c h i n s p it e o f e v e r y p r e c a u t io n . W e have o fte n seen
a m a g n e t t h u s d e t e c t e d , a n d w e h a v e s e e n a s t ill m o r e s t r i k in g
in s t a n c e o f i t i n th e c a s e o f a la r g e g l o b e o f g la s s , b e t w e e n
th re e a n d f o u r in c h e s in d ia m e t e r . O n e s e n s itiv e s le e p e r
w o u l d i n v a r i a b l y d e t e c t t h is g l o b e , b y t h e d is a g r e e a b le s e n s a ­
tio n s i t c a u s e d , as s o o n a s it c a m e w it b in a c e r t a in d is t a n c e
o f h e r , w h e t h e r in f r o n t , la te r a lly , f r o m b e h in d , o r f r o m a b o v e ,
an d w o u l d t r y t o e s c a p e , w h a t e v e r m i g h t b e h e r o c c u p a t io n .
A n d i f i t w e r e b r o u g h t w it h in a n in c h o r t w o , e s p e c ia lly o f
h e r h e a d o r h a n d s , s h e w o u l d b e g in t o c o m p la in o f it , a n d b e
s t r u c k d u m b a n d r ig id b e f o r e s h e fin is h e d h e r s e n t e n c e . W e
t o o k e v e r y p r e c a u t io n p o s s ib le , c o n c e a le d t h e g l o b e b e f o r e
sh e e n t e r e d t h e r o o m , n e v e r a liu d e d t o it , b u t s p o k e o f o t h e r
m a tte rs. I n v a in . I f c o n c e a le d n e a r h e r , s h e w a s s u r e t o
d is c o v e r i t , a n d i f p r e v e n t e d fr o m r e m o v in g , b e c a m e r ig id a ll
ov er. W e s a w a lso a s tT o n g e f f e c t p r o d u c e d b y i t o n a p o w ­
e r fu l m e s m e r i s e r , w h o e x p e r ie n c e d s u c h u n p le a s a n t s e n s a t io n s
fr o m h o l d i n g it n e a r h is f a c e , t h a t w e c o u l d n o t i n d u c e h im
t o r e p e a t t h e e x p e r im e n t . I t h a d n e a r ly s e n t h im t o s le e p .
B u t w e m a n a g e d t o c o n c e a l it o n a s o fa o n w h ic h h e s a t, o n
a n o th e r o c c a s i o n , a n d s o o n p e r c e iv e d t h a t h e w a s u n e a s y . A t
last h e c h a n g e d h is p la c e , a n d o n s u b s e q u e n t e n q u ir y t o ld u s ,
th a t h e h a d d o n e s o b e c a u s e h e f e lt t h e s a m e u n p le a s a n t s e n ­
sa tio n s a s w h e n l o o k in g a t t h e g lo b e , S im ila r fa c t s a r e v e r y
fr e q u e n t w i t h m e s m e r ic s le e p e r s , a n d it is w e ll k n o w n t h a t
m a n y p e r s o n s , in t h e w a k in g s t a t e , h a v e s t r o n g a n t ip a t h ie s t o
certain a n i m a l s o r m in e r a ls , o r p la n t s , a n d c a n d e t e c t t h e s e
i f e v er s o c a r e f u ll y h id d e n . M a n y p e r s o n s h a v e b e e n a b le t o
tell t h a t a c a t w as c o n c e a le d in th e r o o m o r t h e h o u s e , b y t h e
painful s e n s a t i o n s it c a u s e d t h e m . L i s t o n t h e c o m e d ia n w a s ,
as w e h a v e b e e n t o ld , o n e o f t h e s e . I t is , w e t h in k , im p o s ­
sible t o a c c o u n t f o r s u c h fa c t s , e x c e p t b y a d m it t in g t h e e x i s t ­
ence o f a n in flu e n c e o r e m a n a t io n , c a p a b le o f p a s s in g f r o m
on e b o d y t o a n o th e r . A t a ll e v e n t s , s u g g e s t io n h a s n o s h a r e
in t h e m . W e r e w e t o h a z a r d a c o n j e c t u r e o n t h e s u b je c t , i t
w ould b e t h a t s u g g e s t e d b y B e i c h e n b a c b , n a m e ly , t h a t t h e
in flu e n c e i n q u e s t io n b e i n g p o la r , b u t in a ll o b je c t s o n e p o l e
16 On th e T heory o f Im agination, Sfc.

e x c e e d i n g t h e o t h e r i n p o w e r , e a c h in d iv id u a l h a s b i s o w n
p la c e in th e s c a le , b e i n g m o r e n e g a t iv e t h a n s o m e , a n d le s s
n e g a t iv e o r m o r e p o s it iv e t h a n o t h e r s . N o w in t h e c a s e o f
p o la r fo r c e s , it is w e ll k n o w n t h a t lik e r e p e ls lik e , a n d th a t
o p p o s it e s a t t r a c t e a c h o t h e r . I f t h e r e fo r e th e e m a n a t io n s o f
a c a t b e h ig h ly n e g a t iv e , a n t ip a t h y w ill b e f e lt b y a p e r s o n in
w h o m t h e n e g a t iv e in flu e n c e a ls o p r e d o m in a t e s , a n d s y m p a t h y
o f t h e p o s it iv e in flu e n c e p r e v a i l ; a n d vice versd. I n m ost
c a s e s , t h e t w o o p p o s it e p o le s a r e in a n a v e r a g e c o n d i t i o n , a n d
n o m a r k e d e ffe c t s e n s u e . B u t it is v e r y p r o b a b le t h a t in t h e
s le e p th e b a la n c e is d i s t u r b e d ; h e n c e t h e s e n s itiv e n e s s o f t h e
s le e p e r t o s u c h b o d ie s a s h a v e e x a lt e d p o la r it y .
F i f t h l y ; it is a w e ll-a s c e r t a in e d fa c t, w h ic h w e h a v e f r e ­
q u e n t ly v e r ifie d , th a t p e r s o n s in t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p a re a f ­
f e c t e d i n a p e c u lia r m a n n e r b y c e r t a in m e ta ls , w h ile t h e
a c t i o n o f o t h e r m e t a ls is q u it e d iffe r e n t . T h u s , o n e s le e p e r ,
i f g o l d b e b r o u g h t i n c o n t a c t w ith h e r h a n d , o r e v e n i n t o
c lo s e p r o x i m it y w ith it , is s o s t r o n g ly a c t e d o n t h a t h e r A n g e r s
a r e fir m ly c le n c h e d a n d b e c o m e s o r ig i d , th a t th e h a n d c a n n o t
be op e n e d b y fo rce . A n d th is o c c u r s , n o t o n l y w it h o u t h e r
k n o w in g w h a t t h e m e t a l is , b u t w h e n s h e is a llo w e d t o s u p ­
p o s e it t o b e a n o t h e r w h ic h h a s n o s u c h a c t io n . I f now ,
w it h o u t t h e p a t ie n t 's k n o w le d g e , s t e e l b e s u b s t it u t e d f o r t h e
g o l d , t h e h a n d is g r a d u a lly r e la x e d , a n d e v e n b e f o r e t h is
ta k e s p la c e , s h e d e t e c t s t h e c h a n g e w it h o u t c o n t a c t b y t h e
s e n s a t io n p r o d u c e d . H e r e a g a in t h e im a g in a t io n is n o t c o n ­
c e r n e d in p r o d u c in g t h e r e s u lt . C a s e s o f th is k in d a r e v e r y
fr e q u e n t.
I n th e s ix t h p l a c e ; w e h a v e o f t e n s e e n p e r s o n s in t h e
m e s m e r ic s le e p , w h o c o u ld s e e a n d d e s c r ib e c o r r e c t l y w h a t
w a s d o n e b e h in d t h e m , o r o t h e r w is e o u t o f t h e r a n g e o f t h e ir
v is io n h a d t h e ir e y e s b e e n o p e n , w h e r e a s t h e ir e y e s w e r e fa s t
c lo s e d , t u r n e d u p , s o th a t w h e n f o r c e d o p e n o n l y t h e w h ite s
w e r e v is ib le , a n d m o r e o v e r in s e n s ib le t o lig h t . I n o th e r
w o r d s , w e h a v e o ft e n s e e n a n d te s t e d t h e f a c t o f v is io n w it h ­
o u t th e u se o f th e e x te r n a l e y e . T h is f a c t is o b s e r v e d in
n a t u r a l s o m n a m b u lis t s , a n d t h e e v id e n c e f o r i t w ill b e fo u n d
i n a c le a r a n d c o m p e n d io u s f o r m i n W ien h o if» L ectu res on
Somnambulism, tr a n s la te d b y C o l q u h o u n , in d e p e n d e n t o f a r ­
t ific ia l s o m n a m b u lis m . W h e n a p e r s o n w ith c lo s e d a n d i n ­
s e n s ib le e y e s p e r c e iv e s , b o t h in d a y lig h t o r in t h e d a r k , a n d
s le e p -w a lk e r s o f t e n d o s o b e t t e r in t h e d a r k , t h e o b j e c t s w h ic h
s u r r o u n d h i m ; w h e n h is m o t io n s a n d a c t io n s a r e r e a d ie r a n d
m o r e e x a c t th a n in h is w a k in g s t a t e , n a y , w h e n h e p e r f o r m s
fe a t s o f c lim b in g , k e e p in g h is b a la n c e i n d a n g e r o u s p o s it io n s ,
w r it in g , a n d v a r io u s h a n d iw o r k , w h ic h in h is o r d in a r y s t a t e
 B y P ro fesior G regory. 17

are b e y o n d h i s p o w e r s , i t is im p o s s ib l e e it h e r t o a s c r ib e t h is
t o i m a g i n a t i o n j o r t o d o a b t th a t h e h a s a p e c u l ia r m e a n s o f
p e r c e p t io n o f ex te rn a l o b je c t s . A n d t h is im p lie s so m e e x ­
te r n a l i n f l u e n c e w h ich fin d s it s w a y t o t h e s e n s o r iu m c o m ­
m one.
W e h a v e s e e n m e s m e r ic s le e p e r s , w it h o u t t h e s lig h t e s t
a t t e m p t t o u s e t h e ir c lo s e d a n d i n s e n s i b le e y e s , d is c o v e r t h e
c o n t e n t s o f s e a l e d p a ck e ts a n d c lo s e d b o x e s , e it h e r b y p u t t in g
th e s e o n t h e h e a d , o r h o l d i n g t h e m i n t h e h a n d , a n d s o m e ­
t im e s b y l a y i n g t h e m o n t h e e p ig a s t r iu m . W e h a v e se e n th e
c o n t e n t s , u n k n o w n t o a n y o n e p r e s e n t , d e s c r ib e d w it h t h e
m in u te s t a c c u r a c y . I u M a j o r B u c k l e y 's r e m a r k a b le e x p e r i­
m e n ts , u p w a r d s o f 1 0 0 h ig h ly e d u ca te d p e rso n s h a v e read
m o t t o e s , e n c l o s e d in n u t s a n d b o x e s , t h e n n t s b e i n g p r o c u r e d
a t v a r io u s s h o p s b y d if f e r e n t p e r s o n s w h o w e r e t o t a ll y i g n o r a n t
o f th e ir c o n t e n t s . H u n d r e d s o f m o tto e s a n d th o u sa n d s o f
w o r d s h a v e b e e n th u s r e a d , a n d m a n y o f t h e r e a d e r s h a v e
n e v e r b e e n m e s m e r is e d a t a ll, b u t h a v e f o u n d t h e m s e lv e s
e n a b le d t o r e a d th e c o n t e n t s o f t h e n u t s , & c ., b y t h e a id o f
a l i g h t w h i c h , w h e n M a j o r B u c k l e y m a d e p a sse s o v e r h is o w u
fa c e , a n d p e r h a p s o v e r t h e n u t s , r e n d e r e d t h e m t r a n s p a r e n t
t o th e s e r e a d e r s . C a n a n y o n e s u p p o s e t h a t im a g in a t io n w ill
e x p la in t h e s e fa c t s ? A n d is n o t t h e n a t u r a l c o n c lu s io n fr o m
th e m , n a m e l y , t h e e x is t e n c e o f a n e x t e r n a l in f lu e n c e , g r e a t ly
fo r tifie d b y t h e t e s t im o n y o f M a jo r B u c k l e y ’ s s u b je c t s t o t h e
lu m in o u s e m a n a t i o n s f
W e h a v e o u r s e lv e s s e e n th e s u b s t a n c e o f t h e c o n t e n t s o f a
c lo s e d l e t t e r , u n k n o w n t o o u r s e lv e s , a n d t h e n a m e o f t h e
w rite r, d e c i p h e r e d in a n in s t a n t b y a s le e p e r , w h o p la c e d it o n
her h e a d , a n d w h o c o u ld n o t read. T h e le t t e r h a d t h a t m o ­
m e n t a r r i v e d , a n d w a s t o t a ll y u n e x p e c t e d , a n d , a s w e w e re
th e n t r y i n g s o m e e x p e r im e n t s o n t h e s le e p e r , w e a s k e d h e r ,
b e fo r e l o o k i n g at t h e le t t e r , w h e t h e r s h e c o u l d t e ll m e a n y ­
t h in g a b o u t i t , S b e g a v e m e a t o n c e t h e w h o le s u b s t a n c e o f
it w it h p e r f e c t a c c u r a c y . W h a t e v e r m a y h a v e b e e n th e
m e a n s b y w h i c h s h e a c q u ir e d th is k n o w le d g e o f it s m e a n in g ,
im a g i n a t i o n a t le a s t w a s n o t c o n c e r n e d ; a n d t h e v e r y r e m a r k ­
a b le n a t u r e o f t h e le t t e r n o o n e c o u l d b y a n y p o s s ib ilit y h a v e
guessed. B u t th is p a t ie n t w a s a lw a y s e x t r e m e ly s u s c e p t ib le
t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f h a n d w r it in g , a n d c o u ld a c c u r a t e ly d e s c r ib e
t h e w r i t e r o f a n y le t t e r s h e w n t o h e r .
S e v e n t h l y : w e h a v e a ls o f r e q u e n t ly s e e n p e r s o n s in t h e
m e s m e r i c s l e e p w h o d e s c r ib e d , w ith p e r f e c t a c c u r a c y , t h in g s
a n d p e r s o n s a t a d is t a n c e , w h e t h e r in a n o t h e r r o o m , a n o t h e r
h o u s e o r s t r e e t , o r a t g r e a t e r d is t a n c e s s till, t o t h e e x t e n t o f
v o x ., x . c
18 On th e T heory o f Im agination, i$c.,

3 0 0 o r 4 0 0 m ile s . S o m e d i d th is w it h t h e a id o f t h e w r it in g
o r h a ir o f t h e a b s e n t p e r s o n ; s o m e o b t a in e d t h e t r a c e o f t h e
a b se n t fr o m p e rso n s p r e s e n t ; so m e fr o m k n o w in g th e a b se n t
th e m s e lv e s . B u t in a ll c a s e s t h e y h a d a m o r e o r les s v iv id
v is io n o f t h e p la c e a n d o f t h e p e o p le in i t ; a n d in a ll t h o s e
w e h a v e s t u d ie d t h e r e w a s c o n v in c in g e v id e n c e th a t t h e y d id
s o , h a v in g o n c e o b t a in e d t h e t r a c e o r c lu e , in d e p e n d e n t o f
t h o u g h t r e a d in g . T h e y u n if o r m ly s t a t e d s o m e fa c ts , a ft e r ­
w a r d s c o n f ir m e d , w h ic h w e r e e it h e r u n k n o w n t o u s o r t o a n y
o n e p r e s e n t , o r e v e n c o n t r a r y t o o u r fir m b e l i e f j a n d , w h e n
t h e y p e r s is t e d in t h e ir o w n a c c o u n t o f a fa c t , t h e y w e r e
a lw a y s r ig h t . N o d o u b t s o m e o f th e s e p e r s o n s p o s s e s s e d t h e
p o w e r o f t h o u g h t r e a d in g , e v e n w h e n t h e y d id n o t u s e i t : b u t ,
g r a n t in g , f o r t h e s a k e o f a r g u m e n t , w h a t is im p o s s ib le , t h a t
t h e y le a r n e d a ll t h e y k n e w b y t h o u g h t r e a d in g , is th at le s s
w o n d e r f u l t h a n v is io n a t a d is t a n c e , o r is i t m o r e e x p lic a b le
b y th e im a g in a tio n ? N a y , is n o t t h o u g h t r e a d in g i t s e l f
v is io n a t a d is t a n c e , a n d t h r o u g h o p a q u e b o d ie s t o o ? S n r e ly
o u r m in d o r it s o r g a n , t h e b r a in , a re n o t in c o n t a c t w ith t h a t
o f t h e s le e p e r , a n d , i f in c o m m u n ic a t io n w it h it , th is c a n o n l y
b e t h r o u g h s o m e e x t e r n a l m e d iu m , s u c h a s is im p lie d in t h e
f a c t s p r e v io u s ly a d d u c e d . A n d , a d m it t in g s u c h a m e d iu m ,
d is t a n c e is a m a t t e r o f a s s m a ll im p o r t a n c e a s it is i n t h e c a s e
o f l ig h t , e le c t r ic it y , o r g r a v it a t io n . B u t, w h a te v e r b e th e
t r u e e x p la n a t io n o f th e fa c ts , a n d t h e y a re fa c t s w h ic h e v e r y
p a t ie n t e n q u ir e r c a n v e r ify , t h e y c a n n o t b e e x p la in e d b y t h e
t h e o r y o f im a g in a t io n . F o r t h e s le e p e r e v id e n t ly p e r c e iv e s
f o r h im s e lf, a n d , in s p ite o f s u g g e s t io n , o r o f le a d in g q u e s ­
t i o n s , o r o f d ir e c t c o n t r a d ic t io n , a d h e r e s t o h is s t o r y , a n d , a s
w e h a v e o f t e n s e e n , is f o u n d t o h a v e b e e n r ig h t . I n th e A p ­
p e n d ix t o M r . C o lq u h o u n Js h is t o r ic a l w o r k o n M a g i c , W i t c h ­
c r a ft , a n d A n im a l M a g n e t is m , j u s t p u b lis h e d , w ill b e f o u n d a
v e r y b e a u t ifu l c a s e o f v is io n a t a d is t a n c e in a y o u n g la d y o f
E d i n b u r g h , t h e o p e r a t o r b e i n g a g e n t le m a n of. h ig h c h a r a c t e r
a n d lit e r a r y s t a n d in g , w h o , b e fo r e h e m e s m e r is e d th is y o n n g
la d y o n t h a t o n e o c c a s io n , h a d n e v e r e v e n s e e n o n e p e r s o n in
t h e m e s m e r ic s le e p . I n t h a t c a s e t h e s le e p e r w a s fo u n d
r i g h t o n d is p u t e d p o in t s . W e o u r s e lv e s h a v e s e e n , w it h in
t h e la s t s ix o r s e v e n m o n t h s , a n d r e p e a t e d ly t e s t e d , t h r e e o r
f o u r m o s t in t e r e s t in g c a s e s o f th e s a m e k in d , in w h ic h t h e
s a m e f a c t p r e s e n t e d it s e lf. A n d w e h a v e a ls o la t e ly s e e n a
s le e p e r t h o r o u g h l y b l in d f o ld e d p la y c a r d s , b e a t i n g a ll o p p o ­
n e n t s , d e a lin g m o r e r a p id ly t h a n t h e y , a n d r e a d in g t h e ir
h a n d s a s e a s ily a s h e r o w n . W e c o n fe s s o u r s e lv e s u t t e r ly a t
a lo s s t o p e r c e iv e h o w im a g in a t io n , g r a n t in g i t t o h a v e p r o -
 By P rofessor G regory, • 19

[faced, o r t o have had a »hare in producing the mesmeric

sleep, c a n ex p la in facts like these, which, we repeat, are well
established fa c ts .
E i g h t h l y : we have also had freqoent opportunities o f
seeing t h e interestin g facts o f medical or rather physiological
and p a th o lo g ic a l intuition. W e have heard uneducated per­
sons, in t h e mesmeric sleep, describe in their own language,
which a lt h o u g h not technical was usually superior to their
waking s p e e c h , the structure and functions o f their own
bodies, in a m anner truly striking. W e have seen them do
the sam e f o r persons en rapport with them, and point out
with s in g u la r accuracy the weak or diseased parts, so as to
astonish th o s e who best knew the truth. W e have seen this
repeatedly d o n e , in the absence o f the persons whose symptoms
were d e scrib e d , from their hair or handwriting, and, in one re­
m arkable case, without farther aid than the name and resi­
dence o f t h e sufferer. W e have seen the sleeper go over the
whole o f b is own person, and point out, as be did so, the
parts in w h ich pain was felt by the other party, whom he had
never b e fo r e seen or heard of. W e have seen two Bleepers,
unknow n t o each other, give the same account o f the cause,
the precise nature o f the treatment, and the cure, o f an acci­
dent o ccu rrin g at a great distance from either o f th em : and
their statem ents were in all points confirmed. One o f these
sleepers was told that an accident had happened, but nothing
more. T h e other discovered it on being simply asked to visit
the sufferer, which she was in the habit o f doing in her sleep,
The im agination theory is quite inadequate to explain these
and h u n dreds o f similar facts, which are recorded by trust­
worthy observers.
W e m igh t go on to adduce many other varieties o f mes­
meric phenom ena, equally beyond the reach o f that theory.
But this w ou ld be tedious, and is quite unnecessary. Those
already given are sufficient to establish our proposition, which
is, that, gran tin g that the imagination suffices to account for
the phenom ena o f electro-biology, or, more correctly, those in
which suggestion is employed, there are yet many facts which
cannot be brought into that category. Those physiologists,
therefore, w ho, after having long denied the suggestive pheno­
mena, w h en observed and described by the cultivators o f
animal m agnetism , as occurring in the magnetic sleep, now
admit th em , under a new name, as occurring in the waking
state, are mistaken in supposing that the same explanation
applies, o r can apply, to alt mesmeric phenomena.
This mistake has arisen from their very imperfect and
partial acquaintance with the phenomena to be explained.
c 2
20 - On the Theory o f Imagination, Jfc.

Had th e; studied the phenomena o f the mesmeric Bleep, as

they have those o f suggestion in the waking state, and this,
as we know for certain, they have not yet done, they would
have been less confident in their theory, or at least in the ex­
tent o f its application. And we cannot doubt that, when they
shall have done so, they will find themselves compelled to
acknowledge the existence o f facts which that theory ts
utterly inadequate to explain.
It is o f no avail for them to deny the facts here adduced,
because they regard them as impossible, or because they can­
not bring them under their favourite hypothesis. Such con ­
clusions, a priori, and more especially when the alleged facts
have not been investigated by those who reject them, have no
logical value whatever. They denied also till a very recent
period the very facts which they now admit, and yet these
facts are true; nay, they were as true when described by the
mesmerists as occurring in the sleep, as they are now. W e
know, in addition, that these particular phenomena may
easily be produced in the waking state, but the phenomena
are identical. A n d surely those whose account o f these truly
wonderful and long rejected phenomena are now found to
have been accurate and faithful may expect that their state­
ments concerning other equally wonderful phenomena will
also, when examined, prove to have been equally faithful and
true to nature. Such, we predict with that confidence in the
truth which is given by the consciousness o f earnest and
honest efforts to ascertain natural phenomena, will sooner or
later be the inevitable result. W e cannot say what may ulti­
mately be found to be the true explanation or theory o f those
facts to wbich we have drawn the reader’ s attention, and o f
many others which oar limited space has prevented us from
detailing; but at least we may say that, so far as our present
knowledge extends, the imagination theory will not supply
the desired explanation.
W e may even go farther, and say that, had the phenomena
exhibited by Mr. Lewis been carefully studied, although
most o f them belong to that class o f facts in which direct
suggestion or command is employed, others would have been
noticed, not less certain, in which no suggestion was or could
be employed, and some in which it is difficult to see how the
imagination could prodace them. This may be comparatively
easy in the case o f voluntary muscles and voluntary actions,
although, even in these, the mere fact that the imagination is
appealed to is no proof that it is, but only that it may be, the
cause o f the phenomena. But when the involuntary muscles
and motions are controlled, when the pulse slackens and
 B y P rofessor G regory. 21

stops, when the iris becomes fixed and ceases to contract on

the approach o f a candle, and this, too, when no hint has
been given o f the operator's intention, beyond the fact o f his
acting generally on the patient, who moreover may be quite
ignorant o f the nature o f the pulse, and have never heard o f
the iris or its functions; when such facts occur, and we have
often seen them produced by M r. Lewis, it is difficult to see
how the imagination, which moreover is not apparently ex*
cited at all in many cases, should produce them. In many
cases, besides, where M r. Lewis's operations do powerfully
excite the imagination, no results whatever are obtained; and
we have already stated that the moat favourable state o f mind
is that o f quiet passiveness, and that a lively imagination is a
great obstacle to success. But what is to be said when the
same operator, after having succeeded in affecting a patient,
after this patient has left the house and gone home, succeeds
in causing him to return by mere volition, and the patient,
forcin g his way back, comes up to the operator and there
stops, being by this time in a mesmeric sleep, or analogous
state, and can only say, when awakened, that he felt he was
w anted? This fact M r. Lewis has repeatedly exhibited. It
must not be confounded with another experiment, in which
he commands a person in the sleep, or under his control for
for the time, to return at a fixed hour next d a y : which he
does, although when awake he not only does not know that
he has been commanded to do so, but also when he declares
that he will not obey. H e finds himself, however, compelled
to do so, and when the time comes is deaf to all other con ­
siderations. Here suggestion is employed, but in the former
case nothing o f the kind occurs, and yet the influence o f the
operator is felt and obeyed.
W e consider this fact, and that o f the influencing or con ­
trolling the involuntary motions, which no man can control
in himself, however vivid his imagination may be, or however
Btrongly excited, to warrant us in stating that even M r.
Lewis's experiments, which are generally admitted, and have
been seen by many thousands, although chiefly suggestive (so
far as publicly exhibited) do yet include facts in which sug­
gestion, or the imagination, is either excluded or incapable o f
producing the result.
Again, while we admit the existence o f suggestion in most
of the biological phenomena, and while we do not object to
attributing them to the action o f imagination, it must not be
supposed that this supplies a complete explanation o f the
facts. W hat is imagination ? How is it affected by the pro­
cess employed ? and how docs it produce the results? W hen
22 On the Theory o f Imagination, fyc.,

we try to answer these questions, we find that we are not far­

ther advanced in the explanation o f the phenomena o f sug­
gestion than we were before, It is certain that in many
cases the imagination is not observed to be at all excited, and
the patient reasons calmly and logically on his sensations.
H e feels an influence which he does his utmost to resist, and
yet is compelled to yield, as many have told us. Hoes this
look aB if an excited fancy (which is the common notion) were
the cause ? And, even i f we could shew that an excited fancy
was always present, it would still be necessary to ask how
it is excited, and how, being excited, it produces the results.
In fact, when we analyse the terms we use, we shall find
that when we ascribe an effect to tbe action o f suggestion,
or command, or the imagination, we merely mean that
the effect is the result o f an impression on the nervous sys­
tem, conveyed through the mind o f the patient. But such
an impression on, or change in, the nervous system implies
something physical, such for example as a local excess or
deficiency o f nervous influence, or, if you will, o f the nervous
fluid. A nd, i f we suppose, for a moment, that the nervous
influence or fluid is either identical with, or closely allied to,
the magnetic influence or fluid, as some have even tried to
identify it with the electric or galvanic influence or fluid,
then we can see how the suggestive phenomena and Buch
mesmeric phenomena as are not suggestive may yet depend
essentially on the same cause, namely a change o f distribution
in the nervous (or vital) influence (or fluid.) W hen sugges­
tion acts, this change is altogether internal and subjective;
and when similar effects are produced by external causes,
without suggestion, then the change o f distribution or equili­
brium in the nervous influence depends on an addition or
subtraction o f that influence, effected ah extra.
On the whole, we conclude that the theory o f imagina­
tion can at most be applied to the suggestive phenom ena;
that, while there is no great objection to its being thus ap­
plied, we gain nothing by doing so, but simply give a new
name to these phenomena, the real cause o f which we do not
know, and which may depend on a physical cause, operating
internally, identical with that which is supposed to act exter­
nally.
A s we began by stating, a great step has been gained. A
very large number o f most wonderful phenomena, many o f
which have an obvious and direct bearing on the treatment
o f disease, are now fully admitted as facts. Although analo­
gous facts bad here and there been recorded by physiologists,
they had been entirely neglected in practice; and it is to the
 B y P rofeasor G regory, 28

cultivators o f animal magnetism that we are indebted for this

extension o f o u r knowledge, and for the means o f producing
with com p a ra tiv e facility, and on persons in the waking state,
these p h en om en a o f suggestion, which are ascribed to the
im agination. This we have heard repeatedly acknowledged by
physiologists and professors o f physiology, although, as usual,
the cry is h e a rd iu some quarters o f " W e knew all this be­
fore." B u t a perusal o f the standard works on physiology,
in w hich th e s e (so-called) effects o f imagination are either
entirely om itted , or briefly alluded to in notes, for they
hardly ever occu r in the text o f Buch works, will enable any
one to d e cid e this question for himself, even if the opposition
o f p hysiologists and physicians to the facts, down to a very
recent p eriod , with some exceptions o f course, were less n o­
torious th a n it is.
W e h ave hardly alluded to the curative agency o f mes­
merism, b u t it is obvious that the influence which is capable
o f prod u cin g the admitted suggestive phenomena, whether we
call it im agination or not, must he a valuable and powerful
agent in th e treatment o f disease, more particularly o f dis­
eases o f th e nervous system. I f the imagination can do all
this, then every medical man is bound to study the imagina­
tion, and t o learn how to use it as a means o f cure. N o phy­
sician d ou b ts o f the importance o f engaging the imagination
o f his patients, if possible, in his favour; and here he may
And the m ean s o f doing so to an extent formerly little dreamt
of. Surely those teachers who admit the phenomena o f sug­
gestion, ev en i f they go no farther, must feel the necessity o f
studying a n d o f teaching them to their pupils. I f not, their
pupils w ill d o so for themselves, and leave their teachers
behind.
W e have endeavoured in the preceding pages to explain
the exact state o f the question o f mesmerism, as it now stands
in this cou n try, mid more especially in relation to the expla­
nation o r theory which is at present the fashionable one
among those who formerly denied the whole o f the pheno­
mena hut now admit a part o f them, the only part which
they have duly examined. W e have shown that this theory,
even i f admitted in regard to the acknowledged suggestive
phenomena, furnishes no satisfactory explanation even o f
these, and that there is a still more extensive and more won­
derful class o f phenomena to which it cannot in any way be
applied. W e might here stop, but we think it desirable to
notice a very widely diffused fallacy, which is continually
flung in the faces o f the cultivators o f animal magnetism.
We allu d e to the proposal o f money challenges, not bets,
24 On the Theory o f Im agination i$c.

but challenges, in which a sum o f money is offered to any

clairvoyant who shall perform a specified feat o f lucidity.

O f all the objections or arguments which are now brought

forward against the truth o f animal magnetism, by far the
most frequent at the present time is that derived from the
neglect or non-acceptance o f such challenges. This o f itself
indicates a material change in public opinion. The cry is
no longer, “ H u m b u g! Imposture 1 Delusion 1” hut “ W h y
don't you gain the £ 1 0 0 bank-note o f Sir Samuel Sceptic, or
the £ 5 0 0 o f D r. Settl'em ?w Many o f those who thus urge
us believe in the existence o f lucidity, nay, have themselves
seen or produced it. Many others would, they say, be
entirely satisfied o f its troth, were such a challenge accepted
and w on ; and others again are confident that the result o f
the trial would for ever exterminate the pestilent heresy o f
mesmerism.
N ow all these parties appear to us to be wrong in the
notions they entertain o f the value and probable results o f
such trials, whether successful or otherwise. A n d we shall
now endeavour to show why we differ with them on both
points, and why we hold mesmerists to be perfectly right in
declining all such challenges.
In the first place, all the money challenges o f which we
have heard apply to the power o f reading written or printed
words shut up in a box or envelope. N ow this power un­
doubtedly occurs, and haB been witnessed by many. But
still it is one o f the rarer phenomena. Thus we have seen
several lucid subjects who possessed the power o f vision at a
distance, yet who could not read a closed letter, which latter
feat would seem to require, if not a higher, yet a different
state. In some o f these cases, the attempt to read a closed
letter caused great fatigue. In the case above alluded to, in
which the clairvoy&nte accurately described to us the con­
tents o f two sealed packets, which in one o f them were un­
known to ourselves, these were not written words, but solid
ob jects; in one a small flint arrow-head, in the other a bit
o f silk. A n d this patient cannot read anything save perhaps
her letters in large capitals, i f so much. W hen the same
patient told us the substance o f a letter, unknown to us, it
was not by reading it, but apparently by sympathy.
Moreover, it would appear that operators vary much in
the kind o f lucidity they produce. Some never produce
vision at a distance; others often do so. Some often pro­
duce introvisión; others never. A nd few, comparatively,
produce this particular form o f lucidity. O f all known mes-
 B y P retfn tor G regory. 25

marista, M ajor Buckley has the greatest success in this way,

for all his subjects may be said to acquire the power o f read­
ing in nuts, boxes, closed letters, &c., and maoy o f them do
so without being themselves mesmerised, as we have already
stated. Thus it happens, in the experience o f many, that,
while there is great lucidity, it takes other forms. Major
Buckley's subjects, on the other hand, being persons o f the
higher class o f society, will not allow themselves to be pub­
licly exhibited, and in particular will not submit to be treated
as probable impostors. The proposers o f money challenges
notoriously regard lucidity as imposture, at least many o f
them do s o ; and we cannot expect persons o f honourable
character to submit to a test, the application o f which implies
that they are, or may be, guilty o f deceit.
A n oth er difficulty is th is: that when we meet with a good
case, there is the greatest difficulty in obtaining permission
to investigate it, and still more to exhibit it, even in private.
N o one who reads the simple, straight-forward account
given by M ajor Buckley o f the feats performed by his sub­
jects, (see The Zoist, passim, and Professor Gregory's L etters
on Anim al M agnetism) can doubt that these subjects have,
times out o f number, done the same thing as is asked by the
challenger, without any pecuniary motive. W e cannot doubt
that they would succeed with the bank-note experim ent; but
how are they to be got to try it?
B u t further, supposing all preliminary difficulties over­
come, and the result to be successful, we would ask, does
this furnish any new evidence in favour o f lucidity ? It does
n o t ; it merely corroborates the existing evidence, already a
hundred times established. Does the fact that .£100 or £ 5 0 0
is paid to the reader, convey any stronger proof o f the fact
according to the known laws o f evidence ? W e answer again,
N o I and the challenger would very speedily discover this,
and mark the deficiency in logic o f any one who should main­
tain that it does. Indeed, the disagreeable operation o f
"fo rk in g ou t," to use a slang but vigorous expression, espe­
cially when the act implied that he had been mistaken, and
had perhaps rashly accnsed an honest man o f imposture,— all
this would sharpen his perceptions, and he wonld then see
plainly that success in the trial would only add one to a
thousand similar facta all as well attested aB his one could be.
For, after all, what right has he, who reject» the testimony
of M ajor Buckley, o f Earl Stanhope, o f M r. Chandler, and
a hundred other respectable witnesses o f M ajor Buckley's ex­
periments, to expect that his testimony is to be accepted by
other sceptics, because he pays, perhaps reluctantly, a sum
26 On the Theory o f Imagination, ¡¡c.

o f money. The experiment can only be seen by a few, and

the testimony o f these is in no way superior to what we al­
ready have o f the fact.
But we go further, and maintain that those who, bona
fide, are not convinced by the existing testimony, whether
they attribute the result to imposture and collusion, or to
chance, must, i f consistent and logical, and honest, reject
this fact also, unless they have themselves seen it, and this,
o f course, only a few can do. The evidence being, in quality,
precisely the same, cannot satisfy them now, if it failed to
do so b efore; for it was not more, but better, evidence that
they required, and how the money renders it better it is not
easy to see.
Let us only consider bow the existing evidence is received
by sceptics, and we shall see that if they are honest sceptics,
they must and will reject the result o f the challenge. They
are acute enough to perceive that its logical cogency is not
augmented by the money element, and we are persuaded that,
when the desired feat shall have been performed, and some
greedy mesmerist will one day perform it, the honest sceptic
will shake his head and ascribe it to collusion, or to a chance,
a coincidence, as he has done in regard to the recorded factB.
W e do not mean that he who sees this fact may not be con ­
vinced by it, but that his testimony will have no more effect
on those who have not seen it than that o f others who have
seen the same thing without the money has had on himself.
W e predict with confidence, because the money does not
alter the fact, that success in the proposed experiment will
be, and with justice, regarded as not more convincing than
the recorded evidence o f the fact.
But what would happen, in the event o f failure? W e
can hardly doubt that a failure would at once be proclaimed
as for ever settling the question. Indeed it is obvious that
the sceptics who attach so much importance to the challenge
must think so, otherwise tbe experiment could have no value
for them. Y et there cannot be a greater fallacy. In the
first place, a failure to obtain an alleged or expected result
can, logically, prove no more than this, that we have failed;
but by no means that we might not have succeeded, or may
not succeed the next time.
This is seen every day in chemistry. It is very easy to
fail in the simple experiment o f plunging the hand into red
hot melted lead or iron without injury ; but when we know,
and attend to, all the conditions, success is certain. Should
the hand be too dry, or too wet, or be too quickly introduced,
or too slowly, should the lead or iron be not quite hot enough,
 B y Profegsor G regory. 27

(strange to say) the ex perimeuter will fail, and be severely

burned. B n t what would his failure prove? Nay, what
would it prove, i f he should try it a hundred times, and never
succeed, i f another were able to do it with success ? Simply
that he did not know, or did not attend to, ail the conditions
o f success. Every chemist knows, that the finely divided
powder o f platinum, i f a small pinch o f it be thrown into a
mixture o f oxygen and hydrogen gases, all being at the ordi­
nary temperature, heat, a flash o f light and an explosion in­
stantaneously follow the contact o f the powder with the gases.
W e have performed this experiment at least a hundred times
without a single failure, although it is one o f which no satis­
factory explanation has been given. But lately, on repeating
the experiment, with a portion o f the same powder, and with
pure gases, it totally failed iu our hands. B id we couclnde
from this that it had not really occurred before, and that the
apparent success depended on trick or self-deception ? N o I
W e felt sure that some condition had been accidentally neg­
lected. A n d on farther examination it proved, that the cause
o f failure lay in the fact, that on that occasion the powder
happened to be, as well as the gases, colder than usual (iu
consequence o f a sharp frost), by a few degrees, perhaps not
more than five or ten degrees. As soon as this condition was
attended to, by allowing the powder and the gases to acquire
the average temperature, the experiment succeeded with the
very same materials. N ow here failure depended on the
absence o f one apparently insignificant condition j and there
are many others, the absence of which might have equally
caused failure; such, for example, as a trifling impurity o f
either gas, or the accidental exposure o f the powder to cer­
tain vapours, likely enough to float in the atmosphere o f a
laboratory. A nd we might not, in some cases, be able to
detect any cause o f failure; yet it would still remain certain,
that some such cause must exist; and in strict logic, no
number o f failures will suffice to outweigh one unequivocal
instance o f success, failures, at the utmost, can only prove
that we do not know, and therefore have not observed, all the
conditions o f success.
A n d i f this be true in chemistry, how much more must
it hold iu such a subject as that o f somnambulism and lucid
vision, where nearly all the conditions are unknown, and
where the subject o f experiment, the sensitive nervous system,
is exposed to so many causes of disturbance, known and un­
known ! Is it not evident that in such experiments failure
and uncertainty must be far more likely to occur than ^in
those o f chemistry ? A s the best electrical machine, i f moist
28 On the Theory o f Imagination, ifC.

and in a moist air, will fail to give a spark, while at another

time it may yield sparks to the distance o f several inches, so
the human machine is liable to get for the time out o f order,
and to fail to-day in yielding the results which it has yielded
yesterday, and will yield, perhaps, to-m orrow ; and this, very
often, without our being able to discover the reason why.
I f we enquire what are the known causes o f failure or
uncertainty, we shall find the most marked to be variations
in the bodily or mental Btate o f the subject or o f tbe ope­
rator, arising from unknown causes o f disturbance to health;
just as the digestion, the sleep, the artistic or literary powers,
may vary from day to day iu all men, to a greater or less
degree. Secondly; great excitement, whether o f hope, fear,
or other emotions in the subject, which will often annihilate
his powers for the time. Thirdly; the presence and prox­
imity o f many persons, who, especially if themselves excited,
react powerfully, unknown to themselves, on the sensitive
sleeper. F ou rth ly; the presence or proximity o f sceptics, and
especially o f those who entertain strong prejudices, or o f such
as consider the subject an impostor, and perhaps kindly inti­
mate that flattering opinion to him, or in his hearing to
others. W h o can doubt that a sensitive subject, and lucid
subjects must be highly sensitive, must be painfully affected
by this very common circumstance ? Nay, is it not one o f
the alleged facts o f lucidity or sympathy, that the sensitive
often discover, without a word being spoken, the thoughts
and sentiments o f those who approach them ? A nd although
this, like the power o f reading a closed letter, may be denied
by the sceptic, yet the mesmerist knows better, and is at all
events, on his own shewing, entitled to point to this as a
recorded cause o f failure. Some subjects lose all their lu­
cidity if a certain individual be present, even when that
individual is not sceptical; but the approach o f the strongly
prejudiced, and above all o f such as express a bad opinion
o f the subject’s moral character, will affept almost all lucid
subjects unfavourably, and may cause failure. It has hap­
pened, before now, that a sceptic has had his secret thoughts,
although uttered to no one, minutely read to him by the
patient, whose lucidity has thereby been impaired; and that
the sceptic, struck by this, which he knew collusion could not
explain, has investigated for himself and become satisfied o f
the tacts which he had doubted (Deleuze). It has also hap­
pened that a lucid subject has failed to see the contents o f a
box held in the hand o f one who regarded him as an im ­
postor, and has succeeded in doing so, in the presence o f the
same parties, when the box was held by a person who believed
 B y P rofessor G regory. 29

him to b e h o n e s t and lucid. This leads us to observe that it

cannot, in s o m e cases at least, be a matter o f indifference by
what h an d s th e letter o t bank-note to be read has been folded
up aud s e a le d , or the words to be deciphered written. W e
have rep ea ted ly seen subjects so sensitive to bandwritiug, or
to the tra ces left by the hands which had handled an object,
as to b e m u ch confused in their perceptions thereby. W e
have seen som e who experienced most powerful effects from
various handwritings, o f different dates, and always the same
effect from th e same handwriting, i f tried at different times
withont any iudication. W e have seen one subject rendered
rigid and d eaf, and deprived o f all lucidity, every time that
a certain handwriting was tr ie d ; and therefore we think it
probable that, in some cases, failure might be the result, i f
the letter, & c., had been made up or written by certain per­
sons, sceptical or not, but more probably if sceptical or pre­
judiced. T h e last cause o f failure we shall notice as known,
is the exhaustion o f the subject from previous experiments,
or the confusion caused by several different persons having
recently operated on him. This last source o f failure it 1b
com paratively easy to avoid.
N ow every one o f the above known causes o f failure may
o ccu r iu the proposed experiment, and any one might be
sufficient. A n d if these be the kuowu causes o f failure, how
m nny, in a subject so obscure and so little investigated, may
be th e unknown and nnsnspected causes likely to have the
same result 1
I n fact, every experienced mesmerist knows that, in the
higKer or lucid stages o f the mesmeric state, great variations
constantly occur, and failure to do what has been already
done are very frequent. N o such mesmerist, therefore, will
ever d o m ore than undertake to try, and to report faithfully
the result o n any given occasion. It is the sceptic alone
who, not taking the trouble to acquaint himself with the
statements o f the mesmerist, imagines the clairvoyant to be
at all tim es and in all circumstances equally lucid.
" Neqoo semper arctun tendit Apollo.”

It is th e sceptic alone, not the patient observer o f nature,

who regards the clairvoyant as making pretensions to om ni­
science. I f lucidity, in whatever way we suppose it to be
brought about, exist, it amounts to a new sense, or a new
mode o f perception. It may be that an obscure and hitherto
neglected influence or fluid, proceeding from all bodies, is
capable o f penetrating to the seusoriutn commune, or head­
quarters o f sensation, without passing through the usual
30 On the Theory o f Imagination, Sfc.

channels o f sense. It may enter through the solar plexus,

through the nerves o f the scalp, or those o f the hand, or those
o f the general cuticular surface, these nervous parts being in
a peculiarly sensitive state. But i f we can thus acquire a
new sense, why should this be less liable to error than the
old ? Is it not, on the contrary, obvious, that from want of
practice, or from its extreme sensitiveness, it must be more
liable to error and confusion than the ordinary senses?
W e maintain, therefore, that in such trials o f lucidity as
are proposed by the money challengers, failure is a probable
occurrence; decidedly more probable than when no money is
concerned. The lucid subject is naturally excited by the
desire o f success, by the love o f gain, perhaps, (an impure
motive in questions o f scientific fact, which we should do our
best to exclude,) and by the fear o f failure, that is, o f not
gaining the money, and o f being, as he probably would be,
however irrationally, denounced as an impostor. For these,
and the other reasons above given, a failure, on any given
occasion, is not only possible, but probable.
W e maintain, further, that failure, if it occurred, could
prove nothing but that, from not knowing, or not fulfilling
all the conditions o f success, we had failed. It must there­
fore be quite inconclusive; but it would notwithstanding be
regarded, by all whose prejudices overpower their logic, as
setting the question at rest for ever. A nd thus although the
question would remain “ in statu quo ante helium " prejudice
would he fostered, and fallacy more widely diffused.
W e maintain, thirdly, that even success would leave the
question, logically, precisely where it was, and would cer­
tainly not convince those who bona fide reject the recorded
testimony to the fa c t ; nay, could not do so, since it wonld
add nothing to the cogency, and only an unit to the amount,
o f that testimony.
It is true that many persons, not accustomed to strictly
logical reasoning, would be satisfied with the success o f the
trial. But this conviction, not being founded on any real
addition to the evidence, would not be lasting, since, if the
mesmerists did not, the sceptics certainly would, point out
the fallacy o f attaching any logical cogency to the payment
o f a snm o f money.
Since, then, failure and success would be, and must be,
alike inconclusive, challenges o f the nature alluded to ought
not to be accepted. W ere we ever to think o f accepting such
a challenge, however, it wonld only be on the following co n ­
ditions :—
1. The offer o f money must be concealed from the lucid
 B y Profexsor G regory. 31

patient, w h o m ust only suppose that an ordinary experiment

is intended. I t would, we think, be best to arrange that
neither t h e operator nor the patient ahonld have any interest
in the su m offered, which ought to go, in the event o f suc­
cess, to th e Mesmeric Infirmary, o r to any other charity.
Were th e operator personally interested in it, this might
react on th e patient.
2. T h e matter to be read should be printed, taken from a
newspaper o r book, and sealed up by impartial hands. I f a
bank-note, th e same rule applies.
3. T h e scaled packet, letter, envelope, or box, must be
presented to the patient by some person who is either quite
impartial, o r favourably disposed.
4. N o one, except the operator and the person, i f a dif­
ferent on e, who thus presents the object, is to approach near
to, or to tou ch the patient.
5. N o one who is already convinced, without enquiry, and
therefore with prejudice, that the patient is an impostor,
should either be present or in auy way concerned in the ex­
periment.
6. Im partial jndges are to be chosen, who shall see that
the above conditions are attended to, and declare the result.
Lastly, failure is not to be held, as it cannot logically be
held, to d ecide the question o f the truth o f lucid vision.
It will easily be seen that this last condition, which no
logician ca n decline, renders the experiment o f no more
value (as indeed it can have none) than any other experiment
carefully m ade and faithfully reported, as hundreds have been.
And consequently the acceptance o f such a challenge can
have n o g o o d result, either in the case o f success or o f failure,
Bave o n ly as regards the conviction produced in those present
in the e v e n t o f success, in which case it is only one added to
the h u n d red s o f recorded cases. T o accept the challenge,
however, o n any condition short o f that, would be irrational
aud absu rd.

N OTE BY DR E L L IO T S O N .

This v e r y able paper, though instructive to all, is evi­

dently calculated for the inhabitants o f Edinburgh and the rest
of S cotla n d rather than for us southerns. True mesmerism
has very lo n g been steadily making its way all over England.
Demonstrations o f it have for years been given in very nu­
merous tow n s. They have been given among us without end,
from 1 8 3 7 when M . Dupotet had crowded audiences, and
32 On the Theory o f Imagination, fyc.

1838 when numbers thronged weekly to see the Okeys and

many other exquisite mesmeric patients at University College
Hospital r and for several subsequent years I allowed large
parties to witness mesmerism at my own house from time to
time. The Zoist has been regularly published in London
every quarter for nine years; and a Mesmeric Infirmary has
been in activity for two years in London. England is far in
advance o f Scotland in regard to mesmerism : and the con ­
viction o f the truth is genera) among us. Since the phe­
nomena under the false and ridiculous title o f electro-biology
began to be exhibited bere last year, very few among us who
witnessed these exhibitions with the delusive disks and touch­
ings o f certain mysterious spots o f the head and hands, and
deceptive views, thought, in consequence, o f ascribing the
true mesmeric effects to imagination, as so many o f the
Scotch have done, who, up to the hour o f the American exhi­
bitions, were in sad and, in the case o f medical men, dis­
creditable, ignorance o f mesmerism. Even after the publi­
cation o f Dr. Gregory’s mesmeric work, the Duke o f Argyll,
to whom it was dedicated on account o f His Grace having been
continually at Dr. Gregory’ s house to witness phenomena,
assured me that he had not seen a single phenomenon which
was not referable in his opinion to imagination. The Earl
o f Eglinton, who is constantly mentioned as having witnessed
the phenomena shewn by the Americans in Scotland and
become satisfied o f their genuineness, has never got any
further than the Duke o f A rgyll and a host o f other Caledo­
nians, noble, gentle, and plebeian, and is not satisfied that
there are anymcsmeric phenomena independent o f imagination,
as an intimate friend o f mine informs me who is well ac­
quainted and on visiting terms with Lord Eglinton. On the
1st o f April, 1839, a quarterly mesmeric journal was started
at Edinburgh under the title o f The Zoo-M agnetic Journal
(probably by Mr. Colquhoun), but it perished before the end
o f the year. M r. Colquhoun’ s In s R evelala made no im ­
pression upon his countrymen. The Phrenological Journal
o f Edinburgh admitted a review, by a Dr. W eir o f Glasgow,
o f a very nice little work upon mesmerism by the estimable
M r. W illiam Lang, then a bookseller in Glasgow, but now
resident in South A m erica: and Dr. W eir sneered at the idea
o f believing the splendid cases o f the Okeys to be genuine,
and at myself for suffering in the cause o f mesmerism, who
had never heard o f Dr. W eir's name before.*

* See Z o i i t t No. VI., p, 2SS. The Edinburgh phrenologists after this c o n ­

d u ct,so unbefitting a phrenologist or moral philosopher, procured him the ap-
 B y Professor G regory. 33

A t th e e n d of the ninth chapter o f his mesmeric work,

Dr. G r e g o r y sa y s:—
" W hen such men as Sir David Brewster, Sir W. C. Trevelyan,
Sir W . H amilton, Dr, Simpson, Professor Forbes, Professor Bennett,
and Professor Goodsir,— when men like these veterans in science,
though some o f them are young in years, besides many others, have
not only seen the facts, more or less extensively, but admit their
importance, and have personally investigated into some of them, the
time cannot be distant, when the subject o f animal magnetism shall
assume a truly scientific form.” p. 210.
. W it h th e exception o f Sir W . C. Trevelyan and Sir W .
H a m ilton , w h o have long been convinced o f the truth o f
m esm erism , I am not aware that any o f these gentlemen have
gone a step beyond what they call electro-biology, at least in
public p rofession , and it would perhaps have been better
had th ey n o t g o t bo far, as they assert that there are no other
results th a n those o f imagination, and are thus obstructives
to m esm erism by necessarily denying the mighty and endless
facts w h ich th ey must acknowledge to be incapable o f expla­
nation by im agination. The ways o f Dr. SimpBon and Dr.
B e n n ett, and th e fine return they have made for Dr. Gregory*»
very a m ia b le language, are known to the readers of Dr. En-
g led u e’ s article upon them in the last volume o f The Zoist ;
and as to considering them or any o f the other imagination-
ists philosoph ers, I should never think o f such a thing, for a
philosoph er m ust have enlarged views and possess true wis­
dom and m oral dignity. N o benefit has accrued to mesmerism
from a n y o f them, nor is likely ever to accrue. They are
d ogged ly insensible to its splendid facts— their hearts are
hardened a n d their intellect thereby stupified in regard to
it. W e c a n dispense with their aid : and I lament that Dr.
G regory h a s written o f them like a polite professor rather
than a b lu n t plain-speaking Englishman. The steady, honest,
and p a tie n t writers in The Zoist, will, I trust, by continuing
to o b serv e facts and make experiments, and to abstain from
su pernatu ralism , mysticism, and hypothesis, regarding them­
selves as h u m b le interpreters o f nature, establish in due time
the s c ie n t ific bearings o f mesmerism and make it assume
a tr u ly scien tific form,” independently o f these Edinburgh
p rofessors, who have done nothing for us, but much against
us, a n d o n whom, rather than on the patient, aye, and suc­
cessful, labourers o f the last ten years, still humbly labouring,

pomtment o f Phrenological Lecturer in the Andersonian University o f Glasgow.

Such u tuna could of couree tarn the appointment to no accoimt. See Zoitt,
N o. X I I ., p . 543.
VOL. X. D
34 Qn the Theory o f Imagination, fyc.

Dr. Gregory pieces all bis hopes that mesmerism w ill,f assume
a truly scientific form.”
Dr. Gregory is too polite to our opponents at p. 3 3 7 :—
" I t is true that human nature finds it difficult to remain patient
and cool, when not only assailed by bad logic, and met by abuse
instead of argument, but also accused of fraud aud falsehood, though
entirely innocent of such offences. But has not this been the fate
of discoverers and innovators, of the advocates of new truths, in
every age? Do we mend the matter by returning abuse for abuse,
and' by retorting on those who accuse us of deceit, with the charge
of want of candour ? For my part, I think not. I believe the op­
ponents of new ideas to be sincere, though mistaken ; and I do not
so much object to their caution and incredulity in reference to strange
facts, as I am amazed at their boundless credulity in regard to fraud,
which, without hesitation, and without enquiry, they ascribe to
thousands of respectable men.”
But he condemns this course by very properly following
the very opposite at p. 3 0 3 :—
“ The most cautious philosopher has no right absolutely to reject
facts thus attested, because he catmot sec their explanation; and,
above all, he has no right to brand the witnesses with the charge o f
deceit or imposture, without full and careful enquiry. I f he will not,
or cannot, investigate, let him, in decency, be silent. I do not in­
vent; I speak of what happens every day; and I say, that those men
of science who, declining to investigate, have nevertheless fulminated
denial and accusations of falsehood against those who have investi­
gated, have not acted on the golden rule, * Do unto others as ye
would that they should do unto you,’ and their conduct is as illo­
gical and irrational as it is unjust and impolitic.” *
I cannot refrain, however, at this point, from expressing
my admiration o f Dr. Gregory's conduct in standing boldly
and virtuously forth alone in the University o f Edinburgh
for the truth o f mesmerism, as well as o f phrenology, in
spite o f the bitterest and most menacing h ostility: and I
must add that, were all Scotland opposed to mesmerism, its
character would be redeemed by the glorious conduct o f her
noble, high-minded son in India, who, untaught except hy
books, ascertained the truth o f mesmerism in that distant
land, proclaimed its truth there unsupported by any one and
amidst the direst and vilest opposition from his medical breth­
ren, sparing none o f his mean and miserable foes nor flat­
tering even his friends, applied its powers to the cure o f disease
and the prevention o f pain in such gigantic surgical operations
as make all other surgical operations dwindle into littleness,
and performed those gigantic operations in such numbers and
with such success as never before fell to the lot o f man.
* The italic* wro mine.—J. E.
 B y P rofettor Gregory. 35

1 entreat the readers o f Dr. Gregory's paper to refer

to the papers on the same subject in N o. X X X I I I . by
myself: in N o. X X X I V . by m yself: io N o. X X X V . by M r.
Sandby, and also by Dr. E ngledue: and in N o. X X X V I . by
tnyself.
The power possessed over others by means o f the imagi­
nation has never been illustrated better than by Mr. Chandler
in N o. X V I I I . : and by it he rendered an operation painless,
as is m entioned in N o. X X X I I .
A n illustration o f effects without imagination in the case
o f a blind (p. 11) gentleman will be found in a paper by
Mr. Chandler in N o. X X . : and in the case o f an absent
(p. 11) person influenced by M r. H . S. Thompson in N o.
X L , aud in N o. X I I ., p. 477*8: and no more beautiful illus­
tration by sympathy (p. 14) o f taste, smell and touch can be
given than the case o f Mrs. W , Snewing in N o. X X .
In regard to a fact adduced at p. 15, I may mention that
Lord Stanhope informs me that George the Fourth bad an
intense antipathy to cats and suffered from their proxim ity:
and that once, on His going to dine with the late Marquis o f
Hertford when Lord Yarmouth, His host, knowing His idio-
syncracy, had given strict orders to have all cats removed.
But the Prince soon after His arrival became uneasy and de­
clared there must be a cat in the room. Lord Yarmouth
protested that there could not, and that he had given strict
orders for the removal o f every cat. The Prince, however,
continued m iserable: and at last a cat was found accidentally
shut up in some press or closet.

Sir Philip Cramptou was the first among us who proposed

an enclosed bank-note as a test o f clairvoyance.
“ His shewy offer runs thus. We copy it from the Examiner, of
January 17th.
"'B a n k , Henry Street, Dublin, Jan. 7, 1946.
" 1In answer to the numerous inquiries which have been made
respecting the lodgment of a hundred pound note in the Bank o f
Messrs, Ball and Co., to be paid to aoy person, who sball, by the
operation o f mesmerism, describe the particulars of the note, I beg
leave to say that such a lodgment has been made in this bank, and
on the envelope in which it is contained is the following endorse­
ment : " This envelope contains a bank-note for one hundred pounds,
which will immediately become the property of the person who,
without opening the envelope, shall describe, in the presence of
Philip Doyne, Esq., and Sir Philip Crampton, Bart., every particular
of the said note, namely—the sank from which it was issued, the
date, the number, and the signatures attached to it, and who shall
n 2
36 On the Theory o f Imagination, ire.

read a sentence, consisting of a few English words, plainly written,

and which is contained in the same envelope with the half-note/’
“ ' (Signed) James Dudgeon.” *
After all it turns out that Sir Philip Crampton did not
enclose a bank-note but a blank cheque, and they say he
thought it good fun to substitute the one for the other.
M ajor Buckley, in answer to some enquiries, wrote to me
on the 17th o f last December as follows, from B righ ton :—
" Observe at the commencement it is a bank-note, at the conclu­
sion a half-note. This was signed, J. Dudgeon, manager. A friend
of mine, Mrs. Bell, the widow of General Bell o f the Madras Army,
being an acquaintance o f this Mr. Dudgeon, wrote to him on the
subject. His reply (which I hope to shew you when I come to town)
was given to me by Mrs. Bell. He Bays, after stating that a bank­
note for £100 was announced to be within the envelope, that, the
time having expired, the envelope was opened, and, instead of a bank­
note, a blank cheque appeared, thereby proving, &c., &c. In another
part of the letter he says nobody applied to see the envelope, but
various letters were received containing guesses, &c. The newspaper
accounts stated that a cheque, not a bank-note, was taken from the'
envelope, payable to (Edipus, or bearer; and that the Engluh words
with it were, ‘ To CEdipus alone.* ”
Ou M ajor Buckley's return to town in February, he
found Mr. D oyne's letter addressed to Mrs. General Bell,
dated N ov. 20, 1847, Dublin, and the following is an extract
from i t :—
“ I proceed to relate the particulars of the transaction you write
about. Sir Philip Crampton, wishing to prove the vanity and folly
of certain pretenders to a power of divination and clairvoyance called
mesmeric agents, or under its influence, put advertisements in many
newspapers ofFering the amount of the bank-note enclosed in a sealed
paper left at our bank (which was stated to be one for £100) to any
mesmeriser who would guess its number and date. We bad innu­
merable answers, all written with great confidence and assurance of
success, and from all quarters of the globe, &c. When the stipulated
time, six months, arrived, the paper was opened, and in lien of a
bank-note appeared a blank cheque. Thus realizing the full expecta­
tion of Sir Philip, and disappointing many dreamers; but nothing is
too absurd for this age.”
I may mention that, having heard that M r. Saunders had
tried the powers o f a boy on the occasion o f the bank-note
affair, I wrote to him, and received the following reply:—
*' I, Upper Portland Place, Clifton, Bristol,
"D e c. 19, 1851.
“ Dear Sir,— Having occasion to put my boy, John Brooks,
* Zottt, Ho. X III., p, 155: see also p. HO.
 Mesmerism in Australia. S7

who worked for me in my garden, into the mesmeric state for the
purpose o f obtaining some information from him relative to my little
boy, who was very ill; and after he had prescribed for him a medi­
cine which restored him, though the medical gentleman who attended
him was unable to do further for him, the subject o f Sir Philip
Crampton’ a enclosure being mentioned, I was induced to ask Brooks
a few questions relative to it, and the following is verbatim.
“ D o you know that some one in Ireland has put some money in
a sealed envelope?—Yes; I do.
" Can yon tell me the number of the note in the envelope T—
There ke’nt no note at all.
*' Nonsense; yon’ er wrong: look again : there is a note— a hun­
dred pound note f —I say there a’nt.
What is there, then ?— Why, a piece of paper with letters on,
like you sends down to the bank ; a cheque, I think yon do call it.
“ Nonsense; yon are a stupid fellow, and so wake up.
“ Upon this, thinking he was quite wrong, I woke him up, and
thought no more of the matter.
“ I remain, dear Sir, in haste,
*' Yours obediently,
" Dr, Elliotson. “ S. D. S aunders .
“ The above took place when 1 resided at Ivy Cottage, Syn-
combe, Bath.”

I I . Mesmerism in Australia, Benefit in curved Spine, in

H y steria : Clairvoyance and other phenomena. By Dr.
M o t h e r w e l l . Communicated by Dr. Elliotson.
11 I t happens that D r . D avey had written a sm all w ork on insanity, b efore his
election at C oln ey H atch, in which he broached som e unw ise n otions respecting
the m es m e r ic f o d y ; but these were attributed and excused b y his friends as the
result o f absence from E ngland in a rem ote part o f the w orld . T he unavoidable
inference (from D r . D avey’ s answers t o Serjeant W ilk in s) is that the entire me­
dical p rofession, excep t the few sim pletons w h o follow the ra v in g s o f E lliotson ,
A sh burnor, and w o suppose w e must add, D r . D avey, are n ot right-m inded,*’ —
M r. W aelut , L a n c e t, J an . 2 4 , 1852.
“ I f they were to agree to this, they w ould then have an application to perm it
m esm erism to b e perform ed and all other sorts o f n o n sen se in that r o o m .'1—
A lderm an S in F a n s Laurie's (the K n igh t) speech, J an . 3 , 1 852, at the M a ry -
tebone V estry in op p osition to a request that the M sry leb on e Financial and P ar­
liamentary R eform Asaocintion b e allow ed to m eet in the V estry R o o m . D a ily
N e w s , J an . 5 , 1 8 5 2 .*

* T h is sagacious and unobtrusive A lderm an is the uncle o f the sagacious and

unobtrusive M r , L a u rie who figures in the m otto to D r. G reg o ry ’ s article : and
rem inds m e, whenever I see bis speeches in the papers, o f the sagacious and u n ­
obtrusive Prsetor o f Fnn dos, A nd d ins L nscns, w hom H ora ce, M w oenas, and the
rest o f the party laughed at in their trip to Brundnatnm , as he stepped o u t to
them with all his trappings o f office,
“ Fnndos A u fld io L u s co P n etore iibenter
L ioq u im u s, inbani r id e n te s p r e m ia S c r i is ,
P n eterta m , et latum els ru m , prunseque batU lum .”
H o r a c e , I t e r a d B ru n d u siu m , Sat. i. v.
38 Mesmerism in Australia,

To Dr. Elliotson,
Collins Street, Melbourne, Sept. 1 0 ,1 8 5 1 .
M r dear Sir,— I hare been much gratified by the receipt
o f your letter acknowledging m y communication* containing
the statement o f a clairvoyant relative to Sir J. Franklin; I
was pleased to find that the opinions which I had formed
about clairvoyance were similar to those which I imagine you
(having had so much more experience) entertain. That mes­
merism is true there can be no doubt. I have here a boy who
exhibits the most convincing proof o f its benefit as a curative
agent, and o f some o f its truly wondrous phenomena. He
was brought to me more than twelve months ago with spinal
curvature (antero-posterior) about the seventh and adjoining
dorsal vertebra) he was then pale, weak, unable almost to
w alk; his muscles soft, flabby, attenuated; his stomach scarce
able to retain any food, and his breathing so short and hur­
ried that he could not make the slightest exertion; i f he at­
tempted any, he used to be seized with such severe pain round
the margin o f his ribs that he fell down under its intensity.
I commenced to mesmerise him, and in about half an hour
induced sleep. I continued to mesmerise him daily, and
upon each occasion the sleep was induced in a shorter time :
he used to sleep for one or two hours, and always awoke much
refreshed. In about a fortnight there was a most perceptible
change for the better, his appetite had much improved, some
colour began to appear in his cheeks, and the expression o f
the countenance was more animated. H e is now, and has
been for the last nine months, able to run about and exercise
him self; his appetite is g ood ; the general appearance is that
o f a hoy in excellent health, except that the muscular deve­
lopment is not robust from its having been so long feeble and
attenuated; the spinal curvature is less apparent, not that I
think the spine has become more straight, but, because the
curvature has not continued to increase with htB growth, and
as he is some inches taller, the deformity is leas apparent,*!
During the progress o f the treatment various phenomena
were observed. H e could see to read any book or paper,
though the eyelids were closed, except when I held them
open to shew the eyeballs, which were upturned, and the
cornea was directed towards the centre o f the forehead. I have
put all kinds o f bandages over the e y e s ; I have strapped
down the eyelids with sticking plaster; I have put a mask
over the face, having all its apertures closed except an open­
ing o f about the size o f a shilling corresponding to the centre
* N o. X X X I I I .
t See M r . M o tt's successful cases, N o . X X V I I I .
 Metmerutn m Australia. 39
o f the f o r e h e a d , and »¡ill he read« whatever u placed before
turn. H e t e lls me that that part o f his forehead becomes
bright a n d lum inous, and that he sees through it. I f I put
a sm all p i e c e o f paper or my finger upon that spot, be can­
not see a n y th in g , even though I leave the eyes and the rest
o f the f a c e uncovered. I need not say that this is a complete
stag gerer t o th e sceptics in mesmerism. H e can select from
any n u m b e r o f others the metals which I handle, or the
glass o f w a te r I mesmerise. W h en thrown into the mes­
m eric s le e p h e tells me that he sees a bright light issuing from
the e n d s o f m y fingers, and points to the course o f the nerves
as t h e y lie o n each side o f the fingers. A fter mesmerising
him f o r s o m e tim e he says that the entire o f my hands become
q u ite b rig h t and luminous— that this light passes to him and
floats a ro u n d him— that it gradually passes into his body, and
w h en it h aa all passed in that he wakens up, he cannot re­
m ain lo n g e r asleep; that he has the power o f taking m this
ligh t faster o r Blower into his body as he chooses, and hence
his pow er o f waking up in one minute, or ten, or twenty,
a ccord in g ly as 1 desire him. One evening that I had him with
m e at m y frien d Major Davidson’ s, where there were several
guests t o witness these wonderful facts, he astonished us by
saying w h ile in the mesmeric sleep, "D o c to r , I can waken
m yself, a n d put myself to sleep again.” I told him to do
s o ; u p o n w hich he made a few upward passes with his hands,
opened his eyes, and appeared in his perfectly natural state.
I told him to put himself to sleep, and by making a few
passes w ith his hands from the top o f his head downwards
over th e face he passed into the mesmeric state,— able to
do things which a moment before he could not do in the
natural state. H e told me in explanation o f this phenomenon
which I had never before heard or read of, that by the up­
ward passes he removed this fluid, atmosphere, influence,
light, or whatever be its proper designation, from before his
face, and that it was accumulated on the top o f the head;
and that when he wanted to go to sleep again he drew it
downwards over the face. Unless I had mesmerised him in
the first instance, he could not do these th ings; he could
not w aken and put himself to sleep, until I had mesmerised
him afresh. This boy’ s hand and arm are made cataleptic if
he tou ch es brass or any metal which I have not handled; he
can latterly make the entire body cataleptic by his will, and
it is tru ly wonderful to see the entire body becoming per­
fectly rig id whenever he chooses. I was surprised at another
phenom enon which I had not heard or read of, viz,, his
power o f resisting my wish to make any part o f him cata-
40 Mesmerism in Australia.

leptic. I had been iu the habit o f rendering his legs or arms

cataleptic by my downward passes; but one day he made with
one hand an upward pass along the opposite arm, and then
said, “ Doctor, yon cannot now make that arm stiff.“ I tried
and tried and tried in vain, until he made a downward pass,
and then I could as before make the arm cataleptic by my
downward passes. I f I made the arm cataleptic by my down­
ward passes, and he then made a downward pass, I could
not remove the cataleptic state by upward passes until he first
made an upward pass. - Another curious phenomenon that I
have observed is, that i f I place one hand on bis bead and
keep it there for a minute, aud I then complete the circuit
by touching any part of his body with my other hand— his
legs, arms, feet, back, or any part, he feels as if aD electric
shock had passed through from one o f my hands to the oth er;
and be cannot prevent himself making an involuntary jerk or
twitch which he makes each time the circuit is completed.
A s to clairvoyance, I firmly believe in it. I am perfectly
satisfied that the clairvoyants whom I have seen here, told
most truly what appeared to them ; that there was no fraud
or attempt to deceive on their part; that mixed up with much
that was true and accurate, there were mauy errors, but that
these errors were caused by their inability to comprehend,
describe, or explain what appeared to them. For instance,
the barque Nelson was expected to arrive here and was over­
due. I had a chart belonging to the captain o f the vessel,
aud without telling anything to the clairvoyant, I placed the
chart.in her hand, and asked her to tell me where the owner
o f it was. She said it (the chart) took her over the sea to a
vessel; that she saw the owner o f it in that vessel; that she
saw the vessel sailing towards this land. Asked in how many
days it would be here; she replied, that she saw the figure 5 :
asked upon what day of the week it would arrive; she said
she saw Sunday. W ell, the vessel did arrive here upon the
following Sunday— the fifth day. Upon another occasion, I
procured a watch belonging to a gentleman who was return­
ing to this colony from England. The ship in which he had
sailed was overdue, and some anxiety was felt about its safety.
I placed the watch in the hands o f the same clairvoyant,
and asked her could she see the owner o f it. A fter a short
pause she said, “ y e s;” she saw him riding in this country
with another gentlem an; and was proceeding to trace him
when I interrupted her, by asking if that was at the present
time. She repeated, “ the present time,” and then after a
pause said, “ W ell, doctor, when I look for him at the present
tim e,. this (the watch) takes me to the sea shore and over the
 Mesmerism m Australia, 41

sea to a vessel where I see h im ; he is talking to a lady (he

had his daughter on board with h im ): the vessel is sailing
towards this land.” I asked her when would it arrive. She
replied that she saw the figure 4. I asked what that m eant;
and she said she did not know, but supposed it meant four
days. I asked upon what day o f the week it would arrive,
and she said she saw Saturday. It was on the Tuesday that
this occurred, and I concluded that the vessel would arrive
on the following Saturday— the fourth d a y ; but that day
came, and passed, and no vessel arrived. I mesmerised her
again, and sought an explanation, and she said she Btill saw
the figure 4, and Saturday as the day ou which the vessel
wonld arrive. W ell, in about a fortnight afterwards the
vessel did arrive on a Saturday the 4th day o f the m on th ;
this may be considered a coincidence, but I do not think so,
as I attribute the error to her inability to understand what
she saw, and I attach value to her persistance in adhering to
the day and figure that she first saw, though it appeared to
be quite incorrect according to our surmise as to the mean­
ing o f that day and date. Upon another occasion I gave her
a letter which had been'written to me by some relatives who
were com ing to this place by the H arpley. She had traced
them from the time that they left home, and saw them on
board a ship which she saw sailing towards this land. One
evening she told me that she saw the vessel sailing on, and
that they were not far from this land. On the following day,
a vessel arrived from England, which had sailed thence after
the H arpley, and it brought the intelligence that a bottle
had been picked up on the English coast, which contained a
few lines from one o f the passengers, stating that the Harpley
had foundered at sea soon after leaving England. I mesmer­
ised her immediately, before she heard o f this intelligence,
and asked her about the H arpley. She said she saw it sailing
on, and approaching nearer to this land, I then told her o f
the intelligence that had arrived; and she said, " I will look
again.” After a pause she said, ” Doctor, I may be wrong,
and the intelligence correct; but I see the vessel in which the
persons who wrote this letter arc, sailing at the present time,
and not far distant from this land.” In a short time after­
wards the vessel, the H arpley, in which these persons were,
arrived here in safety. There were many, very many things
told by her which clearly shewed that there was not cerebral
sympathy exercised.
One evening Dr. Howitt brought to my house a small
piece o f w ood ; no person except he and I knew what it waB.
I placed it in her hauds and asked, did she know what it was ?
42 Mmmerism in Australia.

She replied, " Y e s ; a piece o f wood.” “ W ell,” »aid 1,

“ trace that, from the time it was growing as a tree up to the
present time.1' She said she was taken by it (the piece o f
wood) across the sea to another land where she saw the tree
growing. She described the appearance o f the tree, the
leaves, and fruit, which were those o f an o a k ; she saw it
felled, stripped o f its bark, and the branches lopped o ff; she
saw them about to remove its trunk, and she saw persons
having the dress and appearance o f sailors amongst them : it
waB brought to the sea shore, and she saw a ship at anchor
near it, on board o f which this log o f timber was brought.
The ship sailed away from that land. A fter sailing for some
time, she saw some commotion on board— something was
wrong. She saw smoke, afterwards flames, issuing from the
h o ld ; all the men got into boats, and left the ship. She
remained with the s h ip : it seemed to sink to a level with
the water, but did not go lower, as she thinks that the men
must have done something to the ship before they left it,
which prevented i t : they had let water into the ship in some
way. A fter a time she saw a large ship approaching, and
she knew it was a man of war, as she saw cannon on board,
and a number o f men, some o f them dressed in uniform.
They sent a boat to the ship where she was, and after look­
ing about the deserted vessel, they returned to their own
sh ip ; that she saw them looking at this piece o f timber, and
that it was afterwards taken on board the man o f w a r: she
went with the timber. The man o f war then sailed away,
and she saw it approaching land which she knew was England.
She saw this timber brought on shore; she saw it cut up into
planks, and the piece which she had in her hand was a por­
tion o f one o f the planks, which was used in the construction
o f a large ship which she saw building. She saw that vessel
com pleted; she described its launching, the crowds o f per­
sons to witness it, the firing o f cannon, and the huzzaing and
shouting. She then described its being rigged, masts and
sails put into it, cannon put on board, and this vessel going
to sea. After some time she described seeing a smaller
vessel as appearing in the distance, and its trying to escape
from the vessel which she was in. She saw them firing cannon
at each o th er; but at length the smaller vessel was overtaken,
and she saw men from the larger ship going on board o f her,
and the crew taken out o f it and sent on board the big
vessel; then they separated. The big ship in which she re­
mained, continued sailing up and down within sight o f the
land. She saw vessels between it aud the shore. The big
ship seemed to be waiting for them to come out from the
 Mesmerism in Australia. 48

land; b u t t h e y seemed afraid to d o so. A fter some tim e she

saw th ree o r f o u r come out, and fire at the big ship in which
she w a s ; b u t a s it approached them they went in closer to
the land a g a i n . Afterwards she saw two vessels sailing away
from th e s h i p she was in, and which was trying to overtake
them— t h a t t h e r e was a great deal o f firing, but the vessels
got away f r o m her. Afterwards she saw the ship she was in
a p p ro a ch in g la n d , which she knew was E ngland; that she
anchored t h e r e ; that great crowds o f persons came on board,
and w ere s e l l i n g things to the men on board. She saw the
vessel l e a n i n g very much to one sid e ; she thought that was
caused b y a l l t h e cannon being put to one s id e ; she saw men
doing s o m e t h in g to the other side o f the vessel. After a
m om ent s h e said, “ Doctor, do you know that is very dan.
geron s; f o r I see the ship leaning over more and more, but
th e y 'd o n o t seem to be aware o f it. A h ! there is one o f
them l o o k in g over the side, he seems to be aware o f the
d a n g e r; I s e e him going and speaking to another person, but
he appears t o have got some answer that does not please him,
for he w alks away qnite sulky.looking. O h ! the water is
rushing in to th e vessel, and she is sinking : I am going down
with her. O h ! what a number o f fish there are swimming
about and ea tin g the dead bodies: that is dreadful; there is
nothing left b u t boneB aod skeletons. I think they are try.
in g to get th e vessel up again, for I see large hook things let
down to try and lay hold o f the vessel, but they are not able
to d o so. 1 see them letting down something like a barrel;
what can th at be for ? Oh ! I see smoke coming out o f it,
and it causes such a com motion, throwing up the mud and
sand, and tearing the vessel to pieces. It has something to
do, I know, with gunpowder, but how can that be under
water ? I have come up to the surface o f the water with this
piece o f w ood , and it is floated on shore ; I see a sailor pick­
in g it up.” Then and fo r the first tim e was she told that that
piece o f w ood was a portion o f the R oyal George, which sunk
at Portsm outh many, many years ago.
I have n o t given this account in the voluminons and de­
scriptive m anner that she did. It could not have been cere­
bral sym pathy, as neither Dr. H owitt nor I could have
imagined su ch a detail. I f it was a dream, it was one o f the
best con n ected that I ever heard. The clear manner in which
it was d eta iled bore the impress o f troth, as i f all the events
were p assin g in review before her. Some time afterwards I
was m en tion in g what I have just narrated to my friend.
M ajor D avidson, who said, “ W ell, doctor, I have something
that I sh o u ld wish to give her to trace, and no person in this
44 Mesmerism in Australia.

colony except m yself knows anything about i t ” I said,

“ V ery well, Major, we’ ll try her with it,” H e was going to
tell me about it, but I said, “ N o, Major, I would rather
know nothing about i t : bring it yourself, and we’ ll hear what
she says.” That evening the M ajor came to m y house, and,
after I had mesmerised her, he put into her hand a small
box such as is used for holding apothecaries’ weights and
scales. I asked her to trace that wood from the time it was
growing as a tree. She said, “ W ell, it (the box) takes me
over the sea to another land, and I see a fine c it y ; but I do
not stop th ere; I am brought a long way into the country,
and I now see the tree growing before me.” Asked to de­
scribe the place : “ It is growing in an extensive plain, and I
see a large river near it” (most correct), Asked to describe
the tree; its height, leaves, and what kind o f seed it bore.
She gave to the Major’ s great satisfaction a most perfect de­
scription of the teak tree; its thick large leaves, its remark­
able seed, and their curious envelope. H e said that the box
was brought by him from Gualpara, on the bank o f the Bur-
hampooler, in the interior o f India, and that he had been to
Calcutta in his route to this colony. M ajor D . then asked
her were there many more trees o f the same kind j and she
replied, “ W ell, I have looked for miles around, and though
I see a great many trees, I cannot see another o f this kind ”
(most correct). " N o w ,” said the Major, " can you tell me
how did that tree come by its death j by the saw, or the axe,
or by what means?” She said, “ W ell, when you asked me
that question, I saw the tree lying on the ground with its
roots torn u p ” (most correct, said the M ajor). The tree was
uprooted by the force o f the wind. She saw it out into
pieces, and a tall black mau making this box out o f one o f
them. Asked how he made it? She said she saw him using
carefully some small instruments which he held in his hand,
and which she could not see p la in ly; that she did not under­
stand i t ; but that she did not see him using any planes or
chisels in making it, and that she did not see any glue about
the place. The box was made out o f a solid piece o f wood,
having its cavity dug out.
I could tell you many more instances o f this most ex­
traordinary power, but I fear I have been already too p rolix;
I have experienced deep regret at being deprived o f the means
o f further observation, in consequence o f her friends wishing
that she should not be mesmerised any more, as she is cured
o f the intense headaches for which she was first mesmerised.
Tbey disappeared entirely after the fourth time o f being mes­
merised, and I continued to mesmerise her for the sake o f
 Mesmerism in A ustralia, 46

further investigation and observation. Being a person o f

pare, moral, excellen t disposition, in whose truth and integrity
I could rely, I received with implicit confidence and belief
whatever she to ld me, satisfied that if there were errors and
inaccuracies th e y did not proceed from any gnile or deceit on
her p a rt; and now , after more than twelve months acquaint­
ance with her, I am more firmly confirmed in my belief.
A part from th e many cases where mesmerism has cured
the disease fo r which the person was mesmerised, I have
derived very great assistance from the opinions o f a clair­
voyant in poin tin g out remedies for other patients. N ow
this may be deem ed unprofessional by a host o f foolom eters,
(as the Rev. S ydney Smith calls a certain class o f men,) but,
though possessing higher testimonials than the generality o f
medical men, I do not despise acquiring further information
even though it does not flow through the ordinary channels
o f medical literature, and have the sanction o f a Brodie, a
Copland, a C larke, or a Cham bers; as long as I possess the
“ M ens conscia recti ” I shall make use o f every information,
no matter fro m what source it comes, provided it is likely to
prove o f ben efit to my patient.
For instan ce, a short time before I came to this city, one
o f the ch ildren o f a clergyman had died after a protracted
illness o f an affection o f a most obscure character: after
some tim e another o f the children was similarly affected, and
I was called into consultation: in spite o f our combined
medical know ledge the disease was baffling our skill, and
making p rogress: I was induced, from seeing the successful
result o f rem edies pointed out by a clairvoyant in other cases,
to try her in-this, I placed a lock o f the child’ s hair in her
hands, w ithout telling her whose it was, or anything About
the case, a n d I was confident that she knew not whose hair
it was. S h e told me the appearance o f the child, pointed
out the seat o f his disease, though she could not describe
what it w a s ; but said that she saw that the boy could be
cured i f medical galvanism were used. W ith the consent o f
the other m edical gentleman iu attendance, 1 used the means
pointed o u t, and the child soon recovered. After some months,
when the ch ild had a slight return o f the complaint, the same
remedy w as used with a like successful result. Now this
remedy h ad never been thought o f by us until mentioned by
the clairvoyant. Many, many are the cases where 1 have
derived benefit from the suggestion o f a clairvoyant: and,
where I fin d the remedies so recommended to be rational and
feasible, I do not hesitate to give them a trial, and I must
candidly confess that I have always found them beneficial.
46 Mesmtrimn in AuttraJia.

I f a clairvoyant were to point out remedies which I thought

would be injurious; I should not use them.
I have already occupied too much o f your time, or I could
give you many cases o f extraordinary cures by mesmerism
where all other means had failed. O f its curative powers
there can be no doubt, except in the minds o f those obsti­
nate sceptics who are determined to live and die in their
ignorance and unbelief, rather than to witness the truth and
be obliged to relinquish their ill-adopted opinions and confess
their errors. But I must detail to you one case, as it appears
to me to bear upon some statements o f Dr. Todd’ s, respecting
what he calls " hysterical coma,” which appeared in a lecture
o f his, where he made most uncourteous allusion to you, and
strove with a puny effort to cast a stigma on your honest
exertions to elucidate animal magnetism, o f which so little is
yet known,— to support its truths despite the foul aspersions
and calumny o f a tribe o f egotistic or malignant scribblers.
A nd to make known to the world the great curative agency o f
mesmerism, by which so much relief can be afforded to your
suffering fellow-creatures. .
1 was called upon one evening, in the absence o f Dr.
H ow itt: to see one o f his patients, she was suffering from
hysterical fits with convulsions o f an epileptic character.
She was about 18 years o f age. Uterine functions were
deranged, and had been for more than two years. She was
subject to these periodical attacks. I prescribed the usual
means adopted by medical men, and after Borne time the fits,
&c., subsided with a copious discharge o f the renal secretion
and profound sleep. 1 prescribed, in the intervals, tonic and
mild aperient medicines, under which the general health
appeared to improve, though she was still affected with
these periodic S ts: but, as her friends were accustomed to
them, I did not hear about her for some months, until, from
the omission o f these medicines, she was attacked with fits
which assumed the rigid form. W hen the fit seized her,
she became quite insensible, rigid, and cataleptic; in this
state she would remain from twenty to thirty m inutes;
then, with a heavy sigh, the spasmodic state would change
into an apparently comatose condition; and, after an interval
o f ten or twelve minutes, a tremor would pass through her
frame, and another fit o f catalepsy would succeed. She con ­
tinued thus from eight o’ clock, p.m., until two o ’clock, a.m.,
when her parents, being alarmed at the continuance o f tbis
state and its appearance being so unlike what they bad
hitherto seen, sent into town for me. W hen I arrived, she
was apparently in the comatose state, but soon became cata-
 Mesmerism in Australia. 47

leptic. I com m en ced to mesmerise her by long passe* from

the head dow nw ards, and it was most gratifying to observe in
about th re e m inutes that the cataleptic state was passing o f f ;
soon th e lim b s became quite pliant, and the expression o f the
features ch a n g e d to those o f a person in a calm and tran­
quil s lu m b er. A s I thought that this was natural sleep,
I co n tin u e d to make the passes to try and induce the mes­
meric s le e p . A fter about twenty minutes, I tried i f I could
produce r ig id ity o f on e o f the arms by making passes along
it, and fo u n d that I could make it quite rigid, and then by
some rev erse passes that I could remove this rigidity. This
p h en om en on m ade m e conclude that she was under the in­
fluence o f m esm erism ; and the fact o f my being able to re­
move t h e rigidity by some reverse passes, marks, I think,
the d istin ction between the natural rigidity with which she
was first affected, and the mesmeric rigidity which I could
produce a n d remove at pleasure. I then spoke to her, and
was p lea sed t o find that she replied. She said she was very
c o m fo r ta b le ; that she was asleep; and quite free from pain
which h ad been most acute in her head. Her mother and
sisters sp ok e to her, but she heard them n o t ; they were not
placed en rapport with her. As she said it did not annoy her,
I co n tin u ed to converse with her j and, amongst other things,
I asked her, could Bhe see any means or suggest any medi­
cines that would cure her, she said, “ Oh 1 y e s ; if this
(mesm erism) was done often enough it would quite core m e /'
X asked w hat she meant by often enough. She said, “ I f it
was d on e tw ice in the week for one month I would be quite
w ell."
O h ! th a t the members o f the medical profession would
on ly see w ith their own eyes, and judge for themselves o f the
great truths o f mesmerism, and not allow their minds to he
influenced, and their judgment perverted by the malevolent
and m endacious assertions o f a W akley, a Bushnan, a Dilke,
or a M a rtin , and such like bold daring propagators o f false­
hood, to conceal their own ignorance, or prop up their ex­
pressed and preconceived opinions, from which, for the sake
o f m aintaining an ill-judged consistency, they dare not re­
cant. H ow dastardly and contemptible does the conduct o f
Dr. M . H a ll appear, in making a false statement about a
poor, b u t honest, man (W om beU ;) and, when detected and
contradicted in the clearest manner, not possessing the manly
candour a n d honesty o f admitting his error, but striving to
palm o ff th e invention by various reflex movements on some
nam eless unknown originator.
H o w m uch more successful would have been Dr. Bush-
48 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled,

can's efforts to write himself into notoriety if he had kept

his appointment with you. and witnessed some o f the phe­
nomena of mesmerism, instead of wielding his pen in so bad
a cause, and declaiming with bitter and senseless invective
against a subject o f which he was so profoundly ignorant.
I f a trivial operation at the Free Hospital, however ill-advised
and tediously performed, were to be recorded, in order to
drag before public notice the assumed merits and skill o f the
operator, because he was a scion o f the house o f W akley,
with what fulsome panegyric would it be blazoned forth in
the venal pages o f the Lancet, stripped o f the purity o f truth,
and veiled in the garb o f mendacity and delusion, " a d cap-
tandum vulgus.” W hat cheering consolation that charitable
benevolent Hakim, Dr. Copland, gives to his sick patients,
who, in dread o f a surgeon's knife, wearied out with wake­
fulness, or suffering acute bodily pain, hear him pronounce
in his blandest and most soothing tones, “ That pain is a wise
provision o f nature, that they ought to suffer pain while the
surgeon is operating, that they are alt the better fo r it, and
recover b e t t e r Verily, such opinions uttered by one of the
Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society, and listened to, and
countenanced by others o f its members, including the great
Caesar himself, will doubtless cause the name o f the society
to be handed down to posterity, not as having conferred great
benefits to science or society, but as a beacon to warn others
against the dangers o f arrogance, intolerance, and blinded
scepticism.
O f course you may make whatever use you choose o f
anything I write to you. O f the cases which I have written,
they are fa cts: “ vera esse affirmo.” * Should you wish it
I shall send for The Zoist some remarkable cases o f paralysis
and chronic rheumatism which have been cured by m e ; and
which I can get testified to by the patients themselves and
their friends.
Believe me, my dear Sir, to remain,
Yours very truly,
J. B . M otherw ell .
T o Dr. Elliotson, Conduit Street.

I l l , The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled. Communicated by

Mr. A cland .
“ ' I have remarked certain laws, which God has so established in nature and
of which he has impressed such notions on our souls, that, after having sufficiently
reflected on them, tne s h a l l n o l o n g e r d o u b t t h a t t h e y h a s t l e e n e x a c t l y o b s e r v e d
in a l l w h i c h e x i s t s , o r h a s b e e n c r e a t e d in t h e w o r l d ' — Descartes, M e t h o d , p. 5.
* Dr. Elliotson’e H a r c r io n O r a tio n , p, 3d.
 The Galvanic Disc Delusion dispelled. 49

“ The sublim e »udicity o f the attempt atmoat makes os forget, for a moment,
its presumption ; but, as ire reflect on the immense accumulations of a acore of
sciences ( h a l f o f t h e m b o r n s i n c e D e s c a r t e s ' ¿ a y ) , and still how imperfectly,—
separately o r conjointly,— they unlock the mysteries of nature j flow t i t t l e m a n
y t t k n m c t , c o m p a r e d m i t h w h e t remain* t o h e inoicn b y p a t i e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ,—
we are soon recalled to amazement rather at the temerity than the courage of the
philosopher. H ow tittle, we are ready to exclaim, can even the mind of a
Descartes' anticipate, of the profundities of the universe ; and how worthy is that
cardinal maxim o f Bacon, o f being deeply engraven on man's memory, as a
leesou o f hum ility as-well as truth in philosophy, ‘ t h a t t h e s u b t l e t y o f »atari
f a r t r a n s c e n d s t h e s u b tle ty o f e ith e r t e n s e o r in t e ll e c t .' Viewed, in comparison
with the actual accumulations of modem science, the rude mechanical, and
■tiil ruder chem ical hypotheses, by which Descartes explains so many cosmical
and physiological mysteries, appear even ludicrous” — E d i n b u r g h S e o i e t e , January,
18&2 ; p, 2 1 .

A L e c t u r e was delivered, on the 5th o f Feb., 1852, at the

City o f L o n d o n Institution, Aldersgate Street, by M r . George
Swan N o tta g e , a member, for the purpose o f demonstrating
that the m eta llic discs as electrical agents in what is termed
e le ctro-b iolog y are needless and delusive, and that all results
attributed t o them can as successfully be produced without
them . G eorg e Smith, Esq., o f Regent Street, one o f the
managers o f the institution, presided. The following lecture
will shew th e circumstances in which it waa delivered.

" L ad ies a n d Gentlemen,—

" X have a very plain, simple, and straightforward coarse o f action
before m e th is evening; so simple, that the merest child can com ­
prehen d it, w hile the subject upon which it will be brought to bear
is on e o f th e most profound which can occupy the attention o f the
p h ilosop h er. A subject so subtle and occult, that men o f the most
g ib e d in tellect who have studied it laboriously for years, and whose
collection o f facts for induction is most extensive, are the first to
ack n ow led ge their own comparative ignorance. Like Sir Isaac
N ew ton , when speaking o f his astronomical discoveries, they feel, as
i f th ey had m erely picked up a few shells and pebbles upon the shore
o f tru th , w hile the vast ocean before them lies still unexplored.
“ I m ig h t fairly be accused o f presumption i f I had put myself
forw ard to occupy this prominent position, to prove in public that
w h ich c o u ld as satisfactorily have been proved in private. It will,
however, be iu the recollection o f the audience, or rather o f those
w h o were present at M r. Fiske’ s lecture, on the last M onday but one
in January, that I expressed a decided opinion that the zinc and
copper d iscs, used in what is termed electro-biology, had no such
pow er as h ad been ascribed to them, and the remarkable results
could, as successfully, be produced without them. This conclusion
was form ed by a little reasoning on the matter, and subsequently
confirm ed b y actual experiment. I thought it only due to the
audience w h o were so much interested iu this subject, to make known
to th em th is result, and also to ask for M r. Fiske’ s explanation.
The rep ly I got was: 'th a t those whom I had influenced without the
vox.- x . E
50 The Galvanic Disc Delusion dispelled.

zm c and copper were naturally in a "b iolog ica l11 condition.1 The
obvious enquiry after so singular a solution o f the difficulty was, what
accounted for all my patients being naturally biological white his
(M r. Fiske's) were not assumed or held to be so? T o this rejoinder
I only got the rep ly : * that it was very strange, but so it was.1 O f
course I was not satisfied with this solution, and further investiga­
tion and experiments only made me less so. On the following
Monday, I informed M r. Fiske, in the presence o f the audience after
the lecture was concluded, that I had overwhelming evidence that
the discs as electrical agents were delusive; and for the purpose o f
investigating the matter fully, I proposed to iovite aU the gentlemen
that were under the alleged disc influence that evening, to meet me
for the purpose o f ascertaining whether Z could not in every respect,
in principle and in detail, produce the same results toilhout these
galvanic influences, I further proposed that two well known impar­
tial members o f the institution should be appointed to fill the office
o f arbitrators, for the purpose o f severely investigating and testing
this matter, and that they should be requested to report the result o f
their examination on the following Monday. Presuming o f course
that all parties were eager to find the truth o f the matter, I thought
this an unexceptionable arrangement. It waa however declined, and
instead o f an answer, the lecturer replied, by Btating he would give
me ¿£100 i f I could perform a biological experiment by mesmerism.
O f course such an offer was very tempting, and I asked for a defini­
tion o f terms. I was told that the lecturer was not there to define
terms. O f course my prospects o f the ¿£100 were blighted. I then
put the home question, ‘ Can you, M r. Fiske, perform any experi­
ments with these discs which I cannot perform viithout them ? The
reply I got was: ‘ I had better hire the hall, and pay for it as he had
d on e!1 This pseudo challenge which was intended as an 'ex tin ­
guisher’ had precisely the contrary effect, and satisfied o f the justice
o f my cause, and the reality o f my facte, and anxious to substantiate
the assertions I had made to my brother members, I instantly closed
with the proposition, and I dow have the honour to appear before
you to fulfil my engagement.
“ T o com m ence; the proposition that I hare to submit and prove
to you is this, that the zinc and copper discs employed as electrical
agents in what is termed electro-biology are needless and delusive,
and that all results which have been attributed to them can as effi­
ciently be produced without them. Many are now present who will
recollect that when this subject was first introduced to this institu­
tion, a great and mysterious agency was attributed to these united
metallic substances: we were told o f circles o f electricity passing from
the brain to the disc and from the disc to the brain, and that all
electric power originated in the disc; in other words, the lecturer
said, ‘ I rely for everything upon the discs’ — these, as Sbylock says,
are the very words.*
* The metallic discs, consisting of zinc with a centre of copper» used by the
professors of electro-biology {?), cannot exercise any influence on the nerves and
brain, as alleged by them, masmnch as even if we allow that «¡nc and copper ¡a
 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled. 51

** O f c o u r s e after this, every on e look ed w ith great reverence, n ot to

ssy fea r, u p o n these w onderful substances, and, every b od y having
invested a sh illin g in one, every b od y felt as i f it were the m oat
m ysteriou s sh illin g’ s w orth he had ever purchased, and seriously
debated in h is ow n m ind w hether it was quite safe to carry it hom a
in h is p a c k e t , or trust h im self alone w ith i t ; w ondered at his
tem erity ; 'f e lt as i f b y a rash act he h ad suddenly becom e possessed
o f a sm all electrical Frankenstein, w hich w as to haunt him for the
rem ainder o f h is days. Fam iliarity, how ever, very m u ch lessens
fear : a n d , w hen th e ‘ father o f a fam ily’ fou nd to b it astonishm ent
that ev e n 1 baby1 c o o Id p la y w ith it, and no evil consequences fol­
low ed, h e , lik e y o u n g O liver, plu cked u p a spirit and took courage.
S im u lta neou sly w ith this, d ou b ts began to prevail am ongst the single
m en, a n d experim ents w ere perform ed to test th eir pow er. U n ­
fortu n a tely fo r th e electrical disc th eory, w alking sticks, thum b uaiis,
gun w a d d in g , and even vacancy answered the purpose quite as w e ll;
and th e result was, to use a com m ercial expression, th e d iscs were
freely offered at a considerable discount, bu t there were few pu r­
chasers, 1 shall then for th e present assum e, as proved, that the
m etallic discs are in no way th e p ow erfu l agents th ey arc repre­
sented t o b e . T h e aatisfactory dem onstration o f th is can on ly be
shewn b y actual experim en t; but, w hen this is proved, som e people
will still ask w hat is e le ctro-b iolog y ? Is it a new pow er, or is it a
welt k n ow n one w ith new developm ents? T h is is a very reasonable
enquiry, an d as su ch sh ou ld be fairly and honestly m et. I will en ­
deavour to d o so to th e b es t o f m y ability. M o st o f those now p re­
sent h ave seen w hat are term ed ' electro-biologtcaf experim ents
p e rfo rm e d ; bu t, as I understand there are several here to-n ig h t w ho
have n o t seen anyth ing o f th e kind, perhaps those o f m y friends w ho
have, w ill bear w ith me a few m om ents w hile I describe them .
T h e modus operands is th is. T h e operator invites a num ber o f

contact with moist skin may create fl voltaic circuit, still as electricity always
travels by the best conductors and the shortest road, it would only pass over the
mi note portion o f skin forming the connexion between the two illeta:a (probably
not the one-eighth o f an inch in extent), and having thus got over the interval
would pass round in an unceasing current without having the slightest tendency
to penetrate deeper into the system, or extend itself over the surface; and even
should it be contended that some diffusion of the influence must take place, as it
happens that the nerves are far worse conductors of electricity than the muscles,
it is absolutely impossible that they or the brain can be at all influenced- It is
very doubtful whether under the circumstances o f the contact o f dissimilar metals
and the skin in its ordinary dry state, eny current would be set up; but allowing
its existence, its path would he as above stated, and the quantity and intensity
would be so small that no physiological effect could be produced by it ; every elec­
trician knowing that hundreds of aeries of a water battery are required to produce
any perceptible effects, and that in all electrical experiments, the extent of the
influence, whether it be chemical decomposition, shocks, or otherwise, is entirely
under control, and is always exactly limited by the distance of the electrodes or
poles. Were the theory of these professors, via., that the Bubstance surrounding
a voltaic battery is affected by the current, correct, then we should obtain all the
effects o f a battery by touching the liquid in the celts; whereas every One knows
that iu order to obtain evidence of electrical action, it is necessary to place the
substance to be operated on in the circuit between the meted*.
E2
52 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled,

gentlem en from th e audience to be operated u p on . H a vin g taken

tbeir seats, he places In each o f their hands one o f the zin c and
cop p er discs, w ith instructions to look at it for a few m inutes, keep­
ing th e m ind at the sam e tim e perfectly calm an d tranquil. T h e
audience are likewise requested to be quite silent. In the m eanw hile
th e operator begins his round, and, passing th e back o f his h an d
(w h ich is slated to be negative) over th e forehead o f th e patient, h e
spans his frontal boDe, pin ches his th u m b , and walks o s . A fte r
g oin g through these m anipulations three tim es, th e discs are taken
away and each gentlem an is gently requested to close his eyes. W e
have now then ou r 2 0 or 3 0 friends in a m ost enviable state o f calm ­
ness and tranquillity. T h e operator now goes his final round, be­
gin n in g at the first gentlem an, tells him to open his eyes, w hich h e
d o e s w ithout any difficu lty; he is then told to close them , and th en
dow nw ard passes are m ade from the forehead to the ch eck s; he is
then again told to open his eyes, and i f th e patient is susceptible to
th e influence,— strain, wriggle, and twist as h e may, h is eyes h e can­
not op en . T h e m agic w ords, 1all right, Sir, all right) restores to
him his valued sense; and as he open s his eyes u pon th e w orld again,
his astonishm ent affords additional m irth to h is friends. T h is goes
o n through the w hole series, th e m onotony o f w hich is quite rem oved
by the varied m anifestations o f the patients, tbeir expressions rang­
in g from th e sm ile o f incredulity to that o f the m ost abject w onder.
T h e susceptible are then drafted upon the platform , and those sin­
gular experim ents are p erform ed w hich m a n y have seen and all
have heard o f. A n d th is is termed ‘ electro-6iologg, ’— a name o f
A m erica n origin ; or in oth er w ords, th e * electrical scien ce o f life.’
A n d persons w ho take lessons from its professors, are cha rged £ 3 : 3s.
fo r the same, and are bound on their ‘ sacred h on ou r’ n o t to teach it
under three m onths, and then are com pelled to exact the sam e term s
to w hich they have subm itted. Should they ever becom e pu blic
lecturers, a further am ount is dem anded, and thus a partial ‘ b io­
logical’ m on opoly is secured.
“ N o w 1 contend that there is n oth in g really new in all this, but
m erely another developm ent o f a pow er with w hich w e have been
acquainted for years. B acon says, in his JSssay on Vain Glory, r I t
was prettily devised by Aüsop, th e fly sat upon th e axle-tree, and
exclaim ed, “ See w hat a dust I ra is e;’ ” so there are som e persons
that, whatsoever m oveth u pon greater means, i f th ey have ever so
little hand in it, th ey th in k they carry it. Y o u have nearly all o f
y o u , 1 presum e, seen experim ents in m esm erism , or w hat is by som e
term ed anim al m agnetism . T h e operator steadily fixin g his gaze on
the patient with or w ithout th e dow nw ard passes. I f the patient be
very susceptible, in a few m iuutes h is eyes begin to blink, tb e y then
close, and he is then >n a state or condition w h ich soon resolves
itse lf into what is term ed ‘ sleep-waking,’’ In this state the patient
converses w ith y o u quite rationally. H is im agination is then
generally in that peculiar condition , that y o u can influence it as y ou
please; and his lim bs are in m any cases entirely under y ou r con trol.
Shortly after the F ren ch revolution o f F ebruary, 1Sd8 (fo r it is quite
 The Galvanic D u e Delusion dispelled. 53

necessary n o w th ey Are so num erous to give tbe precise date), I had

a y ou n g fr ie n d at m y h ou se for th e purpose o f shew ing som e sceptical
friends s o m e genuine m esm eric phenom ena. T h e sleep being* in ­
duced, I m a d e him belie re that he was at the head o f a b od y o f
figh tin g m e n in France. T h e m ilitary waive o f th e hand, and the
a d va n cin g s te p , soon shew ed that h is martial spirit was fired. S u d­
denly m a k in g his men fall back, b e loa ded a cannon in a m ost
e n erg etic sty le , fired it, and then gazed w ith the m ost intense eager­
ness t o se e th e effect produced. Seizing the advantage o f th e con ­
fu sion h e h ad m ade, h e rallied h is m en, rushed forw ard, obtained the
v icto ry , a n d w aived b is sw ord in trin m ph . I t was now suggested to
him th a t h e sh ou ld g o to N otre D am e, and return thanks for his
v ic to r y . H e instantly ob eyed , and superintended the p iling o f the
m u sk e ts o f his men outside the c h u r c h ; h e then entered, and fell
d ow n u p o n h is knees w ith an expression o f th e deepest gratitude. A
frie n d , w h o had been ch a nting a low dirge to assist tb e illusion, now
su d d e n ly , at ou r request, burst into a lively m erry tune. T h e boy
started from h is knees w ith th e fiercest expression o f anger, rushed
at h im w ith his fists clenched, and in anotner m om ent, i f the gentle­
m an h ad n o t ceased, h e w ould have sm ashed his face in . N ow this
is precisely th e k in d o f experim ent w hich is shewn in the highest
classes o f th e new biologica l phenom ena, w ith th is difference, that
th e patien t in th e latter case is awake, and in the form er he is in sleep­
w aking.
'* I t was discovered b y a gentlem an in A m erica, w ho renounces
and repudiates all connection w ith ‘ b iologists,’ that under certain
tranquillizing influences th e im agination cou ld be w orked u pon at a
m u ch earlier stage than was generally know n ; and y o u will find iu
the Boston Morning Post, o f D e c. 4 th , 1843, several years before
M r. F is k e was D o d s’ s pupil, th is gentlem an, M r . L a R o y Sunderland,
p erform ed these experim ents p u blicly in B oston , M r. Fiske, h ow ­
ever, asserts that no person was ever m esm erised w ithout having
first been sent to sleep, and thereby tries to m ake a fu rther distinc­
tion. T h is I am in a p osition to deny, an d one case is a3 g o o d as a
th ou san d. A well k n ow n m em ber o f the com m ittee o f this institu­
tion w as m esm erised b y m e som e years since, iu the library o f this
institution, w ithout ever having been sent to sleep. H is arm s were
m ade perfectly rigid , and I placed a large and heavy pile o f b ook s
u pon them , w hich h e sustained for a lon g period and felt no in con ­
venience therefrom . F o r th e benefit o f som e o f the sceptics on th e
com m ittee I left his arm in that state, so that when we sat dow n to
bu siness h is arm w as extended over the table, and he h ad n o pow er
to rem ov e it. M r. F iske m ay reply with a peculiarly vague m ean­
in g, th a t I 'b io lo g iz e d ’ h im ; but th is will n ot d o. 1 m ade precisely
those passes w h ich I m ade here the oth er evening, and w hich he
declared w ere m esm eric. So the fact rem ains impregnable. I c o n ­
sider th erefore M r, F isk e’ s objection disposed of.
“ I have strong confirm atory proofs o f the identity o f m es-

* B y M r. W illiam Cattell,
54 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled.

m erism and electro-biology from all parts o f th e cou n try. D r.

E llioteon, D r. G reg ory , P rofessor o f C h em istry in th e E dinb urgh
U n iversity,* D r. A s h b u m e r, and D t . E ngledue, all unite in ascrib in g
it to the same pow er, and even M r . Stone, one o f their ow n lectu r­
in g fraternity, has sent in his adhesion. W h ile th e biologists have
not, as 1 am aware, one single nam e in England o f any em inence to
su pport their th eory. It is true that M r. F iske m entions th e nam es
o f Sir B enjam in B r o d ie .f L o r d E glin ton , an d Sir D avid Brew ster,
as believers in ele ctro-b iology . B u t this is n ot the case. Sir B en ­
ja m in B rod ie has written to th e papers repudiating any con n ection
w ith it whatever. L o rd E glinton in his letter calls th e facts mes­
meric. Sir D avid says it is ou ly th e fads he believes ; bu t speaks,
as becom es a great m an, w ith m uch caution in respect o f the
cause, and he believes it has y e t to be discovered. T h is is on e o f
th e cases in w hich h a lf tru th is n o truth, I have therefore y e t to
learn the name o f any man o f scientific acquirem ents w ho has taken
up the th eory o f electro-biology. A ll the A m erica n s have discovered
is, ihal\ the imagination placed wider Ike influence o j a little mesmerism
is extremely susceptible to impressions, and that impressions then made
have all the reality o f facts. T h ey have also econ om ised tim e very
m u ch in arrangem ent, b y having all patients tranquillized at one t i m e ;
w h ich is o f great advantage. It is lik e m arrying 5 0 cou ple at on e
tim e, as th ey d o in th e p op u lou s districts,— a system w hich , alth ough
now and then th e couple g e t w ron gly m atched, y e t on th e w hole
m ay be said to work w ell.
“ Certain W elshm en, you know, claim th e honou r o f the discovery
o f A m erica as belon g in g to their cou n try, and, a3 a p r o o f o f their
claim , say that, som e hundreds o f years since, a certain prince le ft
th eir shores in a sailing vessel aud was never heard o f a fterw a rd s;
and i f he d id n ot g o to A m erica, w here did he g o to ? N ow , I think
y o u will agree with m e, it is for honest T affy to prove that the
nduce did g o to A m erica, n ot for you to g o all over th e w orld to
iearn tidings o f h im . S o it is for th e electro-biologists to prone th at
electricity accounts for all the results produced, and n ot for y o u to
have the trouble to disprove it.
“ A n d now , in conclu sion , on e w ord with respect to m esm erism .

* It is very much to be regretted that one who has done such good service in
advancing the cause o f toes merism in Scotland, should in his work on this subject
have introduced b o much loose mutter in reference to the exhibitions end opinions
o f certain itinerant lecturers on “ electro-biology." An adventitious importance
has thus been given to these " small game" of which they are wholly innocent,
and the Doctor's name is moreover publicly cited by them as one o f the cham­
pions of electro-biology, zinc and copper delusion included ! It i s earnestly to
be hoped that* should another edition of this work be published, such very ques­
tionable matter will be excluded» and many other loosely written passages be con­
densed or altogether omitted. The work would then become * valuable addition
to mesmeric literature, and be worthy of its subject and its author.
+ Sir Benjamin's theory is that the effects produced must be the result of a
strong mind over a weak one. Sir Benjamin had better not theorize before he
baa examined the facta.
X Sec Dr. Eiliotson'Sf Dr. Engledue’ s, and Dr. Aahburncr’s articles in T h e
Z o ix t,
 The G alvanic D isc Delusion dispelled. 55

S om e p e o p le M y, ‘ O h , we hear noth ing o f m esm erism now ; w here

is it ? 1 I an sw er, o n t o f th e hands o f the itinerant quacks, and in
th e h a n d s o f those w h o are using it for h igh and beneficent p u r ­
p o se s. I f any on e w ishes for confirm ation o f this, let him institute
a few e n q u irie s, and 1 w ill be b o ld to affirm that any man w h o will
p a tie n tly ex a m in e th e alleged facts w ith a oool ju d g m en t and an
h o n e s t h ea rt can not bu t be con vin ced o f th e n genuineness and truth.
T h o s e w h o are acquainted with th e literature o f this question, w ho
d a ily read th e accounts o f its h igh curative agen cy c o m in g th ick and
fast a s t h e y d o from all parts o f th e w orld, can not bu t feel their
hearts m o v e d as th ey read th e sou l-deep effusions o f gratitude to G od
fo r th e in estim able b oon that it has conferred in rem oving o r allaying
h u m an suffering. L e t th e enquirer for truth in this matter g o to
th e M e s m e r ic Infirm ary,— a society w hich num bers am ongst its
o fficers (a m id st a h ost o f oth ers) th e greatest logician , an d on e o f
th e g rea test m athem aticians o f the age. I refer to D r. W b a telv o f
D u b lin , and M r . D e M organ th e celebrated author o f the w ork on
Probabilities an d professor o f m athem atics at th e U n iversity C o l­
lege. W it h these y o u w ill find associated th e practical Earl D ucie,
an d th e m o s t esteem ed and beloved noblem an in E ngland, th e Earl
o f C arlisle, w h o I m ay m ention is a g o o d m esm erist. T h ese are
nam es w h ich s h o o ld m ake pu ny dogm atism m odest, an d pause be­
fore it con d em n s. G o there, an d y o u w ill find that hundreds o f cures
have been effected ; g o to D r, Esdaile, and y o u will find that in
a rep ort t o th e Medical Gazette, he relates 161 cases o f tum ors,
som e b e in g m ore than 100 lb s. in w eight, rem oved by him w ithout
th e sligh te st pain, and in cases w here ch loroform w ould have been
fearfully perilous. V isit M r . Parker, o f E xeter, and he will tell you
o f 2 0 0 operations h e has perform ed w ithout the slightest pain to the
patient. H u ndreds o f additional cases could be cited if tim e per­
m itted ; and I can fearlessly declare that those who believe all these
collateral evidences and ovenahelminp facts to be f a l s e , are more cre­
dulous than those who believe them to be t r u e .
** A n d n ow a parting w ord as to th e con d u ct o f the m edical p r o ­
fession generally in relation to this great qu estion . I w ish to be
understood, in the on e or tw o rem arks I am about to m ake, to refer
on ly to these gentlem en as a profession. T h ere are amongBt them
nam es w orthy o f th e highest esteem ; bu t as a profession, th e cou rse
o f co n d u ct w h ich th ey nave pursued upon th is su bject reflects eternal
disgrace. W o u ld it be believed in this age o f scientific advance­
m ent, that th e com m ittee o f a m edical college sh ou ld stipulate and
require that every student entering it, sh ou ld sign a declaration that
he w o u ld never practise this science o r investigate its phenom ena.4
“ B ig o try is n ot con fin ed to r e lig io n ; it invades the walks o f
science. A s tf expands, reason con tra cts; and th e o n e stands in
inverse ratio to th e oth er. A s a foul tum or preys u pon the vitality
o f th e b o d y and transm utes health in to disease, so b igotry preys upon
the reason an d transform s lig h t into darkness, and blinds the eye to

V Stated on the authority of a surgeon in Dublin.

56 The Galvanic D isc D elation diepelled.

th e p roofs o f dem onstration. Persecution as a net oral consequence

follow s in its train, and th e result has been that m en o f th e roost
p rofou n d m edical attainm ents and the h igh est m oral w orth, have h a d
their characters held u p to execration as quacks and im postors, and
h a re been hunted dow n in th eir professions w ith a m alevolence al­
togeth er unparalleled. A n d for w hat? for daring to be h onest to
th eir ow n conviction s. A n d forem ost am ongst these stands th e
h on ou red name o f Elliotson. T h is name has stood , and still stands,
as th e target for th e shafts o f calu m n y that are w eekly sent forth
from th e m edical press o f this cou n try b y w riters w ho know that w hat
th ey w rite is false, or else, w hich is scarcely less culpable, might know
it to be false. T h ese m en, i f th eir might h ad been as powerful as
their malice was implacable, w ould lon g since h sve accom p lish ed an d
triu m ph ed over h is destruction . T q con clu de in the language o f one
o f the m ost eloquen t o f men :—
“ ‘ T o th e eyes o f posterity it will appear an indelible disgrace,
that in the nineteenth century, an a g e'w h ich boasts its science and
im provem ent, on e o f the first physicians in E u rop e, o f a character
u nblem ish ed, and o f m anners the m ost m ild and gentle, sh ou ld have
been held up by his profession to the ridicule and con tem pt o f his
cou n trym en . F rom h im , how ever, these poisoned arrow s w ill fall
pointless. H is enlightened m ind, h is unwearied assiduity, th e
exten t o f his researches in this departm ent o f science, w ill b e the
adm iration o f the period when those w ho have m aligned him w ill be
all forgotten. D istin gu ish ed m erit will ever rise superior to o p p re s­
sion, and will draw lustre from reproach. T h e vapours w hich gath er
round the rising sun and fallow it in its course seldom fail at the
close o f it to form a m agnificent tem ple for its reception , and to
invest w ith variegated tints an d w ith a softened effulgence the L u m i­
nary w hich th ey can not h id e .’ ”
Mr. Nottage then proceeded to the experiments. There
were from twenty to twenty-five gentlemen who came down
to be operated upon, and in each' o f their hands the lecturer
placed a small paper pellet, which he informed them was
merely for the purpose o f concentrating their attention and
tranquil!zing their minds, so that they might be more passive
to receive a slight mesmeric influence, which he would pre­
sently endeavour to impart. After the sitting o f ten minutes
was concluded, during which time Mr. N ottage placed the
front o f his bands once or twice upon the forehead o f each
subject, he found that he had eight or nine under his co n ­
trol ; and upon these he performed a series o f experiments
which rivetted the attention o f the audience to a late hour.
A t the conclusion o f the lecture, Mr. Nottage said that
he wished then to refer to an incident which had taken place
at one o f Mr. Fiske’ s lectures. H e continued:— "S ir, it will
be remembered by many present that M r. Fiske, on a late
occasion when 1 mentioned to him the number I had in-
 The Galvanic D itc Delusion dispelled, 57

fluenced in private, said, ' Sir, here are four gentlemen

(poin tin g t o those whom he had brought under his “ bio­
logical” c o n t r o l) , upon whom I will defy you to exercise any
similar in flu e n ce .’ I ascended the platform, little suspecting
any m anoeuvres on the part o f the 'reverend gentleman;' and
found, t o m y astonishment, that I had no influence whatever
over th em . O n returning home, I looked at a book written
by an A m e r ic a n on this subject, and found it distinctly laid
dow n, th a t, when the operator told another person that he
cou ld n o t influence his subjects, it would be impossible for
him to d o a o ; but i f he granted permission, then the third
person co u ld operate as well as the first. W ith this fact be­
fore y o u , lad ies and gentlemen, 1 will leave you to form your
own con clu sion s as to the candour o f this reverend gentle­
m an.”
M r . S lad e (Mr. Piske’ s assistant)— “ Sir, I deny before
this a u d ien ce that M r. Fiske used any 'influence* over those
g e n tle m e n ."
M r . N ottage— " L et’s have no equivocation here. I
stated, Sir, that M r. Piske defied me in the presence and
hearing o f these gentlemen to operate upon them. 1 never
said he u sed any ' influence,’ meaning as you do a mental or
physical influence; but that the word o f defiance was all
pow erful to produce the ' biological* impression on the minds
o f bis su bjects.’ *
M r. S la d e— " I am here to deny that Mr. Piske used any
influence whatever.”
M r. N ottage— “ W ell then, Sir, to put this matter beyond
further cavil, I will ask M r. Slade how it was that, on that
same even in g, on M r. Fiske’ s retiring during the proceedings,
you at h is request continued the operations upon those very
gentlem en which I, as against his defiance, could not? Have
you a ‘ g ift ,’ which I have n ot? Cannot I raise a spirit as
well as y o u ?” (Mr. Slade was silent. Loud and long con ­
tinued ch eerin g from the audience.)
S om e discussion here arose whether Mr. Fiske learnt his
science fro m the Muftis, or whether he was a pupil o f M r.
Hods o f America. M r. Slade disavowed his asserted decla­
ration th a t M r. Fiske had derived what he knew from the
M uftis, observing that he must have said in reply to any
enquiry o n the subject that Mr. Fiske was Dods’ s pupil. The
lecturer, however, distinctly declared that Mr. Slade informed
him, in th e ante-room o f that Institution, that Mr. Fiske, in
reply t o a member at the institution in Leicester Square,
Btated th a t he derived it from the Muftis, who had the power
o f in flu en cin g numbers at once. This circumstance he (Mr.
58 The Galvanic D isc D elation dispelled.

Nottage) communicated to some friends immediately after­

wards, and it liad become a standing jok e with them ever
since.
M r. Howard Kenn&rd— " Sir, what M r. Nottage has now
stated, he repeated to me immediately after the conversation
had taken place.”
It was then moved and seconded,— “ That this meeting,
whilst tendering its thanks to George Swan Nottage, Esq.,
for his able and eloquent lecture, desires to record its opinion
that he has thereby satisfactorily disproved the alleged neces­
sity o f metallic discs in inducing the “ so-called electro-bio­
logical” con dition ; such result having been this evening pro­
duced by the use of ordinary paper pellets, or gun w add in g/'
Before the sense o f the meeting was taken upon this reso­
lution, Mr. Slade said that several o f those who had been ope­
rated upon that evening were under the influence o f the d is c :
upon which some stepped forward and stated that they had
never had one in their hands, and yet they had been quite as
much affected as those upon whom M r. Fiske had experi­
mented with his discs. A gentleman observed that i f the
lecturer had used the discs, more might have been affected.
The motion being then put, and only three hahda being
held up against it, the chairman declared it to have been all
bat unanimously carried.
M r. Nottage in rising to return thanks, said— “ Sir, I am
aware it is very unusual to enter into arguments on acknow­
ledging a vote o f thanks; but in discussing this vote, argu­
ments having been advanced which I think unsound, I must
be allowed to notice them. The might-have-been argument
which has been advanced with respect to the discs acting as
electrical forces on the ulnar and median nerves, is untenable
in a philosophical discussion. Certain obese animalB possess­
ing bristles instead o f wings ‘ might1 fly, we are t o ld ; but
the old proverb reminds us that they are very unlikely birds
(laughter). However, for the gentleman’ s satisfaction, I may
mention that Borne, whom Mr. Fiske on a previous evening sent
away unaffected by his electrical discs, had previously yielded
to my non-electrical pellets. By parity o f reasoning then,
and with this fact in m y favour, I ask, if M r. Fiske had
used paper instead o f zinc and copper, might not he have
affected greater numbers ? To rest the argument on these
non-essentials, the gentleman himself must see to be absurd.”
Mr. Nottage, having disposed o f some other objections
which had been raised, concluded amidst much cheering, by
declaring that his only object in taking so prominent a part
in this matter was to strip science o f the filthy rags o f de-
 T h e Galvanic D isc D elation dispelled. 59

ception a n d quackery by which she had been obscured, and

to invest h e r w ith the pure and spotless robes o f innocence
and tru th .
T h e p r o c e e d s o f the lecture were presented to the Am azon
fund.

O n F r id a y , the 13th July, Mr. Nottage gave auother

lecture at t h e same institution, in reply to a grossly personal
attack m a d e upon him by M r. Fiske, in reference to this
lecture. O n this occasion the identity o f mesmerism aud
e le ctr o -b io lo g y was again pointed out, and the usual routine
exp erim en ts were successfully performed by Mr. Nottage,
after th e su bjects had merely gazed at their thumbs . The
results w ere exceedingly striking. The proceeds upon this
occasion w e r e presented to the Iron, Hardware, and Metal
Trades* P e n s io n Society.
I n th e oourse o f the second lecture, M r. N ottage called
o n M r . T . W . Burr, the Secretary o f the Philosophical Class
o f th e in stitu tion , to express his opinion on the work o f the
great m a ster (!) o f the new science (?). M r. Burr thereupon
reviewed E lectro-P sych ology by Dods, in a very clever speech,
in w hich h e most happily exposed the absurdities o f that ad
captnndum author, from whom the biologists derive all their
ideas, and from whom many o f them pilfer entire pages with­
out acknow ledgm ent.
T h e follow in g is a brief abstract o f M r. Burr’s review.
" T h e w ork called E lectro - Psychology, edited by Barling,
from th e writings o f B ods and Grimes, is almost entirely
com posed o f absurdities; but they are generally so connected
togeth er as t o prevent extract. The following are, however,
specim ens o f assertions that can be detached, from which the
ign ora n ce o f electricity and every other science displayed by
the w riters may be somewhat estimated.
" S p eak in g o f the creation. ‘ It is therefore contended
that all th ings were made out o f electricity, which is not only
an in v isib le and imponderable substance, but is primeval and
eternal matter.’ How can a substance be both invisible and
im pon d era ble? Such things as heat, light, and electricity,
are fo rce s, not substances.— * Hence electricity contains the
elem en tary principles o f all things in being, and contains
th em in their original, invisible, and imponderable state.’
‘ S n p p o s e that there are one hundred elements belonging to
this g l o b e : then there are one hnndred elements in electricity
ou t o f w hich this globe was created. W e will step back in
ou r im aginations to that period when this globe, as such, had
no existen ce. For the sake o f perspicuity we will suppose
60 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled.

one hundred cords to be fastened on these one hundred ele­

ments in electricity. N ow as the Eternal M ind can come in
direct contact with electricity only, so he exerted bis volun­
tary powers that constitute his creative energy, and con ­
densed those one hundred elements that constitute electricity
down to a more gross and dense state, each element sliding
down its own cord in its progress towards creation,' 'T h e
Creator again acts tlirough another volume o f electricity upon
those one hundred partially condensed elements, and moves
them down a grade further onward toward their ultimate or
created state. A nd thus the work progresses; wave succes­
sively following wave down its own cords till they all become
air. Hence air contains the one hundred elem ents; and all
the chemical properties o f all things in being are involved in
it.' ' Hence water contains all the chemical properties o f all
things in being.' ' It will be clearly perceived that all the
substances existing on the globe as so many ultimates exist
in electricity as so many primates. For instance; i f there is
gold in the globe, then there is gold in electricity, out o f
which it was m ade; if there is phosphate o f lime in the
globe, then there is phosphate o f lime in electricity.'
" Comment upon such absurdity is unnecessary. Having
shewn their knowledge o f chemistry, let us turn to astronomy
and physics,
“ 1The sun being pure electricity, is o f course a cold, in­
visible body.'— Here follows a long theory o f light, asserting
that the electricity o f the sun rubs the atmosphere, and by
the friction sets it on fire. W e did not before know it was at
all combustible, and where a fresh supply comes from we are
not informed.— The globe is then described as still imperfect,
and receiving electricity from the sun 't o bring it to its full
growth and perfection as a meet habitation fo rm a n .' ' I t
continues to increase in bulk, and hence its entire creation as
to its size, vegetables, and animals, is not yet perfected, but
will be in future ages.' ' H ence the cause o f the variation o f
the compass, which in philosophy yet remains inscrutable.'—
' Comets move in very elliptical orbits.’ There are but four
known to move in such orbits, while there are hundreds or
even thousands which describe parabolas.— ' The cause o f this
is that, while they are chained by the attractive and repulsive
forces to keep a circle, yet as they are propelled in a straight
line Bky-rocket like by their own internal gaseous flames that
stream in their course, so their orbits are elliptical.’ Comets
are not turning bodies at all, and are only hot when near the
sun. Bodies acted on by two forces, such as the centripetal
and centrifugal, need not necessarily move in ellipses, but
 T h e Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled. 61

may d e scrib e a n y conic section,— ‘ Immensity o f space is not

square, f o r th en worlds would move in a square, but it is
ro u n d / T h e idea of giving a definite form to boundless
space, a n d th e logic by which that space is arrived at, are
equally w on d erfu l.
,f ‘ T h e g lo b e yet moves in an elliptical orbit, because its
bowels are m elted lava/ Since the days o f Newton it has
b eea-eu pp oeed that gravitation was the cause o f the shape o f
the ea rth 's orbit, but he was not an electro-biologist, and
con seq u en tly knew nothing about it,— ‘ As it cools it conti­
nually approxim ates in its orbit nearer to a c irc le / There is
no co n n e c tio n whatever between the decrease in eccentricity
o f the ea rth 's orbit and the cooling o f its crust, and after a
certain p o in t it (the orbit) will become elliptical again.— ' This
will cause th e variation o f the compass to continue till it (the
earth) m oves in a perfect circle round the sun. Then it will
be p erfectly finished as to its size. Then the variation of the
com pass w ill cease, inasmuch as the cause that produces it
will be rem oved. That cause is tbe elliptical orbit in which
our g lo b e m oves, and its continual approach to a circle. And
w hen that circle shall be obtained, the globe will be finished,
and th e variation of the compass will disappear/
If T h e im pudence and ignorance o f all this is disgusting.
W ere it necessary to give a serious answer, it would be suffi­
cient to p oin t out that 200 years ago there was no variation
o f the com pass, and that it periodically fluctuates about 25
degrees east and west o f the true n o rth /'

NOTE BY THE Z O I8T .

T h e m ore we look at the practices o f these electro-biolo­

gists o r electro-psychologists, as they call themselves, the more
are we disgusted.
W e have just seen one o f the bills which M r Fiske circu­
lates am ongst his audiences, and therefore virtually adopts.
In the midst o f many other testimonials from newspapers is
the fo llo w in g :—
“ Mr. Fiske is by far the most interesting biologist that we have
ever had the pleasure of hearing. He has moreover the advantage
and merit o f being the discoverer of this sciences which may have the
most important results in medicine. He speaks well, shews exten­
sive knowledge, solid judgment, and a contempt of quackery.”
W h e n we heard M r. Fiske for the first time, we thought
we bad heard or read something like his lecture before.
63 The G alvanic D isc D elusion dispelled.

Harvey, Galileo, Newton, Pulton, were all paraded before us

in a familiar drapery, and yet we could not for the moment
recollect where we had met with them. The next day we
dipped into a work on E lectro-B iology, or, the E lectrical
Science o f L ife, by G. W . Stone, when l o ! and behold, there
started up our great geniuses as we had seen them the night
before. W ell, thought we, we have got at the bottom o f the
matter now— Fiske has learnt from S ton e! M ost impotent
conclusion 1 Immediately afterwards we procured Dods’ a L ec­
tures on E lectro-P sych ology; when, judge our surprise to find
that Fiske had not only read large portions o f these, but that
Stone had actually printed entire lectures, and passed them
o ff as his own f
Dr. Darling, in a recent book, appends the following sen­
tences from a newspaper, thus virtually adopting them ;—
" T h e follow in g letters, one to and one from th e Earl o f E glm ton ,
refer to th e very peculiar power possessed by D r. Darling, and which
it appears he can communicate to o t h e r s & c.
Lord Eglinton writes thus
“ S ir,— H avin g perfectly satisfied m y self o f th e truthfulness o f
y o u r perform ances, an d o f th e existence o f th e m esm eric pow er dis­
covered b y y o u to exist, &c.
** E g l in t o n and W in t o n ."

Dr. Darling has just published under a new title a hook

which is the very same as one which he published last y e a r:
and has copied Dods with the omission o f the chapter in which
Dods professes to reveal the mighty secret, which was to press
certain parts o f the head and hand. The second edition o f
Dods's, containing the secret, was published six months before
Darling’ s book.
W e do not know that the fourth American, Dr. W arren,
Warner, or W arne, or whatever his name is, has written any
th in g : but, like the rest, he has pretended that there is a secret
in this simple matter, and pretended that certain parts must
be touched j even if he have not, like the rest, professed the
mystery o f electrical discs.
Like the rest he sold the secret for some pounds to the
credulous; and on the understanding that it should not be
divulged for three months, and then to persons only who
would make the same promise, and so on ad infinitum. It
appears {N o X X X I I .) that he once called on Dr. Elliot sou,
and promised to call again, hut has never ventured upon a
second visit, though still in London.
A n Englishman, named Hicks, who seems anxious to
expose what imposture there exists, sells discs for sixpence at
 The Galvanic D ite Delusion dispelled. 63

his le c tu r e -r o o m door, but allows that their influence is en­

tirely u p o n th e imagination.
A s t o D o d s himself, the progenitor o f this American
swarm , w e extract the following from the Boston D aily M ail
o f F e b . 7 , 1850. The article is vulgarly headed, "T h e cat
let ou t o f th e bag— M r. Fhke’s B iology exposed, and the whole
scien ce o f z in c and copper blown sky high l ! ”
A t a m eetin g held in the Tremont Temple Lower Hall, a
M r. G . P . K ettell arose and said that he had been one o f a
class, e a c h o f whom paid Mr. Fiske 10 dollars for the secret
and s o le m n ly promised not to divulge it for three months, nor
even t h e n t o instruct another person for less than 10 dollars,
and t o fo rfe it 10 dollars i f at the end o f three months he
b e ca m e a p u blic lecturer. Finding that the science was with­
ou t th e least foundation, and that he could produce the effects
w ith ou t t h e mysterious operations which constituted the
secret, h e demanded the return o f his m on ey; and, finding
h im self baffled in all his attempts, he threatened to “ expose
the h u m b u g /' and prove publicly, or forfeit 500 dollars, that
th e experim ents were performed by no other agency than
m esm erism or pathetism. In the speech made by M r. Kettell
are th e follow in g passages:—

“ M r . F is k e goes on to say that if he can con trol the electricity

ia t h e s y s t e m , he cao con trol th e functions o f th e system them selves.
H e to ld a g re a t m any stories about th e th ird finger, and am ong oth er
th in g s th a t sem pstresses considered it very dangerous to w ound the
th ird f i n g e r ; that it w as a remarkable d ig it a l; that th e great spinal
c o lu m n w h ic h extends through the system conn ects w ith th e hand ;
a n d in it s ram ifications the third finger receives a greater portion o f
th e u ln a r n erve, w h ich accounts for that finger being m ore sensitive.
M r , K . d e n ie d this p osition about th e ulnar nerve, and he believed it
t o b e a fo o lis h fable, th ou gh he d id n ot profess to be an anatom ist.
H e e x p la in e d the fallacy o f the notion , and cited th e best o f authori­
tie s t o p r o v e his statem ents, am ong w h om w as D r. W in slow L ew is.
H e c a lle d upon som e gentlem an to step upon the stage, and h e w ould
g iv e h im th e ‘ secret g rip .' A you n g man obeyed the sum m ons,
and r e c e iv e d the regular * Fiske g rip .' M r. F ., said M r. K ., went
on t o sta te to his class, that, b y pressing between th e second
an d t h i r d fingers, y o u press u p on this ulnar nerve, b y w hich y o u
a ffe ct t h e great sym path etic, (w hat he m eant by that, said M r. K .,
h e d id ’ n t pretend to Íí d o w , ) and by this m eans control the electricity
a n d p e r fo r m experim ents on persons, provided th ey b e in the n ega ­
tiv e s t a t e . A person in a beastly state o f intoxication could be
r e s t o r e d sim ply th rou g h th e m agical pow er o f this ulnar nerve.
11 H e r e the lecturer gave a gra phic illustration o f F iske’ s m ode
o f o p e r a t in g . H e first gave the grip, th en pressed dow nw ards,
ta lk e d lo u d and vehem ently, and striking th e patient a heavy blow on
64 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled.

the buck, exclaim ed, 'a l l rig h t,’ — the charm ing w ords that d en oted
that th e cure was perform ed. H e also fu rther stated that he h a d
tried Fiske’ s plan u p on a drunken w om an whom he accidentally m et
in W a sh in gton S t r e e t ; that she was in a negative state, as he su p ­
posed, and he gave h er th e ' F iske g rip ,’ accom panied it w ith th e
passes, and slapped h er on th e back, exclaim ing, 'a l l r ig h t }’ b u t
instead o f brin gin g her back to consciousness, dow n she w ent again,
as drunk as ever.”
" M r . F iske was n ot present to defend him self, and M r . S u n ­
derland w as called u pon to address th e au dieoce. H e thanked th em
fo r their kindness and apparent g o o d feelin g. H e said i f such charges
had been m ade agaiust him as h ad been against th e B ev . T h e o ­
philus F iske, he w ould, had the breath o f G o d been in h im , have
m ade every sacrifice to have been present to defen d him self. O u r
lim its will n ot perm it us to report M r. Sunderland at length. He
claim ed that whatever was new tn b iology was taken from h is w orks
on pathetism , and he cited several in p r o o f that th e experim ents n ow
perform ed under the electro-biological head were done by him in
1843. H e brou gh t forw ard several extracts from newspapers, am on g
w h ich was the Boston Morning Post, that spoke at length o f experi­
m ents he had perform ed w hile the patient was either awake or asleep.
H e also read from th e Magnet o f January, 1843. H e further offered
to forfeit 5 ,0 0 0 dollars, if, b efore a respectable and disinterested c o m ­
m ittee, it co u ld be p roved that these self-sam e experim ents were n o t
perform ed by him at that tim e.”
The Rev. L a R oy Sunderland began in June, 1842, a
journal, which we now possess, called the M agnet, in which
he broaches a number o f electro-magnetic opinions respecting
the nervous system and the mind, as Hods did afterwards.
H e also influenced in public some persons by their imagina­
tion, and some by his mere will or by sympathy with him,
some by both, without any passes, contact, or staring at
th em ; just as any mesmeric effect— those o f the metals,
mesmerised water, excitement o f cerebral organs by the fin­
gers, rigidity, &c., and actions and thoughts by the operator’ s
will, even though he be absent and distant— may be produced
in some persons at some times without their being previously
mesmerised.* W e copy the following passages from the
M agnet, vol. ii., N o. vi., November, 1 84 3:—

"F rom the Lowell Washingtonian, Sept. 15, 1843.

" wonders of vathetism .
" Agreeably to the announcement in the last Dumber, the Rev.
La Roy Sunderland gave his second lecture in this city.”
" T h e experim ents w ere m ore interesting than is in th e pow er o f
language to d escrib e; and, they were unlike anything o f the kind

* See Dr. Elliotson’ i article in No. X X X V I., p, 127.

 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled. 66

which have ever been produced in this or any other place, as far aa
we know. F o r in stan ce; on com m en cing, he in form ed th e audience,
that he w o u ld induce a state o f catalepsy o r som nam bulism , (M r .
Sunderland calls it a state o f hypnopathy, or sym pathetic sleep ,) in
a n um ber o f th e audience, while he was actually delivering hi*
lecture ! A n d as m arvellous as it w a y seem, and in direct o p p o s i­
tion to th e assum ptions o f the neurologists, and th e believers in
M eam er's th eory, on conclu din g his lecture, fou r persons were found
to b e in a Btate o f profou n d s le e p ! ! — each o f w hom were utter
»¡rangers t o th e lectu rer; and it was abundantly testified by their
friends, that M r . Sunderland had never seen or spoken to any o f
them b e fo re th ey were fou nd in that m ysterious s le e p ! ! A n d , w ba t
was still m ore remarkable, n one o f the subjects w ould speak a
word, o r seem to hear an yth ing, from Sny oth er person bu t the lec­
turer ! A n d we saw on e o f them , before M r. Sunderland had left
the d esk , o r sp ok en to h er at all, stretch o u t her hand tow ards him,
as if she w ished hia presence o r a ssista n ce! Collusion here, was
absolutely impossible. H ere was no previous acquaintance or arrange­
m ent, n o staring in the face, no m anipulating, as in th e usual p ro ­
cesses, under th e nam es o f m esm erism and n eu rolog y; and y et, the
results w ere as real, and a thousand tim es m ore satisfactory to the
intelligent assem bly w h o witnessed them .
W e cannot, o f course, give all th e details, bu t we m ust state
the fo llo w in g ; th e lecturer called a lady, well know n in this city, o f
deep p ie ty , u pon th e platform , an d after seating h er for th e pu rpose
o f in d u cin g sleep, he w ent into th e congregation to take care o f his
other su bjects. O n returning to the platform , the lady was sound
a s le e p ! H e now in form ed us that he w ou ld put h er into a state
called trance, in w hich she w ould have perceptions o f things in vi­
sible. H e gave it as his opin ion , that the m iud in this state did not,
actually, leave the b o d y , as had been supposed, b u t these states de­
pended o n the influences exerted ov er th e cerebral system . O n giv ­
ing h er som e directions as to w here she should g o , she gradually
raised h er hand, w ith a m ost heavenly sm ile, and com m en ced a m ost
interesting d escription o f w hat she saw . Sh e addressed th e spirit o f
a deceased broth er, and brok e o u t into raptures o f praise to the
Saviour. A n d th ou gh she never sings when in th e norm al state, she
now sung in m ost heavenly strains, so m uch so that m any were
affected to tears. A n d w hile all this was g o in g ou u pon th e platform ,
one o f th e oth er su bjects w ho had g on e to sleep in the extrem e part
o f th e hall, was observed to be describin g som e o f the same things
w hich the o th er saw I ! T h u s dem onstrating th e truth o f M r . Sun­
derlan d's th eory as to the laws o f pathetism, or ph ysical and mental
sym pathy."

“ Front the Lowell Patriot, S ep t. 13, 1843.

" P A T H E T IS M .

“ A n astonishing instance o f the effects o f nervous susceptibility

was exh ib ited at th e R ev. M r. Sunderland's lecture, at the C ity H all,
V OL. jc, F
66 The Galvanic D isc Delusion dispelled.

last M onda y evening.” “ A s he had brou gh t w ith him no s u b j e c t

upon w hom to operate, he w ished to select som e one from th e audi­
ence ; and i f there were any present w ho w ere w illing to su bm it
them selves for that purpose, th ey m igh t f i x t h e i r e y e s u p o n t h e h e a d
o f A m c a n e , w hich he pla ced across the table before h im , an d h e
dou bted n ot bu t in a few m inutes th ey w ould be affected b y the m a g­
n etic sleep— w hile he w ould continue his lecture.
' ‘ T h is he did, for the space o f ten or fifteen m inutes, and in
su ch a m anner as to render it perfectly evident to all w ho heard h im ,
that he could n ot at the sam e tim e be concentrating his m ental
pow ers upon any individual for the pu rpose o f p rod u cin g sleep,
A n d on pausing to inquire i f auy had experienced th e m agnetic in­
fluence, it was discovered, to the astonishm ent o f th e audience, th at
n o l e s s th a n f e e p e r s o n s , in different parts o f the kali, w e r e in a s o u n d
m e s m e r ic s l e e p l T h e lecturer, on visiting these persons, fou nd them
all to he in com m u n ica tion w ith him self, as he shew ed b y conversin g
w ith them . H e declared that he was an utter stranger to all except­
in g on e o f the five, and that he had exercised no influence over them
save such as he h ad exercised over all w ho were p r e s e n t; — n ot being
able even to distinguish them from others w hile in th e desk, on a c ­
coun t o f the partial loss o f his vision ; and he furtherm ore stated
that this was the first experim ent he had ever tried in th is m anner,
and p roba bly the first perform ed by any one.”
“ M r. 8 . con du cted on e o f the y o u n g ladies, after w aking her,
to th e platform , w here she was again put in a state o f som nolency,
by sim ply fixing h er eyes, a ccording to his direction, u pon a h an d­
k e rch ie f placed upon th e railing o f the platform , w hile he was
en gaged in conversation in oth er parts o f th e hall. H e then p ro ­
ceeded to throw her in to a state o f t r a n c e , in which she im agined
h e rs e lf in h e a v e n , described scenes and persons there, sang m ost m e­
lodiously, and exh ib ited oth er usual m esm eric phenom ena. T h is
w as a ccom plish ed by m erely placing h is finger upon the different
ph ren ological developm ents o f the la dy’ s head, w ithout any apparent
m ental effort on his part. H er situation was evidently precisely like
that o f a person dream ing— a portion o f th e organs o f the brain
being in an excited state, w hile oth ers were under the influence o f
sleep ; and this excitem ent being th e effect o f physical sym pathy, or
path etism .”

“ F ro m th e M o r n in g H e r a ld , Sept. 2 3 , 1843,
“ m o st e x t r a o r d i n a r y p h e n o m e n a !

“ U nlike all oth er operators, M r. S. instead o f selecting o n e sub­

je ct, b r in g s h is p r o c e s s t o b e a r u p o n h is e n t i r e a u d i e n c e ! A n d , con ­
sequently, the results o f his experim ents, perform ed in this way,
have astonished and generally satisfied all w ho have w itnessed them .
H is audience last M onda y evening, at the C ity H all, were ab out a
thousand, and all o f th em strangers to h im . In com m en cing, h e
inform ed us, that d u rin g h is lecture he designed to i n d u c e a n um ber
o f coses o f real som n a m b u lism ; that is, he w ou ld cause those in the
 The Galvanic D isc Delusion tlisjtcllctl. G7

assem bly w h o w ere s u s c e p t i b l e , to fall into a stale o f s y m p a t h e t i c

sleep, an d in that state, t o r i s e f r o m t h e i r s e a t s a n d c o m e t o h im o n
th e p la tfo r m ! A n d after filin g th e attention o f th e audience for
th is p u rp o s e a few m inutes, som e fifteen persons (in clu d in g both
sex es) w ere fo u n d to be sound asleep. A n d now occurred a m ost extra­
ord in ary s ig h t ; it was to see on e s o d another rise from th eir seats with
ey es fast closed , and slow ly approach the platform on w hich th e op e­
rator w as s ta n d in g ! S om e o f them seem ing nnable or unw illing to
rise u p an d walk, M r. S . w ent to them , and th ey then follow ed him
t o his place, an d on e o f th em w ent up from the extrem e part o f the
hall. R o o m co u ld not be fon nd for th em all u pon th e platform , and
th ey w ere fa llin g to sleep in such num bers, that h e could n ot take
care o f th em 1 H en ce, th e p r o c e s s was suspended, and M r. S . went
round th ro u g h th e assem bly and restored those to w akefulness w h o
had n o t taken seats upon the p la tform ; and we h a re been credibly
in form ed, that som e 2 0 or 3 0 oth er gentlem en and ladies were d eci­
dedly affected and disposed to s o m n o le n c e , r i g i d i t y o f lim bs, & c,, b y
M r. S .’ s m eth od o f operating on that occa sion .
“ N u m erou s and interesting phenom ena w ere in du ced b y th e o p e ­
rator u pon th e som nam bulists around him upon th e platform . O ne
was th row n in to a state o f trance, or ecstacy, and was enraptured
w ith views o f th e Saviour, and h er deceased friends. Sh e sa og in
tones, and in a m anner w h ich con vin ced, m any at least, that the
phenom ena w ere real.”
These scenes remind us o f those witnessed by the French
Commission o f 1784, and prevent us from wondering that
the phenomena were then ascribed to imitation and imagi­
nation as well as con ta ct; for they were partly so to he ac­
counted for. But that there is an influence independent o f
imagination is evident to all but the uninformed, because
experiments may be devised and phenomena constantly occur
when imagination can have no share. Vom iting may be ex­
cited by an emetic or substance having a specific power o f
causing vomiting. But vomiting may arise from sympathy,
as when we see another vomit— from imagination, as when
we are told that we have swallowed something filthy— from
turning round, from sailing, or swinging— from severe pain,
as in spraining one's ankle— from a bad smell or taste— from
sympathy with a diseased brain, kidneys, or obstructed bowels
— from pregnancy, inflammation o f the stomach, &c., &c.
Y et no body on these accounts denies that tartar emetic has
peculiar powers o f exciting vomiting independent o f imagina­
tion, sympathy, or external impression.

v2
 { 68 )

IV . Cures of, or benefit in, Inflammations o f the F a ce; Enlarge­

ment o f the Joints, with great debility, in a child, indeed,
R ickets; E rysipelas, Am aurosis; E xtrem e weakness o f the
Ankles in an adult, at one m esm erisation; Irritability o f
Temper / Spasmodic Cough; Stiffness and weakness o f the
K n ees; Squinting. By Mr. M ayh ew , o f New Jersey,
United States * Communicated by Dr. Elliotson.

“ The next fashionable fallacy is mesmerism." " This fallacy, like homoeo­
pathy, was aIbo denounced by a French Commission.” "The Commission came to
the conclusion that 1compression, imagination, and imitation are the sources of
the effects attributed to the new agent." " I shall, however, draw your attention
to some points, as it Is necessary that you should be induced to examine further,
to convince yourselves of the weakness of the whole system, and be able to shew
to your friends and the public that your opposition is neither from intolerance or
ignorance," 11 It is notorious—we have only to recall the ample erp oti made
some years ago by Mr. Wakley—that the proofs have signally failed when tested
properly : and none but the moat unimpeachable evidence should be allowed."
" I t is remarkable that none of the phenomena were witnessed till the last cen­
tury. Moreover all men, and animals also, ought to be equally susceptible, for
we cannot snppose a difference to exist in the conducting power of bones, muscles,
nerves, &c, in different individuals (unless there be special organs, which may vary
in power, as in the torpedo), whereas it is known that none shew any of the effects
until they have been educated in the effects. This inevitable conclusion forces
mesmerists to explain why so few persons indicate the possession of the power,
by presuming that the mesmerieerand the mesmerised must have foil belief in the
existence of the power and hare a desire either to mesmerise or be mesmerised :
and therefore if a failure arises, it is from 1Vatmoephere rfincrtdvliMI Now if
this be not a subterfuge, I know not what is."— Introductory Lecture delivered
at the Loudon Hoepital on the opening o f the Medical Session, on Oct. 1, 1851.
By Dr, Fraser, Assistant-Physician to the Hospital. London Medical Gazette,
Nov, 7, 1851.

Newark, State o f New Jersey,

Oct. 30th, 1851.
M y dear D r. Elliotson,— I forward you a few cases for
insertion in The Zoist, arranged as they occurred during the
last three months o f m y stay in E ngland; and shall feel a
pleasure in communicating with you from time to time through
the medium o f B sillier e's New York agency, I have three
cases on hand which I purpose sending you a statement o f
when complete.
W ith ardent wishes for the success o f our righteous cause,
and with expressions o f the warmest respect and esteem for
yourself,
1 am, my dear Doctor,
Yours very sincerely,
J ohn M ayhew ,

* Mr, Maybew's former valuable cocamuni cations to Th* Zoist are dated from
Famham, Surrey, and will be found in No, XXIX. (cure of a case of pulmonary
consumption, with clairvoyance as to disease in herself and others) ; No, XXXI.
 G rea t benefit o f Mesmerism in various Diseases. 69

I, Inflammation o f the Face.

Mrs. W . , Glastonbury, Somersetshire. This person, about
4D years o f age, had for several weeks been afflicted with in­
flammation in the face, and had for several weeks been under
the care o f m y brother, who resides in that town. The case
was obstin ate, and the disease still unalleviated. A t his
request I mesmerised her locally, but did not endeavour to
produce t h e sleep. W h en she sat down she was in very great
agony, b u t in less than ten minutes all pain had ceased, and
all swelling and inflammation had disappeared.

I I . Inflammation o f the Face.

Miss H ., o f the same place, had a carious tooth extracted;
in about th ree hours afterwards her face swelled to nearly
twice its usual size, and the pain she suffered was very intense.
A t my broth er's request I mesmerised her locally by the usual
passes, and in about seven minutes the swelling was down,
and the p a in was gone.

III. Enlargement o f several join ts.

E leanor Mayhew, aged 4 years. This is a daughter o f
my broth er, to whom reference is made in the two previous
cases. Enlargem ent o f the knee, ankle, elbow, and wrist
joints, accompanied with such extreme weakness as to require
constant nursing. W hen she walked her feet spread out­
ward, so that the ankle-joints nearly touched the ground,
Mesmerised for twenty minutes each day during two weeks ;
at the e n d o f which time she could walk with greater ease,
the ankles maintaining nearly an upright position, and the
size o f the joints had very much decreased. M y brother
continnes the treatment.

IV . Erysipelas.
M rs. W ,, residing in the neighbourhood o f Hoddesdon,
Herts, was introduced to me by M r. Edward Lock, draper, o f
that tow n , while she waB suffering severely with erysipelas in
the head and face, with the request that I would endeavour
to relieve her. I mesmerised her locally for about seven
minutes, at the end o f which time all pain had ceased, and
all sw elling and inflammation had disappeared. She had no
subsequent return. Mrs. Ellis, the authoress o f M others and
D aughters o f England, was present after the sitting, and was

(cures of erysipelas, pulmonary coastsmptioo, neuralgia, end rhenmatiam, ell but

one in America) } rod No, XXXV. (a remarkable instance of clairvoyance of the
patient mentioned in fi0, X XIX ,)
70 Great benefit o f Mesmerism in various Diseases.

much interested in questioning the woman cured relative to

the fact.*
V . Amaurosis.
Miss Prior, o f Hoddesdon, aged 27 years, has been blind
through opacity o f the cornea for nearly that period, not
being able to discern more than a slight difference between
light and darkness. 1 brought her partially under the mes­
meric influence, and instructed her brother how to proceed
with the case. A bout three months afterwards I saw her,
and found that she had so far recovered as to be able to dis­
cern some difference between one colour and another. They
feel encouraged to persevere. I much regret not being able
to follow out this case myself, and I have no doubt by per­
severance o f the ultimate result.

Y I. Weakness o f the L egs and Ankles.

Mrs. Trigg, o f Hoddesdon, about 30 years o f age, had
been for four years afflicted with extreme weakness in the legs
and ankles, which latter had been so much swelled for nearly
that space o f time that no ankle-bone could be seen or felt.
A few minutes walking would be more than she could b e a r ;
indeed she could not walk across the room without great in ­
convenience. She had had medical advisers, but to no pur­
pose. I called ou her in company with Mr. Lock, and in the
course o f conversation it was suggested that I should try to
relieve her by mesmerism. I mesmerised her locally, ami on
the first pass being made, she was quite terrified at the strange­
ness o f the sensation she experienced; it was, she said, like
having lumps o f ice drawn from her ankles, out at her toes.
Her improvement was immediate, so that she felt utterly
astonished at the effect produced.f After the fifth sitting her
cure was completed, her ankles had received the required
strength, Bhe could walk about with ease and comfort, and
the swelling had entirely disappeared. This lady and her
excellent husband are now engaged in dispensing the blessings
o f mesmerism amongst the poor o f the neighbourhood; and
I think it likely that you will have the pleasure o f inserting
some o f their cases in The Zoist,

V H . Irritability o f temper.
Miss Trigg, daughter o f the above, aged 10 years, suffer­
ing with nervous debility, very much affecting her temper,
* See similar rapid cures of inflammation bj an Archbishop and bj Mr, IX
Hand?, No. X U ., pp. 514, 515.—Ztiixt.
t This isjuet such a rapid cure ns that bv Mrs* D M>> recorded in No. X X X .,
p, 114, *
 B y M r. M ayheio. 71

and ca u sin g her to be irritable and peevish, was put into the
m esm eric sleep, and mesmerised generally. The effect was
very m arked, her irritability ceased, and instead o f her cus­
tomary peevishness, she evinced the greatest anxiety to shew
her affection, and desire to please in every possible way ; in­
deed she appeared to be quite another child.

V I I I . Spasmodic Cough.
E ., a you n g girl living in the family o f Mrs. Trigg, about
18 years o f age, for four months had been afflicted with a
very violent cough, for which she had been under treatment
o f a m edical man, who was esteemed skilful, but without
benefit. She was moreover very hysterical, and during a
long period several times a day would have frightful fits of
laughing hysterics. I put her into the mesmeric sleep in
about five minutes; she became almost instantly clairvoyant
with regard to her own disease, and declared that mesmerism
would cure her. W h en she awoke her cough and hysterics
had both disappeared, and I have not since heard o f the
slightest return.
I X . S tiff K nees.
M rs. Chambers, o f Beccles, for more than three years had
been lame in one knee and very weak in the other. She had
worn knee-caps for a long time, and feared the result would
be a stiff jo in t. Latterly Bhe could not walk without great
danger o f falling, and not at all without support on both
sides. I f she wished to go up or down stairs, she was obliged
to do it in a sitting position, pushing herself up, or letting
herself down, one step at a time. I have no doubt that all
that m edical skill could devise had been done for her relief
by her physician, who stands deservedly high in his profes­
sion; b u t to no purpose whatever; she believed herself to be
a hopeless cripple for life. I mesmerised her once a day for
three weeks, devoting about thirty minutes at each sitting.
Her recovery was gradual during this period; but at the end
of that tim e her cure was complete, excepting a little weak­
ness rem aining in that knee which in the beginning o f her
treatment she had called her “ well knee.” She can now
walk or run up or down stairs or anywhere else with ease and
comfort.
X . Squinting.
Mr, O ., o f Sleaford, Lincolnshire, had his right eye in­
jured so as to cause obliquity and imperfection o f vision;
restored in two sittings, each sitting occupying about thirty
minutes.
72 Remarks on D r, Fraser’s inconsistency.

NOTE BY DR ELLIOTSON.

Doctor Fraser, the assistant-physician to the London

Hospital, should remember that nothing sits so well upon a
young man as modesty : and should train himself to speak
and write soberly and soundly, and be silent till he has made
himself thoroughly acquainted with his subject and feels that
he is anxious for truth and human welfare, not for the
trumpery applause o f the ignorant or for mere worldly profit,
and iB able to disdain the vulgarity that characterizes too
many writers in the medical journals and too many lecturers
in medical schools. H e should remember that, when a
medical teacher addresses pupils, his duties are most solemn,
and he is bound to assert nothing but what he has ascer­
tained to be true, and nothing which can mislead them or
impair their utility to their fellow-creatures in after life.
As to the denunciations o f academies, colleges, and socie­
ties, this teacher o f youth ought to know that the French
Parliament denounced antimony at the request o f the faculty
o f medicine at Paris that antimony should not be used, and
an eminent physician, named Pauraier, was deprived o f his
degree for prescribing i t ; and that some years afterwards the
same Parliament at the request o f the same faculty replaced
antimony in the Materia M edics because Louis X IV . had
been cured with it. I recollect that many years ago an old
fellow o f the College of Physicians, Dr. Budd, physician to
St. Bartholomew’ s Hospital, told me, that, when a young
man, ou his mentioning to an old physician that he was giving
antimony to a patient, the old physician started back with
horror, advised him never to do so again, as he would kill
some one and repent o f it as long as he lived.
The same French Parliament denounced and forbade in­
oculation, and, fourteen years afterwards, the two young
princes, who became Louis X V I I I . and Charles X ., were
inoculated not far from the parliament house. In England
we are indebted for the practice of inoculation not to the
faculty, but to a strong-minded woman, Lady Mary W ortley
Montague.
For many years after I had employed prussic acid success­
fully in private and also in public at St. Thomas’ s Hospital,
the Pharmacopceia Committee o f the London College o f Phy­
sicians shrunk from recommending to the College its insertion
into their Pharmacopceia because so many o f the fellows had
denounced it in letters to them : and so late as 1836 an
argument used by certain fashionable medical men to prevent
patients from consulting me was that I prescribed prussic
 B y D r. Elliot son. 73

acid. A little before that year, an attempt was made to in­

validate my medical judgm ent in a cause before Lord A binger
by the present Attorney-General suggesting to his brother
counsel to ask me whether I did not employ the stethoscope:
and I replied, yes, just as Dr. Davey did when asked lately
by another counsel whether be believed in mesmerism : and
I have heard it contemptuously denounced in lectures before
the assembled College o f Physicians. W hen Ambrose Pare
substituted with perfect success mild applications to gun-shot
wounds for the tortures o f boiling oil, his brethren so vio­
lently denounced mild applications that he had to defend his
wholesome innovation long afterwards before Charles X I. in
p erson : and, after he had proved the success of tying arteries
after amputation, as is the present mode o f preventing hae­
morrhage, his cotemporaries assailed him, denounced liga­
tures, and persevered iu the dreadful practice o f applying
boiling pitch or red hot irons to the stump. W hen Aselfi
demonstrated the lacteal vessels, not a single doctor o f the
University o f Montpellier would allow the evidence o f his
eyes and acknowledge their existence, but denounced them.
After the sexual system o f plants had been demonstrated by
Alpini, and M illington urged it upon the Oxonians, and Grew
had proved it, Tournefort, the celebrated botanist, refused it
a place in his w ork: and Dr. Alston, the Professor o f Botany
in the University of'E din burgh , violently denounced and op­
posed it in the last century. Such was once the prejudice
o f the court physicians against Peruvian bark, they so de­
nounced it, that Cromwell was allowed to die o f ague rather
than they would allow him to take i t : and a man named
Talber, who taught the regular faculty the proper m ode o f
administering it, was vilified all over England as an impostor.
How the whole profession violently declared the circulation
o f the blood to be a false fabrication by Harvey, and how
they denounced and stigmatized him and ruined his practice,
is known to all the w orld: and now his name is reverenced,
and the profession are all proud o f him. W hen Jenner proved
the efficacy o f vaccination and was about to send a communi­
cation on his discovery to the Royal Society, those fellows
who were his friends begged in kindness to him that he would
do no such thing, for all the profession denounced it and the
fellows o f the Society followed them. W hen Franklin's papers
containing his discoveries in electricity were read to the
Royal Society, they were thought wild and absurd and re­
ceived with shouts o f laughter, denounced, and pronounced
by the council to be unworthy o f a place in the Philosophical
Transactions, and were therefore printed by a kind-hearted
74 Remarks on D r. Fraser’s inconsistency.

and virtuous quafeer, Dr. Fothergill, at his own expense, and

went through five edition s: and now the Society glories in
the name o f Franklin, and has his portrait on its walls. The
College of Physicians denounced and imprisoned one physi­
cian for using internally a medicine (cantharides) now in com ­
mon use, for dropsy, palsy, and some vesical and kindred
affections, & c .: and another for daring to differ from some
medical dogma o f Galen, who lived less than a century aud
a half after Christ, and was him self so prejudiced as to deny
that the heart was muscular and maintain that it only
seemed so. I f any candidate át our medical examinations
were not now to declare every one o f these denounced facts to
be true, he would be sent back to his studies by the succes­
sors o f those who formerly so nobly denounced.
A s to the French Commission, it was—
11 M o st superficial and incom plete, con d u cted in th e m ost random
w a y ; th e C om m ission allow ed that the effects were n ot im p os­
ture, and on ly ascribed them to im agination, im itation, and to u ch ;
the results were varied, and th e report says, ' N oth in g can be
m ore astonishing than the co n v u lsion s;’ * he w h o has n ot beheld
them can have no idea o f th em ; and even, in beh oldin g them , one
is equ ally surprised at the p r o f o u n d r e p o s e in w hich som e o f the
patients ere placed, and at the agitation w hich anim ates oth ers. It
is im possible n ot to recognise in these effects, w h ic h a r e c o n s t a n t , a
great pow er w hich agitates th e patients, w hich ever m a s t e r s th e m ,
and o f w hich th e p e r s o n w h o m a g n e t i s e s th e m s e e m s t o b e t h e
d e p o s i t o r y — on e o f th e French Com m issioners, truly virtuous,
h igh ly distinguished in science, au d well accustom ed to investigate
nature,— the celebrated Jussieu, w ho h ad pursued th e investigation
w ith th e greatest attention, firm ly refused to sign the report o f the
rest, th ou gh threatened by the minister, B aron B reteuil, and made
o n e separately, favourable to m esm erism , and settin g forth th e solid
reasons o f h is con victiou s, after having made separate exp erim en ts."

Dr, Fraser ought to know, tnorever,—

" T h a t , in 1825, on a su ggestion that th e R oy a l F rench A c a ­
dem y o f M edicine sh ou ld investigate the su bject anew, a pow erful
report in favour o f the investigation was m ade b y th e C om m issioners,
D rs , A d elon , Pari set, M arc, B urdin, senior, and H u saon ; that nearly
o n e -h a lf o f its m em bers confessed that th ey had seen, and that they
believed, m esm eric phenom ena m ost m arvellous and im portan t: that,
after th e investigation, n pow erful, and in every respect adm irable,
report in favou r o f th e truth o f m esm erism was m ade in 1831, b y
th e C om m issioners, D rs, B ou rdois D e L a M otte, Fouquier, Guéneau
d e M u ssy, G uersent, Ita rd , J . J . Le R ou x , M arc, T h iik y e , and
H usaon, and received by the A ca d em y with the liveliest in terest;
that som e o f the adversaries o f m esm erism in vain attem pted to d is ­
turb the religious silence o f the assem bly b y m urm urs o f disapproba-
 B y D r. EUiotson. 75

tioQ , b u t that the im m ense m ajority instantly repressed th eir at­

tem pt, and testified by lou d applause to the honourable reporter,
M . H u sson , how h ig h ly th ey appreciated his zeal, talents, and
co u ra g e .” ,
Before Dr. Fraser delivered this address he should have
remembered that nine years ago I published the following
statem ent:—
" In an evil h ou r, I consented to shew som e experim ents to th e
E ditor o f th e Lancet, after repeated entreaties con veyed b y his
assistant, M r. M ills, w ho had w itnessed th e phenom ena at th e h os­
pital, reported m any in th e Lancet, been enraptured with them , and
declared th em over and over again to be so satisfactory that to dou bt
o r to suspect tb e tw o O k eys o f im position w ould be the h eigh t o f
absurdity. I exh ib ited to th e E ditor th e production o f th e singular
delirium , and a variety o f th e m oat beautiful and satisfactory experi­
m ents w hich h e has entirely suppressed. B u t I presently feared what
w ould be the result. H e said he was pestered w ith letters upon the
su b je ct; bu t that nineteen ou t o f tw enty w ere unfavourable. N in e­
teen persons, o f course, purchase m ore Lancet» than ODe; and I fan­
cied 1 already saw his rejection o f the evidence. T h e mental p h e­
nom ena w ere such as no person capable o f sound and refined observa­
tio n , and fitted for ph ilosophical investigation, could for an instant
h ave im agined to be feigned. T h e ph ysical ph enom ena w ith the
h and, th e eye, metals, and water, were as striking and conclusive,
w ith th e exception o f som e w ith lead and n ic k e l; and those I have
since proved to large num bers o f able ju d g e s to be equally conclu sive.
M esm erised nickel produces upon the elder sister th e m ost violent
effects, w hich none but a very ignorant person could consider pre­
tended. N ow , w hen this, or g old or silver, has been ru b bed upon a
part, and th e friction has been desisted from b efore the effects com e,
o r th e effects have com e and have ceased, th ey m ay be at once ex­
cited in the form er case, o r re-excited in the latter, b y friction o f the
part w ith a n yth ing— a piece o f w ood or a piece o f le a d ; and this
excitem ent m ay b e produced again and again. F riction was per­
form ed w ith lead upon parts to w h ich th e nickel h ad been applied
either with o r w ithout effect as it m igh t be, and the effects to o k
place violently. T h is explanation I gave to th e E ditor, but he was
either to o dull to understand, or had his reasons for n ot understand­
ing. I n another set o f experim ents lead produced effects, though
nickel had n ot been applied to th e p a rts; and yet I had never been
able to m esm erise lead b y h old in g it in m y band and to produce
effects b y then ap plying it. T h o se effects I can d id ly said I could
not explain, since I had n ot com m en ced experim ents w ith lead or
nickel for m ore than tw o or three d a y s ; b u t, as there was no m ore
deception in the cases, n or less certainty o f the various facts w hich
I h ad observed, than in chem istrv or any oth er natural science, I
added that these results shewed ou iy that th ey required farther inves­
tigation, and that I h ad n o d ou b t I should, by perseverance, discover
their cause. T h e E d itor knew that I was about to leave L on d on
76 Remarks on D r. Fraser's inconsistency.

tb a t sam e day fo r an absence o f s is w eeks on th e continent, and y et

h e co u ld n ot wait for m y return and give m e an op p ortu n ity o f
farther research, but, w ith that gentlem anly delicacy for w h ich he
an d his friends Are so rem arkable, pu blish ed, alm ost im m ediately,
whAt professed to b e an accoun t o f what he had seen,— a m ost im ­
perfect and w orthless account, how ever ; in h is plenitude o f scientific
im portance, he declared that n o t one m ore experim ent on magnetism
w ould ever b e required ; and answers w h ich were sent h e never pu b ­
lished. H e om itted to state a circum stance in his experim ents w ith
lead, w hich had never been allow ed to happen in m ine, b u t w h ich ,
w hen reflecting upon them on m y tour, I th ou gh t m igh t have influ­
enced th e results. In em p loyin g the lead, I h a d n oticed that he ap­
plied it against a piece o f nickel h eld in h is oth er hand, before he
applied it to th e patient. O il m y return, I applied lead to h er as
before, and, indeed, cop p er a lso ; yet never obtained an effect. I
then applied th e lead or the cop p er, as it m igh t be, against a piece
o f m esm erised n ickel or g old , b efore a p p lyin g it t o h e r ; an d its ap­
plication to h er was then always productive o f effects. I discovered
that th e surface o f the lead or cop p e r h ad b ecom e nickelized or a e ri­
fied b y the co n ta ct; and thus th e difficu lty was solved. T h ese ex ­
perim ents 1 have repeated again and again before n um bers o f g en ­
tlem en, taking th e greatest care that the patient should n o t know
w hen I applied lead or cop p er w hich had n ot been in contact with
nickel or g o ld , and w hen I applied lead or cop p er w hich h ad been in
con ta ct with either o f th em ; and th e results have been uniform . 1
w as obliged to leave the p oor little girl in an intense com a, w ith o c ­
casional violent tetanic spasm s, at th e E d itor’ s house, little im agin­
in g that an y farther experim ents w ould be attem pted, especially in
m y absence, b y a person ignorant o f th e su bject and altogeth er i n ­
capable o f m aking experim ents. I had seen sufficient o f th e ex ­
trem e carelessness, and want o f inform ation and p h ilosop h ic pow er,
o f th e E d itor, during th e experim ents con du cted b y m yself, and
w hich he frequently altogether deranged, n ot to he convinced that in
m y absence no experim ent cou ld be made in a m anner to ju stify
conclu sion s. I n h is ignorance, h e ncted as th ou gh m esm eric suscep­
tibility is always present an d always th e sam e i whereas th e reverse
ts th e f a c t ; and experim ents w ith w ater and m etals frequently re­
peated so derange the susceptibility that we are often ob liged to
desist.
" D u rin g th e five m on th s w hich have elapsed since m y return, I
have repeated all m y experim ents an d continu ed m y observations,
n o t o n ly o n th e tw o O k eys, bu t o n oth er patients ; an d all the
results o f m y form er enquiries have been confirm ed an d all difficul­
ties solved .” *
N i n e y e a r s a g o I p u b lis h e d t h e f o l l o w i n g :—
“ "Who, possessed o f com m on sense, that saw th e O keys, w ill n ot
honestly declare that n oth in g was m ore w onderful than tn e fixin g o f
the O k eys ? T h ey , in their ecstatic delirium , cou ld be instantly
* N u m e r o u s C a s e s o f S u n ji e a t O p e r a t i o n s w i t h o u t P a i n , t f c . , pp. 84—86.
 B y Dr. Elliotson. 77

fixed b y a single pass o f the hand, or a single Eager, at a distance,

even behind th em ; while dancing, jum ping, grimacing, stooping,
whatever they were doing, they were in a moment petrified in their
position , as the inhabitants o f a city were said to be instantly changed
to marble in the Arabian tale. T h e younger often danced ‘ Jim
C r o w ;' and to sec her or her sister fixed in any attitude, their faces
suddenly fixed also, while in the midst o f a sentence, or o f a word,
their eyes to close and them to stand insensible to all around them,
and at last cither drop down from the torpor increasing, or suddenly
com e to consciousness from the effect having been slighter and going
'o f f ; to witness their surprise on coming to, and their anger on having
been arrested in what they were about, and to see them again sud­
denly made insensible and rigid while venting their displeasure,— was
on e o f the things which no one can forget who witnessed them.
" T h e s e phenomena were shewn by me again and again, with
very many others o f the most exquisite kind,— a lt w h i c h h e s u p ­
p r e s s e d , — to M r, W akley, in that evil moment in which I — good-
natured and confiding fool— fancied he was, i f not a lover o f truth,
a t least too sagacious not to see that such facts were unquestionably
real, and that to attempt to bully and write them down, however it
m ight succeed for a moment, would be the height o f madness, and
that they must eventually be admitted by all men, in spite o f the
selfish and coarse opposition o f the whole profession. It was plain
th at a medical case which had occurred once would occur again ; that,
as mesmerism produced such wonderful effects upon them, it would
also upon others; and that as doctors and surgeons— the consulting
and medical men in general, the authoritative great and the imitating
little— had never made any mesmeric trials, they could not expect to
have met with such cases, and Dot only were uot justified in suppos­
ing such cases impossible, but had every reason to suppose, from the
cases o f the Okeys, that they had only to take the trouble to examine
for themselves, however beneath their dignity and the importance o f
their daily routine,” *
Eight years ago I published the follow ing:—
“ Mesmerised gold or silver or other metals, mesmerised water,
or other substances mesmerised by being breathed upon, will often
stiffen parts, and violently too, to which they are applied. T he
m ost comm only efficient is mesmerised g o ld ; and, when placed on
the hand o f this patient a few evenings ago, it caused a most violent
and continued flexure o f the arm, and the rigidity o f the whole body
was such that I could relax no part by a continuance o f the means
which at all other times relaxed any parts in a few seconds, and the
sleep grew so deep that I could not wake her or rouse her in any
degree for a long while. A t length she fetched a deep sigh, and
was accessible to my measures o f relaxing and rousing. This was
precisely a repetition o f the phenomena o f the Okeys from gold.
But with the elder Okey, and her only, mesmerised water hau this
power. M r, W akley him self made, by m y instruction, most deci­
* Z o is t, No. II., p. 176.
78 Remarks on D r. Fraser’s inconsistency.

sive experiments o f this kind, and without a single failure: and these
very experiments were once made by the present Attorney-General
Sir P. Pollock, at my house, and by very many others, and almost
always with success so perfect as to convince the most sceptical.
Tw o glasses o f water were placed behind a screen, behind her. One
was mesmerised ; the other not. A brush was put into each ; which­
ever finger was touched with the mesmerissd water, stiffened ; and
whichever finger was touched with the plain water, remained as it
was. O f course care was required not to let the mesmerised water
touch the fingers which were to be subjected to the plain water.
Tim e was often required for the effect, and sometimes a good deal o f
water. But these experiments were made carefully and repeatedly
b y M r, W akley h im self; and I boldly appealed to him for their truth
and decisiveness, and he ventured to make no objection, nor any
remark, but bit iris nails and passed on to something else, and
omitted all allusion to them in his most unfair, moBt imperfect, most
misrepresenting report, in which a complete mess is obvious to every
one acquainted with the subject, from his having, in his inordinate
vanity, presumed to make experiments behind my back, undirected,
on a subject o f which he was as ignorant as a maid o f all work.” *
In truth similar phenomena to those o f the Okays have
now been seen by thousands in this country upon very nu­
merous patients, and the days o f Mr. W akley’ s triumph are
passed. Let those who have thought right to believe him
rather than myself, and believe the experiments which he
says he made behind my back, remember that he lately ven­
tured upon the assertion that I was at the head o f a band o f
liomceopathists.t His object in saying this was undoubtedly
the same as in recounting experiments said to have been
made upon the Okeys behind m y back.
In my farewell letter to the students o f University College,
printed in January, 1839, all this was set forth. But neither
Mr. W akley nor any o f his sub-editors and other scribes have
ventured to reply or notice my statements, and I still defy
him and dare him to reply.
The Lev. Mr. Sandby truly says:—
“ Those who have read M r. W akley’ s strictures should know that
every charge has been again and again successfully answered. Dr,
Elliotson in his letter to his pupils has entered fully into every part
o f the subject.” J
This letter has never been noticed by any o f the medical
journals, as far as I know.
A s to the phenomena not having been witnessed till the
last century, very little reading shews that they have been
* Z o in t, No. V,, pp. 65, 66,
t See ¿out. No. X X X V ., p. 263.
t M e a m e n s m a n d itt O p p o n e n t * , p. 193.
 B y Dr, E lliot son. 79

k n o w n and mesmerism practised from the remotest periods

i n the East.* The Bible is replete with indications o f mes­
m erism . A nd as to the susceptibility o f animals, by which word
I suppose he means brutes, for man is an animal as much as
a m ouse, the most ignorant mesmeriser knows that they are
affected. Read the account o f the mesmerisation o f two
fierce dogs by the Duke o f Marlborough, and o f a savage
b u ll by the Rev. Mr. Bartlett. Read the very abundant in­
stances given in Dr. John W ilson’ s Trials o f Anim al M ag­
netism, on the Brute C reation: and remember the effects o f
breathing into the cars of unmanageable horses.
A s to education or training being necessary to the effects,
the idea is as unfounded as that o f training being necessary
to the effects o f mercury or quinine.
B elief is not necessary: many sceptics have produced all
the e ffects; and the most sceptical are often strongly affected.
W h en M r. H . S. Thompson was a sceptic, he aud an equally
sceptical lady agreed that he should mesmerise her before a
large party staying at a house in the country, and that, at a
certain signal from him, she should pretend to go to sleep and
exhibit certain phenomena, B ong before he gave the signal,
she was thoroughly mesmerised and in a deep sleep, to his
astonishment and dismay.f
A more ignorant and silly address to unfortunate students
was never delivered than by this instructor in the east o f
L ondon. W ould that he were a wise naan o f the East. H e
reminds me o f an old monk at the top o f M ount St. Bernard,
who knew nothing o f England since the days o f the wars o f
York and Lancaster, and asked me before I went to bed if
the civil wars still raged in England. The medical arc the
only portion o f society now in darkness, and the world around
is beginning to wonder seriously at th em : and poor M r.
W akley feels the terrible awkwardness o f his situation, and
that his pranks and misrepresentations are at an end and
cover him with ridicule. W hat will he d o? I foresaw all
this fourteen years ago, because I knew that all I asserted was
true, and that be was playing a very shallow game. M y
words in 1843 w ere:— .
" H is day o f triumph has passed, and his ch ief business now
must be to consider how he can best extricate him self from the sad
position into which he has fallen from having so overcunuingly,
hastily, and violently committed himself. Some say he is ready to
hang himself. But 1 implore him for the sake o f science and hu­
* See abundant proofs of this in various numbers of TAt Zoiil.
+ I have related this anecdote from Mr. Thompson’ s own mouth in No. 1.,
p. 72.
80 Cure o f very long and agonizing pains.

inanity not to tbink o f such a folly, nor to imitate the dignified exit
o f the Tartar General, who, according to the dispatch o f Sir Henry
Pottitiger, ‘ retired to his house when he saw that all was lost, made
his servants set it on fire, and sat in his chair till he was burnt to
death.' ” *

V . Cure o f very long and agonizing pains and other distress­

ing symptoms in a lady. B y M r. H. S. T h o m p s o n ,
Fairfield, near Y ork. Communicated by Dr. Elliotson.
“ Dr, Elliotson has pert upa sacrificed with this generation hU well-won fame.
All honour to him for this M Yet hie noble stand for the yet dawning truth
shews him to be a man o f much courage, talent, and self-denial. He may de­
scend to the grave without his fame, but Let him not repine. Posterity will yet
repay him for all/'— The Dublin University Magazine on Animal Magnetism,
Oct., 1851,
Fairfield, 31st January, 1851,
M r dear Elliotson,— I transmit enclosed the lady^a case
sent to me on Saturday last by her. H er name you know
she wished to be suppressed, but I am sure she would be
very happy to be referred to i f any one wanted more informa­
tion iu regard to the facts. I do not know that 1 can add
any remarks that would add further interest to her case, but
it may be as well to state that on the first trial I found her a
very sensitive subject to the mesmeric treatm ent: pain was
quickly removed, and spasmodic rigidity o f the muscles o f
the neck, back, face, and limbs induced, though not sleep.
The cure has been gradual, and has required constant recourse
to mesmerism. A s I lived at a considerable distance from
the patient, I could only see her occasioually, but the action
o f mesmerism was very efficiently kept up by her brother,
or her own maid. Latterly she became so sensitive that I
have every reason to believe that I have been able to affect
her at a distance. W ithout her knowledge the usual effects
have been induced at precisely the time I have tried tbe ex­
periment, when I have been at home, forty miles distant, or
when in London, upwards o f two hundred miles. A t the
same time I must add, that, subsequently to the period when
I commenced these distant experiments, the patient has fre­
quently experienced all the sensations and exhibited the same
phenomena o f muscular rigidity, &c., when I have not at­
tempted to exert an influence by will at a distance. I hope
this will be in time for you if you require it. I think I sent
you amongst my last cases a corroborationt o f all that the lady
has related.
Ever yours,
H . S. T h o m p s o n .
* N u m e r o u e C t w e , S fc.t p+ Bfi. f This will appear in oar next.— Zoitt,
 B y M r. H. S. Thompson. 81

" Having been requested to give an outline o f my ease

and the effect o f mesmerism upon it, I feel it due, in grati­
tude to the unwearied kindness and exertions o f my mes-
meriser, to describe with truth and to the best o f my recol­
lection the prominent features o f my long illness and sub­
sequent gradual restoration to health through that benevolent
agency.
"T h r o u g h a fall from the carriage in M ay, 1846, my
shoulder was dislocated, and, from the delay o f two or three
hours in setting it, the muscles had contracted so much that
it required the force o f seven people to pull it into its place.
The overstrain o f the mnscles and nerves produced the great­
est derangement o f the nervous system, and a recurrence o f
some chronic irritation or spinal mischief which had confined
me to the sofa for two years about 20 years ago.
"P reviou sly to being mesmerised 1 was unable to sit up
for two minutes, or to leave the sofa, during two years, nor
could I bear to jerk or use my arm s; and for two or three
years there was great tenderness in the muscles, extending
from the arm to the hip. For many months I rarely slept
more than two or three hours during the night, and fre­
quently not even that. In November, 1846, and again in the
winter o f 1847, I had the influenza, which completely pros­
trated my strength, and for three months I could not read a
few sentences without feeling a sensation o f sickness, from
the weakness o f the nerves. A t that time 1 required for
many weeks stimulants o f meat, porter, sago, and brandy,
or strong soup, every two hours, day and n ig h t: and, i f they
were not given the moment required, the exhaustion o f the
nerves was so great that I could not hold a glass, nor could 1
swallow the meat, till revived by the stimulant. The same
sort o f syncope and exhaustion o f nervous power would
be produced by the least attempt to sit up. I frequently
had sciatic pain, and pain in different parts o f the spine, and
in the back o f the head and behind the ears. During this
state o f exhaustion o f the system, the heart scarcely seemed
at times to have strength to propel the blood, which indeed
appeared to me rather to glide than to flow with a heat. A t
other times I was peculiarly sensible o f every pulsation in the
heart, as well as in the extremities : and there was at that
period so much sensitiveness in the nerves that I could feel a
sort o f vibration, or pulsation, all over me, which appeared
like a second pulse beating twice as fast as that from the cir­
culation o f the blood. W hen these symptoms subsided I
still could not bear to sit up even for one minute at a time.
In the similar illness in the year 1828, which arose, I believe,
V O L . x. o
82 Cure o f very long and agonizing pains.

from the state o f the spinal chord; or a complete exhaustion

o f nervous power, and is which I experienced a death-like
syncope, and I could not be raised two inches without a sort
o f fainting, I took an immense quantity o f tonics and stimu­
lants, and could hear external applications to the spine. But
in this last attack I could scarcely bear medicine o f any de­
scription ; lowering ones instantly increasing the prostration
o f strength, -and tonics o f the mildest decryption, even sarsa­
parilla, invariably producing after two or three days trial
heat and restlessness; and even salt and water, iodine, or
other external remedies, were so quickly absorbed into the
system, that they very soon produced the same general effect
o f heat and restlessness as the internal tonics. In the former
illness of the kind, I had derived benefit from topical reme­
dies, such as veratria, croton oil, and mustard plasters: but
in the latter illness it was impossible to persevere long enough
in the use o f any o f these things, as they increased the irri­
tation and made the nights worse. Opiates and anodynes
were also quite inadmissible.
" I n M ay, 1848, when I had made d o progress whatever
in sitting up, mesmerism was suggested by a friend. I had
not seen or known anything o f it, and merely considered it
worth a trial, just as other remedies which were prescribed.
The first visit o f my kind mesmeriser, M r, Henry Thompson,
o f Fairfield, however, enabled me to sit up for a few minutes.
I then perceived, for the first time, a high degree o f stiffness
in the upper joints o f the neck, and an inability to turn my
head to the right or le ft : and I believe the neck was swelled.
The symptoms gradually yielded to the mesmeric passes, but
were not entirely removed for many months. Before I began
with mesmerism I had frequently pains in the spine and
limbs and sciatic pain, as well as occasionally a pain in the
back o f the head, quite circumscribed to the size o f about a
half a crown. I improved so rapidly under my new remedy,
that, after a confinement for more than two years entirely to
one room and the sofa, at the end o f six weeks I was able to
bear being carried down stairs and to sit up two or three
hours during the day, and get out in a garden chair. In
M r. Thompson’s absence my brother mesmerised me with the
utmost regularity three or four times each day, and as the
pains decreased, and the system was stimulated and quieted
by the most kind exertions o f my meamerisers, 1 was able to
sit up a few minutes longer each time.
" One remarkable feature or peculiarity in my case I must
not omit to mentiou,— that, if I In the least exceeded my
powers and tried by perseverance to overcome the difficulty,
 By M r. H . 8. Thompson. 83

I was sure to go further and further back each time, till, I

believe, I might have Uwt all I had gain ed: and the only way
to restore me to the position I had lost, was by instantly
keeping within tny power, and more vigorously plying the
mesmeric force. The winter again retarded my progress, and
frequent were the visits and efforts o f the ‘ master-hand/ al­
ways most strikingly beneficial; and, had I been a nearer
patient, my recovery would doubtless have advanced more
quickly and regularly. I had occasional drawbacks from try­
ing to d o a little more than 1 was able, and then all had to
be repeated.
" In the summer o f 1849, I was able to walk across the
room and to sit up six hours in the day : but, though I was
most anxious to get o ff the sofa altogether, there was still so
much irritation in the system that 1 could not advance beyond
a certain point, and felt distressed all over, and burst into a
heat, when I attempted to do so j and, the consequence was a
bad night. In the autumn I was well enough to drive out,
but I again experienced a drawback in the winter. The fol­
lowing spring and summer I advanced more steadily, and
attempted to walk up stairs; and in the autumn o f 1850 I
went to Scarborough, but did not return the better for it,
the shower-baths having been rather too strong a sh ock : and,
had I not been renovated by the stimulating passes both in
going and returning, I should probably have lost more than
I gained by the change. In February, 1851, I had a more
decided drawback from the exertion o f walking twice up
stairs for two or three days, that brought on pain in the
b ack ; and I could not drive a quarter o f a mile without being
the worse for it and having a bad night. In fact, there was
more o f the chronic irritation in the system, and I also felt
a return o f the vibration or pulsation o f the nerves.
" This was the state o f the case, when it was accidentally
discovered by my kind friend, then in London, that I could
be more strongly affected by distant m esm erism : or rather,
that m y mesmeriser, Dot knowing at a distance the discom­
fort produced by muscular agitation, did not stop mesmerising,
as he would have done had he been present, on the first m o­
ment that such an effect was produced. O f this I was first
made aware by pain and clencbiug o f the muscles o f the
mouth ; and, on two or three occasions, the muscular frame
was violently agitated, and as little under my control as if
galvanized or electrified, till I felt much exhausted and the
breathing was much affected. This seemed a sort of crisis,
and occurred shortly after a long mesmeric sleep o f four
hours. W hen I awoke from this sleep, I felt as if an op-
o 2
84 Report o f cases treated with Mesmerism.

pressi ve weight was taken from me, and had a degree o f elas­
ticity which I had not experienced since m y illness o f nearly
five years, and it occurred, I believe, from the relief and com ­
posure given to the nervous system : and I have been able to
sit up the whole day without once having recourse to the sofa
for several weeks, aud have in short lost the various pains in
the nerves. I now feel quite well, though o f course I have
to take care not to overdo myself, and I have borne a journey
o f 200 miles without being in thè least the worse for it.
“ There has been throughout my loDg trial o f mesmerism
no one unpleasant occurrence with regard to it : and I trust
in my own heart that the prevailing feeling has been, and
ever will be, deep and sincere gratitude to the Alm ighty
Hand that ever guides us, and to the kindest and most un­
ceasing efforts o f my friendly mesmeriser, to whom I shall
always subscribe myself his most grateful patient,
" C. W .
u Yorkshire, January, 1852.”
* * * This lady did me the favor o f calling upon me to
gratify me with a sight o f her astonishing cure when in town
last season : and I afterwards met her walking about in tbe
Great Exhibition.— J. E.

VT. R eport o f cases treated with Mesmerism, and in connexion

with the E xeter M esm eric Institution. Painless extraction
o f Five T eeth ; complete relief o f Stricture with severe suf­
ferin g ; cure o f severe H ead-ache with threatened Insanity ;
o f Loss o f V o ice; o f fo u r cases o f severe H ead-ache; o f
Uterine D isease; o f Tic D ou lou reu x; o f severe suffering
during P regnancy; o f S tiff K nee o f seven years’ duration,
and o f relapse o f Loss o f V oice; o f Chronic Rheumatism.
B y M r. J o h n B . P a r k e r , Surgeon, Exeter.
■■MESMER. AND MARTINEAU,
“ To the Editor of the Notfoli Chronicle.
l* My dear Sir,— Mint. Martineau haa published her cttre; hut she has not
specified the disease ; and it does not seem vary logical, in this interesting lady,
to claim our faith in mesmerism, unless we are told what disorder the practice
has removed. Ever since the days o f the French commission at Paris, with the
sober philosophy of Benjamin Franklin* to conduct tbe inquiries, the world, at
large, and the medical section, in particular, have agreed to consider mesmerism
as a form of charlatans He. All its advocates impostors or dupes. To set up
again a claim of substantial science for this art is offensive to the vast majority o f
physicians and natural philosophers : and displicent to the moralist and divitug
who remember the abuses of the practice, on the continent and even in this
country. I f it were a true therapeutic science, it must and it should prevail; bat,
like machinery, railways, and Warner’s shells, it must be even then most sensi­
tively watched, la it wonderful, when the operator and the patient are of different

* Franklin gave himself no trouble about the matter ; see No, I-, p. 62.— Zoitt.
 B y M r. Parker. 85

sexes, that the scattered instances of »eduction, that the wholesale enormities
under Caglioatro, should occur and alarm society ? Elderly ladies may be shielded
by their virtues, their dignity, their religion, their age; but, if mesmerism is to
be perpetrated on mobile, amorous, unsuspecting girls, by boys and by men,
the consequences are manifest. Not long since, in a German city, a young lady
of condition was mined by her mesmerising physician* The cose excited great
disgust in the town: bat in what breast o f common sense, could it excite isender?
The medical profession cannot allow the magic name of Harriet Martineau to be
paraded among the disciples of Mearner, without inquiry into details, which alone
can render her case of any real weight. If delicacy prompted to concealment,
should not fairness hare indicated silence ? This admired writer has, however,
thought right to announce her cose publicly, ss one of successful mesmerism— and
the interests of truth sod society compel the antagonists of this medical heresy to
analyse, so far as possible, the history, and falsify the conclusion that, because
the patient is well, the mesmeric aura hath effected her cure. Now, although the
laudable delicacy of this extraordinary Lady hath suppressed the details of her
malady, yet 1 have s right to assume that the circulated whispers were well founded;
and the malady w u abdominal tumor. Here this celebrated authoress is too well
known that her age can be any secret: and her amiable and simple character
would render her careless to conceal. And Bhe will not be surprised, therefore,
nor angry, if she is told, that she has been labouring under the climacteric die*
Order o f her sex. That this often produces a physcony of the abdomen, with
oppression and universal laogour. That in such circumstances the single woman
is terrified with ideas of cancer, dropsy, and organic diseases ; the married lady
fandes she is about to multiply the species, and her fond husband provides a
doctor and the nurse. A cose o f this kind is reported in the person of a Mrs.
Trunnion by Dr. Smollett: and instances of the first-named deception in spinsters
are daily occurring. But nature goes through her proceedings i the abdominal
tumefactions subside ; and, when the climacteric period has passed, women often
enjoy better health and longer life than the other sex.*
11 In this particular case of our popular townswoman let not the mesmeriser
triumph 1 The success was due to the natural process, aided by the vigour
obtained bum faith end hope. Hence energy, exercise, air, omission of opiattt;
and it seems to me that this delightful result would have been earlier effected, I
mean the natural cure, hod not the patient become from her own confession, » c o m ­
plete opium eater. She hod poisoned herself for years with thia fascinating drug.
*' To conclude: my firm persuasion is that this vaunted case is one of thou­
sands, in which the mind bos relieved the body from fineiional not organic dis.
orders. That ladies of a particular age will do well nof to appeal to Mesmer for
the cure o f their peculiar symptoms, which time and the physician will generally
cure, unless baffled by pernicious treatment, ^nd that young ladies should be
specially careful to eschew this revived foolery, which in many instances bath
created, instead of relieving, turnon of the abdomen.
“ I remain, my dear Sir, yours truly,
“ D ec. 7, 1 8 « . " “ R T . H U L L , M .D .t

“ I f after the manner of men I have fought with bttute at Ephesus," fito.—
1 Cor. xv. 32.

Painless E xtraction o f Four Teeth.

T h e r e is but small occasion to inform the friends o f mes­
merism, that many o f its greatest foes are those who will not
think o r ju d g e for themselves, but are willing to abuse it both
m ob ed ien ce to their own ignorance on the subject, and to
* For the greatness of thia misrepresentation, see No. IX .— Z o i s t ,
f Indelicate u U this letter of Dr. Hull, jt is not so indelicate as ao anttmeg-r
meric passage by Dr, James Johnson, published in his A f e d . - C h i r , R e v i e w for Oct*
1&38* which b alluded to in No, X V .g p. 3 8 0 , but conld not be quoted,— Zotit*
86 R eport o f case» treated with M esm erism,

that o f tbeir equally wise friends and neighbours. To con*

quer Buch prejudice by a simple exercise o f "m esm eric power,"
is to our minds no small trium ph: and the only reason why it
has not been more frequently resorted to, must be that foes
are not always as honest as the gentleman whose late convic­
tion I will now relate.
Lieut. Corueck, K .N ., residing near Star Cross, a most
decided and uncompromising abuser o f mesmerism, being a
little discomposed by all that he heard from a favourite niece
on the diabolical subject, one day wrote to her, saying— “ I f
yon will receive my servant, Eliza Powlealand, give her a
dinner and bed, have her mesmerised, (which, as she is so
delicate, can o f course be done directly) then should your
husband be able to take out three or four teeth (now causing
her much pain) without the slightest consciousness on her
part, why, I will give in, and believe there is something in
mesmerism after a ll." The challenge was accepted, Eliza
came to Exeter, and all attempts to put her to sleep the first
day were nearly vain. However, those who had taken up the
gage were not to be defeated so easily, and it waa determined
that she should remain at Mr. Parker’s till success had
crowned their efforts. The following day she was put into a
profound mesmeric sleep by one o f Mr. Parker's mesmerisers
at 12 or 1 o’ c lo c k ; in the evening she was again rendered
unconscious by the same means, and Mr. Parker then ex­
tracted two teeth for her, in the presence o f his wife, without
the slightest movement or appearance o f pain on her part;
she then washed her mouth by imitation,* and talked exactly
like a person in ordinary sleep, making excuses to her master
and mistress for her non-appearance in the morning accordiug
to her promise, asserting that Mrs. Parker had insisted on
her remaining, and complaining to her fellow-servant that
•he should not grumble at her delay, i f her master had over­
looked it. She was soon aroused, and was very much sur­
prized to find that two teeth were o u t ; she said she had not
the slighest remembrance o f their being extracted, but that
she had certainly been dreaming. The next morning she
was again mesmerised, and two other teeth were taken o u t;
one o f them was much decayed, and M r. Parker was com­
pelled to use several instruments for its extraction The
same placid statue-like appearance was preserved throughout,
and not one sigh escaped her lip s ; she again washed her
mouth by imitation, and, before she was aroused, every thing
was cleared away. W h en consciousness was restored, M r.
Read (the mesmeriser) asked her why she had not allowed
* Compare the Swim case, No. X X IX ., p. 22.—Zoitt.
 B y M r. Parker. 87

bim to put ber to sleep, and thus enabled M r. Porker to take

out her teeth ? She replied, " that she was very sorry for i t ;
but that at least she should go home with two less, for which
she felt very grateful.” After a little conversation, in which she
said, "sh e was sure she might not com e again to Exeter, that
she could not be spared,” &c. M r. Bead asked her to rinse
ber m outh; she did so, and the water was slightly tinged
with blood. "A h I” she said, “ that comes from those I had
taken out yesterday, I remember they bled a little before
breakfast” In a second or two she felt that tw o more were
missing, and started up, exclaiming, “ why they are out 1”
They were shewn to her, and she repeated with a curiously
puzzled look, “ and to think that I know nothing o f i t : how
thankful I am, aud how much obliged.” She went home
that afternoon, and quite converted Lieut. Corneck, who now
often mentions the fact, and adds, “ that it is certainly very
strange, not only has Eliza lost her aching teeth, but her whole
constitution is improved by mesmerism she says, and also that
she has not slept so well for years, as she has since her stay
at Mr. Parker's.”
M r. Parker will be most happy to give Lieut. Corneck's
address to any one who may wish to satisfy himself o f this
fact through him.

Another Painless E xtraction o f One Tooth.

One evening, about two mouths since, there was a large
meeting at the Exeter Mesmeric Institution, when a re­
markably sceptical lady was present. She doubted every
thing, but said at last that i f she could see an operation per­
formed during mesmeric sleep, she might agree that it was
not all humbug. I quietly told her that I was sorry I could
n ot take off an arm or a leg, or even extract a tooth in order
to satisfy her : she was silenced for a time, and the business
o f the tfa n ce was continued. A t length the lady said in a
complaining tone, that it was very odd that out o f so many
persons (60 or 70 were assembled) no one should want to
have a tooth out. T o the surprize o f every one, a particularly
modest girl who sat behind her, said that she had one which
troubled her, and that if I had no objections, she should like
to have it taken out. She had been put into mesmeric sleep
some months before, and once this very evening. She was
soon rendered unconscious, and I successfully extracted a
large tooth, which the lady was convinced pained her much,
ub she slightly raised her hands at the moment. However,
after washing ber mouth by imitation, she was aroused, and
consented to come the next day to my house to have the
88 Report o f cate» treated with Mesmerism.

offending tooth taken oat. In a few moments she discovered

that it was already gone: her naive surprise, and her answers
to the sceptical lady's questions, convinced the latter that
there really was a power o f which she had not dreamt in her
philosophy, and I believe she has ceased from that time to
enlarge on ,f mesmeric hum bug."

Stricture o f Urethra vnlh intense Suffering.

M r . -------------- , had been subject to stricture o f nrethra
for many years, which had produced considerable contraction
o f the vesica; consequently, there was a very frequent neces­
sity o f emptying it, occurring six or eight times during the
night. This frequent interruption o f sleep began to impair
his otherwise vigorous constitution: he now sought my
assistance. The first attempt to explore the state o f the
urethra produced such intense pain, that the patient was
faint, and, although not the least violence was used, there
was considerable haemorrhage. Suitable remedies were given
previously to the use o f the catheter; but tbe nervous system
was so much disturbed by the frequent effort made to overcome
the obstacle, that the patient began to feel alarmed at his posi­
tion ; and a melancholy one it has often proved, as all must
know who have had any experience o f such cases, and as the
advertisements in the daily papers too clearly testify. M y
patient was now mesmerised twice daily, and, although he
followed his daily active occupation, the result o f one week’s
mesmerising was such as to exceed my most sanguine expec­
tations. A t the end o f six weeks, he was restored to such a
state o f health by combining mesmerism with catheterism
that he was quite delighted, and I as much surprized; and
most strongly would I recommend every surgeon and every
patient to have recourse to mesmerism, for the relief o f one
o f the most troublesome maladies that afflict the human race.

Severe Head-ache with threatened Insanity.

Mrs. V. had suffered for several weeks from intense head­
ache, which impaired her m em ory; and, knowing insanity to
be hereditary in her family, she was strongly impressed
with the idea that she was threatened with derangement o f
intellect. A t my first interview I recommended mesmerism,
to which she and her husband had some aversion : but, find­
ing other remedial agents ineffectual in relieving her, she at
last consented to be mesmerised. She soon experienced
relief. A t the end o f a few weeks she was quite restored,
and has remained quite well ever since.
 B y M r. Parker. 89

Loss o f Voice.
Robert Haydon, whose case I reported in The Zoist, two
years since, caught cold in the month o f N ov. 1851, and
again lost his voice. H e applied to the surgeon o f his club,
and, not finding his voice at all improved at the end o f a
month, he again requested to be mesmerised. M y mes-
meriser soon produced mesmeric sleep, during which, R . H .
predicated that his voice at a certain stance, in the presence
o f sixty persona, would be restored, aud permanently after he
awoke. On several former occasions he could sing with his
usual voice during the mesmeric sleep, but lost it as soon as
h e aw ok e: but on the occasion specified he recovered his
voice, and it has remained qnite audible ever since in accord*
ance with his prediction.

Tic Douloureux.
Mrs. C. upwards o f 60, had suffered much from severe
head-ache, accompanied with violent pains in the face. One
o f her teeth was loose, which I extracted. There was a short
cessation from pain in the face, but the bead-ache was most
intense, and the other pain soon returned. She had been
under medical treatment previously to consulting me, and all
remedies had failed. She was mesmerised daily; and, In the
coarse o f a few weeks, the head-ache and face-ache were qnite
removed, and her health was quite restored.

H e Douloureux.
M r s .-------------- had been suffering from tic douloureux,
with ulceration o f the gums. H er face and head were much
swollen, and when I arrived the pain had almost produced
delirium. She was mesmerised, and relief soon procured.
A t the eud o f a few days, she was restored to her usual
health.
Tic Douloureux.
------- Skinner had suffered from severe tic douloureux o f
the face and head for fonr years, during which time Bbe had
been submitted to various kinds o f treatment, without any
very marked or permanent benefit. During the eighteen
months preceding her application to me, she had been under
homoeopathic treatment, which proving equally ineffectual in
her case, she asked her medical attendant if he thought mes­
merism would be likely to be beneficial to her, to which he
replied most positively that it was ail humbug. W ith this
conviction she was treated homoeopathically three months
more, when her sufferings nearly drove her mad. She then
applied to me, and, after a fortnight's mesmerising, she re-
90 Report o f Cases treated with Mesmerism.

turned to her friends quite cured, and has remained well ever
since.
Tic Douloureux.
A poor woman from Halbert on had suffered from tic
douloureux for two years and half, and was almost mad from
the pain; during this time she had tried various remedies
prescribed by several medical men, but without any decided
benefit. She came to me and was mesmerised for ten days,
when Bhe was able to return to her friends quite free from
pain.

Severe H ead-ache with general Constitutional Disturbance.

M r. C-------------- had been suffering from severe head-ache,
with pains in almost every part o f the b o d y ; the digestive
organs were very much disturbed, with considerable conges­
tion of all the abdominal organs. I believe the whole ori­
ginated from an attack o f ague, which he had two years
before, and since which he had scarcely enjoyed a day's health.
His rest waa frequently disturbed, sometimes from head-ache,
and at other times from an indescribable nervousness and
wretchedness, which obliged him to pace his room all night,
as the recumbent position was positive torture. H e was mes­
merised daily for three months; at the end o f which time he
was so much restored as to be able to resume the active duties
o f life. I received a letter from him a few weeks since, in
which he rejoiced to tell me o f his perfect recovery.

Severe Uterine D isorder.

Mrs. C -------------- who had miscarried two years previously
to applying to me in Jan., 1851, had been suffering ever
since that event. In addition to constant uneasiness, with
discharge o f coagula, her general health was much impaired,
to such an extent indeed as to prodnee considerable oedema
o f the lower extremities. During the whole o f this time she
had been under medical treatment conducted by several sur­
geons, and, finding no relief, naturally became alarmed at the
prospect o f the disease terminating in cancer, which too fre­
quently is a melancholy fact. She asked me i f I thought
mesmerism likely to be beneficial, and in compliance with
my advice was mesmerised by a female twice daily for two
m onths; at the end o f which she was perfectly restored, and
she has remained quite free from every symptom o f her trouble­
some malady.

Severe Suffering during Pregnancy.

Mrs, D -------------- in her first pregnancy was threatened
 By M r. Parker. 91

with miscarriage about the fourth month, from very severe

uterine pains, accompanied by intense bead-ache and faint­
ness. On several occasions she found her intellect so much
disturbed, a s to make her tell her husband And mother that
she thought she should go mad. To relieve the pains occa­
sioned by the unyielding state of the womb, warm baths were
tried, with other suitable remedies; but, aB she appeared to be
very little i f at all relieved by the treatment, 1 advised her to
be mesmerised, to which she as well as her husband objected.
As I was frequently summoned to attend her during some
severe attacks o f one or more o f the above-mentioned symp­
toms, and as 1 feared she would hare convulsions, probably
followed by puerperal mania, 1 at length so far convinced her
as well as her husband o f the absolute necessity o f having
recourse to mesmerism, if she wished to prevent insanity
either during her pregnancy or after her delivery, that I
obtained their consent to try it. M y mesmeriser soon pro­
duced relief, and in the course o f a few weeks she was able to
exert herself in her shop, and even to make journies into the
country. She continued well up to the day o f her delivery,
although troubled at times with uterine pains, as might na­
turally be expected. A t S in the evening, labour had evidently
begun, but progressed slowly. About midnight she began to
despond, and her anxiety o f mind increased to such a degree
as to produce most intense head-ache, to such an extent that
1 dreaded every uterine contraction would produce convul­
sions. There was now that peculiar wildness o f countenance,
which often precedes such attacks: and, with such a prospect
before me, I placed my hand on her forehead, and in less
than live minutes she was in mesmeric sleep. The tone
o f mind then completely changed, she could tell me by intro-
vision the position o f the child, and during the uterine con­
tractions she could describe the progress o f the labour. In
the midst o f her pains she laughed most heartily, and in the
interval drank some brandy and water, and was quite happy
and pleased at the prospect o f an early and safe delivety.
She could also predict that her labour would be over in the
course o f a few hou rs; and only regretted that I had never
mesmerised her before, as I should then have been able to have
kept her in a mesmeric sleep during the whole o f her labour,
but that now such would not be the case. Having kept her
under my mesmeric influence for nearly two hours, sh ebroke
from it, when the previous state o f despondency returned.
This retarded the labour, which was not completed till fonr in
the morning. H er convalescence was as rapid as under the
most favourable circumstances.
92 Cure o f a diseased Knee,

S tiff1Knee o f Seven Years, and relapse o f Loss o f Voice.

E . Steer, whose case is reported in The Zoist o f July,
1851, at the time she consulted me for the loss o f her voice
was suffering from a stiff knee o f seven years1 duration. She
□ever expected to bend it again, bat, after being mesmerised
for a few weeks, she was most agreeably surprised to find she
could do so without pain. This tempted her to kneel to scrub
the floor, by which such violence was done to the join t that
it required several months to restore it. A t the end o f this
time she recovered such perfect use o f the limb as to be able
to walk six or eight miles a day, bending her knee at every
step. In November, 1851, she caught cold, and again lost
her voice. A s those she lived with were much prejudiced
against mesmerism, she was anxious, if possible, that her
voice should be restored without it. I tried various remedies
for several weeks, without any benefit. She was then again
mesmerised, and in a few weeks her voice was quite restored,
and she has remained well through the winter.

Chronic Rheumatism.
Stamp, a mason, had been suffering from chronic rheu­
matism for many months, so as to be scarcely able to move
his limbs. H e was mesmerised for a fortnight, and freedom
from pain, with the perfect use o f his limbs, was his reward,
so that he was enabled to return to his work.
J. B . P a b k e r .
Exeter, March 9, 1852.

* * * W e trust that poor Dr, Elliot, o f Exeter, continues

to enjoy The Zoist as much as he did when he ventured to
scribble so wisely in the local newspapers.— Zoist,

V I I . Cure o f a diseased Knee. B y M r. C l e m e n t , Surgeon,

Pocklington, Yorkshire.
" la clairvoyance a natural power? Physiology Baja no—clairvoyance ia not
‘ a power which belongs naturally to man, or to one man to a given number.'
“ Its marvellous stories are not founded on physical truth. Many have been
shewn to be tbe fabrications of wilful liars; and as they are all tales of the same
silly character, are we called upon to ferret ont every fresh delinquent ?”
“ The wretched stuff which is contained in the pages of The Zoist, as quoted
by Dr, Maitland, I should feel degraded to pick to pieces, I am aure that the
tales are not worthy of refutation, scarcely a sneer.” 11 It is no light crime to
pretend to miraculous power.” ” We, physiologists, can render no assistance to
the dubitant or distressed divine. We dotty the facts,” ” Miracles to astonish
the minds of imbecile men and silly girls; miracles performed by hysterical young
women and pubescent lads.”
“ I f physiologists could once believe that clairvoyance really existed, they—
the Christian portion at least— must also believe in diabolic, not celestial agency,
in the matter.”
 B y M r. Clement. 93

" Mesmerism is chargeable with many bid results, as its history, especially
ou the Con Liiii*lit, h u shewo— lasciviousness, seduction, infidelity/1 14 If Dr,
Maitland bag not seen this, the probability U tbit be baa only perused The Zoitt,
and inch partisan works, and that ba does not even know that Messieurs Alexis
and MartaUet fied from London, and the cross-examination, that is, eracwif expe­
riments o f Dr. Forbes.*’
“ Mesmer hhnaelf began with the voluptnons and carnal." ‘ 'Persona of both
sexes flocked to Mesmer, to feel or witness the strongest emotions." “ Youths,
remarkable for manly symmetry, were the chosen esidsttnta. They were em­
ployed in making tractions on the body, and for hours together, in compressing
and kneading the hypogaatre ” (the lowest part of the stomach) 11 with the open
hand."
“ Magnetists operate most forcibly and certainly on women ; and o f these on
the most sensitive and impressible in their youngest years. Women between the
ages of fifteen and forty.five are readily excited by magnetism, Otd ladies and
robust gentlemen are non-conductors.’ 1 “ Mesmerism is sensual."
■* In Norwich—a city ever ready to welcome anomalies and fooleries— A. B.
attempted,” flic.
“ I f w s Chrutia* phytioloyitti* are free to interpret the Bible, the rites of
the Egyptian magi were diabolical, and those o f all magicians down to the era of
Christ; and if the present perform era of clairvoyance apeak to realities seen by
them in boxis, shells, closets, wrappers—-if so, we are sure that the evil one of
past sorceries," Ac,— CtmVeojmnee and Iht Cleryy, By R obert H p l l ,
Senior Physician of (he Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. London Medical Gaittlr,
N ot. 21, 1851.

" I f after the manner of men 1 have fought with beattt at Ephesus," Ate.—
1 Cor. x t ., 32.
TO T H E A N T IM E S M E R IS T S .

G en tlem en ,—
It was once my vain boast to rank myself
amongst the firmest o f yonr adherents, to ridicule or pooh
down " mesmerism,” and to deny in toto its claims as a cura­
tive agent. It were needless to detail the extraordinary ef­
fects which I have repeatedly witnessed o f its power o f arrest­
ing and finally curing diseases which had previously resisted
alike the skill o f the physician and the dexterity o f the sur­
geon, and which first staggered my unbelief and finally con­
verted me into a disciple o f HM esm er/' The following case
I respectfully sobmit to your ju d g m e n t: and, i f desired, to
your personal investigation. Observe, I have allowed ample
lim e to elapse in order to remove any objection that might be
urged as to the incompleteness o f the cure.
Elizabeth Bonrkes, aged three years, the infant daughter
o f Jane Bourkes, the wife of John Bourkes, labourer, residing
at Huggate in this county, was first brought under my care
in April, 1849, for an enlargement o f the knee-joint, attended
with loss o f the power o f motion. The mother’s statement to
* The capitals and italics are cu n . " Whoso seemeth to be religious, and
bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’ s religion b vain.”
— Jamtt i. 26.— Zoitt.
V This mao afforded a motto to No. X X V III., Art. 3, in his dedication o f
a book to Dr. F. Hawkins, whose discreditable doings may be found in No,
X X U I. and X X IV .— Zoitt.
94 Cure o f a (¡m ated Knee,

me was as follows :— “ Wherever the limb be laid at night,

it will be found exactly in the same position in the morning.
She has not the slightest use o f the limb at auy time. I t is
particularly painful when bent or brought over the opposite
limb, and she screams loudly until the limb is brought back
to its proper position. She has no desire to move. I f the
foot is struck, this occasions her considerable pain. H er ap­
petite is very irregular; she takes scarcely anything for days,
then eats voraciously. Has constant thirst. The bowels are
relaxed; the urine is abundant.” H er pulse, I find, when
she is still, ranges from 112 to 115 : when she is excited, it
is greatly accelerated. The tongue slightly furred. The heat
o f her surface is 92° : the degree o f heat is not sensibly in­
creased in the affected knee. I find on admeasurement the
sound knee 8£ inches; and the diseased knee 10$ inches
in circumference. I ordered the child three grains o f calomel
and five grains o f rhubarb every third night, with a little
infusion o f senna on the following morning, and three leeches
to be applied to the inner side o f the knee, followed by
warm fomentations. 1 Baw nothing further o f my young
patient for some w eeks; when, as I was accidentally passing,
the mother called me in to seethe child, whom I found much
worse than on my first visit. The knee was now enormously
enlarged and acutely sensitive: it measured 13 inches in cir­
cumference. I ordered the leeches, which had been neglected,
to be instantly applied, and followed by hot bran poultices to
encourage the bleeding. Hyd. cu creta was given at night,
followed in the morning by rhubarb and carbonate o f soda.
Three weeks afterwards the mother brought the child down
to my house, a distance o f eight mileB. On examination I
found extensive suppuration surrounding the knee-joint, and
the skin so thin and bright that globules o f matter could be
distinctly seen as through a transparent envelope. The ad­
measurement o f the knee shewed it to be 15$ inches in cir­
cumference. The appearance of the child at this time was
most unfavourable. She was a perfect skeleton. The eyes
were preternaturally b rig h t; the skin h o t ; the pulse flutter­
ing ; the bowels almost passive; no appetite: the child was
extremely irritable, and rarely Blept above a few minutes at a
time. In fact, it was evidently fast sinking, unless some
prompt and efficacious means o f relief were instantly adopted.
I found the medicines had been neglected, as also the warm
fomentations which I had ordered, composed o f bruised poppy
heads and chamomile flowers. I found little had been done
to subdue the complaint, which had gone on unchecked until
extensive suppuration ensued.
 B y M r, Clement, 95

In those unfavourable circumstances I determined to try

mesmerism without any other remedial agent whatever. Two
hours a day were devoted to mesmerising the diseased jo in t;
with the most salutary and unexpected results. On the third
day a manifest decrease o f the swelling was apparent: the
child had slept soundly during the night previous, and, added
the mother, *' Lizzie’ s appetite is wonderfully improved.” I
will not tire the reader’ s patience by detailing the daily and
unchecked progress made by my little patient towards reco­
very, so rapid and complete. N o outward escape o f matter
took place during the process o f cure. The skin continued
throughout bright and unbroken. The knee-joint gradually
diminished iu size, and fourteen days after the first applica­
tion o f mesmerism the circumference of the join t had so far
diminished, as well as the sensibility, as to render a success­
ful issue to this interesting case no longer doubtful. The
knee-joint now measured no more than 10J inches in circum­
ference, and the child could bear to use it for support. Her
continued progress towards recovery was most rapid. In
three months from the first mesmeric sitting, the whole limb
had regained its original size and strength: whilst the favour­
able alteration in my little patient’ s health and appearance
was most gratifying. Upwards o f two years have elapsed
since I first saw this child, and the cure o f that diseased
knee-joint is as perfect as it is surprising.
You gentlemen o f the antimeameric school must allow
that no possible c o U u s i o d existed between my little cross­
grained patient ami myself. Was the cure one o f those spon­
taneous efforts o f nature which accidentally took place at that
particular point o f time ? or was it due to mesmeric influence
alone? W ithout vainly attempting to offer any explanation
o f the modus operandi by which this important cure was
speedily, safely, and effectually performed, it is sufficient for
my purpose that I state for your information facts which I
challenge the unbeliever to controvert if he c a n : and for this
purpose 1 shall be happy to offer any member o f either branch
o f the profession every facility for a full and impartial inves­
tigation iuto all the circumstances attending the case o f Eli­
zabeth Eourkes. I have given no notice to the family o f my
intention to publish their daughter’ s case, so that they may
be UDConseions evidence, i f needed, o f the truth o f my state­
ments. I ask from yon, gentlemen, the favour o f a reply.
I f the cure I have narrated was not effected by mesmerism,
by what other process was it accomplished ? .
I have the honour to be, gentlemen,
Yours, Sec.
J. W . C l e m e n t , M .R .C .S .L .
 ( 96 )

VIIT. Cure o f tevere Cutaneatt* DUetwe o f the whole Bcotp in

a young lady. B y Dr. E lltotson.
“ DR. M ’NEILE AND MESMERISM.
“ To the Editor o f the Liverpool Courier.
*•Sir,— On Friday evening last, in a lecture delivered in the Collegiate Initi.
lotion, the gentleman above mentioned repeated an opinion which he has pre­
viously expressed with reference to mesmerism; namely, that it is a manifestation
of satanic agency.
“ It is not cay present purpose to explain or dilate upon the phenomena which
are exhibited under various degrees of mesmeric development. Some persons
have tbs hardihood to denounce the entire of these sa a delnaion and a cheat.
Men who pride themselves io the soundness of their faith exhibit, in this reapeet,
the most vulgar infidelity, in refusing to believe attested beta amply became
they cannot understand them.
" Dr. M'Neile is not one of these. He knows enough o f the laws of evidence
to feel assured of the reality of that which, for many Tears, has been a matter of
conversation and discussion on tbs continent of Europe and in America, even
more generally than in oar own country.
“ Most men of ordinary prudence and intelligence are satisfied with collecting
end examining the bets satisfactorily aaoertained with reference to this subject,
patiently awaiting the induction of those principles which further experience may
show them to involve. In such processes o f thought there is abundant scope for
sober argument. We are not precipitated on any immediate and compulsory
conclusion. Wo do not live in an age of oracles, whose words of fearful import
have but to be heard and believed. Nor do we succumb to the dicta of a Romish
priest, whose laudations and denunciations are alike impotent, as the outbreaks
of an unreasoning superstition. Why, therefore, should a P ro testa n t clergyman
pmnounce so solemn a censure on a subject of intereating inquiry, without one
word of argument or justification?
" Is there anything in the phenomena popularly designated as mesmeric,
which hears evidence of a diabolical origin, or of a necessarily evil result? To
aay that it has been, or may bo, abused for evil purposes, is only to state a
characteristic of the beat gifts of divine benevolence. In oantiaiding that the
presumed communications are miraculous, the lecturer by no means justifies his
assumption as to their Satanic source : beside which, he has to prove what appears
beyond the reach of human intelligence, namely, that a fallen spirit possesses
those powers which are needful, according to his own views of the constitution
of nature, to effect the presumptively supernatural intercourse. We have yet to
learn, however, that a n y t h i n g miraculous—that is to say, out of the ordinary
course of the divinely appointed constitution of nature—resides in mesmerism.
The entire system of nervous impressions and sensations is as great a mystery to
ns os the nature of the onion between the soul and the body. Dr. M'Neile him­
self well observes, in one of his sermons, that nothing is to be esteemed mira­
culous because man cannot account for it when it is done: end that a miracle Is
some special act, opposed to the habitual mode of the divine procedure.
“ If, a few yean sin«, a telegraphic message could have beat conveyed bom
London to the Prince's-perk here, announcing some event which bad transpired
just before, the intelligence could only have been received, in ignorance of the
mode of its transmission, with absolute ridicule. Supposing, however, that next
day's post brought a letter confirming the date and the dreumstaace* of tbs
occurrence previously communicated—-what then ? Nothing being fnoien of the
electric medium, a most undoubted miracle must be recognised, either divine or
diabolical. Mesmeric phenomena afford ns some partial idea of tbe nature and
distribution of that plexns of sentient communication which appears to be con­
nected with all vital organisation, whether of mind or matter; although, for the
most part, it is as profound a mystery to ns as is the working of the electric
telegraph to an untutored savage.
" I might refer to numerous works, some of them the production of truly
 Cure o f severe Cutaneous Disease. 97

devout rod intelligent Chiiitiui, in illustration or the e-um iit:» influence of mei­
tnerium, Dr. M‘N, need* not to be reminded tbit it i* no «ter thing in the
world’* history for a non-professional care o f disease to be denotmced as a wort
of the devil. Ignorance and fanaticism naturally seek to destroy all that rises
abote their own level. When Faustn* commenced printing, hi* hooka were
«eased and destroyed by those who, unacquainted with the mystery of the printing
press, deemed the exact eorreapondence of the copies with each other an indubit­
able result of utamo agency. More recent illnitrations, connected with the
practice of physic, will occur to the mind of a professional man.
“ It m at be regarded as truly unfortunate that, in the opening lecture of the
course which is expected to present a popular development of some of the pro­
minent themes of instruction in onr excellent Collegiate Institution, statements
should hare been introduced which are as much at variance with sound science as
with scriptural religion. It can scarcely be disrespectfiil to the lecturer to suggest,
that his acquisitions lie anywhere rather than in the field or natural philosophy.
Were I to nse that license in the application of scripture which is assumed by
some clerical authorities, I would remind him that ‘ those who speak evil of the
things which they know not’ are tbc objects of special warning by an inspired
apostle. I earnestly wish to be ‘ persuaded batter things’ ss regards himself;
and should the observations referred to be explained or retracted, it will not he
the first time that the doctor has been congratulated on his recantation of some
erroneous opinions on the subject of miracle«.
“ I have only to say, ha conclusion, that I am no sceptic as to the personality
or the active influence of fallen angels—hut
“ Am E vamoelicsl C hobchu sn .’ ’ *

N ear the end o f October, 1850, I was consulted by a l&dy

from a provincial city respecting her daughter, nineteen years
o f age, who was exceedingly pretty, fine and healthy look­
ing, but who had been shockingly afflicted for very nearly
two years with a severe disease o f the scalp, that I should
designate eczema impeliginodes. The whole scalp and much
o f the ears were covered with crusts o f hardened discharge
that were constantly coming off, and was in a state o f high
irritation. The disease had evidently arisen from a violent
cold caught by getting wet in the feet, and had commenced
in the forehead.
After this had existed for two months, a physician o f the
city was called in. His treatment began in January, 1849,
but was perfectly unavailing: and the disease increased in
intensity and gradually spread from the forehead all over the
head, affecting the ears, eyes, and neck : and in July, 1850,
the irritation was Buch that the head swelled greatly, the ears
had pustules within and were raw without, and the agony
was so intense that opiates entirely failed to produce Bleep.
For six weeks she could not leave her room. After this very
* Cro it be wondered that so many shake their heads at the Established
English Church, when any of its doctors o f divinity, its honorary canons, and
denouncing preachers, may be so ignorant of natural knowledge— " of God’s works,"
so badly educated, and so mischievous, as to utter the Antime«meric rubbish which
proceeds from Dr, M'Neile’s mouth, uncastigated by his bishop ? How etui
such a man be qualified to judge of the evidence» of Christianity ? How can
much a man taunt the Roman Catholics with ignorance and superstition ?
VOL. X , H
96 Cure o f »euere Cutaneous Disease.

severe aggravation o f the disease, her head was shaved nine­

teen times— a practice, in my opinion, as useless, nay as in­
jurious, as it is cruel. A fter a certain degree o f remittance,
the disease, to her dismay, broke forth a gain : and, after the
physician's treatment by endless quantities o f drugs, hot
baths every night for a period, and dietetic rules, had been
persevered in for a year and ten months, her state was mate­
rially worse than when he began his attendance.
H e is a violent opponent o f mesmerism, writing in the
local newspapers and the M edical G azelle ignorantly and dis­
gustingly against it. A t hiB express desire, her mother brought
her to London to consult two professedly skin-coring Bur­
geons, equally an times merists with himself. One prescribed
two glasses o f port wine daily : the other abstinence from all
fermented drinks. One strictly foibade any meats hut
boiled, and strictly forbade Bugar: the other was indifferent
to such ludicrous injunctions. Each prescribed a different
drug, Each said the disease was very difficult to cuTe. But
one professed that he would cure it in Bix weeks i f she were
regularly under his treatment: the other was honest enough
to say that the period o f cure, and indeed the cure at all,
was very uncertain.
This specimen o f London advice was not very satisfactory,
and the lady brought her daughter to me before she left town.
I recommended abstinence from all stimulants, a very mild
ointment to the head, gentle aperients for the regulation o f
the digestive organs, and the hydriodate o f potass, which
one o f the surgeons bad prescribed, and which she bad taken
for some time in the country by the advice o f her physician:
and, as mesmerism was mentioned, I earnestly recommended
its employment in addition. They were staying at the house
o f some friends whom I was attending daily, and the follow­
ing morning 1 mesmerised her there, not without reluctance
on her part, while she was in great pain from the inflamma­
tion o f her ears both inside and outside. She went off to
sleep in three minutes, slept soundly for two hours, and awoke
free from p ain ; nor did Bhe ever have any pain from that
moment, except a little for a short time the same evening. 1
mesmerised her the two following days : and she returned to
the country and was mesmerised by her maid daily for a few
weeks, but afterwards by a very enlightened and gentlemanlike
surgeon o f the neighbourhood, who has been penetrating
enough to perceive the truth and excellence o f mesmerism,
and honest enough to avow his convictions and give his pa­
tients the benefit o f them. The improvement was so rapid
and decisive that she soon left off her medicine and trusted
 B y Dr. Eliioiton. 99

solely to mesmerism, satisfied that it was curing her, because

she had lon g been taking the same medicine without benefit,
and experienced a change ao soon after mesmerism was
begun. She continued to improve as rapidly as before, and
was soon perfectly w ell; and has remained so up to this hour,
now above a twelvemonth, and has a beautiful bead o f hair
instead o f a head too shocking to look at.
1 may m ention a little circnmstance for the benefit o f the
imaginationists. O n e day the surgeon had been chatting
with the lady's father in the dining room during luncheon,
and, at his request, shewn him by mesmerising a ju g o f water
how water is mesmerised. N o one else was in the room.
The ju g and a glass were always left in the room that she
might take her m edicin e in the water when she ch ose: and,
after the gentlem en were gone, she went into the room,
and, as she was accustomed, poured herself out a glass o f
water, took her m edicine in it, but instantly sank back sup­
ported by her m other into a chair in a profound sleep, which
lasted some hours. Neither she nor her mother knew any
thing about mesmerised water, and the explanation was not
conceivable, till the father and surgeon mentioned what
had occurred betw een them. As mesmerised water had this
powerful effect u p on her, she afterwards resolved to take some
every night on g o in g to b e d : but was obliged to take it on
stepping into bed, and to put the glass down as quickly as pos­
sible, for she not on ly instantly fell asleep, but her hands vio­
lently adhered to th e glass. W ithout the mesmerised water
she had little sleep, aB she slept mesmerically so much in the
day. I f persons are ill, the more they sleep mesmerically in
the day, the better generally d o they sleep at night, because
they go to bed less tired : and we may be too tired to sleep—
we may become restless. But when persons are in perfect
health, as this lady wa3 except locally, and have no debility
and restlessness, the more they sleep mesmerically in the day
the less they are generally disposed to sleep at night.
I may mention that it is a mistake to suppose that co h e ­
sion exists between mesmerised objects and the living body.
The inanimate object is passive; but the hand adheres to it,
and adheres not by anything like physical attraction, but b y
an irresistible inclination o f tbe patient to keep the hand,
Sic., &c., in contact with the object. H ence the tales o f a
mesmerised chair adhering to a person who is violently pulled
from it, or o f a m esmerised glass not dropping from a hand
which is forced open from it, are nonsense,
I am happy to forward th is case, because so many persons
suppose that mesmerism has power over nervous affections
h 2
100 Use o f Mesmerism in severe pains after parturition,

o n ly : whereas it possesses a general power o f assisting the body

to ligh t itself in whatever way wrong. The Zoist abounds in
cases o f the cure o f inf]animations and ulcere, some o f which
had resisted all ordinary means. A ease o f inveterate skin
disease called psoriasis, which had resisted the medical men o f
many hospitals in London for many years, was lately so
ameloriated at the Mesmeric Infirmary that the cure was
nearly effected, when the poor girl was obliged to leave in
order to go into a situation.

I X . Remarkable pow er o f Mesmerism over dreadfully severe

pains after parturition. B y a Clergyman o f the Church
o f England. Communicated by Dr, Elliotson.
**To * * *
" Spanish Place, Sunday evening*
**Dear Madam,—-I have made enquiry respecting the lawfulness of the use o f
magnetism by way of medical treatment, and can furnish no other reply than that
according to the decision of the sacred college at Rome in July, 1941, its use is
under all circumstances illicit, and contrary to the spirit o f Ihe church.
“ 1 remain, Madam, yours most sincere,
“ Francis R hino . "

" To Dr, EltiuUon.

l i Dear Sir,—*Thc etidost'd imle will *ht?w you tlmt after nit I am unable to
follow your advice about magnetism, I wtw d^evivt'd when i submitted to ll
before; and so kindly did Mr. ¡thing wish to oblige iuc now that lie rwn saw Dr,
Wiifumn, hut tu vain. 1 nmr however, wjunlly obliged by your advice* I am
slit! 1n bed murh the same; If not belter soon* perhaps change of air or Tun -
bridge Wells, will do me good : ft in thr vomiting rlmt Iterpa me weak*
1 am, dear Sir, youri indy mid obliged,
u m m •
i f 35, W ------ Street* Monday evening/'*

* Thr Roman Catholic w ife of n Protestant physician had lonç suffered Grom
very severe disease, which no mcdhal means relieved. ft ion after 1 wu» con-
suited, she earnestly o»i routed m be mesmerised. Her huabund was quite «gn«s-
able and began to innumt-rÎHC lier : but it wus timingikI that a female inoHmcrl*m
should continue lb*1 iiruco*** Like a weak woman, abe began to think that «he
must con stdt her «pi ritual adviser about her body and a mutter of science i and
aim romved from Mr, Rhing the nbtiird and cruel aunwar which laduded Imi
from one of the grartcat blvxaitigii i itnd thus «he remaim'd in torment which
neither the priest, nor the cardinal fdt. Ur. \V. was then not a caiilitml ; and I
tnmt for hla character that the prient wo* wrong and had really tint «(mferrod with
him. Of cmireu the prieot wa* wrong a* a (dim firm t for stich views hnvn no Uhrla*
tiuuity In them* Hnl, 1m won wrong ah regards bin own particular church. ’Hiaï
n irstnerimu Irn* not bwu forbidden at Rome, when onquiriuM have been made from
dHFrnnd ixuuitrirw, ¡a shewn in a work culled £* Mitjfititifm* fit I f ¿tn*imamhufi*mt‘
r/mm/ ca rp » taranti, la C o u r d tr H o t t t r , f t 1« W fo tô tfim x * Par M* l'Abbé J.
11. L. l'aria* IH44-* In ItHl, hi consequent* of the upplicathm of a young
Swiss priest IVmeying mugir nr unionin agency in «marnerJ*m, the Bishop of Lan»
samic and flrnrvu wrote tn Rome, ignorantly declaring, from the ¡nauuiubdity to
* Set obo Mr. Snndby* AfrWfWiw/i aarf ft* Oppt/M*utët p. 79* to*

>1
 B y a Clergyman o f the Church o f England. 101

E ■ R ectory, N orfolk, March 17th, 1852.

S is ,— A t the suggestion o f m y friend, Mrs, W tn. Herring,
o f Norwich, I send you for insertion in the April number o f
The Zoiat the following case ; i . e., if yon think it worthy o f
it. You are quite at liberty to alter or shorten it as yon
like. Although 1 do not particularly like my name being
mentioned, yon are quite at liberty to say that I hare given
it to you, and that I shall be glad to answer any enquiries,
and you may give any one my address. I am quite satisfied
that my wife was saved a vast deal o f agony at the time
o f her confinement. I certainly thought she was dying,
and she thought so t o o ; and she believes I saved her life.
I was staggered at the sudden change o f her countenance
after the first pass or so : she sank quietly back in bed and
fell asleep,
I am, Sir, yours truly,
J . D . 8*------- .

porn in patienta, that be thought the procès* could not be natural : and the answer
he received was that mesmerism, thus characterized, “ p r o u l t x p o n i t u r , " waa not
permissible. In 1842, the Archbishop o f Rbeims made a similar application to
Rome ; and in 1844, n o t earlier, received an official answer from Cardinal
Castracane, that " the proper employment of mesmerism is not, and never baa
been, forbidden/’— 11that the Court of Rome will not engage in a controversy
which has existed amongst physicians for above sixty years } but allows physio­
logy free scope in all question* which do not touch upon faith or morality ; and
above all, must never pronounce, without competent knowledge, upon any
subject,” &c., p. 591. Several ladies and gentlemen who have published the cures
of their own diseases in The Zoist are sincere Roman Catholics. Mr. Majendie,
o f Head¡ogham Castle, writes to toe thus :— ’ * 1 am well acquainted vritb a lady
at Caen, La Marquise de B -------, who wrote to a friend at Rome, a secretary of
legation, who at her request made enquiries, and learnt there was no general edict
against magnetism in the archives. This gentleman is intimate with the Cardinal
Bernelli (or Bernetti), the supreme judge of the inquisition, and with the Padre
Degola, the secretary of the Index and ordinary judge of tbe inquisition. The
matter was discussed by Mr. K. with these two ecclesiastics at the house of the
Cardinal : and it was admitted that it is not a mortal sin to use magnetism for the
purpose o f doing good, and one of those priests Haid he would not scruple to use
it himself. I magnetised a poor woman at Malvern last autumn, in presence o f
bar confessor, without any objection on hie part, and be admitted tbe benefit
derived,”
Mr. Majendie also tells me that one day M. Gauthier, while going off to the
scientific congress, at which tbe Archbishop of Rbeims was to take the chair, in­
formed him that the vicar-general of that province practised mesmerism exten­
sively. A Roman Catholic priest at this moment does the same in England, and
effects great good. Some of my Roman Catholic patients consulted their spiritual
adtisers before being mesmerised, and were readily permitted to employ it. One
of the most zealous publications in the great cause of mesmerism is the Roman
Catholic I h t b U n E v e n i n g P o s t . Dr. Wiseman could not have aaid only three years
ago that the Court of Rome forbade mesmerism in all eirenmstancea : he would as
soon bave asserted that the sun is a yard and a half in diameter and rolls round
the earth. At this very moment 1 hear that His Eminence’ s secretary, Mon­
signore Searle, is anxiously exerting himself to have a patient, with a disease of
the hip, mesmerised. Hie Abbé Lacordaire, the popular Dominican preacher at
Notre De me in Paris, speaks In one o f bis sermons of the advantages and bless­
ings o f mesmerism.
102 Use o f Mesmerism in severe pains after parturition.

TO THE E D IT O R OP THE SOI ST.

E------- Rectory, Norfolk,

Sir,— I am not aware o f mesmerism having ever been
tried in a case similar to the follow ing; I am therefore in­
duced to send you the detail o f it, thinkiug it may be suffi­
ciently interesting to warrant a place in the neat number o f
The Zoist.
M y wife was confined o f twin daughters on the 2nd o f
November last, at 9 o’clock a.m. The labour was natural,
and she did not Buffer so much in actual labour pains as she
had done in her four previous confinements; but immediately
after the birth o f the infants she experienced the most violent
pains in the womb, which continued unabated so long that
the patient began to be impressed with the certainty that she
would not pass safely through.
For two or three months previously I had been making a
series o f experiments to discover whether there was any truth
or not in animal magnetism, and I had been (as many per­
sona o f undoubted veracity in the neighbourhood could tes­
tify) most successful in eliciting a great many o f the pheno­
mena as described in Dr. Gregory’ s L etters and other works
on the su b ject: but I cannot say that I had any very san­
guine hope that I should be able to relieve my wife, almost
instantaneously, from such sufferings as she was then un­
dergoing.
I ought to mention that at this time my wife was a p erfect
unbeliever in mesmerism.
In the afternoon o f the 2nd, in the midst o f her agonies
and cries, which were most distressing, I begged her to allow
me to try if mesmerism would alleviate her suffering. To
this she consented, and I began by making long passes with
both hands from the head to the lower part o f the abdomen,
outside the bedclothes, &c. I had not made more than three
or four passes before she exclaimed, “ Oh, I am so much
easier n o w ; the pain is going aw ay!” In less than five mi­
nutes Bhe was in a quiet sleep, which lasted about twenty
minutes, and from which she then awoke entirely free from
pain. W hether the pain arose from the contraction o f the
womb, or what other cause, I know n o t : that she obtained
immediate and permanent relief by means o f mesmerism,
both o f us are quite certain : and, although these violent pains
never returned, still there was once or twice apparently a
commencement o f them, when from a pass or two it instantly
ceased. During the month following all her other confine­
ments my wife had suffered most dreadful headaches, which I
 Review o f two worka on Intanity. 103

believe are very usual at suoh times with many w om en : but

I was able to relieve her o f these also. One day she com­
plained that she was suffering from one o f her usual head­
aches. I said I thought I could remove it soon. She was
sitting in a common bed-room chair. I went behind her and
made some passes from the forehead backwards: I had not
done this many times before she exclaimed, <f W ell I this is
very curious; I feel exactly as though a heavy weight was
being lifted from my head F* In a short time the aching had
vanished; and since that time, as is well known to our
servants and friends, my wife never suffers long from those
old companions. She never recovered so speedily and well
from her confinements before, as our medical man, who is not
a mesmerist, will testier; and I shall ever be thankful that a
desire to elicit truth induced me to turn my attention to
animal magnetism. I have no purpose to serve in giving my
testimony to the power of mesmerism to remove pain, beyond
that o f a wish to induce others to investigate the science for
themselves, and to withhold their belief or unbelief o f it until
they have so investigated it.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
J. D . S------- .*

X , I nsanity .— R eviews o f Rem arks on the Plea o f Insanity,

and on the management o f Criminal Lunatics. B y WM.
W o o d , M .D ., &c.
Crime and Insanity; their causes, connexion, and consequences,
ifc. By C. M . B u r n e t t , M .D ., &e.
I n the former o f the two publications here named we recog­
nize a laudable attempt to advance the present limits o f
* Instances of the power of mesmerism over after-pains, even when violent,
will be found in No. X V ., by Dr, Esdaile, in India; XV., X V ill., by Mr.
Parker of Exeter) X V ., X X I., X X II., by Mr. Chandler o f Rotberbithe (in the
last case the after-pains, extraordinarily enough, occurred in the left shoulder 1) and
in X X X V ., by Mr. Saunders of Bristol,
I received a letter from a friend some time ago, from which the following is
an extract:—“ M y cow was to caive, probably before my return. She was so
large that people thought there would be tw o; and my man was so far anxious
that he bespoke the help of an accoucheur. I advised him to mesmerise her if
there was any difficulty nt the time. There was difficulty ; and the assistant sent
for him from bis work, snd told bim that it was u a had job and that, suffering
as she was, it would be many hours before she would be relieved. My mao went
quietly into the cuw-house, and began to mesmerise her, the assistaot peeping in
to see what he was about. She immediately became easy, and, within ten minutes,
she had calved,— to the amazement of the other man. She was immediately well.
It was a very large calf."
Three other intances of mesmeric benelit in the sufferings of our brute fellow -
creatures will be found in No. X X X I., p. 300; one in No. X X X I1., p. 33b ; and
one in No. X X X I I I ., p. 49, by Mr. H. S, Thompson, Miss Martiueau, Mrs, Voo
der Heyde, and Mr, South,
104 Review o f two works on insanity

psychological science, and thus to promote the recognition

o f those principles o f human legislation, that profess, and
rightly so, to prevent rather than to punish either the extra­
vacancies or vices o f our fellow-man. The matter discussed
by D r. fVood is one o f immense importance, and claims
therefore the first mid best attention o f the scientific world,
and o f the legislator.
It cannot be doubted that if we would preserve the mental
or rather the cerebral nature o f man iu harmony with the
external world, it is o f all things necessary that we should
cultivate the study o f the brain— its uses, adaptations, and
disordered conditions. T o comprehend either sanity or tn-
sanity— virtue or vice— responsibility or irresponsibility, the
student o f psychology must be prepared with a knowledge o f
Gall's great and imperishable discoveries j and we should
have been much better pleased with the production o f Dr.
W ood i f it had contained some kind o f notice o f those phy­
siological data on which, it is to be presumed, he rests his
pathology— his “ plea o f insanity.” If, as we suspect, Dr.
W ood's pamphlet is intended not leas for the legal and ge­
neral reader than for his medical brethren, then must it
follow, that a short preliminary discourse o f even two or
three pages length, containing a mere abstract o f the uses
o f the brain— its healthy manifestations and general adapta­
tion to the wants, sentiments, and desires implanted in the
human constitution— would have rendered its contents more
acceptable to the reader, because so very much more compre­
hensible and distinct. Surely the time is gone by when an
author, o f whatever rank, may feel it thus expedient or ne­
cessary to keep his belief in phrenology in the back ground.
The physiology o f G a l l , it may be presumed, has got well
over at least the first dangers and difficulties which beset the ■
path o f t r o t h — narrow, precipitous, and dangerous, though
it be, to the few wayfarers who care to make it a thoroughfare.
W e should have felt glad had our author shewn himself, more
plainly than he has done, one o f those few bold and honest
travellers, who, keeping the great and good end o f his journey
in view, and intent only on the grand panorama to be realized
at its close, pursues the even tenor o f his way through good
and through evil report, and awaits in all patience and hu­
mility the reward o f his perseverance in a good and righteous
cause.*

* Dr. W ood was a member of bulb the Pbrepolugicul Society and Asso­
ciation, aod two phrenological accounts by him are printed in N o. 1- He
wag Dr* EUiolson’» chief mesmeriaer at Uoireraity College Hospital and for
two or three years afterwards, and some of h b ou re# arc d e t a ile d in No«
 by D r», W ood and Burnett, 105

Dr. W ood has some excellent remarks on the difficulties

w hich beset the ** plea o f insanity/5 and on the vague notions
w hich prevail among the intelligent classes o f society and
even among medical men as to the nature o f insanity, &c.
I t has often occurred to us that the most ready way to under­
stand what constitutes insanity, is to be perfectly agreed as
t o the nature o f sanity. I f the test o f a perfectly healthy
mind be the capacity to respond duly, and in all order, to
the many and varied calls made upon it— adapting itself to the
ever changing circumstances which are associated with the
stimulus or stimuli offered to the brain, and enabling the in­
dividual to preserve, at all times, a strict and wholesome obe­
dience to the physical or organic and moral laws— then does
insanity presuppose the very converse o f all this.
Dr. W ood very properly remarks :—
MT h e difference in p osition , edu ca tion , and m eans, w ould make
a ll the difference in estim ating the con d u ct o f an individual w ith a
view to determ ine th e question o f his sanity. W h a t in on e person
m ay be perfectly reasonable and ju d iciou s, m ay in another be alto­
gether moat unreasonable and im pru den t; w hilst in a th ird, th e very
same act w ould be unhesitatingly adm itted as undeniable eviden ce o f
som e m ental disturbance.”
The great question raised on the Commission o f Lunacy in
Mrs, Cam m ing^ case, than which none other o f the kind has
created a greater interest, owing, probably, to the very pal­
pable discrepancy in the evidence o f the medical witnesses,
was, whether or not the aversion of this lady to her daughters
was the natural result o f their unkind behaviour (?), or the
consequence o f a disordered state o f the affections and pro­
pensities, to which the intellect was rendered not only sub­
ordinate, but accessory. Now, in accordance with the fore­
going views as above quoted, it will be directly seen that upon
the relative "p osition ” o f these several facts to each other
would rest the nature o f this said aversion. I f a sufficient
cause for such an effect had been shewn, then it may be pre­
sumed the duty o f the jury towards Mrs. Cumming would
have been rendered comparatively easy; but inasmuch as this
important feature in the case was wanting, it was directly
felt that that m other could hardly be sane who would not
only deny her offspring the promptings o f our commonest
instinct, but add, moreover, to such denial a protracted and
inveterate hatred. Wheresoever the capacity o f the brain to
respond duly to the natural stimuli offered to it is suspended,
and whensoever the conduct o f the individual infringes at
H ., t i l . , and IV . H is testimony to the truth o f clairvoyance with a
detailed proof will he found in Dr. EUiotson'a Physiology, pp. 1185-93.
106 Review o f two works on Insanity

the same time the physical, or moral lavs— then may insanity
be more than suspected. Dr. W ood asks what degree o f ex­
aggeration o f a natural emotion may with propriety be con ­
sidered &s constituting insanity. This question is a very
important one to the medico-legal jurist. W e all witness
from time to time in persons, it may be near and dear to us,
various excesses o f feeling or emotion, or instances o f uncon­
trollable impulse and exaggeration o f speech and conduct,
which— i f they were not preceded by a sufficient cause or
apology, and i f they were not temporary only— would, o f a
surety, constitute so many indications o f a disordered mind
— of, in one word, insanity. Joy, grief, anger, &c., may
each be manifested most intensely or acutely, so much so as
to lead one to conjecture that the whole nervous power o f the
cerebral mass has been absorbed or concentred into that in­
dividual portion o f the brain presiding over these emotions
or passions respectively j but tn' a slate o f health this local
excess o f action would presently cease, and the balance o f
the "nervou s pow er” would be re-established. But circum­
stances may and do arise wherein the local excess o f action
does not "cea se,” and wherein the aforesaid “ balance” is
never realized, and then is insanity a matter o f easy demon­
stration. A most affecting anecdote is related by Dr, Uwins,
A lady on the point o f marriage, whose intended husband
usually travelled by the stage-coach to meet her, went one
day to meet him, and found instead o f him an old friend, who
came to announce to her the tidings o f his sudden death.
She uttered a scream and piteously exclaimed, " he is dead.”
From that fatal moment, says the author, has this unfortu­
nate female daily for fifty years (in all seasons) traversed the
distance o f a few miles to the spot where she expected her
future husband to alight from the coa ch ; and every day she
utters in a plaintive tone, " h e i s d e a d .5’
W e are glad to find Dr. W ood an advocate of the opinion
which allows to certain forms o f mental disorder an integrity
o f the intellectual powers. To know r i g h t from w r o n g is a
very different thing to being able to prefer the form er: a con­
sciousness o f these qualities by no means presupposes a capa­
city to avoid the latter o f them. E s q u i r o l and P i n e l have
both recognized the fact that very many insane persons con ­
tinue to enjoy the use o f their intellectual powers, aud that
the extravagance, incoherence, See., o f such indicate rather a
disordered condition o f the affections and propensities; and
that these so control and subjugate both the perceptive and
reflective faculties as to render them subordinate only to their
caprices or disordered manifestations.
 by D rs. W ood and Burnett. 107

In 1843, the “ plea op in s a n it y ” occupied much o f the

attention o f our legislators, and, as our readers may be
aware, the result o f their proceedings was embodied in five
very important questions, which were submitted by the House
o f Lords to the judges ; and these were designed to shew the
real state o f the law respecting criminal lunatics and the law
o f insanity. N ine years hare now elapsed; and it may he
considered necessary at this time to enquire how far the n o­
tions o f the judges alluded to are applicable to the views o f
the present day \ or, in other words, how far behind the doc­
trine and science now recognized and taught are the replies
o f these notabilities to the not very learned interrogatories
o f the Loans. W e doubt not our readers will quickly per­
ceive on a perusal o f the said question * and answers here sub­
joined for their attentive consideration, that both peers o f
the realm and lawyers, learned though they are, can boast
only o f a very superficial and erroneous view o f physiological
and pathological matters. Psychology, like chemistry, is but
little attended to by our legislators, or Lord Seymour would
hardly have afforded our witty contemporary P unch so good
a jok e as that which appears under the signature o f " R i s ­
ing ten .”

First question— "W hat is the law respecting alleged crimes com­
mitted by persons afflicted with insane delusion in respect of one or
more particular subjects or persons; as, for instance, where at the
time of the commission o f the alleged crime, the accused knew he
was acting contrary to law, but did the act complained of with a
view, under the influence of insane delusion, of redressing or reveng­
ing some supposed grievance or injury, or of producing some sup­
posed public benefit J”
Answer— "That notwithstanding the party committing a wrong
act when labouring under the idea of redressing a supposed grievance
or injury, or under the impression o f obtaining some public or pri­
vate benefit, he was liable to punishment.1'
M e m .— There are two important matters for the psycho­
logist embraced iu the preceding,— the one having reference
to "p a rtia l insanity“ or monomania ; the other, to the d e l u ­
sions o f the insane. It is doubtless a much easier thing to
declare that a partial disease o f the brain (mind) does not
absolve one from the liability to punishment, than to fix the
line o f demarcation within which the guilty party shall be
held punishable, and beyond which he shall escape the legal
penalty. The judges are bold m en ; they see no difficulty in
defining the marginal line o f sanity and o f responsibility,
however difficult the p h y s i c i a n may deem it. Although a
slight or partial mental disturbance may tolerate or excuse a
108 Review o f two works on Insanity

trifling offence, the same may bo insufficient in itself to impel

the lunatic to the commission o f the highest crim e; but ne­
vertheless, as Hr, W ood truly and with much humanity ob ­
serves, " where any amount o f positive insanity is proved to
exist, there may be a great deal more which cannot be
p roved /' A nd this fact must in every case be allowed its
full weight. In the report o f the trial o f D . Macnaughten
for the murder o f M r. Drummond, we remember it was ob­
served by some party, in answer to one o f the medical wit­
nesses who manifested a disinclination to attach any import­
ance to the question o f partial insanity, i f an apple had a
speck in it, however small, would it be right to call that
apple a sound on e? T o limit the external phenomena or
symptoms o f a partial affection or disorder o f the liver, lungs,
or heart, would be found not a little difficult and hazardous;
and why not similarly o f the Basin I As for the delusions o f
the insane, these can be in no way the measure either o f the
sanity or the responsibility o f a party accused or convicted.
The uncertainty o f delusions, regarded as an indication or
symptom o f mental disorder— their independence o f the ex­
tent or variety o f the cerebral affection— their temporary and
fleeting nature, and, what is more than all, their association
with the predominant morbid feelings by which the intellec­
tual powers are so manifestly overruled, and to which they
are, moreover, made subservient,— each and all assure ns o f
the undue and inconsiderate importance attached to their ex­
istence or otherwise. Moreover it has been contended by
Dr. Davey, and we quite agree with him, that a delusion—
so called— must be regarded only as a morbid colouring to
deranged moral feeling or emotion— as a voluntary and tangi­
ble ideal o f an innate, involuntary, and morbid impression—
or as a mere passing and 'external sign o f a temporary and
internal excess o f feeling or desire. Dove, joy, ambition,
anger, pride, religion— each and all o f othr affective feelings
and our passions, tincture and colour the intellect with their
peculiar h u e; and precisely the same psychological principle
which obtains in sane man does also among the insane o f our ■
species.
Second question— " What are the proper questions to be sub­
mitted to the jury, when a person alleged to be afflicted with insane
delusion respecting oue or more particular subjects or persons is
charged with the commission of a crime, murder for example, and
insanity is set up as a defence?"
Answer— “ That every man should be considered of sane mind,
unless it was clearly proved in evidence to the contrary. That before
a plea of insanity should be allowed, undoubted evidence ought to
 by D rs. W ood and Burnett. 109

be adduced that the accused was of diseased mind, and that at

the time he committed the act he «as not conscious of right or
wrong. This opinion related to every case in which a party was
charged with an illegal act, aud a plea of insanity was set up. Every
person was supposed to know what the law was, and therefore
nothing could justify a wrong act, except it was clearly proved the
party did not know right from wrong. I f that was Dot satisfactorily
proved, the accused was liable to punishment, and it was the duty
of the judges so to tell the jury when summing up the evidence,
accompanied with those remarks and observations as the nature and
peculiarities of each case might suggest and require."
M e m .— This answer, like the preceding, constitutes a
very fair criterion o f both the assumption and ignorance o f
the jud ges. “ Fools rush in where angels fea r to tread ." The
lucid interval o f one liable to periodical attacks o f insane
violence does not constitute him either a sane or a responsible
being. It is not to be supposed that because the symptoms
o f cerebral disorder are not continuous, the cause which pro­
duces them is only temporary— beginning aud ending with
its effects. M any years since (1843) a paper was read by
Dr. Davey at a meeting o f the Phrenological Association, on
the " L a w of L un ac y ,” in which we find these words, v iz .:—
' ‘ The brains of those liable to intermittent insanity are diseased,
and therefore such persons roust he deemed irresponsible for all
those acts which are dependent on such alteration of structure. How­
ever quiet aud comfortable they may usually he when protected from
the anxieties and irritations of life, and when subject to the kind
and considerate dictations of those under whose care they are placed;
they are no sooner removed from such wholesome influence, than the
brain necessarily rebels with the stimuli offered to it. iio individual
ander such circumstances can possibly be held accountable for his
conduct. The infliction o f punishment could never alter the patho­
logical condition of the brain aud membranes which may exist.
“ In reference to the nature of the lucid intervals of the insane,
Dr. Combe says, ‘ In ordinary circumstances, and under ordinary
excitement, his perceptions may be accurate and his judgment per­
fectly sound; but a degree of irritability of brain remains behind,
which renders him unable to withstand any unusual emotion, any
sudden provocation, or any unexpected and pressing emergency.'
“ Dr. Bay, the celebrated medical jurist, affirms that the reasons
why we ought never to convict for a crime, committed dnring the
lucid interval, are, that the criminal acts are generally the result of
the momentary excitement prod Deed by sudden provocations : that
these provocations put an end to the temporary cure, by immediately
reproducing that pathological condition of the brain called irritation :
and that this irritation is the essential cause of mental derangement,
which absolves from all the legal consequences of crime. He adds,
* Burdened as the criminal law is with false principles on the subject
110 Review o f two works on Insanity

of insanity, the time has gone by when juries will return a verdict of
“ guitty” against one who is admitted to have been insane within
a short period of time before the criminal act with which he is
charged.’ ”
I t ia perhaps impossible to imagine anything in the whole
range o f medical jurisprudence more truly inconsistent, un­
philosophical, and vindictive, than the assertion contained in
the reply we are analyzing, to the effect that if it were not
satisfactorily proved that the party accused did not k n o w
right from wrong, then was the infliction o f punishment in­
evitable ; so that in point o f fact the dictum o f the once
famous L ord H ale is still to be the criterion o f either sanity
or responsibility— o f one who lived and flourished in a period
when cerebral physiology and pathology were as little known
as was the last new comet before the investigations o f Verrier
and Adams, or is the fate o f the illustrious A rctic voyager at
the moment we write.— Inasmuch as each one of the primi­
tive faculties o f the mind has its seat in the grey or cortical
substance o f the brain, or, in other words, its location on
the cerebral surface; and inasmuch as the various emotions,
affections, and propensities, equally with the intellectual,
powers, depend for their healthy manifestation or otherwise
on the quantity and quality of distinct portions o f cerebral
matter— all being united into one homogeneous mass (the
brain}, then must it follow that the peculiar nature of any
given case o f disordered mind (insanity) will not only depend
on the portion or portions o f the brain affected, but that any
one, or two, or three o f these said primitive faculties may be
deranged, the remainder preserving, more or less, their indi­
vidual integrity. A diseasedCl acquisitiveness ’ ’ may not be ex­
pected to excite an abnormal action of " tune ” — a diseased
<r destructiveness ” does not involve “ hope” — a disorder o f the
perceptive organs is not likely to affect those o f “ adhesive­
ness,” and so on. Consciousness, or the ability to distinguish
right from wrong, or to know this from that, is then seen to
be no criterion o f a sound mind or o f responsibility. Those
among the insane who possess the physical power necessary
to the commission o f violence, for example's sake, know foil
well what is going on about them j and in the very worst cases
o f maniacal excitement, the patient will commonly manifest
an acute intelligence, and not unfrequently really surprise
one by the force and brilliancy o f his intellectual powers—
like the hysterical maiden, or the sufferer from St. Vitus’s
dance; or like him goaded by the delirious impulses o f hydro­
phobia ; or, in point o f fact, like him worn and shaken by
the deadly rigors o f a tropical intermittent fever, the raa-
 by D rs. W ood and Burnell. Ill
niac is acutely sensible o f bis unhappy condition, and like
these named, he is unable to restrain the indications o f the
disease which afflicts him. Lunatics contributed their aid to
the attractions o f the Great Exhibition— o f which we are all
so justly prou d ; and if the position here assumed were un­
true, this could hardly be the case. Lunatics are usefully
and honourably employed at all well-conducted establish*
ments for their reception and cure, because their intellectual
faculties are not so commonly out o f health as their affections
and propensities: it is a derangement o f these which, in the
majority o f instances, marks the extravagancies and impulses
o f the mad-mau. Dr. W ood has aptly demonstrated this
fact by the recital o f cases o f much interest.
"W ith regard to the third question, viz. :— 'I n what terms
ought the question to be left to the jury, as to the prisoner’ s state
of mind at the time when the act was committed V— the judges did
not give an opinion,
“ The fourth question was— ' I f a person under an insane de­
lusion, as to existing facta, commits an offence in consequence thereof,
is he thereby excused V
" The answer to this question was, that the judges were unani­
mous in opinion, that if the delusion were only partial, that the
party accused was equally liable with a person of sane mind. I f the
accused killed another in self-defence, he would be entitled to au ac­
quittal ; but if.committed for any supposed injury, he would then be
liable to the punishment awarded by the laws to his crime."
M e m . — The remarks already made appended to the first
" question" and its "a n sw er," contain all that may be con ­
sidered necessary, on the present occasion, to demonstrate
the fallacy so manifest in thus— the fou rth question, and the
reply here given. It will be seen that the first and fourth
question treat alike o f the subject o f “ partial insanity ” and
of the question o f " delusions,” and to the remarks already
made we would here refer the reader, rather than occupy our
pages with unnecessary repetition.
“ With regard to the last question— ‘ Can a medical man, con­
versant with the disease of insanity, who never saw the prisoner pre­
viously to the trial, but who was present during the whole trial and
the examination of all the witnesses, be aaked his opinion as to the
state o f the prisoner’ s mind at the time of the commission of the
alleged crime, or his opinion whether the prisoner was conscious at
the time of doing the act that he was acting contrary to law ? or
whether he was labouring under any, and what, delusion at the time V
" The judges were of opinion that the question could not be put
to the witness in the precise form stated above, for by doing so they
would be assuming that the facts had been proved. That was a
question which ought to go to the jury exclusively. When the facts
113 Review o f two work» on Insanity

were proved and admitted, then the question, as one of science,

could be generally put to a witness under the eircumBtances stated
in the interrogatory.”
M em .— I t requires no lynx-eye to discover the miserable
vanity which prompted the “ judges ” in forming this " opi­
n ion :” but the professions o f l a w and p h y s i c are truly so
naturally repugnant to each other that judge and p h y s i c i a n
could hardly be expected to pull very harmoniously together.
As the law now stands, the physician is to tell the legal
functionary all he knows o f the m atter; but the latter may
accept or reject just so much as suits his object and final
purpose.
W e trust we have written sufficient to assure the impartial
reader that the ,r l a w op lunacy ” is at the present anything
rather than what it should be, and that its various parts are
not only in a sadly disjointed state, but that each one is ter­
ribly at variance with the facts o f psychological acience.
Dr. W ood lays great stress on the fact that different d e­
grees o f responsibility belong to varieties o f mental endow­
ment or disorder; or, in other words, that the same offence
committed by two different persons, by no means implies an
equal amount o f responsibility, and the extent o f this respon­
sibility it is which must determine both the nature and dura­
tion o f “ the penal consequences.”
Dr. W ood writes :—
*' It has been attempted to shew that no well-defined line se­
parates the sane from the insane; th a t th e d ifferen t circu m stan ces o f
ind ividu al» m ake th a t insanity in on e, w hich is n ot insanity in an oth er ;
that this sometimes consists of a simple exaggeration of what, in a
minor degree, is perfectly natural, and that, therefore, a trifling
amount of mental disturbance should not entirely exonerate an
offender from the penal consequences of his crime, although, con­
sidering its mysterious nature, and the possibility of its being more
intense than it appears, it should in all cases, where it can be dis­
tinctly proved to exist, even in the most mitigated form, be admitted
as a reason for not inflicting capital punishment.”
W ith the suggestion to abandon the use o f the expression
" criminal lunatic," which, as Dr. W ood says, involves a con ­
tradiction, we highly approve, and also o f the substitution o f
the terms, “ insane convicts,” and " state p atien ts." The
former Dr. W ood understands to mean those who become
insane while undergoing their sentence o f imprisonment or
transportation; and the latter, those who have committed
some offence under the influence o f insanity. Dr. W ood ’ s
pamphlet, though in some respects deficient and incomplete,
is, nevertheless, not only well written, but what is more, it
 by D rs. W ood and Burnett. 113

c o d tain a
much valuable information, and agrees with what
has already been advanced in this journal.

Dr, Burnett’ s book is a strange compound o f theology

and psychology, containing some few important truths among
a great mass o f errors. It is with extreme regret that we
find a man o f Dr. Burnett’s accomplishments putting forth
opinions which, at this day, arc hardly to be expected; it is,
however, no small consolation to feel assured that the re­
vengeful and sanguinary character o f our penal code will
never again reach the climax which once characterized it, In
spite o f Dr. Burnett’ s enthusiasm, there is no reason to anti­
cipate that the labours o f Basil Montague and others will fall
into disrepute, or that capital punishment will ever again be
bo disgracefully frequent as it ouce was.
The cause o f crim e and insanity, Dr. Burnett teaches us,
is " the fa il o f m a n " This begot sin, and sin begot crime,
and to the fatter we are indebted for insanity ; a theory this
which our author would, we think, find it difficult to prove—
logically. W e do not think sin , crime, and insanity stand in
such a relation the one to the other ; and they certainly do
not observe such a sequence. Moreover, this said " cause,”
Dr. Burnett assures us, is twofold ; “ prim ary ” and “ second­
a ry and the first, he says, is " the principle o f e v il” which
has been regarded as inherent in the nature o f man, but which
is rather a “ spirit” o f so peculiar a quality that “ the ordinary
spirit,” which belongs to all "created beings,” "a n d to man
more especially, cannot alone resist,” The secondary cause,
which is referred back to the first named, is supposed to
reside in “ the natural substances, whether designed for food
and sustenance, or for therapeutic and medicinal or hygietic
purposes, the abusive employment o f which leads the way to
intemperance, dissipation, disease, and finally to death.”
The relation o f these primary and secondary causes o f
"c r im e and insanity” occupies the principal part o f Dr.
Burnett's small book ; and those o f our readers who are
désirons to obtain a tolerably fair idea of the Jewish criminal
code, and the repulsive and barbaric features which it recog­
nised, and not less a correct notion o f bur author’s views in
reference to " the symbols o f the spirit o f evil,” and its “ true
relation to the m ind” o f man, and “ the abusive pow er -which
Satan can exercise upon all natural s u b s t a n c e s may find their
time not unsatisfactorily spent in perusing this mystical,
metaphysical, or G erman production. Dr. Burnett, wc doubt
not, possesses certain o f his cerebral faculties in excess, or we
114 Review o f two w orks on Insanity

could scarcely expect him to manifest such an undue prefer­

ence o f the sanguinary code o f the Jews, to the benevolence,
and charity, and good-will which mark the Christian dispen­
sation : the former is hardly compatible with the views and
requirements o f the present day. J esus C hrist , though a
Jew, taught not the doctrines o f Judaism; he lived at a later
period, aud, what is more, had the wise and good example o f
the E ssenes, or the m odem or reformed Jew o f that day
before him. W e perfectly agree with Dr. Barnett, that
the due observance o f the physical laws would be attended
with the happiest results; that a proper attention to diet,
clothing, exercise, fee., &c., is well and eminently calculated
to improve the tone o f our whole organism, and so avert dis­
ease, or it may be " s i n ” " c r im e ,” and " insanity.” W e
think with him too, that these " stages” o f disorder “ may be
and are grea tly modified by g o o d or bad l e g i s l a t i o n but we
must object stroogly to the kind o f explanation offered for
the non-observance o f the same physica l laws. W e see no
reason why " S a t a n ” should be said to hold the mind of his
victim so firmly in his grasp, "th a t it cannot act ¡n any way
but in an involuntary one.” A nd more than this, we will
not hesitate to express our entire disseut— we had almost
written abhorrence— o f that man who, so fanatically impressed
R3 Dr. Burnett too evidently is, feels it either expedient or
neeessary to recommend that neither an insane person, nor a
natural idiot , should 11evade the penalty,” if either one should
have a knowledge, more or less, o f right and wrong. Prefer
we " the p o etry o f ju s tic e ,” i f Dr. Burnett will so have it, to
injustice such as this, to cruelty so startling. One is almost
tempted to forget the dignity o f the reviewer’ s office, iu com ­
menting on doctrines such as th ese; it is indeed painful to fiod
such an amount of learning as is contained in the ninety-six
closely printed pages o f the book before ns, so unhappily
employed. The laws o f Theseus, o f Draco, o f Solon, o f
Euclides, o f Dem etrius, o f Lycurgus, and o f M oses, were all
different, it is true, and only because the political and other
circumstances surrounding each L aw giver were dissimilar;
and if, as we doubt not, the "p o litic a l and other circum ­
stances” o f the present day are infinitely more unlike any
thing o f the kind which have preceded it, then must it follow
that we can have nothing at all to do with “ the early nations,”
from whom Dr. Burnett draws his aspirations. I f antiquarian
research ¡b likely to lead to conclusions such as the above,
we should be glad to see the art forgotten.
Dr. Burnett very properly admits that in the majority o f
instances o f insanity, the patient knows full well " what is the
 U rfm nded insinuations o f the M edical Times 115

difference between right and w r o n g and such are, he says,

m edically but not legally insane, and such he is inclined to
hold as responsible as those reputed sane, and equally amen­
able to the laws o f the country. The term " insanity,” Dr.
Burnett prefers to restrict to those “ who do not know right
from w rou g/J or, in other words, to those who having, either
in themselves or in their progenitors, gone through the various
stages o f " « » / 1 ” crime/’ and “ insanity,” have reached that
condition o f physical incapacity, in which life is reduced to a
mere vegetative existence. But if our author thinks thus to
hare put all difficulty on one side, he grievously errs; for not
unfrequently consciousness will return for a season to these
poor creatures, and with it will be rekindled those softer
emotions and sympathies which so rightly belong to our
m oral nature. This it is which gives a due appreciation o f
right and wrong, modified in some way by the intellectual
faculties. Only allow the means of prevention to fairly pre­
cede those o f punishment, and the latter will in due time be
wholly uncalled for. M ay this fact sink deeply into the mind
o f Dr. Burnett, and he will then no longer think it needful
to recommend a sanguinary criminal code, as the best means
o f restraining from crime, and even insanity. W e much
regret Dr. Burnett should have thought it necessary to pub­
lish his last book. May both he and all forget that the press
ever gave it birth.

X I . Unfounded insinuations o f the M edical Times respecting

D r. D avey and the Committee o f M agistrates at the
Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum.

I n the M edical Times for March 20, is the following editorial

article:—
" In our number for January 24, we felt it our duty to record
the exhibition made by Dr. Davey in the Cumming case, and to
comment upon his declaration in favour o f mesmerism: The pro­
fession will be gratified to learn, that our remonstrances were not inef­
fectual; and that the Middlesex magistrates have proved themselves
not unworthy of the trust reposed in them. They think with us
that it were monstrous to permit a mesmerist to have the medical
charge of their pauper lunatics; and, iu consequence. Dr. Davey will
resign his appointment.
'* Madness, we know, as hysteria, is sometimes ' ca tch in ga n d ,
removed from its dire influences, we trust Dr. Davey may yet arrive
at the conclusion, that to disbelieve in clairvoyance is not evidence of
an unsound mind.”
116 The R oyal Institution § the progress o f Mesmerism.

N ow THE FACTS STAND THUS.

W hen Dr. Davey’ s evidence in the case o f the poor
lunatic, Mrs. Cumming, appeared in the papers, a gentleman
was bo struck with the honesty, manliness, and intelligence
manifested in it, that he called upon another gentleman,
who, he presumed, knew Dr. Davey, and requested a letter
o f introduction to Dr. Davey. H e received the letter, saw
Dr. Davey, and made a highly advantageous offer— an offer
o f something three times more lucrative even at the present
moment than the appointment at Colncy Hatch. As soon
as the arrangements were completed,— nearly a fortnight ago,
D r. Davey sent in his resignation to the Committee, who '* ac­
cepted " it with much “ reg ret/’ and many kind expressions
towards him.
Before the gentleman communicated with Dr. Davey, the
Committee and Dr. Davey had settled the business about
mesmerism and Mrs. Cumming most amicably. The Com­
mittee “ resolved" that he should write them an explanation :
he did s o ; and they expressed themselves satisfied, and sent
him a resolution to that effect.
Dr. Davey is one o f the most intelligent, kind-hearted,
honest, intrepid, aud noble persons in the world— an example
to all.
The virulent feeling o f the medical journals towards mes­
merism— one o f the greatest blessings to mankind— is thus
again perceived. Mr. Churchill, the proprietor o f the M e­
dical Times, would consult his own reputation i f he employed
no individuals to manage his journal who can act as those
have long acted whom he has employed. The M edical Times
cannot pretend to higher respectability than the Lancet,

X I I . The Royal Institution, and the progress o f Mesmerism.

B y the llev. G e o r g e S andby , Vicar o f Ftixton, Suffolk.

_ TO THE EDITOR OP THE ZOIST.

Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall,

March 16th, 1852.
S m ,— The frieuds o f truth may be congratulated: for the
movement in our favour is proceeding steadily. Facts, which
a year or two ago could only be named in certain circles
at the risk o f a sneer or o f a dispute, are now publicly an­
nounced as realities in the salons o f science; and the question
respecting them, that is now raised, has reference altogether
to their rationale or cause. A marked change is perceptible:
 B y the Rev. George Sandby. 117

let us bide our time, and we shall soon have to chronicle a

progress still more noticeable.
I was present the other evening at the Royal Institution,
when a lectnre upon “ b iology” was delivered by Dr. Car­
penter. It is not my intention to offer a report or analysis o f
his observations : you will probably receive this from some
other quarter; a few points struck me as significant, and may
be worthy o f record.
1. Phenomena, which were formerly rejected as impos­
sible, or as the effects o f imposture or collusion, were spoken
o f as indisputable truths, and their strange details were lis­
tened to by the audience without manifestation either o f
surprise or o f offence.
2. The word "m esm erism ” (or mesmeric), a term lately
so odious to ears scientific, was twice introduced by the lec­
turer in the course o f his illustrations, and in the same way
iu which be might have alluded to auy other facts in nature.
3. Dr. Carpenter’ s views on the suggestive power o f the
lecturer upon the brain o f the subject were identical with
those which first appeared in The Zoist, in an article by Dr.
Elliot son, April, 1851, and in fact might almost be said to be
takeD from i t : the very word “ bullying,” introduced after­
wards in a paper by myself, October, 1851, as explanatory o f
the lecturer's compulsory tone, was also employed by Dr. C . :
the conclusions, in short, were the sam e; so that, in fact, we
have had the very opinions o f The Zoist on electro-biology
repeated at the Royal Institution, adopted by the lecturer,
aud listened to with attention by a philosophic and literary
assembly.
4. Dr. Carpenter called the biologized state a reverie, and
narrated some curious anecdotes illustrative o f that condition.
These were rather cases o f absence o f mind, and bore no
resemblance to the subject o f the lecture. The term revérie
appeared most misplaced.
- 5. The lecture on the whole was an agreeable and able
discourse, lucid in its arrangement, and pleasantly delivered;
and its introduction at the Royal Institution marks the change
in public feeling. A t the same time there were serious short­
comings ; it was wanting in broadness o f views and philoso­
phic freedom, and shewed a man more anxious to follow, than
to lead, opinion. This was a characteristic o f the lectu re:
Dr. C. had taken the gage o f his audience, and knew how
far he might go. Perhaps he was right, and shewed tact as
well as judgment. On a future occasion he will probably go
further, aud inform his hearers, that, though the phenomena
o f electro-biology are to a degree intelligible, the great facts
1 18 Postscripts to A rticles II. and I I I .

o f mesmerism stand upon higher ground, and must not be

confounded with the effects o f suggestion, or the reveries o f
a dreaming and absent mind.
I remain, Sir,
Yonr humble servant,
G eorge S a n d b y .

X I I I . Postscript to Article 2.
6th September, 1851, Saturday evening,
M y dear Sir,— I mesmerised Margaret Stewart for the
last time this even in g: she is now quite well. U pon the
second time o f mesmerising her, she said that if 1 would
mesmerise her for twelve times she would be quite well.
This evening, the twelfth time o f mesmerising, when asleep,
she said, “ D octor, I became p oorly last night; and 1 had not
seen anything fo r the last five months until then.“ This is
worthy o f notice, as it clearly proves the re-establishment o f
a function by the aid o f mesmerism.
I remain, dear Sir, yours very truly,
Dr. Elliot sou. J. B . M o t h e r w e l l .
The only medicine Bhe has had were tw o aperient pills.
P.S, Sept. 29th. She remains perfectly well.

X I Y . Postscript to Article 3.
Dr. E l l i o t s on has forwarded to us the following letter re­
ceived by him from Mr. Saunders o f B ristol:—
" I, Upper Portland Place, Clifton,
“ March 27th,
" Dear Sir,— Sometime back I stated that I considered electro­
biology was useful in saving time to the mesmerist: bnt subsequent
experience has proved that in nine cases out of ten it acts injuriously
upon the patient. For most persons after being sent into the biolo­
gical state by means of the disk are incapable of beiDgmade to go much
beyond the suggestive state, and are rendered much less susceptible
of the curative effects of mesmerism. Sometime back a Mr. or Dr.
Eden gave some mesmeric lectures in Bristol, and sent his subjects
off by causing them to stare at a piece of zinc attached to the end o f
a long stick. His subjects rarely became unconscious, though their
eyes closed, and they generally felt uncomfortable with head-ache
when they were restored to their natural state. Mr. Braid’s patients,
I believe, who are sent off by looking at a bright object, never shew
any of the higher phenomena of mesmerism, and frequently feel
irritable when demesmerised. M ibs S------ r, of Clifton, after being
biologized with the disk, felt very unwell for some days afterwards,
 Books received, N otices to Correspondents, tyc. 119

and 1 was compelled to mesmerise her in order to restore her. Miss

S------ s, of Clifton, if she gases for a short lime at the disk, is
obliged to put it aside, as it makes her head ache, though the usual
mode of mesmerising calms her head, and she wakes after it quite cool.
Time wilt not allow me to mention other similar cases : but I hare
found that for curative purposes the disk is utterly useless and fre­
quently injurious, as it strains the eye and irritates the brain, instead
of, as the usual method does, quietiog it j and I have therefore quite
discarded it and leave it only to those who wish to create laughter
and amusement in an audience by causing their patients to appear
very ridiculous, and generally preventing them from being in a posi­
tion to derive benefit from genuine mesmerism should they require it.
'* 1 remain, dear Sir, yours truly,
“ S. D. S a u n d e r s .
“ J. Elliotson, Esq., M.D.*’

BOOKS R E C E IV E D .
The Westminster end Foreign Quarterly Renew. No. 1.
Asylnms for the Insane. Observations upon the importance of establishing
public hospitals for the Insane of the Middle and Higher Classes! with a brief
exposition of the nature of Insanity and the present provisions for the treatment
of the Insane. By Thomas Dickson, L.R.C.S.E., resident Medical Superin­
tendent of the Manchester Royal Lunatic Hospital ; Member o f the Literary and
Philosophical Society. London : 1852.
An address to the Working Classes on the means of improving their condi­
tion. By the Rev. David Eadaile, minister of Rescobie. Edinburgh.
The Cabinet of Reason : a Library of Free Thought, Politics, and Col tore.
The Task of To>day. By Evans Bell.
Chapters on Mental Physiology. By Henry Holland, M.D., F.R.S., &c.
Founded chiefly on chapters contained in Medical Notes and Reflections, by the
same Anther. London.
Recueil d'opérations chirurgicales pratiquées sur les sujets Magnétisés, par A.
Loysel, docteur en Médecine &Cherbourg. Cherbourg.

N O TIC E S TO C O R R E SP O N D E N TS .
In our Midsummer number will appear, jcitJhoul fail, 1. the first part of Dr.
Banj's remarkable paper upon the metal-cure, or the effects of the external ap­
plication of metals in health and disease, containing facts surprising to those not
acquainted with mesmerism, but not to us mesmerists who are so familiar with
the effects o f the external application of metals in the mesmeric state. 2. Two
remarkable cures under the direction of »Dr. Elliotson ; 3. the last report of the
Bristol Mesmeric Institute, with cures by Dr. Storer; 4. cases by Mr. Saonders
of Bristol; 5. by Mr. H. S. Thompson, 6. Mr, Marshall, 7. Capt. Hudson, Dr,
Georgii, and some others. We have already exceeded our six sheets by one and a
half,
Mr. Btggar may lee that in two numbers we have expressed our disappoint­
ment at not receiving Dr. Burq's article. Half of it has now arrived, but too
late for this quarter. We must make experiments ourselves before we speak of
the effects of mesmerised persons upon the compass.
Dr. Symes begs us to announce that, Mr. Chnrchill having liberally subscribed
for 100 copies of his translation of Gall, the work will be published as soon as
the plates can be completed. Dr. S. had had specimens of some o f the plates
engraved on wood: but, not being satisfied with the appearance of these which

r
130 Books received, N otices to Correspondents, ifc.

require shading, such as the various aeetione of the brain, and considering that
many of the plates are referred to again and again, at different parts of the work,
10 that it would be extremely inconvenient to refer to them if incorporated with
the letter preaa, as at first proposed, he has determined, regardless of the addi­
tional expense, to publish them in a separate form, as in the original, and has
accordingly engaged Mr. Aldoua, the artist who executed the beautiful zincograph
illastrationa in Owen's Odontography, to make reduced copies of Gall's plates in
a similar style ; and he hopes it will be ready for publication in a very few months.

O bituary.
Died on the 18th of March, 1852, William Buckley, Esq., Major in the
Bengal Cavalry. This amiable gentleman was s very ardent supporter of the
truths of mesmerism, and spared no expense in promoting benevolent designs in
connexion with them. He was in his seventieth year, and died o f exhaustion
after repeated attacks o f asthenic gout, &c., in a frame enfeebled by the climate of
India, '
Our readers will no doubt recollect the remarkable case described by Sir
Charles Iahan in No. XXX III,, of William Dring, near Nottingham, who had
the faculty of seeing the apparitions of persons a short time before their death,
whom be had previously known. His mother bad the seme faculty from the sge
of 20 for msny years. She wss 85 years old when Sir Charles wrote his most
interest] eg account of her and her son and some others.
Dr. Elliotson informs us that he has lately received the following letter from
Sir Charles Isban, in which Driag’s death is thus announced :—
11 Gotham, Jan. 8, 1B52.
'* Dear Sir,— 1 recollect saying to you that should I hear anything more re­
lating to W. Dring I would let you know, 1 am sorry to say that the account I
sent yon a year since Is the last we shall ever hear of W, Dring. Upon coming
to this place two days since, I heard that Dring died a fortnight Bince. The cir­
cumstances were as follows —Dring, although not a drunkard, was in the habit
of occasionally indulging in beer and ral-pies to a considerable extent: upon the
present occasion he drank too liberally and brought on a fever, which carried him
off in a few days. I have not seen bis family, but understand that be had not
seen anything unusual during the past year.
" Believe me, yours very truly,
“ C. E. R. I shak .”

M E S M E R IC IN F IR M A R Y .

THE NEXT ANN UAL M E E T IN G

Will take place, WEDNESDAY, the 2Gth MAY,

At Two o'Clock.

By a recent regulation o f the Committee, it hat been decided that the Annual
General Meeting o f the Subscribers shall in future be held on the last Wednesday
in May instead o f the f r i t , as originally propoted.