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Franz Anton Mesmer Genius or Charlatan?

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Born: May 23, 1734 Iznang on the German shore of Lake Constance

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The Beginning Parents Father - Anton Mesmer -games Keeper to the Bishop of Constance Mother - Maria Ursula Michel Mesmer was the 3 rd of 9 children Strong Catholic Upbringing

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Early Years Learned to interact with highborn aristocrats. Bishop von Schnborn agreed with Mesmers mother that he should be educated for the church. At 9 he entered a school run by monks. (1743) - 6 languages - classical literature - catholic catechism - music His passion was for music.

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Maria Theresa (Hapsburg Ruler) Maria Teresa and her Son Joseph II (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire) -Had some military setback -instituted changes that favored education, religious rights.

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Jesuit Education 1750 University of Dillengen in Bavaria 1754 University of Ingolstadt Declined to take holy orders and enter the catholic priesthood.

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Descartes's Influence Mesmer was exposed to rationalism which led him to question Catholicism and away from theology. From Descartes he took the idea that medicine could ne turned into an exact science by extending the cosmological laws to the physiological laws of the human body!

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The years 17551759 are unaccounted for in Mesmers life. May have earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1759 but that degree may also have been self conferred.

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University of Vienna Enrolled in 1759 in Law 1760 changed focus of study Medicine Great time to study medicine Marie Teresa Some of the best minds were on faculty. Rejection on old ideas (e.g., Galen) Old Vienna School (very prestigious)

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Dissertatio Physico-medica de Planetarum Influxu (A Physio-medical Inquiry Concerning the Influences of the Planets) The Influence of the Planets on the Human Body

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Odd Topic for a Medical Doctor? Scientific approach. Effects of Gravitation on human physiology. Mesmer proposes a universal fluid that underlies gravitation, electricity, light, heat and magnetism.

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Universal Fluid Just as the seas and earth have tides, so does the universal fluid which is subject to great surges through interstellar space and through the heavenly bodies in an never ending ebb and flow. It passes through the earth and everything on earth. It sets up tides in the bloodstream and the nerves of human beings.

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Heavenly Bodies Make Us Healthy or Ill this force which is the cause of universal gravitation, and no doubt, the basis of all bodily properties; which, in effect, in the smallest particles of fluids and solids of out bodies, contracts, distends, and causes cohesion, elasticity, irritability, magnetism and electricity ; a force which can in this context be call animal magnetism.

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Plagiarism? Mesmer plagiarized large part of his dissertation ideas from Richard Mead, (an eminent English physician and Newton's friend). In Mesmer's day doctoral theses were not expected to be original.

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1767-1773 Period of regular medical practice. Internship (1 year) Specializes in cases of mental or nervous derangement, (lunacy, epilepsy, hysterical blindness, chronic nightmares, pathological coughing and trembling, fits of depression and panic). Saw that conventional treatments (electroshock) did not work.

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January 10, 1768 Marries Maria Anna Von Bosch (aristocrat) Austria was at peace (7 Years Wars ended) Mesmer had it made.

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Mesmer set up practice in his home and also set up a lab. Generally used conventional treatments. Bleeding and Blistering Opium Herbs (e.g., sassafras for diabetes).

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Mesmer the Musician Played cello, clavichord and the Glass HarmonicaGlass Harmonica (0.30 to2.44) invented by Benjamin Franklin.

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Mozart and Mesmer 6 year old Mozart played at the palace in Vienna in 1762. Referred to as the wunderkind. At 12 Mozart was no longer considered such a protg, and a planned concert at the palace was cancelled. Mesmer held the concert at his mansion, They became good friends

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Mesmer and Mozart This is that piece Of magnet The stone of Mesmer Who originated In Germany And then became so famous 1790

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The start of Animal Magnetism 1773 Franziska Oesterlin house guest/cousin Suffered Hysteric symptoms Miss Franzl has again been dangerously ill, and blisters had to be applied to her arms and feet. She is so much better now [They had expected her to die.] that she has knitted in bed a red silk purse for Wolfgang, which she has given him as a remembrance. It is amazing how she can stand so much bleeding and so many medicines, blisters, convulsions, fainting fits and so forth, for she is nothing but skin and bone.

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Mesmer kept a detailed case study of the ebb and flow of her symptoms. Was able to predict them Ascribed the symptoms to the universal fluid Sought a means to control the ebb and flow.

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Maximilian Hell (1720-1792), Mesmers friend and professor a court astronomer and Jesuit priest, used magnets in the treatment of disease, influenced Mesmer to conduct his first attempts at healing with a steel magnet. Believed that every body possessed a magnetic force which connects all human beings.

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Magnets July 28 th - 1774 Mesmer produced an "artificial tide" in a Franzl. Had patient swallow a preparation containing iron, and then attaching magnets to various parts of her body. She reported feeling streams of a mysterious fluid running through her body and was relieved of her symptoms for several hours.

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Loosing the Magnets Mesmer did not believe that the magnets had achieved the cure on their own. He observed that he could produce improvements in his patients without Magnets. Lead him to believe that he possessed magnetic powers. (Channel) Began passing his empty hands over his patients bodies and sometimes massaging distressed parts.

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Mesmer Vs. Hell Controversy over credit for therapeutic success followed with a series of alternating public letters by Hell and Mesmer. Mesmers Defense His thesis Hells magnets were superfluous for the magnetic therapy, because virtually any object could be magnetized and used therapeutically!

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More Cures By means of magnetism I restored menstrual periods and hemorrhoids to their normal condition... I cured hemoptysis, a paralysis following an apoplexy, an unexpected trembling after a fit of passion, and all kinds of hypochondriac, convulsive, and hysterical irregularities in the same way. (Mesmer, 1775)

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Organic Vs. Functional Disorders Psychological disorder affected by the nerves Mesmerism could cure Functional disorders directly and organic disorders only indirectly.

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Medical Community Reaction Mesmer sent out letters to various scientific societies, stating his belief that "animal magnetism" existed, and that through it one man could influence another. No attention was given his letter, except by the Academy of Berlin, which sent him an unfavorable reply

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Jan Ingenhousz Teacup Demonstration Ingenhouszs test: patient reacted only to objects which she believed were magnets or that were connected with Mesmer! Ingenhousz publicly denounced Mesmer as a fraud Mesmer temporarily abandoned efforts both to obtain a court appointed commission and to disseminate his treatment into hospitals.

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Johann Joseph Gassner Catholic priest (17271779) discovered that he had extraordinary powers of exorcism. Deciding that demons were responsible for most human ailments. He healed thousands, rich and poor. Mesmer was asked, and he denounced Gassner (1775).

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Maria-Theresa von Paradies - 1777 18 year old, blind, pianist, singer, and composer Her father had close relations to the court. awoke with acute blindness at the age of 3 years and 7 months Physicians unable to find anything wrong with her eyes.

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Cure and Relapse Mesmer cures Maria using animal magnetism medical community reaction "miracle! But then the lost her ability to play the piano! Marias mother took her away from Mesmer's care before the cure was complete. Mother struck Maria across the face because she resisted leaving Dr. Mesmer's clinic and the hysterical blindness reasserted itself.

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Cure Again and Relapse! One month more treatment restored vision again. She leave Mesmer to return home. Symptoms reappear! And she thereafter lived the life of a blind person. Mesmer leaves Vienna and goes to Paris (without wife),

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Paris Quickly established an extremely lucrative practice Queen Marie Antoinette Methods of mass treatment Baquet

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Mesmer treated Aristocrats and peasants equally. His new patients are often taken from other Doctors. Jealousy competition for aristocratic patients.

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Mesmer Seeks Professional Approval First Ignored Then a demonstration that failed to convince Invited review of his patients but: no way of validating any treatment response by interviewing or examining these patients at the end of their treatment no clear baseline had been established, and other potential factors impacting on outcome (e.g., natural history of the conditions, placebo effects, etc.) had not been addressed.

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Dr. Charles Deslon Defended Mesmer to the Faculty of Medicine Wrote a book supporting Mesmers therapy Established a clinic using animal magnetism Mesmer became enraged and charged him with betrayal, breach of promises, and theft of his ideas and techniques.

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The Society of Harmony: Dissemination Through Lay Disciples Wealthy patrons paid handsomely to ensure Mesmers fortune and signed nondisclosure covenants with severe penalties for any breech. In exchange, when sufficient subscriptions had been sold Mesmer would reveal his system to them for their own use.

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The Royal Commissions (1784) Four members from the Faculty of Medicine and five members from the Royal Academy of Sciences, Benjamin Franklin Joseph-Ignace Guillotine King Louis XVI

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Science! The Commission was charged to examine & report on animal magnetism practiced by Monsieur Deslon Mesmer Objected!

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Process Animal magnetism could not be proven by its physical properties, because the magnetic fluid was claimed to be an intangible agent. Existence of animal magnetism could only be determined by any effects it might have on human behavior or disease

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Placebo Experiments By misleading subjects to believe they were being magnetized when they were not. e.g., seated a woman by a door and told her that Deslon was magnetizing her from the other side when in fact she was not being magnetized at all. Magnetized Tree Test

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The Report More than 20,000 copies of the Commissions report were rapidly and widely distributed.

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Bens Doubts The Report makes a great deal of talk. Everybody agrees that it is well written, but many wonder at the force of imagination described in it as occasioning convulsions, etc., and some feel that consequences may be drawn from it by infidels to weaken our faith in some of the miracles of the New Testament. Some think it will put an end to Mesmerism, but there is a wonderful deal of credulity in the world and deceptions as absurd have supported themselves for ages.

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The Aftermath 8 Months after Commission Report Mesmer continues here and has still some Adherents and some Practice. It is surprising how much credulity still subsists in the World. I suppose all the Physicians in France put together have not made so much money during the Time he has been here, as he has done. B. Franklin

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Ridicule Engraving shows Aesculape striking Mesmer with a thunderbolt, and two doctors comforting a victim of the baquet.

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The last years Mesmer was driven into exile soon after the investigations on animal magnetism In 1785 Mesmer left Paris.

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1789 until 1799 French Revolution During the revolution he lost his entire fortune and fled to England.

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Died on March 5, 1815 Buried Meersburg Germany

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Prologue Mesmerism begins to see renewed interest in Germany even before Mesmers Death. Mesmers name lives on as a synonym for the process he expounded.

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Discussion questions Was Mesmer a Quack? Even if it is a placebo effect should hypnosis be dismissed as a tool for healing? If Mesmer was alive today, and the same study results existed, would Mesmer have been dismissed as a Quack?

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References Buranelli, V.(1975). The Wizard from Vienna Franz Anton Mesmer A Biography of the 18 th -century Doctor who Laid the Foundation for Modern Psychiatry. Toronto, Canada: Longman Canada Limited Lanska,J., & Lanska, T. Franz Anton Mesmer and the Rise and Fall of Animal Magnetism: Dramatic Cures, Controversy, and Ultimately a Triumph for the Scientific Method Douglas J. Springer http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/173/chp%253A10.1007%252F978-0-387-70967- 3_22.pdf?auth66=1425476809_41c62f07a9e8cf409cc276ec75eb5fb1&ext=.pdf