THE ZOIST.No. XLII.

JULY, 1853.

I , Popular Letters on the Odic Force, and on Magnetism. By Baron R eichenbach , Translated by William Gregory, M .D ., F.R.S.E., Professor of Chemistry in the University o f Edinburgh.

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE BY THE TRANSLATOR.T he following letters appeared in Summer, 1852, in the Augs­burg Gazette (Allgemeine ZeilungJ, a paper in which many interesting series o f letters have appeared on various branches o f science. The present state o f public opinion on the subject o f mesmerism is such that it appears to me probable that these letters may prove very useful.

The medical profession has, within the last two or three

?rears, found it necessary to admit a very large part o f the ong and obstinately rejected phenomena o f mesmerism; viz.,

all those phenomena which depend on suggestion. These, so long as they were described by mesmerists as occurring in the mesmeric sleep, were scornfully rejected, and it is only since they have been publicly exhibited as occurring in the waking state, and absurdly called electro-biological, that they have been admitted. Yet they were just as true, and as fully demonstrated by the mesmerists before, had the evidence but met with a fair reception.

But those who now admit the suggestive phenomena forget the past and, still neglecting or despising investigation, ascribe, without hesitation, all mesmeric phenomena whatever, so far as they admit these, to the influence o f suggestion; and either deny or disregard all the evidence which tends to prove the existence o f a transferable influence, capable of acting at a dis­tance, and o f passing through various media— opaque or other-

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102 Introduction

wise. The writers now alluded to still reject, precisely as th e y once did the phenomena o f suggestion, all the alleged fa c ts o f action at a distance, o f sympathy without suggestion, o f v is io n at a distance, or lucid vision generally; and rather than, a d m it such facts, which imply such a transferable influence as I h a v e above alluded to, ascribe all the alleged facts to imposture a n d collusion, exactly aa they did a few years ago in reference to the phenomena o f suggestion. They pronounce the very id e a o f such a force or influence to be unphy Biological, unphiloso­phical and absurd, and begin their researches ( f !) with as­suming, a priori, the principle that no such influence or fo r c e exists or can exist.

Now against this mode o f reasoning, a priori, in opposition to alleged facts, observed by competent persons o f good ch a­racter, 1 protest, in the name oflog ic and science, &b altogether inadmissible. I maintain that we know little or nothing o f the laws o f nature in such matters, and certainly nothing to justify such an assumption. N or can we ever learn anything o f the laws o f nature save by observation and deduction from observed facts; in no case by a priori assertions,

I maintain, further, that there exists a mass o f evidence in favour o f the existence o f a force or influence, in all proba­bility imponderable, but quite distinct from all the known imponderables— such as heat, light, electricity, magnetism, & c.; and that the facts observed by mesmerists, in which sug­gestion has no share, can only be accounted for by the sup­position o f some such force. But I hold, that even if we could not account for them at all in this or any other way, these facts exist as truly as do those o f suggestion, and to deny them does not annihilate them. They remain, and will ultimately compel recognition.

I will go further, and say that we have no more nor better evidence o f the existence o f the forces or influences which we assume to be the causes o f heat, light, &c. (but o f the true nature o f which we know nothing, except that they appear to be imponderable), than we do o f the supposed mesmeric force or influence. When we are able to answer the question, "W h a t is light, or heat, or electricity?” but not till then, we shall be able to say what is the true nature o f the mesmeric influence. At present, o f all these forces and many m ore we know only the effects, hut not the essence. We have ascer­tained by observation some o f the laws which regulate them but still not their essence. And there is no reason whatever to suppose that the admitted list o f imponderable natural forces is incapable o f additions being made to it, from the same source, namely, observation.

by D r. Gregory. 103

B e this as it may, it is cm this point at present, that the mesmeric controversy binges. Those who assume that we know all the forces and laws o f nature refuse to admit a new influence o r imponderable; as if electricity itself did not date, at the very earliest, from the 17th century only; and as if m agnetism as a science, and above all, electro-magnetism, were n ot o f still more recent origin. Those, again, who ap­peal to observation, maintain that the facts observed demon­strate th e existence o f a new imponderable, or force,. or in­fluence aa plainly as do other facts the existence o f the causes o f heat, ligh t, electricity, magnetism (ordinary), chemical at­traction, gravitation, cohesion and any other forces which may b e lon g to this category. And i f it be unphilosophical to talk o f th e mesmeric fluid, be it remembered that this is done only in the same sense in which we speak o f the electric fluid or the m agnetic fluid, a mode o f expression which arose from the resem blance o f some o f the phenomena to the motion of currents o f fluid matter.

U p to a recent period, all the evidence in favour o f the existence o f a mesmeric force or influence was derived from experiments made on persons in the state o f mesmeric sleep or somnambulism. But in 1842, Beichenbach adduced a vast body o f facts, altogether independent of the mesmeric state o r processes. He studied the phenomena precisely as those o f a ll the other departments o f physical science are studied; and, precisely as is done in all other cases, he gave a name to the new force, because he found it to differ from all know n forces.

The letters which follow contain a brief and popular ac­count off his researches, and are, in my opinion, admirably calculated to shew the utter futility o f the a priori argument against the existence o f this force. It is for this reason that I think th ey will be useful at the present time, when so much misapprehension prevails as to the extent and bearing o f his researches. None o f the writers who have opposed hiB views have given proof o f having even carefully read his work. Their arguments are addressed to superficial and erroneous notions o f i t ; and I have no hesitation in stating my conviction, after a very careful study o f his writings, and many experiments on the subject o f them, that no scientific work whatever, known to me, deserves to rank higher in all the qualities which be­long to an investigation conducted on the true Baconian prin­ciples. I have met with no argument which even touches his conclusions. But in conclusion I would remind the reader that w hile Baron Beichenbach speaks o f a force or influence as the cause o f the phenomena he has observed, he is not to

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be understood as using these terms in any other sense than that in which we daily use them in reference to the known and admitted imponderables. As we speak o f a magnetic or electric influence or force, so, and not otherwise, does he speak o f the od force or the odic force,— meaning by this the unknown cause o f certain observed phenomena, which is pre­cisely what we mean when we speak o f the electric force.

Evidently then, the important point is the phenomena, and not the name given to the supposed cause o f them. And the reader will find in these letters abundant proof o f the ex­istence o f peculiar phenomena, and also, if he considers the subject fairly, equally abundant proof that suggestion has nothing whatever to do with them. The precautions taken to exclude suggestion, however, can only be fully understood by studying Baron Reichenbach’ s great work, o f which the first volume has been translated both by Dr. Ashbnrner and by myself.

Even the present letters, however, contain sufficient proof to satisfy such as can judge o f scientific evidence, that sug­gestion cannot explain the facts; and this is the conclusion to which all have come, who have investigated these pheno­mena, and which agrees perfectly with the conclusion arrived at by the independent researches o f mesmerists on persons in the mesmeric state, it being borne in mind that all the obser­vations o f Reichenbach were made on persons in the ordinary or waking condition.

W il l ia m G regory.

L e tte r I,Sensitives,

Have you never, my dear friend, met with individual per­sons exhibiting the strange peculiarity o f a marked aversion to everything yellow ? Yet a lemon, an orange with its fiery hue, or a mass o f bright gold, surely presents a charming spectacle ! W hat can there be unpleasant in it ? I f you ask these persons which colour is most pleasing to them, all, with one voice, will answer, blue. The azure o f the sky is lovely, and has a grateful influence; but when sunset encases it in a frame o f gold, surely the lovely becomes still lovelier,— nay, Bplendid. Had I to choose between inhabiting a room painted straw yellow or one painted light blue, I should probably prefer the former. But all the haters o f yellow to whom I have said this, laughed me to scorn and bewailed my bad taste.

Let me invert my question, nnd ask, Have you ever met

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with any one, to whom blue is disagreeable? Certainly not. No one has ever disliked blue. Whence, then, in certain persons, so great and universal an agreement in the dislike to yellow and the preference for blue?

W e know that blue and reddish yellow stand in a peculiar relation to each other. They are complementary colours; that is, each, added to the other, makes up white; and they form a kind o f polar contrast to each other. Does something more lie here concealed than the mere action o f these colours on our sense o f vision? Is there not an unknown and more deeply seated difference than the simple optical difference of colour, which all perceive? And does there exist among men a distinction as far as concerns the perception o f this sup­posed difference, so that some are able to perceive what others canuot ? Are there, so to speak, men with a double sense ? This would be a strange thing. Let us endeavour to pursue it further.

A young girl has no objection to look in her mirror; nay, perhaps even men are to be found who delight in its pleasing reflection. W h o can blame them, i f a true image o f God’ s fair masterpiece smiles ou them from its surface, and awakes the presentiment o f the conquests which await them ? There is indeed nothing in the world more magnificent or more bliss­ful than the contemplation o f a beautiful ipsemet ego. But what i f it should prove that there are fair maidens, stately matrons, and handsome men, who abhor the mirror? who turn from it, and cannot endure to look at their own image in it? Seriously, there are such persons, and indeed they are far from rare, in whom the looking-glass excites a peculiar sensation o f dread, as i f a lukewarm, unpleasant aura breathed upon them , so that they cannot endure the aspect o f the mirror calmly even for a minute. It not only reflects their image, but affects them besides with an inexpressibly painful impression, stronger in some persons, weaker in others, and in others again only so far perceptible as to cause an unde­fined aversion to the mirror. What is this ? Whence comes it ? W h y do only certain persons perceive this unpleasaut sensation, and not all?

Y ou have travelled much, and it is impossible that you should not have met with persons in stage coaches, omnibuses, and railway carriages, who everywhere with the most urgent selfwill insisted on opening the carriage windows. They cared not for storm, rain, thorough draughts, nor icy co ld ; they regarded not the sufferings o f their rheumatic fellow-travellers, and behaved, in short, as you thought, with intolerable selfish­ness. Y ou have no doubt met with such, and regarded their

106 Peculiarities o f

conduct as the result o f ill breeding. But let me beg o f yon to suspend your judgment for a little, at least till a few of my letters have passed under your eyes. Possibly you may acquire the conviction, that in a small and crowded space influences as yet unknown are at work, stroug enough to be absolutely insupportable to certain members o f the party, while others do not in the least perceive their effects.

Is there no one among your friends who has the fancy of never sitting in a row between others at table, in the theatre, in church, or in society, but who always chooses a special seat for himself, or occupies the corner seat if possible ? When you see such an one, mark him well. He is our man, and we shall soon become better acquainted with him.

You have surely observed that there are ladies who fire* quently, although otherwise healthy, become ill or faint in church : even in a corner seat they suffer, and must often be carried out fainting. I f you will observe, you will find that it is always the same persons, that is, only certain persons, who are thus affected. Sucj^ persons are quite unable long to endure sitting in the nave o f a church, and yet they are perfectly healthy.

Yonr physician will tell you that to sleep well and to enjoy good health, you ought to lie on your right side. I f you ask why, and he is honest, he will say that he cannot tell. He only knows from experience that many persons cannot sleep at all if they lie on the left side. The cause is to him quite unknown. I f you examine more closely, you will find that all men do not require to lie on the right side; that many also sleep on the left, so that there are plenty o f people to whom it is a matter o f indifference on which side they lie, and who are equally refreshed either way. But you will also find, that those who can only sleep on the right side are a small number o f persons; in whom, however, this pe­culiarity is so strongly marked, that they lie for hours, nay, for half the night, on the left side, without being able to fall asleep, while as soon as they turn round to the right side they fall asleep instantly. This is strange; but you may observe it everywhere.

How many persons are there who cannot, withont a sense o f nausea, eat from a spqon o f packfong, new silver, German silver, argentan, or whatever name may be given to the alloys now so common as substitutes for silver I Yet others cannot perceive any difference between the use o f these alloys and that o f silver 1 How many are there, who cannot taste coffee, tea or chocolate, if made in brass or copper vessels, which to most people is a matter o f indifference! How many persons

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dislike w arm , and particularly overboiled food, or fat, or sweet things, and infinitely prefer cold, simple, above all slightly acid nourishment! There are not a few who have such a passion for salad, that they may be heard to say they would readily sacrifice all other food for salad alone; while others cannot even conceive how salad should yield such un­limited delight.

There are persons who cannot endure that any should stand close behind them. They avoid all crowds or mobs, fairs or markets. Others dislike shaking hands, and to them it is intolerable if their hand be held long m that o f another; they escape, or tear away their hand. Many cannot endure the heat o f an iron stove, but relish that o f a brick stove co­vered with earthenware.

I could tell you many more strange peculiarities observed in certain men. But what are we to say o f them ? Are they fan­cies, the result o f bad education; or bad habits, perhaps de­pending on local circumstances affecting health ? It may appear so to those who only look at the surface; and this ap­pearance has too often misled us, and caused us to be unjust to these persons. If these strange peculiarities indeed occurred singly, or scattered, accidentally, among all men, we might he justified in paying little attention to them. But a remarkable fact, hitherto regarded as unworthy o f notice, alters the question essentially. A ll the above-named peculiarities of these persons occur, not singly, but always combined or asso­ciated in the same person. You will find, i f you look, in one and the same person, most or all o f these singularities toge­ther ; and never, no, not in a single ease, is one o f them found alone. H e who is a foe to yellow, shuns the m irror; lie who loves the com er seat forces open the carriage windows; those who can sleep on only their right side faint in church; those who dislike brass, copper, or German silver, delight in cold simple food, and despise fat and sweets; they are devoted to salad, &c. &c. &c. And this goes on everywhere, iu the same person, iu an unbroken succession, from dislike o f yellow to dislike o f sweets; from the love o f blue to the passion for salad. There is a solidarity, so to speak, o f these strange likings and disliking», in those who exhibit them. Experience demonstrates, everywhere around us, that he who has one o f these peculiarities, as a general rule, has all the others also.

H ence it is very clear that they stand in an unmistakable connection with each other; and i f this be so, it can only happen because all may be traced back to one fundamental connecting element, to a hidden source, common to all, and from which they all flow. Now if this source be found in

108 M ore striking peculiarities

some men and not in others, it is obvious that from this point o f view there are real); two kinds o f people; ordinary people who possess none o f all these forms o f excitability, and people who are peculiarly excitable and are affected in the way above explained by every apparently slight circumstance. These last we may properly call “ Sensitives,” for they are in truth frequently more excitable and sensitive than the sensi­tive plant. They are so, in virtue o f their innermost nature, which they can neither lay aside nor control at w ill; and whenever we have regarded their peculiarities as mere fancies, or as selfish rudeness and ill-breeding, we have certainly done these persons injustice. They have enough to suffer from their peculiar and hitherto unrecognized sensitiveness in a society where no regard is paid to it, and are entitled to more consideration and forbearance than they have ever yet expe­rienced. Their number is far from small; and we shall soon see how deeply these things, o f which I have to-day only attempted to give you the first superficial notions, penetrate, in every direction, into the intercourse o f human beings.

L e t t e r II.You have no doubt been able, making use o f the marks

I pointed out in my last letter, to discover among your ac­quaintance some who belong to the class I have named sen­sitives. It is not at all difficult to find them, for they are everywhere numerous. And if you do not at once find such as are perfectly healthy, you have only to enquire for such as have disturbed sleep, often throw off the bedclothes while asleep, speak, or even rise in their sleep, are much plagued with sick head-ache or migraine o f short duration, or suffer frequently from transient pain o f stomach; or complain o f nervousness, and nervous changes o f humour; who avoid large societies, and either confine themselves to a few friends, or love solitude. W ith few exceptions, all such persons are more or less sensitive.

But all these things are only the trivial sides o f the matter. "When we apply to it the touchstone o f science, facts o f far higher interest come into view.

Procure a natural crystal, as large as may be attainable, such as a crystal of selenite (gypsum), 10 or 12 inches long, a large crystal o f heavy spar, or one o f the rock crystals of St. Gothard, about a foot in length. Lay it horizontally across the corner o f a table, or the arm o f a chair, so that

o f Sensitive», 109

both ends project freely, and desire a sensitive to place the hollow o f hia left hand near the ends o f the crystal succes­sively at a distance o f 6, 4, or 3 inches. Before the lapse of

■ half a minute, he will tell you, and this without any ques­tion or prom pting whatever, and without his having previously the remotest idea what he is to expect, that from the upper, free, or pointed end o f the crystal (that which in its natural position projected into the air), a delicate cool aura breathes on his hand ; while from the opposite end (the broken end, by which it was originally attached), »something tepid reaches the hand. H e will find the former sensation, the coolness, pleasant and refreshing; the latter, or the tepid feeling, dis­agreeable, and accompanied by an offensive, almost nauseous sensation, which, in a short time, will affect the whole arm, as with a sense o f fatigue.

W hen I first made this observation, it was as new as it was puzzling. N o one would believe it. I have, however, repeated it with hundreds o f sensitives in Vienna, it has been repeated and confirmed in England, Scotland,* and France,

* I have m y se lf frequently made this sim ple experiment with persons o f m oderate sensitiveness. It is, notwithstanding its sim ­plicity, a fundam ental one, and enables us at the outset to dismiss the notion th a t these perceptions are caused by suggestion. In the first place, although many persons in the m esm eric sleep may be made to see, o r fancy they see, anything directly and forcibly sug­gested to them , and although the same thing m ay be done with many oth ers in the ordinary state, or at least in that modification o f the ord in ary state w hich has been absurdly called the biological state, y e t in the experiments o f the author and in m y ow n, no attem pt was made to produce either o f these states. T h e subjects were s trictly in their usual state. Secondly, not on ly no direct sug­gestion was m ade, but the greatest care was taken to avoid even iudireef suggestion . N o questions were ask ed ; tbe subject was never told w hat he was likely to feel, but was sim ply desired to approach his b a n d to the crystal. I f sensitive, he invariably described, spon­taneously, h is own sensations. And all w ho perceived anything, perceived exactly the same sensations in kind, although varying in degree. M an y were illiterate; some edu cated ; but all were igno­rant o f w hat they were to perceive, and yet .they all agreed. N ow I m aintain that this agreement dem onstrates that the sensations described w ere due to a real objectice cause, and were not mere sub­jective feeling*. A writer in the North British Review has endea- vonred to shew that these sensations are purely subjective ; but he has n ot explained how this can be reconciled to the fact that all have the sam e sensations when they make the experim ent in the same way, w h ile all observe the sensations to be reversed, i f m ade to use

no Peculiarities

and any one may test it, for sensitives are to be found every­where. I f they hold the hand near other parts o f the crystal, such as the lateral edges, they perceive here also, at on e place the tepid, at another the cool sensation, but at all such points incomparably weaker than at the two ends, which are in polar opposition or contrast to each other. O f all this, non-sensitives perceive nothing.

Since these opposite sensations are excited without con­tact with the crystal, at the distance o f several inches, nay, in highly sensitive persons at the distance o f several feet, it was obvious, that from these, so to speak, semi-organ!zed minerals, something proceeds, flows out, or is radiated; some-

the right head instead o f the le ft ; and all this, w ithout any further suggestion than the general idea that when they are asked to ap­proach the hand to the crystal, they are probably supposed likely to feel o r perceive something. That two persons who never met, one in Vienna, the other in London, should thus agree in all the details o f their sensations, i f these were merely subjective, that is, fancies, appears to me, i f not im possible, in the highest degree im probable. In no other mental functions do we observe any such identity o f manifestation in the fancies o f different persons. B ut that hundreds should thus agree, unless the sensations be caused by som ething which has a real objective o r outward existence, appears to me the wildest and m ost preposterous assumption that ever had birth in r fanciful brain. Can any reason be given why, i f these sensations be only subjective, the next subject w ho shall be tried should not asso­ciate the cool Bensation with that end o f the crystal which in all our experiments has been found associated with the opposite tepid sen­sation ? It is obvious, that persons who only fancied sensations o f w hich they had never heard, must, according to the law o f proba­bilities, differ at least as often as, probably far oftener than, they agree. B ut as in fact they never do differ, any more than people d o w ho observe the warmth o f a fire and the coldness o f ice, the conclusion is, in m y hum ble opinion, unavoidable, that the Cause o f the new sensations is as real as the causes o f beat and cold.

It would, I think, be interesting to know what Professor de M organ, our great authority on tbe doctrine o f chances, would say to the N orth British reviewer’ s doctrine o f the uniform agreement o f hundreds o f different persons in their subjective feelings, or fan­cies, when asked to make certain trials, and told nothing o f the expected result, and therefore only able to guess that som ething is to be felt. T h e learned Professor would confer a benefit on science i f he would state the chances in favour of, or rather against, such a perfect agreement, say in 100 persons, with respect to only one phe­nom enon. T he result would be both curious and instructive. W e shall see further on som e striking illustrations o f the above argu­m ent.— W . G . '

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thing as yet unknown to physical science; and which, al­though we cannot see it (any more than we can heat, elec­tricity, or magnetism, W . G.), yet makes its presence known by its action on the corporeal system. Now as sensitives are able to do , that is, to perceive, so much more, in the way o f *erwoiion than other men, it occurred to me that they might possibly excel us, with reference to certain points, in their powers o f vision ; and might perhaps be able to see some­thing connected with these strange emanations in the dark. To test this, one dark night, in May, 1844, I took a very large rock crystal to the house o f a highly sensitive young woman, M iss Angelica Sturmann. Her physician. Professor Lippich, so favourably known to pathologists, was accidentally present. W e produced total darkness in two rooms, in one o f which I laid the crystal in a place unknown to every one else. A fte r remaining some time in the other room, in order to accustom her eyes to the darkness, we led the subject into the room where the crystal was. After a very short interval, she pointed out the spot where it lay. She told me that the whole mass o f the crystal glowed, through and through, in a delicate light, and that over its point (or naturally free end) a light flowed upwards, o f the size o f a hand, blue, and in a continual undulatory motion, with occasional scintillations. It had the form o f a tulip, and lost itself above in a delicate luminous vapour. W hen I turned the crystal upside down, she saw a dull, reddish yellow smoke rise from the opposite or broken end o f the crystal. You may imagine what delight her statem ent gave me. This was the first o f thousands o f similar observations, which from that time forth till now I have made with crystals, varying the experiment in every possible way, and in which, by the aid o f a large number o f senitives, the fact has been ascertained beyond a doubt, that the sensations allied to touch, prodnced by crystals, are asso­ciated w ith luminous phenomena, which keep pace with the others, exhibit, as blue and reddish yellow, a polar contrast, and are on ly perceived by the sensitive.*

* T h is experim ent I have also frequently repeated, and always with th e sam e results in kind, varying in degree, according to the grade o f sensitiveness. T o it the same remarks apply as those made on the c o o l and warm sensations in the preceding note. Granting that M iss Stnrm ann, having guessed that she was thought likely to see som eth in g in the dark room , did really see what she described, but o n ly as subjective ideas, that is, fancies o r dreams, is it con ­ceivable th a t the next subject, not knowing what M iss Sturmann had fa n c ie d , should fancy exactly the same things in kind, yet d if-

Absolute darkness requisite.112

Should you wish to repeat these experiments, I m ust warn you, that it is only in absolute darkness that yon ca n expect to succeed. The light from crystals is so delicate, so extremely feeble, that if but a trace o f any other light be perceptible in any part o f the room, this suffices to dazzle th e sensitive; that is, to blunt, for the time, his capacity o f p er­ceiving the stimulus o f so weak a light. Moreover, few per­sons are so highly sensitive as Miss Sturmann, or are able to perceive this delicate light after so short a period passed in darkness. W ith sensitives of the middling degree, from on e to two hours must generally be spent in absolute darkness, before their eyes are freed from the stimulus o f day-light or lamp-light, and sufficiently prepared for the perception o f the light o f crystals. Nay, I have had many cases, where persons o f feeble sensitiveness, after three hours in the dark, were still unable to see anything, and yet in the course o f the fourth hour succeeded in seeing the light from crystals very

ferent in degree 7 W h o does not see, that i f the light were entirely subjective, there is no resson whatever why that from the point o f the crystal should not be, to the second subject, green, red, orange, yellow , o r white, as well as blue 7 Y et it is invariably b lu e ; tbatis, blue invariably predominates at tbat end, and reddish yellow at the other, in the statements, not only o f the second but o f the two hundredth subject. M oreover, why should the new subject see the undulating motion, the sparks, the luminous vapour or smoke above, and why should he see m ore light at the point than at the broken end, & c., &c. 7 W e shall find, by and bye, that with the m ost h igh ly sensitive, the light at both ends is described as com ­posed o f all the prismatic colours, blue however always predom inat­ing at the one end, and reddish yellow at the other. A n d in the minutest details o f the arrangement o f the colours, nay, in facts quite unexpected connected with them, and in all the changes pro­duced by change o f form in the poles o f magnets, (w hich, as we shall see, are also lum inous,) these highly sensitive subjects are still found, without concert, and without the shadow o f direct or specific suggestion, to agree as perfectly as they do in the general facts. T o m y m ind, this is utterly irreconcilable with the idea o f the exclusively subjective nature o f the phenomena, and indeed with any view but tbat which admits the existence o f an external, a real, an objective cause o f these phenom ena. I beg most particularly to call the attention o f the reader to this point, because it is the turn­ing-point o f the whole controversy ; and I beg him , in reflecting onit, to bear iu mind, tbat all direct suggestion, and all questions, are avoided, so that, as I form erly stated, the subject can, at the utmost, only guess that som ething is to be seen, and can have nothing to guide him as to what that som ething is, unless there be an objective reality concerned,— W . G .

Conditions not to be neglected, 113

well, and in convincing themselves o f the objective reality of the phenom ena*

You are*probably impatient to learn what all this means, and to what part of physics or physiology these phenomena belong, w ith reference to their objective and subjective na­ture. T h ey are not heat, although they produce sensations resembling those o f cool and tepid; for here there is no ima­ginable source o f heat; and if there were, it would be per­ceptible not on ly by sensitives, but by others, or at least by

* H ere I w ould remark, that, 'as so happens in all branches o f science, w e m ay learn much from apparent failures. I f the doctrine o f the exclu sive ly subjective nature o f the phenom ena be true, or i f they d ep en d on involuntary suggestion ( I have shewn that all direct suggestion is avoided), there is no conceivable reason why the fan­cies or v is ion s should not at once appear. W here suggestion is em ­ployed, w h eth er in tent ion ally or accidentally, we never observe this delay in th e results. I f this were otherwise, biological or rather suggestive phenom ena could not be publicly exhibited, as they are. Indeed , on e o f the m ost striking facts about these suggestive phe­nom ena is , the instantaneous efficacy o f the suggestion, whether it be ora l o r pantom im ic.

I w ou ld further observe, that to m y certain knowledge, m any o f th ose w ho have attempted to repeat Reichenbach’ » experiments have u tterly neglected the conditions indispensable to success. I have seen such experiments tried in a room where the daylight entered a t tw enty chinks, and in another where lamps were burning in the n ext room and the door was opened every minute. T he ex­perim enters obviously had not even read Reichenbach’ s work, in w hich a ll the necessary precautions are fully detailed, but had only a vague general idea that he had stated that crystals, magnets, &c., were lu m in ou s in the dark. I have seen the crystals and magnets held in the hands or on the knees o f the experimenter, which, ac­cord in g to R eichenbach, extinguishes the light. 1 have seen these ob jects held a t 6 , 3, o r 10 feet from the subject, while the author states 40 in ch es to be the average distance at which the light is beBt seen, and m entions that in many cases the distance was m uch less. I have seen a man sitting close to the subject on each side, which again, a ccord in g to our author, interferes with his sensitiveness, and th e experim enters, in spite o f all these mistakes, have expected the resu lt in a few minutes, without even an approach to absolute d a rk n ess . W h en I pointed out som e o f these causes o f failure, I w as to ld that if there were truth in the statements o f Reichenbach, the l ig h t m u st be visible in spite o f these little blunders. I greatly d o u b t w h eth er one o f Reichenbach’ s opponents has even studied his a cco u n t o f the conditions to be observed, far less actually observed th em . I , however, have done so, and have obtained the same resu lts , pro tanlo, as he d id .— W . G .

114 Sensitives to the Sttn

a delicate thermoscope. They are not electricity, for there is no exciter, no source for the perpetual current which here flows, i f it be electrical; and electrical conduction has no influence on them. They cannot be magnetism or diamag­netism, because crystals are not magnetic, and the diamag­netism o f crystals does not always act in the same direction, hut often in various, and even opposite directions, which is never the case in onr phenomena. Common light they are not, because, although light is associated with them, mere light never causes cool or tepid sensations, &c. &c.

What then are these phenomena? I f you must positively know, you compel me to answer, that I cannot tell. I per­ceive the evidences o f the existence o f a dynamide (imponder­able force) for which I cannot find a place under any of the known imponderables. Unless I have formed a very errone­ous conclusion from the facts observed, its true position will be in the middle o f Magnetism, Electricity, and Heat. But it cannot be identified with any one o f these, and in this state o f matters, I have, for the present, given to it the name o f Od (pronounced ode), or o f the Od force or Odic force. The etymology o f this word I shall give further on.

L e t t z b I I I .

The Sun, the Moon, the Prismatic Colours.

You are now acquainted with what I call “ sensitives,” and with the element or imponderable to which their sensi­tiveness refers, and which I have named “ od,” or the "o d ic force.” But we have only as yet touched a mere point o f the hem o f the ample garment o f this force, in which all nature is wrapped. For this remarkable influence not only gushes forth from the poles o f crystals, but flows also from many other sources iu the universe with equal or even supe­rior energy. Let me direct your attention to the heavenly bodies, and first o f all to the sun. Place a sensitive in the shade, and put into his left hand an empty barometer tube or any other glass rod, or even a rod o f wood. Let him now hold the rod in the sunshine, while his hand and body remain in the shade. You will soon hear, from this simple experi­ment, something that will surprise you. For you will na­turally expect that the subject will feel the rod becoming warm; surely the rays o f the suu can do nothing but warm it. But, on the contrary, he will tell you exactly the reverse.

even intermediately. 115

Tbe sensitive (left) hand will perceive various sensations, but the result will be, a decided feeling o f coolness. I f he draws hack the rod into the shade, this coolness will disappear, and he will fee) it becom e warm ; on again holding it in the sun­shine, it will again become cool, and he can thus alternate sad compare the accuracy o f his sensations. There are therefore circumstances, exceedingly simple, but hitherto un­observed, under which the direct rays o f the sun not only do not produce warmth, but most unexpectedly even excite a feeling o f cold . And o f this coolness, the sensitives will say, that it entirely resembles in its mode o f action that possessed by the point or upper end o f tbe crystal. Now if this coolness be o f the nature o f od, it must in some way be capable o f assuming the form o f a luminous emanation in the dark. This you will find to be the case if you will repeat the following experiment o f mine. I brought one end of a copper wire into the dark chamber, the other end being ia a well-lighted room. I then placed this latter end in the sunshine, and I had hardly done so, when the sensitive in the dark chamber saw that part o f the wire which was in the dark begin to be luminous, and from the end o f it a small flame rose, about tbe size o f a finger. The rays o f the sun therefore poured into the wire odic influence, which the sen­sitives in the dark saw flowing out in the form o f light.

But you may go a step further. Let the sun’s rays fall on a good prism, and cause the coloured spectrum to fall on the nearest white wall. Now let the sensitive with the glass rod, held in the left hand, try the different colours o f the spectrum or ires one after another. I f he holds it in the air so as only to absorb the blue or the violet ray, he will per­ceive a strong and most agreeable coolness, much cooler and purer than from the entire sunshine. But if he holds the rod in the yellow, or still more in the red ray, this pleasing coolness will instantly vanish, and a most disagreeable tepid feeling will soon oppress the whole arm. You may allow the sensitive, without the rod, simply to hold the finger of the left hand in the different colours, the result will still be the same. I only used the rod to exclude the action o f tbe heating rays on the hand by means o f a bad conductor. These effects o f the decomposed sunlight will be found ex­actly similar to those o f the crystalline poles. From this you will see that odic force o f both the kinds observed in crystals is contained in the rays of the sun. It flows to us from this luminary at every moment o f the day along with light and heat, in incalculable quantity, and constitutes a new and powerful agent, to be added to those already detected in the

116 Blue pleasant, reddish yellow unpleat ant.

rays o f the $im, and the full bearing o f which we cannot a t present even conceive.*

And now permit me to request you to look back for a moment to the lovers o f blue and the haters o f yellow o f m y first letter.

Have we not seen, that that pole o f crystals, which gives out a grateful coolness, also emits a blue light? and do w e not find here, in a totally different manner, that the b lu e ray o f the sunlight yields a most delightful refreshing c o o l ­ness ? On the other hand, do not the reddish yellow lig h t o f the opposite crystalline pole, and the yellow and red rays o f the spectrum, excite unpleasant tepid sensations in sensi­tives ? You observe that in these two cases, so far apart, it is always blue that excites agreeable and reddish yellow that causes disagreeable feelings. You have thus the first indica­tion, that may induce you to hesitate before passing a hasty judgment on what might be supposed the caprices o f certain persons, who are, in truth, sensitives. You see that in the blue and yellow o f the colours we use, there must be som e­thing more hidden than the mere optical action o f these colours on the retina; that a deep-seated instinct for an unknown, subtle something, here guides the feelingB, and consequently the judgment, o f onr sensitives; and that this subject is worthy o f the utmost intensity o f our attention.

But even without reference to colours, let me mention another easy experiment, which I have often made, in order to distinguish the odic state o f different parts o f the solar rays. Polarize the light by letting it fall, in the usual way, at an angle o f 35° on a bundle o f glass plates. Then let the sensitive place the end o f the rod, held in his left hand, al­ternately on the transmitted and in the reflected ray. You will invariably hear, that the former yields to the hand through the rod odic coolness; the latter, the unpleasant tepid sensa­tion so often described.f

* Scientific men have been com pelled, o f late years, t o admit m ore than one new constituent o f the sun’ s rays. W r h ad first the calorific rays, then the chem ical, now better known as th e p h oto ­graphic, rayB, both invisible. W hy should we w onder at the d iscovery o f another element in the sun’ s rays, invisible to the ord in ary eye, and in daylight, like these, but visible to sensitives in the dark , and acting on the sensitive nerve, as the photographic revs d o on the sensitive plate or paper T A nd who shall say that even th is exhausts the list ?— W . G.

f These experiments, as well as that which follow s, are g o o d ex­am ples o f the kind o f experiments alluded to in a preced ing note,

Inexplicable by Imagination. 117

I f you feel inclined, you may puzzle the chemists a little, Take two exactly similar glasses o f water; place one in the

in which I h o ld it to be im possible for a certain num ber o f persons, when s im p ly asked, separately, to describe what they see or feel, (but w ith ou t any suggestion whatever, beyond the unavoidable one, inherent to th e experiment, namely, that they m ay suppose they are expected to see or feel something,) should agree exactly in their descriptions, (a s the writer in the North British Review seems to think they w ou ld do ,) unless their sensations and perceptions had a real, externa l, objective caose.

A su b je ct is brought into the dark cham ber, and, after some time, the experim enter places a crystal, previously concealed, in a certain p os ition , o f course unknown to the subject. He, the sub­ject, declares that he Bees a tight at a certain point, w hich is found to be the natural acumination or free end o f the crystal. W hen the other end (unknow n to him ) is exposed in the same place, he speaks o f a lig h t a lso , but different from the form er. T h e first was bluish, the secon d reddish. T h e first gave to his left hand a sensation o f pleasing c o o ln e s s ; the second, an unpleasant tepid feeling. T h e experim ent is repeated, always in the dark, many times, and he never con trad icts himself, hut always finds bluish light and coolness at one en d o f the crystal, reddish ligh t and tepidity at the other, a lthough h e has no means o f knowing which end is presented to him . N ext day, a second subject is tried, and the very same results are obtained, a lthough this subject knows nothing o f what the other has aaid. A n d the trial is repeated with num erous subjects, and uniform ly w ith the same results.

N ow th e writer in the North British seems to think that such agreem ent is possihle, even Although the sensations o r perceptions are en tire ly subjective or imaginary.

I m ain tain on the contrary, that no two persons, describing ima­ginary. subjective sensations, and free from all com m unication or su ggestion , cou ld agree in the above details. For there is no con ­ceivable reason , unless the phenom ena be objective, why the second sh ou ld im agine h im self to perceive blue light and coolness at the sam e e n d o f the crystal as the first did , rather than at the other en d . N o r is there any reason why he should associate blue with coo ln ess an d not with tepidity ; nor why he should think o f blue and red , as his predecessor <h'd, rather than o f green and yellow . I f w e con fin e ourselves to the few details above alluded to, every one w ill see that two persons, separately describing im aginary sensations, w ou ld be sure to differ on som e o f those points, and could not agree on a ll, unless by mere hazard.

N o w it is here that the doctrine o f probabilities applies. Grant­in g , f o r th e sake o f argument, that two persons could , by mere h a za rd , agree in tbe above details, does any one believe that 10, 20, o r 1 0 0 persons, unknown to each other, could possibly thus agree f I h a v e the authority o f Professor de M organ, surely a sufficient

V O L . X i . K

1 1 8 Taste given by the Od force.

reflected, tbe other in the transmitted rays. At the end of six or eight minutes cause a sensitive to taste both. He

one, for saying, that, in a case far less com plex than tbe above, namely, where there is but one point, on w hich the answer may be " y e a ” o r " n o , ” the chances against 100 persona agreeing in giving the same answer, by mere hazard, (and i f they describe an imaginary, not a real object, they can on ly agree by hazard,) areabout 1 2 6 8 0 0 0 0 ................2 ? ciphers to 1 ; that íb, more than am illion o f millions o f millions o f millions, o f millions to 1 against such a result.

T h is inconceivable number represents the chances against 100 persons, without communication o r suggestion, agreeing in their answer to such a simple question as t h is : " D o you see anything at present ?” (in the dark room .) I t exactly represents the chances against the whole 100 answering, “ Yes, 1 Bee a light,” by mere hazard, or, what is the same thing, by mere fancy.

But i f this calculation o f chances be em bodied in a num ber so vast that we cannot even form a conception o f it, what m ust be the extent o f figures required to express the chances against these 100 subjects agreeing in declaring that they see at one time blue light, accompanied with grateful coolness sensible to the left hand, and at another red light, with an unpleasant tepid sensation ! when it ap­pears, although unknown to them, that the form er observations in­variably apply to one end o f the crystal, the latter te the other end. Here we have not a sim ple yes or no in reference to one phenom enon, but two phenomena, the light and the sensation, connected with a certain point or points in the crystal, w hich makes a third pheno­menon, and this twice over, once at each end. So that we have at least six phenomena, observed to occur invariably in the same order, by 100 persons. A n d since the whole phenom ena are uniformly reversed, when the right hand is used instead o f the left, the actual num ber o f facts in question is twelve, in regard to which there is a perfect agreement. L et the reader reflect whether such an agreement be even conceivable, in reference to unknown sensations, i f purely subjective. B ut if the causes o f the two lights, and o f the two sensations, be truly objective and externa!, and moreover connected, by som e natural law o f polarity, with the opposite ends o f the crystal, and also with the two hands, then nothing is m ore pro­bable than such a perfect agreement as I have mentioned.

I am m uch within the mark, when I say that the author has had upwards o f 200 subjects, who have agreed invariably, not only in regard to the phenom ena above mentioned, but also in regard to a very large num ber o f others, without one example o f inconsistency in their statements. T he only point in w hich they differ is that o f the degree or intensity o f the light or o f the sensations, & c., ac­cording to the degree o f their sensitiveness. O ne may see on ly a faint luminous vapour where another sees a flame six or eight inches h igh . O ne m ay see a blue flame o f small size, while another may

119Moon’s Light.

will at once tell you, that the former tastes cool and slightly acidulous, but that the latter is tepid and has a sort o f bit* terneas. O r place a glass o f water in the blue light o f the spectrum, aud another in the reddish yellow ; or place one in contact with the free end of a large rock crystal, the other at the opposite end, formerly attached to the rock, d o w broken. In all these cases you may be quite sure, that the former will taste acidulous and very agreeable, the latter, bitterish, harsh, and even nauseous. The subject will gladly drain the one, if you allow him ; but if you compel him to drink the other, you may meet with what happened to me, namely, that he soon afterwards is attacked with violent vomiting. Now give the two glasses o f water to the che-

see a large flame, exhibiting all the prismatic colours ; but still, iu the form er case, both will agree in the bluish colour o f the light, and in the latter, while one sees only blue light, the other sees a rainbow in w hich blue predominates over all the other tints. And so with the red at the opposite pole. N ot one sensitive has ever seen red predom inating, or red alone, when the others have seen blue in the sam e way. A n d yet none o f them have known what the others saw, nor, i f they haa known it, could they possibly know, in the dark cham ber, which end o f the crystal was presented to them selves at any given time. A nd i f both ends are presented, one at a tim e, fo r a hundred times in succession, not alternately, but accord ing to any arbitrary succession, they never contradict them­selves, a lth ough it is the operator alone w ho knows which end he is presenting, either by its form , or by a mark attached to it. T o the accuracy o f all this I can m yself testify, as I have tried similar experim ents with several sensitives, although with a far less number than the au th or.

I can n ot avoid once m ore urging on the reader the utter im pos­sibility o f any such agreement as the above in the statements o f persons describing imaginary phenomena, when the experiments are perform ed w ith due caution, as those o f the author m ost certainly have been . I t is not every one w ho can make an experiment worthy o f b e in g recorded, and there are few w ho can properly appreciate the experim en ts o f others. I cannot too strongly express my con ­viction th at those who suppose the author to have neglected any precaution s against suggestion or any means o f ensuring a genuine and trustw orthy result, either have not studied the details o f h is m ethod , o r are quite incapable o f judging o f the value o f scien­tific ev id en ce . It is certain that no one or his opponents or critics has y e t been able to detect a flaw iu his mode o f procedure, while m ost o f th eir criticisms abundantly prove that they have neither carefu lly studied nor even understood it. L et the reader only exa­m ine th at m ethod carefully, aud I am sure he will admit that it is u nexcep tion ab le .— W . G .

K 2

120 Od and Magnetism.

mists; and let them detect the acid and bitter principles in them, i f they can.

You may now try the moon's light, as yon hare done that o f the su n ; and you will obtain analogous results, but in part reversed. I f the sensitive places the end o f the glass rod in the full light o f the moon, the rod being in his left hand, he will experience not a cool, but a tepid, sensation. And he will find a glass o f water which has stood in the moonlight more tepid and nauseous than one which has stood in the shade. Every one knows how great an influence the moon exerts on many persons. Now those who are thus affected, are without exception sensitive, and commonly very much bo. And since the moon can be shewn to produce effects due to odic influences, while its action on the insane agrees with that o f other sources o f od, the moon is, as a luminary which gives out odic force, o f great significance and importance to mankind.

W ith the solar and lunar rays, then, we receive so abun­dant a supply o f this force, that we can use it conveniently for many simple experiments. How vast the influence ex­erted by the odic force, not only on man, but on the whole animal and vegetable creation, must be, I shall presently shew you. Od, according to what we have already seen, is evidently a cosmic dynamide, that is, a universally diffused imponderable force, which radiates from one heavenly body to another, and, like heat and light, enwraps the universe.

L it t e r IV .

Magnetism.These letters relate to the odic force and to magnetism;

but you may ask, " why to magnetism ? what has magnetism to do with the matter ?” Now I am almost inclined to say, in answer, “ little or nothing/' But it has pleased the world to apply the term "m agnetic” to a number o f phenomena connected with our subject; and for the present I must con­form to this nomenclature. The inducement to do bo is derived from the fact, that ordinary magnetism carries along with it odic force, just as we have seen that the sun's rays and the moonlight d o ; as we see this force emanating from crystals, and from many other sources, which have nothing whatever in common with magnetism, as generally understood. Let us now cast a glance on the mutual rela­tions o f od and magnetism.

121Abaolule darkneta required.

Lay a good bar magnet across the corner o f a table, as you did the crystal, so that both ends project freely : place the table so that the bar comes to lie in the plane o f the mag­netic meridian, like the needle o f the compass, with the north pole towards the north, and the south pole towards the south. N ow bring a sensitive near it, and let him bring the hollow o f his left hand gradually near, first to one pole and then to the other, at the distance o f from 4 to 6 inches. Yon will now hear from him precisely the same statements as in the case o f the crystal; namely, that one pole, that which points to the north, sends a cool aura to the hand ; while the other, pointing to the south, gives out an unpleasant tepid aura. You may now place a glass o f water at each pole, and let the subject taste it after six or eight minutes. He will tell you that the glass at the northward pole tastes fresh and cool, the other warm and nauseous; and i f you once more annoy the chemists by insisting on an explanation o f this feet, they will get angry, and in order to escape from their embarrassment, they will unhesitatingly deny the plain and simple observation, and will assert that it is not true. You may smile at the manner in which these learned authorities now and then expose their own weakness; for a natural truth cannot be changed into untruth by a denial not founded od investigation. These learned sceptics will soon be com­pelled, in spite o f their opposition, to adopt a more rational view.

Y on will readily understand, that the same expectations which led me to try the crystals in the dark, occurred to me in reference to magnets also. I made the first trial with M dlle. Maria Nowotny in Vienna (April, 1844), and I have since that time repeated it hundreds o f times with other sen­sitives in the dark chamber. It was to me a pleasing satis­faction to see my expectations confirmed, and to hear my subjects declare, that at each end o f the bar a flame burned, bright and fiery, smoking and emitting sparks, blue at the northward, yellowish red at the southward pole. But you should make for yourself this very easy experiment, and vary it, b y placing the bar vertically with the southward pole up­w ards; you will theu hear that the flame increases, and if the magnet be very strong, that it reaches nearly to the roof o f the room, aud there causes a round illuminated space on the ceiling, 1, 2, or 3 feet in diameter; so bright, that i f the subject be highly sensitive, he will be able by its means to describe any pattern that may be there painted. But I must warn you to neglect none o f the precautions which I have already pointed out for the purpose o f ensuring abaolute dark-

122 Luminout em anation».

ne»3, nor that o f preparing the eyes o f the subject by keeping him one, two, or three hours in that darkness. For i f this be neglected, he will see nothing, yon will labour in ra in , and the accuracy o f my statements will be in danger o f m oet unmerited suspicion.

The luminous appearance will appear still more beautiful if you employ a horse-shoe magnet, placed vertically with its poles upwards. I have one o f nine plates, with a sup­porting power o f 100 pounds, from each pole o f which all sensitives see a delicate light flowing. The two lights do not attract, nor in any way interfere with, one another, as the magnetic forces o f the two poles do, bnt rise quietly in parallel lines, exhibiting a multitude o f white luminous points, and form together a pillar o f light o f the height of a man, which all who saw it describe as strikingly beautiful. It rises to the ceiling, and there forms a round luminous spot nearly six feet in diameter. W hen this experiment has continued some time, the whole room gradually becomes visible. I f such a magnet be placed on a table, the flaming emanation illuminates the surface o f the table and the objects on it to the extent o f a yard all round. When the band is placed between the flame and the table, a distinct shadow appears. I f a flat body, such as a board, or a plate o f glass or o f metal, be held horizontally in the flame, the flame bends round and flows under it, like any ordinary flame, when a pan is held in it. W hen we blow or breathe on the flame, it flickers, exactly like that o f a taper. I f a current o f air occur, or the magnet be moved, the flame bends to the side towards which the air moves, like a torch in motion. Its light may be condensed into the focus o f a lens or burn­ing glass. This phenomenon is therefore very material, and has many properties in common with ordinary flame. I f two such flames meet, they neither attract nor repel each other, but mutually penetrate each other, and both proceed unim­peded, if o f equal intensity. But i f one be stronger, that is, have more projectile force, as it were, than the other, the former divides the latter, which passes round it on both sides. The same thing happens when a rod is held in the flame; it splits or divides the flame, which again unites be­yond the obstacle. And just as crystals were seen by sensi­tives to be luminous through their whole substance witb & delicate light, so does the steel o f the magnet appear as in a whitish glow throughout. The very same phenomena are observed in electro-magnets.*

* T h e luminous phenom ena connected with magnets are to be

Od, Magnetism, ¡¡c., may be o f common origin, 123

The properties just described, as you may easily perceive, exhibit no parallelism with ordinary magnetism, but are pe­culiarly and distinctively odic. I f we compare a crystal o f gypsum and a bar magnet o f about equal weights, we find that the o d ic emanations o f the similar or homologous poles are not essentially different either in regard to the light they give forth, or the sensations they excite; nay, the crystal is even m ore powerful than the magnet; its coolness and te­pidity are more marked, its light more intense. But the crystal has no magnetism, in the ordinary sense: that is, it has n o action on the needle, and does not attract iron filings. W e have here, therefore, at one view, od and mag­netism coupled together in the magnet, and od alone in the crystal; the od in both cases of equal power. W e cannot therefore possibly regard od as merely an accompaniment of magnetism, or as one o f the properties o f magnetism, or as magnetism itself. In the crystal it appears entirely separated from magnetism, and I shall adduce hereafter a number of equally striking examples where od occurs in the highest in­tensity, w hile not a trace o f ordinary magnetism is present. Od must therefore be regarded as an independent dynamide or imponderable force, which occurs along with magnetism, as it occurs also in connection with crystals, with the Bolar rays, and with many other natural phenomena, to be after­wards noticed. W e know the great resemblance between magnetism and electricity; we know, that the one occurs so much associated with the others and vice versd, that we are tem pted to consider them identical. This is the case also with light and heat; one o f which calls forth the other, and which at every moment are mutually converted one into the other. Y et we have not yet been able to detect the common source from which both proceed. So is it with od. W e suspect, indeed, that all these imponderable phenomena are ultimately derived from one common origin; but so long as we are unable to demonstrate this community o f origin, so long have we no alternative but to treat o f electricity, mag­netism, light, heat, &c., &c,, as so many separate groups o f phenomena. And since we see that the varied phenomena o f od cannot be ranged under any o f the known imponder­ables, we have here also no alternative but to collect them separately, and to arrange them as an additional group of the same kind.

fou n d , w ith all the necessary evidence, fully detailed in m y late w ork , Researches on the Eynamedes o f Magnetism, Electricity, fyc., in their relations to the Vital fo r c e . Brunswick. Vieweg, 1850.

124 fierce oppontion to Od,

T h a t th ese o d ic p h e n o m e n a are in n o d e g re e in fe rio r , e ith e r in e x te n t o r in im p o rta n ce , t o th o se o th e r g ro u p s o f p h e n o m e n a w h ich h ave a lready b e e n n a tu ra liz e d in th e rea lm s o f s c ie n ce , th e le tters w h ich are t o fo llo w w ill satis* fa c to r ily d e m o n s tra te .

N ote by the Editor,— From the time that the researches o f the author first appeared, I have been firmly convinced both o f the ac­curacy o f his observations and the soundnesa o f bis arguments above developed, by w hich be establishes the claim o f od to a place am ong the im ponderables. I t is difficult to see why there should be so fierce an opposition to this conclusion. O ne would think, to hear the remarks o f sceptics, that they were quite familiar with the nature and essence o f the admitted im ponderables, and yet it may safely be said that o f these points we know absolutely nothing. W e cannot tell whether heat, light, electricity, & c., be form s o f matter o r form s o f m o tio n ; whether they be fluids, or merely forces. W e know nothing o f them, except their effects on matter, o r on onr senses, and from these we have deduced a few o f the laws which regulate them . And we know, i f not to the same extent, yet the same kind o f facts in reference to od . M any persons are shocked at the idea o f such a force acting at a distance, although invisible. But does not light, does not magnetism, act at a distance ? and is magnetism visible any more than o d ? A gain, people will not admit that this new force should be able to pass through a stone wall. B ut magnetism and heat d o so, and the passage o f light through glass is not less wonderful.

T h e true origin o f the general disinclination to adm it the exist­ence o f the supposed new imponderable, influence, o r force, appears to be this j that people cannot make u p their m inds to believe in the existence o f an agency, the effects o f which are not at once obvious to every one. N ow it is true, that in the present state o f our know­ledge, the num ber o f those who can, in one way o r other, perceive the od ic influence, is lim ited. But even as it is, this num ber is very considerable, am ounting, according to the author’ s experience, to about one-third or one-fourth part o f m ankind ; that is, in E urope. T h e experience o f D r. Esdaile in India tends to prove that the na­tives o f that country are much more uniformly sensitive to mesm eric influence, w hich seems to be identical with the odic, than Europeans a r e ; and it is probable that i f men lived a perfectly natural life, all would be found sensitive. A t all events, this is but a question o f degree. There are degrees o f electricity altogether im perceptible to the average human nerve, which yet act powerfully on the galvano- s co p e ; and when we shall have obtained, either a sufficiently delicate odoscope or odom eter, or the power o f concentrating and accum ulating the odic, as we do the electric, force, the existence o f the form er may be demonstrated to all. Indeed, we m ay say that this has been done already, by the magnetoscope o f M r. Rutter, as m odified by D r. L eger. T h is instrument is set in m otion by an influence proceeding from the finger, while, by a simple and ingenious con -

Animal Magnetism. 125

tri vance, w e have the dearest proof that the m otion ie not caused by involuntary je rk s or im pulses from the muscles o f the experi­menter. I t cannot be doubted that many im provem ents will yet be made in reference to this matter. But even should this not take place, yet I h o ld , that the statements o f the sensitive, com pared and controlled as has been explained by the author, and illustrated in the p reced in g note, are, in a scientific point o f view, as satis­factory as i f w e ourselves were sensitive and experienced the sensa­tions d escribed . A m ong the author's subjects were several scientific men, and th ese had the evidence o f their own senses to the facts. But how m any facta in physics, astronomy, mechanics, chem istry, physiology, anatom y, &c., &c., are daily received without hesitation by thousands w h o never saw one o f them , and know nothing o f them but b y th e statements o f others, and therefore nothing more than we d o o f th e od ic phenom ena from the statements o f sensitives? Moreover, th e reader o f these letters will perceive that it is far from improbable th a t there are many things, perceived by all, which may be found to d ep en d on the od ic force, when we com e to know more about it. In order to investigate with success natural phenomena, perceptible t o others, but not to ourselves, all that is necessary is, that the experim enter should know how to conduct his experiments so as to g e t a t the tru th ; and this the author has done, i f ever man did so. W e shall no doubt ere long have a sensitive w ho will devote himself t o th e study o f these phenomena, and will apeak from hia own sensations. But this, although desirable, is not indispensable, because n ine-tenths o f our knowledge are derived from the reports o f observers, a n d not from our own personal observation.

A ll th ese considerations are, I hum bly conceive, sufficient to justify the au th or in adm itting a new agency o f the same class as the known im ponderables; while neither he nor any one else can say what is th e real nature even o f the best known o f the admitted agencies o f th is class.— W . G.

L etter V.

Animal Magnetism.O f late we have again been hearing much of that strange

and wonderful thing, which, more than eighty years ago, was, by Mesmer, named animal magnetism. Our fathers and grandfathers rejected it, and supposed it dead; but it always reappears, and will not die. What is the explanation o f this extraordinary tenacity o f life P Is it to be explained by “ lies, imposture, and superstition/’ in which gentle terms a celebrated physiologist o f Berlin has characterized, and, as he supposed, finally extinguished it?* Let us see, whether

* Drt Dubois-Reymond-*—Zbiri.

126 A ll living things luminous to Sensitives.

those have acted well and rationally, who knew o f no better course o f conduct than to adopt and reverence that opinion and others like it.

Let us at once, without preface, take the bull by the horns. Place a subject of moderate or o f very high sensi­tiveness in the (absolutely) dark chamber, and take with you also a cat, a bird, a butterfly, i f you can get one, and some plants in blossom. After the lapse o f an hour or two, you will hear strange things from your subject. The flowers will come out o f the darkness and become visible. A t first they will be described as a diffused grey vapour or mist, seen coming out o f the black o f the general darkness. Presently brighter parts will appear. A t last these will separate dis­tinctly, the individual flowers will become visible, and by degrees more and more luminous. W hen I placed before the late distinguished botanist, Professor Endlicher, who was of average sensitiveness, a plant under the above circumstances, he cried out with astonishment and almost with terror, “ It is a blue flower; it is a Gloxinia.” It was, in fact, Gloxinia spedosa; var: c&rulea, which be thus saw in total darkness, and the form and colour o f which he was able to distinguish. Now we cannot see without light; light must therefore have been present, and that in no small amount, since it sufficed to shew uot only the form but the colour o f the flower. And whence came this light ? It came, in truth, from the plant itself; the plant was luminous. Pistils, stamens, anthers, corollm, and stem, all exhibited a delicate ligh t; even the leaves were visible, though dimmer. The whole appeared in a soft glow, which was brightest in the organs o f fructifica­tion, and brighter in the stem than in the leaves. The but­terfly, the bird, the cat, all will become visible in the dark­ness; some parts o f them will become luminous, and will move about as they move. But you will soon be told by the sensitive that he sees yourself. You will at first appear to him as a whitish shapeless man o f snow; next like au armed figure with a high helm et; and finally, terrible, in the form o f a luminous giant. Now tell the sensitive to look at his own person. He will be astonished to find himself lum inous; not only his arms, legs, and breast, but the whole body will be visible, shining through the clothes. Direct his attention to his hands. They will first resemble a grey smoke, then a dark outline on a feebly luminous ground; at last the fingers will appear, and will exhibit the appearance they have when held before the flame o f a lamp; that is, they will be trans­lucent. The hand will seem longer than it really is ; because from each finger proceeds a luminous prolongation, which,

The tw o »ides fee l respectively warm and cool. 127

according to circumstances, may be as long as the finger, or only half the length. The hand will thus appear, in conse­quence o f these fiery appendages, to hare twice its usual length. T h e last joints o f the fingers will be the brightest, and in these, the roote o f the noils will exhibit the most intense light.

W hen the first surprise at these hitherto concealed phe­nomena has subsided, and you enquire os to the colour o f the light, y o n will be again surprised to hear that this is not the same in different parts o f the body ; that the right band shews bluish, the left yellowish-red light, and that therefore the form er are less bright than the latter; that the same difference occu rs between the feet; that the whole right side of yonr face appears darker and more bluish than the le ft; nay, that th e whole left side o f your person appears bluish aud darker, the whole left side yellowish red aud decidedly brighter. Y o u will at once perceive that you have here stum­bled on th e same contrast o f colours which occurred to you in the ligh t from crystals, in that o f the sun, and in the flames o f magnets.

Shall w e find the parallelism between coolness and bine light, tep id ity aud reddish light, which was observed in all the preceding experiments, also here in the light from the human b od y ? You may think this doubtful, aud yet, if it were not s o , the nature o f the latter light would be enigma­tical. I m ade the following experiment with the carpenter, Bollmann, in Vienna, aged 50, a good average sensitive (August, 1845 ). I placed my right hand in his left, so that our fingers crossed, but hardly touched each other. After the lapse o f a minute, I replaced my right baud by my left. I thus alternated the hands several times, and I soon found that the su b ject felt the right hand, which gave bluish light, cooler th a n the left, which gave reddish light, the latter ap­pearing t o him much warmer. I had found what I sought. I repeated the experiment with more than a hundred other sensitives, and obtained the same result iu every case. I next extended the comparison to the feet, the two sides of the body, the cheeks, ears, eyes, nostrils, and even the two sides o f th e tongue,— and this with a hundred variations. I invariably obtained the same answers ■ namely, that the left hand o f the sensitive felt the whole right side o f other per­sons, w hether male or female, cool, aDd the whole left side warm. Thus you perceive that man is polarized laterally from righ t to left, exactly and with the same signs as a crystal is between the poles o f its principal axis, or the magnet between north and south, and the solar light between

128 How to write an article

blue and reddish yellow. And since the effects and t h e i r signs are the same, we are entitled to conclude that t h e causes are the same. This means, that the human b o d y gives out od, and this, in the same two forms which we h a v e found in all other sources o f od. I have caused sensitives to try cats, fowls, ducks, dogs, horses, and cattle in the sa m e w ay; and all yielded the same results. Plants, exa m in ed from the root to the leaves, shewed themselves subject to th e same laws.— Thus the whole o f living organised nature sh in es in odic light, and overflows with odic influence: and w h en you regard this comprehensive and wide-spread fact in its bearing on universal nature, a new day will dawn for y o u in reference to that which has been hitherto so im properly named animal magnetism. I shall now attempt, aided by the light o f theory, to make with you a rapid excursion in to this obscure and confused territory. I have just furnished you with the key o f the gate which leads to it.

(These Letter» will be continued in the next Number.)

II . How to write an article upon Anaathesia and A nm thetie A gent»; or, hinta fo r British and Foreign M edical R e­viewer». By A nti-G loeioso.

" It is seldom given to individual men to emeu «pete their mind» from bond­age to the prejudice» of their profession. To jnvftttimal membtage» that free­dom of mind i» i lm ji unknown end unattainable."— Sir S. B n r » » » i , ¿referee on the H utory of France, toI, p. 354.

“ A» Hobbes hu well observed ; were it Tor the profit of i governing body, th»t tbe three angle» of s triangle should not be equal to two right angles, the doctrine that they were, would, by that body, inevitably be denounced aa false and pernicious. The most curious examples o f this truth are to be found in the history of medicine. For this, on the one hand, is nothing leas ih»n a hittory o f variation« ,* and on the other, only a »till more marvdiouB history of how every successive variation has, by medical bodies, been first furiously denounced, and then bigotedly adopted.''— Sir W illiam Hamilton, D uctudon* on Phi- tomphy, p, 638.

T O T H E E D I T O E O F T H E £ 0 1 S T .

April 25th, 1853.S ih,— Bishop Berkeley asks in one o f his “ Queries,”

“ whether it is not natural to wish for a benevolent phy* Rician?” The answer is so obvious, that to a reader, who does not understand the ironical nature o f the good Bishop's writings, the question might appear like an absurdity. But there is more in that query than meets the ear on its first hearing. The question had its rise from the large experience

upon Arusslhetia and Anasihetic Agent*. 129

of Berkeley in the way» o f this world- Though Pope ha» said o f him in one o f hi» memorable lines, that he had “ every virtue under heaven,” hi» virtues, nevertheless, were Dot in such an unsophisticated condition as to interfere with his thorough appreciation o f human conduct. He had, in fact, extensive knowledge o f the world. And when he asks, whether it is not natural to wish for a benevolent physician, he knew to o well what a tendency routine and professional bigotry have to warp the holiest feelings o f the medical heart.

M any o f your readers will remember the angry discussion that took p lace at the meeting o f the Medical and Cbirurgical Society after the account was read “ o f a case o f successful amputation o f the thigh during the mesmeric state without the know ledge o f the patient,” which operation took place in the district hospital o f Wellow, Nottinghamshire. The pa­tient was a labourer named James Wombell. He had suf­fered for nearly five years from neglected disease o f the left knee, the interior o f the joint o f which was found after the amputation extensively ulcerated. The slightest motion of the jo in t was attended by the most excruciating agony: and be had n o t slept more than two hours in seventy. At the time o f th e operation the patient's sleep was most profound: his countenance never changed for a m om ent: his frame rested in perfect stillness: not a muscle was seen to tw itch: and to th e end o f the operation, he lay like a statue. W e are so fam iliar at this time with operations o f the same insen­sible character, that it is unnecessary to enter more into detail. I t may be as well, however, to add, that the mea- meriser, th e surgeons, and the witnesses were all parties of high character and respectability, and that nothing was want­ing tow ards verifying the truth o f the report.*

A fter the paper was finished, Mr. Coulsoo, a surgeon practising in the city, asserted that the paper ought never to nave b een read, for the only point o f interest was the non­expression o f pain, and that was a common thing, and he had n o doubt the man had been trained to it. Ho also ob­served to a gentleman who was present, that it was all “ stuff.'’ Hr. M oore , a physician-accoucheur, then living in Sari lie Row, im m ediately followed, observing, that such a statement ought to have been accompanied by affidavits, and asked if “ affidavits before th e Lord Mayor or some other magistrate had been m ade." Insensibility to pain was at that day so incredible a thing, th at a physician calls loudly for affidavits in confirma-

♦ See Elliotsoq’ft Numéro** Cove# of Suryieo/ Operation* without Paka, p®b* luhed ten year* ago.

130 Ignorami incredulity o f the Profession.

tion o f the evidence. Mr. Blake, a young surgeon, next said that WombeU “ shammed” Mr. Alcock, another sur­geon, followed in the same line o f argument. Dr. James Johnson then said that he would not have believed the facts mentioned in the paper, had he witnessed them himself. Another doctor, named Truman, followed in the aaqso strain with the preceding speakers. Dr. Marshall Hall considered the ease to be one o f imposition, because the poor man's sound leg did not start or contract while the diseased leg was amputated ! ! ! Admirable physiologist! and provoking chlo­roform t Dr. George Burrows expressed his doubts o f the reality o f the case, because o f the man saying he fancied he heard something in his sleep. Sir Benjamin Brodie used the argument o f the other surgeons, and stated other reasons, which, out o f respect for the character o f this distinguished operator, we will not now repeat. Mr. Bransby Cooper asked for the rationale of the facts : and found a difficulty in admitting them, M r. Liston wished to know if the interest­ing patient had been able to read with the back o f his neck I Mr. Arnott found some difficulties in the case. All the oppo­nents o f mesmerism were, in short, vituperative and incre­dulous ; and all shewed their ignorance o f physiology and of facts connected with their own profession.

It is scarcely needful to remind the readers o f The Zoist o f the numerous train o f successful surgical operations, during the mesmeric state, which followed W om b ell’ s case; o f Dr. Esdaile’s gigantic and triumphant proceedings in India; o f what took place at Leicester, at Cherbourg in France, at Torquay, at Upwell Isle, at Exeter, and in the United States; and in short, o f the extended application o f mesmeric insen­sibility in aid o f the surgeon’s knife.*

In 1846 and 1847 a marvellous change came over the spirit o f the medical profession. The scales fell from their eyes in a most peculiar way. Insensibility to pain was sud­denly metamorphosed into a fact, that could be called in question no longer. The merciful discovery burst upon the world, that by the vapour of ether, and by the application o f chloroform, surgical operations could be undergone without any suffering, as, it had been alleged, was the case under the mesmeric sleep; and so that controversy was at an end. The statements o f the mesmerists were in troth verified to the very letter. And although, in consequence o f the rapid action o f chloroform upon the human frame, the application

* See the lost number of T h e Z o u t for an epitome of these operations. See allo Sandbj’e Metmerirm ami itr Opponenti, Second Edition, p. 51.

lit sudden and amusing change. 131

of this agent, in spite o f the dangers that attend it, has to a certain degree superseded in practice the employment o f mes­merism m regard to surgical operations, still the great historic fact yet remains, that hundreds o f painless operations through the agency o f mesmerism have been performed in America, the W est Indies, the East Indies, France, and Ireland, and Great B rita in ; and that tumors exceeding a hundred weight have been removed, and that the operations have terminated most successfully. There remains, too, this fact, that whereas in many instances the use o f chloroform has proved fatal, and that with patients liable to affections o f the heart or o f the longs or o f the brain, or whose system has been depressed by long-continued illness, medical men are fearful o f recurring to the aid o f this anaesthetic, mesmerism has in no single instance befen found productive o f fatal consequences, and that for surgical operations with those patients for whom the use o f chloroform is dreaded, mesmerism is the very agent which a merciful provision o f nature offers to our use. The records o f the operations in the Indian hospitals prove the accuracy o f this assertion; and to Dr. Esdaile’ s two admir­able volum es we appeal in proof.*

Posterity will, one day, ask, what did a high-minded liberal profession say to these facts? W hat course did they, as a body, or as individuals, pursue ? W hat resolutions did the C ollege o f Surgeons adopt ? What orations did the College o f Physicians hear? What expressions of shame or of regret d id the Medical and Chirurgical Society enter upon their m inutes ? O f what character were the articles which appeared in medical and scientific journals? What Baid the Lancet ? W hat said the Medical Times ? To what did the editor o f the Quarterly M edical Review at length give utter­ance ? D id all these parties speak out like men ? Did they own that they had been wrong? Did they take mesmerism by the hand, and confess that they had been hasty in their judgm ents, and unjust in their accusations ? Or, alas I for human nature, and philosophical character, did they sneak into a base and secure silence, and in their writings, their orations, their reviews and their lectures, did they, with a cowardice which no language can adequately stigmatize, did they forget what they had uttered, and suppress the truth ?

N o t being a medical man, and not entering into medical society, I am, o f course, not qualified to answer all the above

* I f the reader wiahe* for a literary treat, he is recommended to tarn to one o f the beet papers that Dr. Elliotson e»er wrote, On ihe art of suddenly ratior­ing the Moral FetUngt, &e., Zoiit, Yol, V,, p. 44.

Dishonesty o f the British and132

questions : chance, however, has furnished rue with a reply * on one point ; and it is not impossible that this very point may be as instructive as any, and may even throw a light o f no uncertain character upon the other questions connected with this enquiry.

The other day accident put into my hands a recent volarne o f the British and Foreign M edical Review. In that great organ o f professional opinion 1 found two long and most ela­borate articles upon Anaesthesia and Anesthetic Agents. The first part was published in No. 17, for January, 1852, and the second in No. 18, for April o f the same year. The reader will not unnaturally feel somewhat curious to learn what the reviewer said o f the mesmeric painless operations. W e will offer, therefore, a brief résumé o f the contents of these two lengthy articles.

The writer begins with a short reference to former days.“ The practice o f ansesthesia appears to have existed in very remote times” (p. 159). Dioscorides and Pliny mention that the “ root o f the mandrake had the power o f rendering pa­tients insensible to the pain o f surgical operations/1— " In the middle ages the vapours o f plants were used for the like purpose/1— " A king o f Poland was rendered insensible daring a surgical operation/1* The reviewer unfortunately does not inform us whether the Coulsons, Coplands, and Moores of those dark ages ridiculed these facts as preposterous fables, and called for affidavits in their support; or whether the Sir Benjamin Brodie at the Court o f Poland made no secret o f his opinion, that the royal patient had been shamming, and that his pretence o f insensibility was a “ disgraceful hum bug/1 Perhaps this species o f philosophic language is one o f the honourable characteristics o f modern surgery.

But the reviewer proceeds with his history, and presents us next with a paragraph, which for the falsehood it promul­gates,— for the truth which it conceals, and for the slighting tone with which it slurs over important facts that tell against his own statement, is almost unparalleled for its dishonesty. W e will give the passage; and the reader shall judge for himself.

‘ ‘ But the art o f inducing amesthesia had so compietslg fallen m io desuetude, that the announcement o f the application o f vapours for this purpose, as recently made from Am erica, deserves the entire merit o f a discovery. It is true that it was known how compression o f the lim b may induce insensibility below the part com pressed :

* A far better history o f an»slhetic agents wilt be found in the sixth volume o f The Zoi*tt p. 42.

Foreign M edical Review, 133

and insensibility to pain daring the mesmeric tleep had been waM canvassed" (p. 159).

The reviewer, it will be observed, has the assurance here to assert, that at the time in which the vapour o f ether was first employed in surgery, "th e art o f inducing antes thesis had eo com pletely fallen into desuetude, that the announce' meet (o f insensible operations) deserves the entire merit o f a discovery t J” Can a more impudent or mendacious state­ment be well imagined ? According to Dr, Johnson, this magniloquent phrase o f "desuetude/1 means "discontinuance of practice or o f habit.11 At the very time, however, that this discovery respecting painless operations was made in America, at that time there had taken place very recently, during the mesmeric sleep, eight amputations, about thirty miscellaneous operations, some of which were rather o f a serious character, nearly two hundred extractions o f teeth, and D r. Esdaile, in addition, had just published his volume on mesmerism, containing a narrative o f what had occurred in India. In that volume he mentions more than seventy anaesthetic operations, o f which fourteen consisted in the removal o f scrotal tumors, some weighing nearly 80 lb s .; seven were operations for hydrocele, five were toe-nails cut out by the roots ; to Bay nothing o f sundry amputations and excisions, and applications o f cautery and o f muriatic acid. And this state of things the reviewer describes as one, in which anaesthesia had completely fallen into discontinuance! And the review, in which this statement makes its appear­ance, is the great quarterly authority o f the medical pro­fession 1 T o make amends, however, for this wholesale con­cealment o f the troth, the reviewer adds, with an exquisite consideration for appearances that is beyond all praise, that " insensibility to pain during the mesmeric state had been much canvassed," These few words contain the only allusion to mesmerism that 1 can find in these two elaborated articles. Mesmeric insensibility had been much canvassed! Verily, the phrase is happily picked and appropriate. As Holofernes, the learned schoolmaster, observes, " th e word is well culled, chose : sweet and apt.11 By it, we are led to infer that the subject had been the occasion of some discussion; but tb&t anything had been done, or that more than three hundred operations had been the result, is the last thing that the reader would surmise from it, A passage o f more flagrant dishonesty, both from the falsehood which it enunciates, and from the facts which it hides, has been seldom compressed into as few words. I do not know who may be the editor o f

von. x i. c

134 Hypocrisy o f the Reviewer.

this quarterly medical journal, yet I cannot but regard the admission o f such a paragraph into his review without any explanatory or illustrative comments, as discreditable to his moral character.

Having thus all but ignored the existence o f mesmerism, and having completely ignored the existence o f Dr. Esdaile’ s magnificent feats in India, which in themselves constitute an era in surgery, the reviewer proceeds to examine the history o f the ether-disco very in America,— refers to Drs. Jackson and Morton, the alleged discoverers,— mentions the applica­tion o f chloroform,— and describes the introduction and re­ception o f both agents in England. Upon this branch o f his exposition I have nothing to observe.

At p. 179 is a long and scientific discussion upon anaes­thetic agents in general; a copious list is given, and their comparative merits analyzed: hut mesmerism is not even alluded t o !

Ohr word of fear 1 Distasteful to the doctor’ s ear !

But it is unnecessary to weary the readers o f The Z oist with a more detailed examination o f the review. It is sufficient to say that the writer finishes the second article, “ by hoping that auEesthesia will be carried to the furthest extent o f which it is susceptible,” i. e,, we presume, by suppressing the use o f mesmerism in those operations in which medical men dare not employ chloroform. “ Let us do,” exclaims again this model o f all benevolence, “ what we can to mitigate human Buffering;11 in other words, let us not permit the name o f mesmerism to he mentioned in the presence o f any suffering patients for whom all the resources o f medicine have been tried and found wanting; but rather let us drive from the sick room and from the wards o f the hospital the first presumptuous philanthropist who shall suggest its intro­duction amongst us. This, we believe, is the present prac­tical commentary at the College o f Surgeons, in illustration o f “ doing all that they can in mitigation o f human suf­fering !”

Hypocritical language like the above is revolting to one’ s moral sense: and yet, perhaps, we should make allowance for the professional atmosphere in which the writer is forced to dwell, and not expect too high a tone o f integrity. The medical mind has within the last few years become so vitiated and debased, that, on certain questions, where the feelings o f the College step in, many members o f the body often proceed in a course o f a most unworthy and disingenuous

Medicai moral tone ha» fallen. 135

nature, and are yet quite unconscious at the time that there is anything out o f rule in their conduct. The air which they habitually breathe is so poisoned by misrepresentation, that it» virtu enters into their system imperceptibly, and they know not what they say, or what they do. It is melancholy to watch the shifts and the evasions to which many hare often recourse in order to escape from an acquaintance with an unwelcome reality ; for to some persons ignorance, i f it be but profitable, is far more attractive than the richest sources of information. Dugald Stewart, in his life o f Dr. Reid {p. 462), speaks o f “ the half-informed multitude who follow the m edical t r a d e it is a coarse expression ; and yet the temper with which numbers, even some in the very highest practice, pursue their calling, smacks far more o f the shop­keeper, than o f the man o f science. I cannot help fearing that this is more the case than it used to be. In early life, I was acquainted with professional men, who, with their high sense o f honour, would no more have dreamed o f suppressing a truth,— o f distorting a fact, or of maligning a brother prac­titioner, than o f purloining a fee or o f forging a deed. Mais août avout changé: and certain magnates, who haunt the classic regions o f Brook Street and Saville Row, are less nice than were their predecessors ; and the infection spreads below. And nothing more marks the animus whioh pervades the literary section o f the profession, than the omissions to which I have directed your attention in these two ponderous papers on anaesthesia.

B u t I have now a curious fact for your consideration. You may remember that, in my letter upon The Fire-away Style o f Philosophy, I mentioned that upon my once waking up from a mesmeric sleep, I found a MS. in my own hand­writing lying on the table by my side, which it was thought that I must have composed in the sleep-waking condition* Something o f a similar kind has again occurred. Upon the evening o f the day in which I had been reading the two arti­cles in the British and Foreign M edical Review, while my mind was full o f the subject, I fell fast asleep near my desk, and upon awakening I found a manuscript lying before me, o f which the ink was not yet dry. Whether its contents had been actually written by myself while asleep ; or whether a friend had Btolen upon me unawares and imitated my hand­writing most “ abominably or whether one o f Mm. Hayden’ s

v See Zoitt, Vol. IX ., p. 67, for a notice upon Miss Martin can's sad Mr. Atkinson's work, The Lave qf Man'» Nature, ifc„ with a singular parody upon their manner o f corresponding,

L 2

136 A wonderful Dream,

spirits bad stepped in, and " been so kind as to be so good as to oblige m e” by his assistance, (for upon waking up I had an indistinct recollection o f having beard some strange sounds like a f' rapping,") I pretend not to sa y : at any rate the little document struck me as being so much to the purpose, that I have ventured to copy it for your perusal: and it ought to be added that this beading was placed at the top,— ** A rticlefo r the next number o f th e -------M edical Journal,” the namebeing left a blank.

Upon Ajueetheiia and Anouthetie Agent«, and upon the blunder« and prejudice« o f Medical Men.

11 He hu no more knowledge in Hibocntea and Galen,— and tie is a knave besides; a oowirdly knave, aa yon would desires to be acquainted withal,” — Merry Wiset,

•* It is a sleepy language ; and thou speak'st Out of thy sleep; what is it thou didst ssy ?This is a strange repose, to be asleepWith eyes wide open: standing, speaking, writing,And yet so fast asleep/’

T h e T m p ttl ,

There was once a time, and that no distant tim e either, when i f any one had ventured to hint at the possibility o f a painless sur­gical operation, he m ust hare been prepared to pass through every species o f contum ely and ridicule. There was once a time, and that no distant time either, when, i f the report o f such an alleged marvel had been read before any learned or scientific association, the re­porter m ust have made up bis mind beforehand to be booted down in the first place, and bunted out o f the room in the second. The hospitals would have been up in arms against him . T h e surgeonB would have screamed in concert against such nonsense, and expressed themselves as insulted by its com m unication. Sir Benjam in Brodie, our infallible authority on Bucb topics, would have argued m ost ably upon the details, and proved their utter im possibility. M r . Lawrence would have sm iled iu sarcastic silence. O ur virtuous Coulson would have been shocked at such wickedness and im posture. O ur humane Bransby Cooper would have shuddered at such delusions. Sneers and scornful gibings would have been the order o f the day at each chirurgical re-un ion ; and the unhappy operator, in punishm ent for his offences, would have been ta b o o e d out o f every surgical society.

W e cannot bnt remember the feelings o f prejudice and incre­dulity with which almost every mem ber o f our profession received the first tidings o f a painless operation having taken plane during the mesmeric sleep. W e cannot look back without som ething like repentance and remorse, at the attitude which we alm ost all o f ns assumed at the first communication o f such an event. T h e evidence, we must now allow, was unim peachable; the statements clear and technically accurate; the first narrative, too, was re-affirmed and corroborated by many subsequent transactions o f a similar natu rt;

or a doing by a Spirit. 1 3 7

and though the facta were nothing more than those which are now constantly occurring every week within every hospital, we not merely received the intelligence with scepticism and disdain, but we dis­missed the high-minded and talented men, who presumed to express their belief in such prodigies, not only with insult, but we erased every record o f the proceedings both from our memories and from our minutes.

The discovery of the peculiar manner in which chloroform acta upon the human system, has changed the aspect of the whole ques­tion. The facts and the phenomena which the mesmerists related, and which we derided, are now rehearsed every day before our eyes: we see that their statements were accurately correct in the minutest detail; we see that there was neither exaggeration nor mistake in their accounts of those operations; and we ourselves endorse their reports with our own hands.

It strikes us that the time has st length arrived, when it becomes desirable to furnish oar younger medical brethren with a circum­stantial history of anaesthesia, and with a description of our various anaesthetic agents: and this, therefore, we propose to execute in onr present article. But before we enter upon our task, there is one set of justice, which we are eager to perform, and by which we hope to relieve our minds. We feel,—and we speak it publicly and openly without reservation on any point,—that it is due to the mes­meric body, more especially to its leading professional members, to offer them all an authoritative expression of apology and regret, for the manner in which we had all at first received their truthful and now demonstrated communications. No false shame on our part shall keep us any longer silent on this topic. We feel that no language however humble, no posture however respectful, can adequately represent the amende which it is our bonnden duty to offer for the incredulity and the insults, with which we are shocked at remember­ing that we received the primary reports of painless surgical ope­rations. In publishing through the pages o f our journal this quasi­authoritative amende to the mesmeric world, we are persuaded that we are but echoing the feelings of the whole profession. The College of Surgeons and the College of Physicians are, we know, impatient to record their deep regret at their unworthy and obtuse behaviour. The President of tne latter body, with his face beaming with intel­lect and spirituality, nods, we well know, approvingly upon our intentions, being always ready to act with justice to an injured party. * Dr. Seymour, whose regard for the comfort of his patients is proverbial, and who doubtless has long regretted the foolish evi­dence which he gave before a Committee of the House of Commons, will, we are assured, join in our language cordially, f Dr. Francis

* See, par example. The Zout, Vol. VI., p. 404.f Among the other luminous remarks offered by onr distinguished cotem­

porary on his examination before the House of Commons1 Committee, was this logical opinion, 11 I consider that in patronising a mesmeric hospital a person of rank shewed a great disregard to the acquirements of the College of Physicians, to common sense, and to everything rite.” Vol, V ., p. 370 ; Vol, VI., p. 06.

138 Doctor» are penitent

Hawkins, also, who called the mesmerists " impottort,” mdst eqaally. we fee) oertaio, repent his ignorant and inconsiderate language.* Our thundering wiseacre, Dr. John Arthur Wilson, who in another Harreian Oration hoped to extinguish mesmerism for ever, cannot but join cordially with ui in retraction of his scurrilous falaehooda.-f- Dr. Copland, too, feels, we are sure, that he committed himself again by another blunder, when he spoke of mesmerism as one of die impostures of the day.J Dr. Alderson, also, must unite most heartily with us in the language of recantation, and be sensible that when he included mesmerism among the “ speciosa tniracula o f etn-

Siricism,” he was simply doing that of which his friends know that e is often guilty, six., expressing a grandiloquent opinion upon sob*

jects o f which be knows nothing.4 Dr. Henry Holland (we beg his pardon, Sir Henry i for the newly-entitled are tenacious o f their fresh honours, especially when there is no eery pa leu t mo tire for them) smirks with assenting smile to all that we hare said o f misap­prehension and precipitancy of conclusion, and blandly admits that in his polite anxiety to please everybody, he has unfortunately pleased nobody whose opinion is worth having.]) Dr, Ranking, we hare strong reason to suspect, wishes with ourselves, that several o f his unlucky observations in regard to mesmerism could be erased from his journal.^ His coarse colleague at Norwich has also, like our­selves, learnt that he his burnt his fingers.** Dr. Fraser, o f the

* " Prattigiatoret, guoi vacant, ntetmtrici," Harveian Oration for 1848. Is this decent language, Dr. Hawkins, to be applied to men who employed the agency of mesmerism for the prevention o f pam in surgical operations 5 Are they impostors, slanderer ? Zoitt, Vol. VI., pp. 213, 233.

f Don Pompoeo referred in hie exquisitely classic diction “ to the heavenly gift (chloroform) vouchsafed for the relief of man and the prevention of pain.” Good Pocnposo forgot, in his eagerness to insult ''mesmerising bishops and arch­bishops,” that mesmerism was also a heavenly gift vouchsafed for the prevention of pain. See The Zoitt, Yol. V III., p. 271, for a most happy castigation o f this shallow sponter in Latin.

$ See Dr, Copland’s Dictionary of Practical Medicine. When Dr. C. ia asked, if Dr. Esdaiie’e operations in India are proofs of "imposture/1 be con­tinues to shift the subject of conversation most ingeniously.

5 Dr. Alderson, in a lecture before the London College of Physicians, bad the ludicrous impudence to say, that " we may search in vain for one single weil- atterted practical benefit” derived from mesmerism. Has Dr* Alderson heard of Dr. Eadaiie } Zoitt, Vol. X ., pp. 278-9.

|| See Zoitt, Vol. X ., p, 3SG, for a successful criticism of Dr. Holland's Chapter» of Mental Phytiotogg." It is there shewn that Dr. Holland suppressed (ignore, " the wise it call: suppress! joh, a flea for the phrase") all reference to the facts that overturn his hypothesis respecting mesmerism.

'i Dr. Ranking ia co-editor of the Provincial Medical Journal, and has some­what hastily committed himself to a few Imprudences about mesmeriam. Mr. Walshe, o f Worcester, the other editor, aught to know better. Dr. Ranking is now a resident at Norwich,—-as we understand : why did he shift his quarters

* * Who is the coarse colleague at Norwich ? Perhaps, tbe man " what” per­forms the zoological phenomenon o f " bristling up like a mad hull,” every time that he hears of a cure effected by mesmerism. We understand that the Society in the Regent's Park is desirous of importing another specimen of these curious animals for the amusement o f visitors. They have a fierce aspect on the first ap-

and will do justice. 189

London Hospital, doubtless deplores bis juvenile indiscretion and e r r o r s o f judgment,* AU o f us, in B h o r t , f e e l persuaded that we have exposed ourselves to ultimate disgrace by the opposition which we h a v e s h e w n to mesmerism; and f o r the hasty way in which we o r i g i n a l l y d e n i e d the possibility o f painless surgical operations, we still furtner admit that every apology and reparation is due that lies within onr p o w e r .

But the atonement, which we wish to offer, would be incomplete, i f we did not add some expressions o f regret at the treatment which a distinguished member o f our own body has received from too many amongst us. To Dr. EUiotsou, we are painfully aware, the most apologetic language is strictly due, more especially as the question of painless operations was not the first subject on which his judg­ment and his facts were wrongfully disputed by his medical bretnren. When the stethoscope was invented, Dr. Elliot son was among the very first physicians who advocated auscultation by its use; but the heads o f his profession sneered both at him and at the instrument. Dr. EUiotsou, however, was right; for now there is scarcely an apothecary o f any position who does not cany his stethoscope in his pocket. Again, Dr, Elliotson was the man who established the really good effects o f hydrocyanic acid: his opinion, however, was scoutedj but he was right again here: for this medicine now is an acknowledged item in the pharmacopoeia. Again, Dr. Elliotson established the value o f quinine: but his opinion was depreciated; however, he was right again for a third time; and quinine is ha­bitually recognized as one o f our most important remedies. Upon a fourth occasion, Dr. Elliotson asserted the possibility and the pro­priety o f painless surgical operations : however, for the fourth time was he discredited and decried: but for a fourth time has he been proved right ; for painless surgical operations are now as common, as is the use o f the stethoscope, of hydrocyanic acid, and o f quiuine.'f The recollection o f these facta ought to make us both humble and ashamed ; for they prove, what the friends, who know him best, have always asserted, that Dr. Elliotson is the most cautious, the most accurate, the most safe and certain o f observers; and this question, therefore, cannot but present itself to the mimls o f all o f us,— if the correctness o f Dr. Elliotson’s judgments has been suc­cessfully tested upon these occasions, is there not a reasonable pro-

pioach : but a little determination soon tames them, and they shew themselves to be Aarf-stricken, Zoitf, Yal, X ,, pp* 84, 92, -410, 412, 414, 425- 4

* Dr* Freaer is the young physician, who ia so exceedingly occupied in hi* professional duties, that he has only time to read one aide o f a question. Con­sequently, he falls innocently into the most egregious blunders, and utter*» what would be called with race Less busily engaged, unblushing falsehoods* See Tenth Volum e'of The Zoii/, p. J£, for most wholesome correction administered to the young delinquent,

■f W e might add a great deal more about hi a papers on iron» creosote, glanders, hi* clinical lectures, hi* Human Physiology, and hi* Lecture* on the Practice of Medicine,

140 Antimesmeric glory.

liability that be is also correct in his other statements upon the phe­nomena o f mesmerism 7

Having thrown out these hints as a warning to the younger members o f the profession, we will now proceed--------- -

H ere the manuscript unfortunately ended i but, whatever may be the source from which it proceeded, it contains so many just and pertinent observations, that I have been tempted to forward it to you. A n d let me add, moreover, that it is at the service o f the editor o f any medical review, who is in need o f a good opening upon the subject o f anaes­thetic operations. The different facts, however, that have been thus brought forward, prove the truth o f what Sir W . H am ilton has stated in one o f the mottoes o f this letter, that the ' ‘ history o f medicine is the history o f variations/' and that these "successive variations have, by medical bodies, been first furiously denounced and then bigotedly adopted.” A nd is not this fact a lesson for the adversaries o f mesmerism 1

t remain, your hum ble servant,A n t i - G l o b io s o .

I I I . Instance» of the power of Mesmerism over Neuralgia, Diarrhoea, Constipation, Sick head-ache, Chronic Inflam­mation of the Eyes, and Debility of the young Female Con­stitution, B y W t l l i a m L l o y d , o f the Society o f Friends, Fulford, Yorkshire.

11 It was during Mr. Clark’» attendance at the University Hospital that Dr. Elliotson first introduced the mesmeric experiment«. Mr. Clark was a firm opponent of three a b b o u d i t i as/rom the first : aad formed one of the Committee which exposed the O u r fbaüd at Mr. Wakley’a boose in 1837."— Medical Circular and General Medical Advertiter. London, April 20, 1853. Memoirs o f J, F, Clark, surgeon.*

* The Medical Circular is a weekly medical pamphlet, edited by s surgeon in Famngdoo Street. It give* memoirs of living medical men, who supply all the interesting details of themselves; and Mr. Clark, there can be no doubt, wrote the above glorious particulars of his noble self. As so many Clarks are doctors, and we are anxious that the immortality conferred by such sagacity and intrepidity as Mr. Clark has manifested for sixteen years should be bestowed apon the real little personage, we consider it incumbent upon ua to inform the world that this gentlemao practises the various branches of the healing art at No. 23, Gerrard Street, Soho, left-hand side from Princea Street: and that he has for nearly twenty years gained no inconsiderable proportion of hia livelihood by being Mr. Wakley’ s most obedient reporter of cases at the different hospitals, forming his medical thoughts and habits upoo the model of his great master and patroo, who could put him into a side pocket and bite off the dear little HttfuAt head at one munch if he were naughty enough to my, what bis intimate friends say for him, that he really believes in the truth o f mesmerism though he dare» not let this transpire.— Zoiet.

Various Diseases cured. 141

Fulford, 5th m onth 4th, 1853.R x b p b c t e d Friend, D r. Elhotson.— I f the following cases,

in the a b sen ce o f more important matter, should he deemed suitable fo r insertion in the philanthropic pages o f The Zoist, thou w ill o b l ig e me by forwarding them for that purpose.

I am, with sincere esteem, thy Friend,W i l l i a m L l o y d ,

Neuralgia.Sarah O w en s, aged about 20, W alm gate, Y ork, had been

for tw o y e a rs subject to occasional attacks o f extreme pain on one s id e o f h e r head and fa ce ; to such a degree that she said it s o m e tim e s almost deprived her o f her senses. I acci­dentally b e ca m e acquainted with it, as I one day called at her m o th e r 's where she happened to be staying at the time. She had th e n been suffering with it three months. I offered to m ake h e r a few local passes, which she accepted, and which had the d e s ire d effect. U pon occasional inquiries afterwards, I found it h ad entirely left h er ; and upon m y calling on her a few w e e k s ago , when more than twelve months had elapsed, she to ld m e that she had had no return o f it ever since.

Diarrhwa,A s I o n e day stood by the board o f Thomas Bulmer,

tailor, F u lfo r d , he said to me, " I ’m almost purged to death.” I q u eried , " w h y should I not relieve thee o f thy m alady? I ’ ll try i f th ou like.” H e said he had no objection, so I brought h im near the fire, and made mesmeric movements before h im fo r about twenty minutes, from which tim e he had no further trace o f the diarrhoea, and his bowels became perfectly regular.

Inveterate Constipation.T h o m a s Hale, an old man and paralytic, was troubled

with inveterate constipation, insomuch that no movem ent o f the b o w e ls cou ld be obtained, but by the adminstratiou o f castor o i l ; but, by the occasional application o f local passes, the castor oil was entirely laid aside. B ut after a few months he had an oth er paralytic fit, from which he did not recover.

Sick Head-ache.M r s . JoneB, Fulford, had been subject for about twelve

months t o very severe attacks o f sick head-ache, as often as th ree tim es a week. I mesmerised her four times, when she was so fa r cured as that she had but one fit o f it during the fou r m o n th s she subsequently remained at Fulford.

II

142 Various Diseases cured.

Inflammation of the Eyes.The eyes o f a neighbour o f m ine, an artist, had been in

a state o f inflammation for six weeks, during which time he h ad been under medical advice, but still the malady was e x trem e ; and he was greatly discouraged. I offered to mesmerise h im ; he acoepted the offer, and in. four days his eyes were well, and have continued so ever since, a period o f nearly a year and a half.

Inflammation of the Eyes.Another neighbour had a female friend with her two little

children visiting her. The eldest child, a little girl 6 years o f age, bad weakness o f the eyes, insomuch that she cou ld not face the light, or bear to look up. She had been p re ­scribed for by a surgeon o f good practice in York, and for three weeks subjected to a course o f m edicine and ointm ent, but without its producing any amendment. I first mesmerised her on an evening, but, from the great restlessness o f th e child, 1 anticipated no beneficial result from this first attem pt. Y et the next morning her m other was so surprised at th e degree o f improvement, that she wished a continuation o f the treatment j this was adopted for a week, when it was no longer requisite.

N .B . There was no mesmeric sleep produced in any o f the foregoiug cases, except in M rs Jones, and that but very alight.

Debility of the young Female Constitution.A . L ., aged 18, daughter o f J. L ,, Y ork, had been in a

languishing condition for six months, suffering strong palpi­tations o f the heart, severe pain in the chest, loss o f appetite, depression o f spirits, and restless nights. I mesmerised h er for about seven weeks, every day for about half the time, and every other the rem ainder; from which period, now over four years, she has been comparatively robust, and equal to the performance o f all the duties o f life ; a considerable portion o f her time she is engaged in a retail shop, from seven in the m orning till nine in the evening, In addition to the before- mentioned maladies, she had an enlargement o f the neck, that was m uch reduced under the treatment, and has since nearly disappeared.

T o C o n t r ib u t o r s .

M y dear Friends and Brethren,— For I feel in fraternity with all who like m yself are conscientiously engaged in the prom otion o f mesmerism. A llow me very respectfully to in ­treat you, as far as circumstances will allow, to be diligent

Tobacco brought to ut by the Devil. 143

in im p a rtin g th e genial influence to such o f the afflicted as may c o m e u n d er jo u r n o tice ; this done in all our various localities, a n d we may confidently hope that mesmerism will prevail a n d becom e popular. Permit me also to suggest the necessity o f sending cases for insertion in The Zoisl; for, until th e p rin cip le becomes more universally resorted to, its pages s h o u ld increasingly teem with the achievements o f mes­m erism . I t also appears to me very desirable that we should watch op p ortu n ity for reporting cures in diseases, not hitherto recogn ized as curable, by mesmerism. I posses* five volumes o f The Zoist, Y I . to X . inclusive, but in none o f the indexes do 1 f in d a cure o f diarrhoea reported; and i f any o f m y friends ca n report a cure o f either diabetes or piles, they will ob lige m e a n d serve the cause by so doing,

I am , very respectfully, your Friend,W il l ia m L l o y d .

F ulford , n e a r York, 5th m onth 5th, 1853.

I V . Mesmeric Notes and Cases. Cure of Ear-ache : general Debility and Hypochondriasis : and Tooth-ache. B yB . E . C a n e , Trinity College, Dublin.

'* The Abbé Nbseno eayi, P. J, 1. 3, cap. 5 : “ Tobacco appear« to have been brought front the Indies to Spain and other countries of the old world by the anxiety of the devil,” " Tabac» demonia solbcttudine ex Indii« in Hiapaniaa aliaaqne tnundi anperioria oraa iorecta videtur.” — La Physique Occulte. Paris, 1752. p . 326.

A l t h o u g h the knowledge o f mesmeric phenom ena has o f late years b e co m e to a great extent lucid and systematized, still there a re m any parts o f it, especially those touching on the relation existing between operator and subject, that are yet very in d istin ct, and which we can on ly hope to explain by co lle c t in g and com paring the observations o f individual ope­rators. I d o not see that we have as yet advanced much tow ards even the principal question o f this art : why particular raagnetizers produce better marked effects with particular su b jects than others? A nd any probable attempt to elucidate it m u st depend on the facts observed by mesmerists in general, as to th e tem peram ent, size o f head, o f body, &c., as exist­in g in them selves and their patients. It is generally under­stood th a t a large, active head, will, cteteris paribus, influence a sm all inert one ; but we can scarcely call the rule general, and th e exceptions are perfectly unexplained. Temperament is an im portan t condition ; I have m yself generally succeeded b est w ith those o f sanguine-lymphatic or sanguine tempera-

144 Cure of Ear-ache.

meut, m y own being principally fibro-nervous, but un fortu ­nately sufficient time is not at m y disposal to permit o f su ch extensive experiments as would render deductions from them worthy o f consideration. I can only throw out the general suggestion; that when operator and subject have little o f th e same temperament in com m on; perhaps, catena paribus, most effect is produced. The mental disposition o f b o th parties, also, when most effect is produced, is worth exam i­nation. Large Adhesiveness in the subject, I have always found a material assistance; other relations o f the k ind I have been speaking of, which 1 have not sufficient facts even to touch on, are those under which clairvoyance, prevision, &c., are produced and the qualities which are essential to the production o f medico-m esmeric effects, &c. These are all very striking phenomena, and ones which it is im portant should be accurately understood; in our wonder at the things themselves, we have hitherto neglected the very arduous task o f inquiring into the conditions o f their occurrence; but it is to be hoped that the pages o f The Zoist will bear speedy evidence o f careful and accurate observations with this view.

Ear-ache.The first article in your A pril num ber is very gratify in g ;

m ore especially as it shows the attention paid to, and progress made in, the practice o f mesmerism as a remedial agent— b y far its most important phase. I find a few slight instances o f this nature in m y case book that may be interesting.

1. A country wom an was brought to m e, suffering excru­ciating pain iu the ear. H er account was that a shell o f barley had got into it, while she was engaged in reaping; but on examination I could find uo such th ing in it. I t was ex ­tensively swelled and torn inside, however, from the efforts o f her neighbours to extract the imaginary barley with a long pin. She was “ roaring with pain.” I told her to sit quiet, and made downward passes with one hand over the affected ear, without giving her any notification o f what I was doiDg, or what effect I expected. Occasionally I made full soothing passes on the head and shoulders. In a few minutes she said she was "g e tt in g weak,” and that the pain in her ear was converted into an itch in g ; and in about a quarter o f an hour she complained no more, and lay back in the chair half asleep. She continued without pain for about h a lf an hour longer, when I dismissed her with directions to com e back i f the pain returned. I have heard no more o f her since. I t was evident she had no idea whatever o f m esm erism ; the effect was pro­duced entirely independent o f herself. H er countenance and

General Debility, Hypochondriasis, and Tooth-ache. 145

personnel were evidence sufficient against her relief being the effect o f “ im agination.”

General Debility and Hypochondriasis.2. A m arried woman, the mother o f a family, had been

under the care o f several o f the principal medical men in K ilkenny for lowness o f spirits, loss o f appetite, and general debility, at intervals, during many years. To use her own expression she “ had swallowed a ton of medicine, and she was no better of it.” She was at last recommended by M r. H ogan who in troduced her to me, to try the effect o f mesmerism. She had a peculiar cast o f countenance 1 have often seen in epileptic and chlorotic patients; and was in a pitiable state o f nervousness. O n one o f the first trials, the shaking o f a bell wire w hich passed through the room I was operating in, put her in to an agony o f terror; and for a long tim e she was "a fra id " o f the fixed gaze to look toward me while I was attem pting to influence her. 1 com menced to mesmerise her daily, for a quarter or half an hour each time, {she could not bear lon g er, such was her debility) and gradually sbe became less nervous, and " more light hearted" as she expressed i t ; her strength and appetite increased; and her frame grew stronger. She also became free from tf frightful dreams,” which used to annoy her greatly. After about twenty-four operations she stated that she would never ask to be better than she was, and all her old symptoms had disappeared. I directed her to com e to me about every two or three days, but after a while she omitted com ing, possibly through " S a tan ic" agency. / never succeeded in inducing steep in this case; n o r any effect beyond a strong drowsiness; pointing at the eyes had the most powerful effect. I also used mes­merised w a ter ; the first dose o f which, she complained, made her fee l very uneasy, as i f " s h e d idn 't know whether she was sick or w ell; I had not led her to expect any effect from it. A fte r the first tim e it produced no further uneasiness. A lso, on particular occasions, when she complained o f m ore debility o r low spiritedness than ordinary, I used passes along the s p in e ; and attempted excitations o f the organs o f H ope and M irthfulness. In this case the temperament appeared to be lym phatic-fibrons.

Tooth-ache.3. M . J. P., a rather susceptible subject, asked me in

July o f last year to make a few passes for a severe swelled jaw and tooth-ache. A fter a few moments he said the great ” anguish” was gone; and shortly he complained no more,

146 Mesmerised W ater.

though no effect was perceptible on the swelling. T h e tooth has not been spontaneously painful s in ce ; 1 mean, it has given no annoyance bat when piecee o f bread, &e,, get in to it. H e attributes this entirely to m y interference.

In these three exertions o f m agnetic influence at least, m y obtuseuess cannot detect anything savouring in the slightest o f the “ Satanic;” or i f there be, Satanic agen cy is a power we ought to feel very grateful to, and Satan quite a respectable individual, after all.

In connection with M r. Ekins’ s and other gentlem en’ s observations on mesmerised water, I may state an experi­ment performed on a little brother o f m ine with it. I was trying to render him clairvoyant, or rather to see if I could produce any such effect; and to this end I directed him to gaze in a glass o f the water, having suggested to him a person to think of. A fter a while he saw light in the water, and com m enced to describe insects, ships, trees, figures, &c., but altogether unconuectedly. H e was gazing fixedly into the water, and evidently under a sort o f impression that what he saw was real. W h en those effects had gone on for some time, I blindfolded him, and removed the glass, but the in ­duced (dreaming ?) state continued, and he was still describ­in g cows, &c. I then com menced making passes over his face, outside the cloth, when he suddenly cried out, “ O h ! I see a great deal o f lightning com ing every way but this effect did not last. In this case the effects, except perhaps the last, were evidently due to a strong imagination, or pos­sibly what we call subm esm erism ; we should be careful to distinguish such from the true effects o f mesmerised water, which, unless in the case o f some clairvoyants, does not seem to influence the special senses by its own virtue at all. The only facts relative to it that 1 am inclined to accept as fu lly and definitely proved yet, are its internal curative effects.

M r. Cottrell’ s case o f clairvoyant dream ing is very curi­ous. There is some reason for thinking such cases are not so uncom m on as is generally supposed; and it is probable that in all or most o f them, the subject conld be brought into the more constant clairvoyant state by m esmeric opera­tions.* The following case o f this sleeping clairvoyance was

* In No, X L I., p, 80, &c., Bee Dr. Elliotion’ i obaerTRtionr upon cl sir- Tojurt dreaming, with abundant references, at the end of Mr. Cottrell'« cur.

Dreaming Clairvoyance. 147

related to me by J. P ., who afterwards became to some ex­tent m esm erically clairvoyant in m y bands. W h en a child, he lost a small pocket-pistol, which formed a constant com ­panion o f his, and felt its loss deeply. Unavailing search was made, b a t at last he dreamed it was in an old dothes- trunk, in a servant's ro o m ; where accordingly it was found next day, to his great delight. 1 may hereafter give a de­tailed account o f one o f his mesmeric clairvoyances; the object o f the present instance is to shew the concurrence o f lucidity in the artificial and induced sleep in the same person. Such a concurrence, i f constant, would be o f material aid to mesmerists seeking subjects exhibiting clairvoyant pheno­mena. Som e mesmeric dreams, to which we are not justified in attributing the term clairvoyant, closely resemble this class o f phenom ena. They are occasionally so clear and distinct that on e m ight be tempted to think them instances o f such prevision or retrovision as those given in the latter part o f Dr. G regory 's Letters, but that we cannot see any circum ­stances to w hich they refer. M . J. P. on one occasion while I was attem pting to induce the magnetic sleep, fell into a state o f this kind. H e breathed heavily, and appeared asleep, but assured me he was n o t ; and began to describe with great minuteness, as i f he was at that tim e looking at it, a sort o f wooden fram ework extending along one end o f the room, and the dead body o f a female dressed in black, with long black hair, throw n carelessly across it. This vision made a con­siderable impression on h im ; he has siuce frequently referred to it in conversation. I t exceeded in intensity and vraisem­blance any o f those dreams I have met w ith ; but, for the present at least, we must consider it a mere dream.

In som e cases it is difficult to explain why sleep is not produced after varied trials, although from the com m ence­ment th e patient has been very strongly affected in other ways. M a n y o f the mesmeric books give instances o f this k in d ; th e best I have seen was in the case o f J. o ’ R . On the second trial he spoke o f feeling If as i f he was in heaven,”

He considers that clairvoyance ¡9 more common in sleep than in the waking state: and gives from Archbishop Potter1» Archtti/Ux/ia Grata the observation» made by the Greeks upon the subject, and perfectly harmoniring with our own. Mr. W. W . Lloyd, in the last of his learned article» (Nos. X ,, X I., X IX .), quotes a passage in the Jhmtnida of .£achylus. The shade o f Clytemnestra upbraids the Furies with sleeping instead of avenging her:— “ View ray wound* with thy heart, for the titeping mind even of mortals is brightened with eyes (is clair- voyantj, while by daylight it has no foresight o f fate.”

EiTiourt'O yap tpprjv o/ifiamv XafLirpvvtraCtv if fit pa 8e ftSip’ aTTporttowoi jUpot&v.— 104. 5.

—Z o u t .

J 48 Effect* tometime* never increase.

and saw a great deal o f sparkling light about him ; he felt a “ dry b ea t” from m y hands, and waa unable to endure the light o f the candle. But after several trials the effect did not increase; indeed, i f it at all changed, it was lessened, and I bad to discontinue. A t the same tim e the process had one good e ffect; J . o’ R , stated that his spirits had been livelier and better since I com m enced operating. A n inci­dent occurred on one o f these occasions which goes somewhat to prove that the " dry heat” he felt was proportioned to the magnetic effect produced. I began to mesmerise h im one evening, when I was much heated and rather fatigued. As might be expected, very little effect was produced this tim e; and when I had finished, a bystander, M r. H ., said, " 1 did’nt expect you to do m uch to -n igh t; you were too hot.” “ H o t !” said J. o ’ R ,, " I felt you much colder than usual/1

I believe The Zoist may fairly congratulate itself on having “ put d ow n ” " e l b c t e o -b i o l o g y I congratulate myself on having dealt a blow, however feeble, in the battle against it. “ Spiritual-rappings ” is the next hum bug to be quashed: and, after your article,t and that in Dickens’ s Household Words, I do not think it can survive long. 1 had, since my last com munication to Dr. Elliotson,$ another case o f “ elec­tro-biological” results brought about where mesmerical ones were expected; and where I am perfectly certain I could have produced the same effects without any preparation, mental or otherwise, merely by the influence o f a very positive and energetic m anner over a mind o f weak character and calibre.

W ith this I shall conclude a rather desultory record, which, 1 hope, has not trespassed too far on the time and space o f The Zoist.

R. E. Can*.

V . On a preservative and curative treatment of Asiatic Cholera with Metals: followed by an account of a particular system of application of Metals, intended to popularize the nets properties discovered in them by means of Magnetism. By D r. B urq , o f Faria. Translated by D r. EUiotson.

O ne day in A pril, 1852, I bad to visit an important copper foundry in Paris, at N o. 22 in the Rue Gravilliers, and learnt accidentally in conversation that all the workmen and inmates

* No*. X X X III., XXXVJ.— Zoitf. t No. X U .— Zout,t No. X X X V III.— Zoitl,

Factories visited. 149

o f the- establishm ent have escaped the cholera both in 1832 and 1849. 1 began to wonder whether metals had other pro­perties besides those which I ascribed to them in 1849 in consequence o f m y experiments with metallic armatures upon cholera patients.* However, I was beginning to forget these, when, a m onth later, the same observations presented them­selves to me again with a sort o f tenacity, and particularly in three other copper foundries, at N o. 20, 46, and 35 in the same street, w here 400 or 500 workmen and inmates had es­caped equally w ith those at N o . 22.

This novel and remarkable immunity being far from as- cribable to the healthiness o f the quarters, or even to the state o f the houses, all four o f which looked as miserable ex­ternally as foundries in general, to the mode o f living o f the inhabitants, or to the rate o f mortality o f the adjoining houses, 1 could n ot consider it accidental, and did not rest till I ren­dered at least very probable the remarkable properties which 1 at first had on ly suspected in copper.

In order to arrive at this important result, I devoted m y­self to an extensive investigation, o f which the following are the principal results.

I . I visited in Paris alone nearly 400 houses,— all kinds o f factories o f metals, from the humble workshop containing from 4 to 10 workm en only to the large establishments in which, as in that o f Messrs. Pail and Pavé, there are hun­dreds ; from the factories o f castors in the Faubourg St. Antoine to the forges o f Grenelles, and from the iron foundries o f the Faubourg St. Marteau and St. Jagues, the type foundries in the Rue de Vaugirard, and the factories o f Messrs. Payonse, Calla, G onin, and Farcoux, at La Villette, La ChapeUe, and at St, Ouen.

I p u t m yself in com munication with the presidents, trea­surers, or secretaries o f workmen's associations, with the heads o f journeym en locksmiths, shoeing smiths, boiler makers, See., and very frequently visited the workmen themselves at their pub lic houses or lodgings.

A t the sam e time I wrote to the departments, to the pro­prietors, managers and medical attendants o f our ch ief fac­tories, foundries, flattening and wire-drawing mills, to the m ayors and magistrates o f the towns, where, as at VAigle and VUledieu, the population is nearly all employed in metals, requesting inform ation upon the course o f the two epidemics in their localities. 1 applied also to the Swedish and Russian

* See Dr. Barq’i two former article* on the t o c tal-co re in Nos. XXXVIIT., X X X I X .— ZoitL

YOL» X I. M

150 Factories in Paris. ,

ambassadors, Professor Huss o f Stockholm , and the Count of Montferraud, architect o f the Emperor at St. Petersburg and director o f the mines o f copper and malachite belonging to his highness Prince Anatole de Dem tdoff in Siberia, to the larger metallurgic establishments o f Europe, the cutlery fac­tories o f Sheffield, the iron works o f W ales, the boiler fac­tories o f Birmingham, & c.; and, after many months of such inquiries, after haring searched the valuable statistical docu­ments published by the Cholera Commission in 1832, I have felt justified in announcing m y discovery to the principal aca­demies and learned societies o f Europe, in the form o f certain propositions or conclusions, which I will detail after having communicated the most important facts o f this extensive examination.

Different factories in copper, bronze, and brass.P a b i s .

1. Factories of surgical instruments. 600 workmen; 3 only died in the two epidemics. In 1832, M . Sax, who was not at that time established in Paris, noticed the same im­munity among the numerous workmen o f Brussels.

2. Copper turners for opticians. Prom 300 to 400 work­men ; 2 died in the two epidemics.

3. Makers of castors in the Faubourg 8t. Antoine, 200 workmen or masters; 3 died in the two epidemics,

4. Bronze manufactory. From 7000 to 8000 workmen; 15 at the utmost died in the last epidemic. I could learn nothing respecting the first.

M . E ck, president o f a society called Du bon Accord, con­sisting exclusively o f workmen, chasers, gold setters, and turners in bronze, declares that am ong 300 members one only died in the two epidemics.

5. Engravers, working jewellers, makers of medals, of bal­lons, copper turners, makers of tubes, of lamps, of penholders, copper polishers, fifc. M ortality very inconsiderable in every workshop which I could visit,— scarcely 5 in 1000.

The different passages opening into the Rue de Gravillien — the Passage de Rome, the Impasse de la Marmite, the Pas­sage Barron, &c., which are full o f factories, experienced in the two epidemics a comparatively insignificant mortality, es­pecially i f we consider the mode o f living among the inhabi­tants ; scarcely 5 in 1000.

6. Copper foundries. 50 establishments scattered through Paris. 1200 or 1300 w orkm eu; imperfect information res­pecting 1832 : but in 1849 only eight died, am ong whom was 1 drunkard, excessively addicted to brandy, 1 apprentice, 2

Factories in the Country. 151

persons previously out o f health, and 1 seised on a sudden away from the foundry. This very remarkable fact was too common wherever I could ascertain the particulars o f every workman, n ot to be highly significant.

7. Boiler makers. 500 or 600 workmen or m asters; 3 or 4 only died in 1849. The mortality equally alight in 1832: but there was no precise information. M any persons in this occupation inform ed me positively, or nearly so, that I should not find cholera patients in the boiler factories, because copper kills the cholera.

The great copper establishment (to distinguish it from the iron m anufactory at Chaillot) belonging to M . Cail and Co. at Q renoble, had 600 workmen o f all kinds in 1849 -. 2 died, one having been the worst kind o f drunkard, and the other having ju s t been com mitting debauches at P aris; and yet, in the last ep idem ic especially, the cholera com m itted great ra­vages at G renoble, and raged so particularly in the houses around M . Cail’ s manufactory, that the inhabitants were de­cimated and obliged to quit the neighbourhood, though many, and am ong the rest a cluster o f 5 houses on the bank o f the Seine, were apparently in the most favourable circumstances. What is m ore, M , Poll’ s forge, situated at least 300 metres distant from M . Cail’ a boiler manufactory, lost 6 workmen out o f 70.

D e p a r t m e n t s ,

Copper foundries, file makers, Igc.1. A t S t. Denis, M . David. 100 workm en; 1 died.2. A t Essonne, M . Reveilhac. 70 w orkm en; none died.3. A t R om illy, a jo in t stock company, 500 workmen, 2

died and they were drunkards.4. A t F A igle, M . M oncbel. 600 workmen distributed in

3 great establishments ; none died. The cholera never found its way in to l 'A ig le in 1832, but in 1849 it prevailed there.

5. A t G ivet, M M . Estivan Brothers. 400 w orkm en; none died.

6. Im p h y (Lièvre). 800 workmen in 1 83 2 ; none died. The sam e establishment removed to Havre in 1 84 9 ; none died. I t was very remarkable that in 1832 there were also at Im phy flattening and wire-drawing iron mills, which, united with th e flattening copper mills, employed from 300 to 400 m en ; and n o one died. In 1849, they worked at iron only, and th e workmen were few er; 4 died. A nd a similar and equally im portant fact is, that at N o . 109, Rue de Bac, in 1832, in th e extensive lead foundry, 18 died both am ong

152 Foreign Countries.

workmen and inhabitants. In 1849, when a small copper foundry had been added to the lead foundry, 2 on ly died.

A t Ville Dieu, in the department o f La Manche, where much copper is manufactured, the cholera never appeared.

F o r e ig n C o u n t r ie s .A t Birmingham, where all the copper boilers o f E ngland

are manufactured, and in those parts o f W ales where, as a t Swansea, the copper o f Australia, Sweden, and Russia is r e ­fined, the number o f victims was very small.

M ines.N ear Pontoise is a small village upon a hill which has so

com pletely escaped both epidemics that it became a place o f refuge for the inhabitants o f the neighbourhood. The hill is said to contain copper.

A t Phalen and at Sinakceping, where are the richest copper mines in Sweden, there never has been either the plague or the cholera, although the latter occasionally raged in the neighbourhood; and, what is remarkable, there exists a prevalent belief in these two parts, " that the cholera miasma and copper are incom patible." I owe this information to P ro­fessor Hues, and his account is fully confirmed to me by the Swedish ambassador, his excellency the Count o f Posenheim .

In Siberia, on the estate o f his highness the Prince Anatole o f Demid off, 4,600 persons worked both in the copper, malachite, gold, and platina mines, and above ground. In 1849, the cholera found its way thither, and only 9 men died among the workmen engaged in extracting the copper.

But, i f we suppose copper to possess the wonderfully pre­ventive and curative property o f which all these facts leave no doubt, the originality o f this happy discovery will not belong to m e ; because the accredited organ o f a different school from m y own has recently expressed itself in the fol­lowing terms with reference to my com m unication m ade to the Academ y upon the prevention and treatment o f cholera with this metal.

" Copper, in addition to a curative, would seem to pos­sess a preservative, property, according to the researches of D r. Burq. This is a fact which homoeopathy foresaw, and which practice has verified.

" The employment o f cop p er/1 says Hahnemann, *' united to a mild and regular regimen and proper cleanliness, is the most efficacious and certain preventative, i f a dose is taken every week in the morning on an empty stom ach." Hahne­mann even adds (and this is a remarkable instance o f em­piricism and popular good sense frequently forestalling scien-

Afine», Factories. 158

tific discovery) : “ It has also been observed in H ungary that wearing a plate o f copper next the skin was a preservative against the in fection : this I have hare been assured o f by several g ood authorities in that country/ '—Journal of the French Homoeopathic Society, January, 1853 : Dr. E s c a l l ie k .

If, as cannot be doubted, the statement o f this gen­tleman is correct, it ought not to vex, but to please me : for in that case all the trouble I have taken has the less chance o f being useless.

Different factories of iron, steel, zinc, and mercury.Copper does not seem to be the only metal which proved

a preservative against the cholera : but other metals, high in the scale o f electric conductibility, such as iron, steel, and mercury, appear to have protected many workmen who were not aw are o f the circumstance. But, as these metals possess a m ediate or neighbouring influence only upon the cholera, the im m unity w ill not be perfect unless the protecting agent is in g rea t activity and in sufficient m ass; norunless no par­ticular circum stances neutralize the effects o f its presence. A t F a n s , the great establishments o f M M . Cail at Chaillot, and C u vé in the Faubourg St. Denis, each o f which employsfrom 5 0 0 to 600 w orkm en; that o f M . ---------- -— , nearParm entier, which em ploys 1 5 0 ; M . D ecod er 's building factory in the Rue Slanistar, 7 0 ; that o f M . Calls at La Chapelle, 2 0 0 ; that o f M . Gonin at Batignolles, 3 0 0 ; and, lastly, the establishment o f M . Farcoux at St. Ou en, 200 ; did n o t lose 10 in the whole daring the two epidemics. The houses o f M M . Charrîère and Euër, and in general all the manufactories o f surgical instruments, lost only 2 in 1832 and 1849. Steel polishers, and makers o f files and steel springs, m akers o f steel helmets and cuirasses, lost about 5 or 6 in a 1000. Iron foundries, which have less connection with this m etal than the preceding occupations, and which at Paris em ploy abont 1000 men distributed in from 25 to 30 houses, lost 10 or 12 in tbe last epidem ic.*

Locksm iths and especially shoeing smiths, wbo are sur­rounded w ith b a t small quantities o f iron, suffered a good deal. T h e sam e held good am ong the cutlers in the depart-

* A very interesting fact, generally observed among steel temperen, is that, is the two epidemics, it was seldom possible to make good springs. In 1849, M. G., a skilful mechanician, at Menilmontant, Paris, to whom more especially I own this information, tried all means in vain to overcome the new enemies of tilia manufactura - The springs continued to break till the violence of the epidemic was passed. He has afterwards never failed bnt by accident, and is now at tbe head o f this business.

154 Evidence from the Choiera Commission.

meats, who, as at Bresles and N ogcnt, were Isolated, and had only some tools and very little iron or steel in their neighbourhood.

O n the contrary, in the great establishments in the de­partments la Creu2ot at Decaze ville, the forges o f la Provi­dence, o f Com oientry, and o f Val D 'O sne, &c., &c., where there are great quantities o f metal, the immunity was com ­plete in proportion as the establishment was situated more at the mines themselves.

I must mention one exception at the forges o f M ontalaire. This establishment, placed in a very unfavourable sanitary condition through the proximity o f several marshes, and which besides derives all its ore from la Champagne, suffered so con­siderably in 1849 that it was obliged to close its doors.

The zinc mines o f Stolberg and o f the ancient M ontagne were spared.

It was the same with various quicksilver m ines: and, on account o f the immunity in them, D r. Jules Suerin, o f the Gazette Médicale, proposed to treat the disease with mer­curial M otions : and the practice prevailed in Germ any during the last epidem ic o f carrying about with one a tube filled with mercury as a means o f prevention.

Should all these facts fail to convince, before we have those furnished by the zeal or interest o f all concerned in such occupations, magistrates, medical men, &c., to whom I am at present applying to attain m y object, I can only say that the Cholera Commission o f 1832 has already uncon­sciously nearly gained me the victory,

1. By shewing in its valuable statistic collections that the occupation most spared was that o f hardwares.

2. In assigning a small mortality to the Eue de Rappe, Faubourg St. Antoine, a street inhabited by people very care­less in its habits and in all things conducive to health : and to all the quarters o f St. M artin 's in the Fields, which is miserably full o f little streets, courts, and alleys o f all kinds, bat which, on the other hand, is full o f copper and steel factories : whereas the rate o f mortality was frightful in St. GileB, which is only separated from it by St. M artin’s Lane, and in which, instead o f metal factories are the shops of mercers, milliners, druggists, &c.

D uring the two epidemics in France, in 1832 and 1849, the metals, wherever I could collect observation, exerted in general an influence as beneficial, as it was conspicuous, in all occupations much concerned with metals,

II. This influence, so evident that I am astonished it has attracted little notice and led to no results, is especially re-

Metallic prevention and cure. 155

markable am ong the workers in bronze and brass, and, in a lower degree, am ong the workers in stee l: but, as we descend in the scale o f trades, the top o f which scale would be occupied on the one hand by the alloyb o f copper, and on the other by the carburets o f iron, and the bottom by these two metals in their greatest purity, the cholera mortality increases till at length it attains perhaps the m ean; and, in the case o f copper, is very great, though without reaching its limits.

Thus in 1849 a thousand workers in steel lost scarcely 3 or 4 from ch olera ; whereas, for instance, the journeym en shoeing-sm iths, amounting to 200 or 250, lost 5 : and, though all the musical-instrument makers, amounting to 600, lost but 2 in 183 2 and 1849, the boiler factories o f Paris, which em ­ploy about the same number o f hands, lost 4 or 5 in the last epidem ic on ly.

3. The protection afforded by the metals appear to have been o f two distinct kindB:—preventive and curative.

Preventive, without doubt, directly by contact with the metal, and in proportion to the quantity o f the m eta l; and indirectly by m ere proximity, like persons placed within the sphere o f a protecting thunder r o d : at least this is the only way o f explaining the great exemption from the disease in alm ost all the inhabitants o f copper foundries, unless it is ascribed to the dispersion o f the metals in the form o f very m inute particles or particular effluvia during the m elting and the w orking o f the metal.

4. I th ink that the preservative power is possessed on the sam e ground b y all metals which are at the same point o f the electric s ca le : and, i f it exists especially in brass and steel, this is probably because these two metals, endowed with strong electric and magnetic properties, successfully modify similar perturbations, in the midBt o f which only the cholera miasma is ab le to commit its ravages. I t is very remarkable, in the latter point o f view, that I have never met with the same am ount o f protection in occupations, similar in the nature o f th e metals, but, like watch-making, differing in this that the m etals were most carefully greased or oiled.

I I I . T h e curative power, on the contrary, appears pos­sessed by copper only, which is, to the miasma o f cholera, what sulphate o f quinine is to the miasma o f intermittent fever. M a n y times have I noticed this remarkable property most decidedly, and a particular workman or master o f a copper foun dry has been exempted from the worst symptoms o f ch olera b y continuing to reside in the midst o f copper duBt and emanations, whereas another, less fortunate, has perished b y quickly leaving the factory.

156 Persons variously susceptible to Copper and Iron.

The preventive find curative properties o f copper are so great that the whole o f a type-foundry, in which, however, copper is not greatly used, lost but 2 men in 1832 and 1849 : and in 1849 the occupation which, doubtless, from its know n intemperance and unhealthiness o f habits, was thought likely to suffer the most,— the copper foundry at Paris,— lost but 8 persons out o f 1500, and among them was an inveterate drunkard, drinking brandy excess' ’ " “

one o f whom was seized on a Sunday when out o f the foundry.

Ultimate conclusion.— The alloys o f copper, brass, and bronze, carburets o f iron, termed in com m erce German and English steel, applied extensively and constantly to the Bkin are a valuable means o f prevention that ought not to be neglected during tbe prevalence o f ch o lera : for their applica­tion is attended by no inconvenience, and, i f the relative preservative power which 1 think they possess is not perfect, we might possibly increase it by pinches o f very finely pow­dered brass or Bteel snuffed up the nostrils; and, as a last precaution, by large plates o f brass or steel that people well o ff might conceal in their rooms.

2. In the treatment o f cholera, copper, given at a suit­able time, either alone, or united with agents which, like opium, have received the sanction o f experience, either in filings, or in any other form, the proper dose o f which, as well as its best mode o f administration, practice will soon point out, has the best chance o f becom ing in the hands o f skilful physicians a powerful means of cure.

A ll persons may be classed, according to their metallic susceptibilities, in a scale o f 100 divisions, with copper at one end and iron at the other. These two extremities are like tw o opposite poles and cannot be confounded : and he who is sensible to iron or steel is insensible to copper, and vice versd; though we are unable to explain the difference why anaesthesia, for instance, which vanishes in one person under the influence o f the first metal, ceases in another on the ap­plication o f steel, and why one chlorotic patient is readily cured by iron taken internally, while another is unaffected by its various preparations or is even disturbed by them .* From

• I never saw n case of chlorosis which was not cured by the continued and properly adjusted administration of iron. It tony diM^Tee if overdosed or otherwise badly administered, like every other medicine i and, when it disagrees

apprentice, and two individuals

Bing» of Copper and Iron. 157

30 to 35 divisions o f the scale seem to me to belong to iron and its com pounds (the different kinds o f s te e l) : a nearly equal num ber belongs to copper and its a lloys : and the rest, via., the 3 0 or 35 divisions o f the centre o f the scale will scarcely be occupied by the other metals— gold, silver, platinum, &c.

I hare proved the truth o f these proportions by shewing in the num erous cures which I published in The Zoi»t that steel and copper had effected nearly all the cures,

M y plan o f treatment, therefore, consists in em ploying almost equally all the four metals— copper,* brass, English steel, and German Bteel (which all act in about three-fourths o f the cases), in the fabrication o f a series o f apparatuses o f utility, religion , or pleasure, that are generally in com m on use ; such as finger n og s , necklaces, girdles, bracelets, medals, rings o f all kinds, plates, and chains ; busks for stays, Indian strigils, and rods for friction and kneading; bathing vessels, poultices, & c., for the purpose o f dry or wet application to one part o f the body when desired, without, however, chang­ing the habits o f the patient.

The form o f all these articles is quite iadifferent, and they may b e indistinguishable in appearance from those already in use; but their construction should be such as to allow o f their exact and convenient application to the respective parts of the b od y for which they are required; so as to present a sur­face in d irect relation with the degree o f the effects desired ; aud especially in all cases in which the nature o f the appa­ratus or article allows it, or where there is an advantage in doing it , such as to afford the possibility o f applying, at pleasure, the coppeT and brass and the two steels, separately or con jointly .

Bings. — K g . X represents two r in g s : the one, A , consist­ing half o f copper and half o f brass; and the other, B , half o f English and half o f German Ar| steel. I f the four metals are used together in this form, two rings are w om on the same fingers, o r on two fingers o f the same hand. A or B, is, on the contrary, sufficient alone, when rings o f copper or brass m erely, or o f the two steels merely, are employed.

Fig. 1.

Erato these causes, it may still cure when well administered. The dose o f it, as of every other medicine, may be reduced till it must agree,— John Elliotiow.

* It ia not exactly the copper o f commerce : and the same may be said of the other metals : but it ia an alloy of copper, containing, of copper, 88 ; zinc, 10 ; antimony, 1 ; tin, 1. Thii I have found more useful than pure copper.

158 Medal», Chains, and Armatures.

Medals.— This is a medal o f its Fis- 2.true size. O n one side are the copper and brass, on the other the English and German steel.The metals are in fine plates, from half to a whole millimetre in thickness, but fixed upon a shield o f leather or d o th for the pur­pose o f preventing the galvanic contact o f the two coppers and the two steels. E ither side o f the medal is applied, accord­ingly as we desire the properties o f the copper and brass or o f stee l: and, i f we wish to use all four metals together, we employ tw o similar metals united by a little chain, as seen in fig. 3, so that one presents the copper and brass, the other the two steels.

F i g . 3.

qQOOGOChains.— Another form, intended especially for moist ap­

plication or metallic baths. The little metallic plates are single, and serve, by the addition o f a small series o f two o r three plates o f different metals, to com pose chains o f all lengths, presenting at pleasure the copper and brass or the two steels, or all four metals at once.

F i g . 4.

Armatures (a new form ).— Armatures o f 4, 8, 12, 15, 20, 30, See., small plates or double pieces, each formed o f different metals, and presenting copper and brass on one surface, and German and English steel on the other, alternately.

1 11. u

Busks, 1 5 9

Galvanic contact is prevented by little pieces o f paste­board, cu t in the middle so as to permit the free circulation o f an elastic band, which serves to fix the little plates o f the armatures, and, when necessary, to further separate them from each other.

I f it is wished to have the copper and brass, or the two steels, next the skin, the plates are applied on one side or on the o th e r ; and, when the four metals are to be applied to­gether, we have only to turn one half upon the other surface, or previously to thread the little pieces so as alternately to present the copper, the brass, the English and the German steel, towards the skin. This armature is very easily applied as a bracelet, a bandeau for the head, a necklace, or a large girdle, as a preservative against cholera. I now prefer it, and I give the same form to all the metals, gold, silver, &c., which are indicated by exploration when 1 find copper and steel in operation. '

Fig. 5.

Necklace.— A metallic necklace, the well-known form o f which is em ployed for infants and young children.

Fig. 6.

Busks for Slays.— A busk for a stay seen on two sides. O n one side, copper and brass; on the other, English and Germ an steel,

A busk may be made with the four metals on the same su rface : but this is no great advantage.

ii h

160 Roda and Striglia.

F i g . 7. F i g . B.

Rod for percussion (fig. 7 ).— A rod for percussion with a bunch o f fine wires (about a millemetre in diameter) in nearly equal proportions.

Indian Sfrigil (fig. 8 ),— A n Indian strigil for friction : the wooden roulettes are covered alternately with rings o f copper, English steel, brass, and German steel.

Pads and Baths, 161

Pads, or Metallic Poultices.— &s- 9'A sheet o f padding, or sort o f , metallic poultices. I t is a cotton ■ chard, about 30 centimetres by 25. i j Ou one aide is spread a fine layer ¡?L o f filings o r small shreds o f cop- j j per, brass, English or German steel, previously mixed w ith a ''-m proper quantity o f a solution o f ^ gnm, or sugar, or o f treacle (the latter prevents the oxida­tion o f the metals, and gives a certain degree o f malleability to the p ad ), and then spread with a few filaments o f wadding to destroy the asperities.

B y these three latter kinds o f metallic applications— rods and strigils on the one hand, and pads ou the other— we evi­dently ob ta in a rapidity o f percussion and friction, that in the tw o form er cases brings the appropriate metals almost every m om en t into contact with those parts o f the skin ou which w e wish to act, and in the third m ode o f application, in consequence o f the tenacity o f the metal that allows no portion o f the skin to escape either, there would be no ad­vantage in adopting any other arrangement which would allow th e em ploym ent o f two metals only at pleasure under the sam e form .

Fig. 10.

Metallic Baths.— A bath form ed o f equal parts o f the four metals j or, what is better, o f copper and brass or o f the two steels o n ly ,* for the application o f copper or brass or English or G erm an steel, or o f all the four metals together, over a very large surface, and dry or wet.

In th e latter case, the person places him self indifferently at e ither end o f the bath, and his upper parts are then

* T o avoid certain difficulties, I have hitherto limited myself to making the b&thfi o f the two metal* instead of copper or brasa only or of steel only*

162 May be plated.

covered with filings or fragments o f the four metals, just as iu giving a sand bath.

This form o f bath is more especially adapted to dry ap­plication. For moist application, we place chains o f the same metal as the bath at either end alternately upon the English or the German steel; and, i f we desire to increase the surface o f the action o f the metal without em ploying the filings, we place the chain around the limb3, or even around those parts o f the trank that are not in immediate contact with the hath.

W henever the filings are employed, those must be selected which contain no dust, and which, like the portions o f copper, brass, and steel that are obtained in the manufacture o f buttons or studs, are large and round enough not to get into the skin.

Such are roy arrangements for applying the metals effi­ciently and conveniently, both in the treatment o f nervous affections, in the cramps o f cholera, &c., and in the preven­tion o f cholera. The expense o f all these apparatuses is very moderate, with the exception o f the bath, which can be pro­cured in particular places only, such as Neothermeris, Rue de la Vtcloire, where I have placed it in the first instance, and, although among them there are several, such as the medals and the metallic pads, which are not likely to be so much liked, I have ordered large numbers o f them for the purpose o f adapting the metals to all kinds o f applications, from the most limited to the most extensive, and horn those calculated for hollow places to those intended for muscular masses.

W ishing to add to all these advantages, and to prevent, am ong the m ore easy classes especially, the little inconveni­ences which may result from the oxidation o f the metals inter­fering with the cleanliness o f the person, I sometimes use bracelets, armatures, medals, and necklaces plated with gold or silver; but not till a preliminary trial has satisfied me that the fine layer o f plating does not sensibly interfere with the action o f the copper, brass, or steel. I f we find it to inter­

. fere, the patient must lose the benefit o f the treatment j o r the most delicate must put up with a little stain o f rust o r verdigris, which, I must remark, readily disappears under soap and water, or a weak solution o f oxalic acid, about a pinch to a quarter o f a pint o f water.

N .B , T o avoid all misconception and to secure m yself at the very first from the chance o f counterfeit apparatus, I entreat patients and medical men to apply to respectable tradesmen only for the armatures and the other metallic

Preventive treatment. 168

articles w hich they like. This advice is indispensable] because] on the on e band, my copper, being an alloy o f zinc, tin, and antimony, is m ade expressly for me, and is therefore dearer than the copper o f com m erce ; and, on the other, the value o f the steels is to the value o f iron plates nearly as 6 to 50, without any difference being perceptible to either sight or touch, and we have always to fear imposition.

Preventive treatment.— Nervous diseases, above all others, require preventive treatm ent; for, not merely in their pro­duction have they a perfect system, which, i f well understood, renders escape from them more easy; but, i f they once es­tablish them selves in an individual, we too frequently find their victim s long subjected to all sorts o f miseries. W e cannot therefore begin to watch too carefully over the ner­vous system o f those who are hereditarily predisposed to them. I f the parents o f a child labour under nervous affec­tions, it ought, when a m onth old, to wear such a necklace as is represented in fig. 8 , instead o f the little ball o f bone, amber, o r ivory, probably iu com mon use only because there was noth ing better. A t the tim e o f dentition, the few grains o f m etal that compose the apparatus will often prove very useful in liberating its young organization from tbe excess o f nervous energy which so frequently gives rise to great excite­ment, and occasionally to fatal convulsions. W hen necessary, we muat add to it two rings o f the form o f those o f fig. 1, but large enough to be applied alternately to both arms im­mediately above the elbow s: and, i f that is insufficient to at least lessen the agitation o f the little patient, it is because one o f these four metals does not suit the individual. In this case, it would be well to make a metallic examination o f the parents, and to replace the copper, brass, and steels by the m etal w hich succeeds best with thp father or mother.

W h en tb e child is older, convulsions, hooping-cough, and other nervous affections o f infancy, are no longer to be feared. I f it is a boy, keep the two rings above the elbow : i f a girl, her rising vanity will no doubt make her prefer one or two bracelets o f the same metals, especially i f you have taken care to plate it with gold or silver; or she might prefer wearing on e or several rings, which may be o f any form she likes. I n n o case forbid this little discharging means, for the success o f G eorget’ s steel rings proves, in regard both to medals a n d mere rings,* that there are not more little con­trivances in medicine than in politics.

U p to the period o f youth, let neither hoy nor girl lead

* W e occasionally meet with ner»om patients who hsye lost the snscepti-

164 Prevention 0/ Nervous Diseases in Females.

a too sedentary or studious life ; but, on the contrary, try to strengthen the muscular system by every sort o f exercise ap­propriate to the sex o f each. Gymnastics may very often prove usefu l: and if, in the various exercises o f the arms, upon which especially you must insist unless there is som e special reason against it, the girl loses a little o f the delicacy o f her hands, be assured that her future husband will find ample compensation in tbe freshness o f her com plexion and the beauty o f her shape.

B e careful to preserve the ripening young girl from all emotion, and let her not mix too early in society. Let h er stays merely preserve her shape, without compressing h er w a ist: let her bed be hard rather than so ft; let her retire at a regular hour, and not sleep longer than is necessary. A lso, we must never forget that in the repose o f the night we collect mnch, and ought not on getting np in the m orning to om it washing the whole body with cold water, followed b y dry frictions o f the lim bs, even although the apparent feeble­ness o f an individual should seem to forbid it. Lastly, th e diet should be nourishing, but not stimulating.

I f these rules o f reason and experience are carefully fo l­lowed, the nervous energy o f the young girl will he properly balanced} she will lose none o f her sensibility or m uscular pow er; and the catamenial function will begin without diffi­culty at the proper p eriod ; whereas, i f they are neglected, you will have to fear a storm at the critical period o f fem ale life. I f the new function is established with difficulty, y ou will assist it greatly by au armature o f tbe four metals worn upon the loins and lower part o f the abdomen during the day, and lower down during the night. In boys, nervous derange­ments are less to be feared and will in general be easily over­com e : so that it will be sufficient to insist upon attention to the general health in the ways already mentioned, to watch over his connections and his new habits at this period o f the passions, and to strengthen iu him the taste, which we almost all have at this age, for arms, riding, hunting, and all exer­cises, and to give him every opportunity o f usefully enjoying the abundance o f bis nervous energy. B y this simple pre­caution, puberty will take place without those nervous sym p­toms so com mon in the present day. The man will be rob u st; the woman a fruitful m other} and, at a later age, having been fortunate enough not to have allowed themselves to be

bility of pain everywhere, in their upper extremities especially, except near a ring, the metal of which, whether gold, silver, copper, or steel, has proved per­fectly adapted to them.

Selection o f Metals. 165

neither been depressed by grief nor excited by jo y , will quietly reach the period when the nervoun system no longer predom i­nates over the rest. B ut if, from one cause or another, the force o f the disease triumphs, and head-aches, neuralgias, pains o f the internal organs, or spasms, general or local, accom pa­nied by loss o f consciousness, take place j i f hypochondriasis, melancholia, o r any other m ore serious disorder o f the moral or intellectual functions, the affection will he, to m y view, the very same except in intensity and require fundamentally the same treatm ent.

Curative treatment.— The first point, in the useful appli­cation o f on e o f the new armatures (and what I am about to say in regard to them is applicable to all the others), is to determine w hich metal, copper, brass, or steel, is to be pre­ferred.

In treating the cramps o f cholera, or preventing the disease altogether, the point is clear, and copper must be applied d irectly to the sk in : but in nervous affections the following course must be pursued. Iu an urgent case, (and some nervous symptoms require to be checked instantly,) such as violent convulsions, all the four metals should be applied at once, the pieces o f copper or brass being arranged in one o f the two ways pointed out in the description o f the arma­tures. In com m on circumstances, i f the patient has pre­viously taken iron medicines, (and few nervous patients in the present day have not taken them,) ehould the medicine have proved useful, the two steels should be em ployed : in the op ­posite case, copper or brass is likely to be most useful, and the m ore likely i f somnambulism has occurred. The result o f m y trials upon several patients in London is, that all the som nam bulic patients were susceptible o f the action o f copper; and that this metal, the properties o f which in these ex­traordinary cases I shall soon make known, as well as the diametrically opposite properties o f steel, is a valuable touch­stone o f the various susceptibilities o f the state called som ­nambulism.

A s to th e part to which they should be applied, I have spoken too fu lly upon the relation o f cause and effect that exists betw een the negative and positive phenomena* o f ner­vous diseases not to render it unnecessary to repeat that, though w e should, at the utmost, palliate only, analgesia, anaesthesia, amyosthenia, &c., are the symptoms to be com ­bated with the metals as well as with other measures.

B u t, i f the patient has not been treated previously, has

von. x i .* See No. X X X IX -, p. U l . — Zoiti.

N

166 Method« of administration.

never shewn signs o f somnambulism, and the previous his­tory throws insufficient light upon the case, three courses are open to us :—

1. T o ascertain carefully at first the degree o f sensibility at the fore-arm, by means o f pinching and prick in g ; the dif­ference being observed between the sensibility to contact and to pain. Then to apply the copper or steel half o f the arma- tnre on the right side, and the other half with the other metal on the le ft ; and an hour or two after the return or augmentation o f sensibility in one o f the fore-arms will be exactly 60 or 70 times greater in the hundred from the proper metal.

2. I f there is the least difficulty iu this examination, as the patient cannot suffer from delay, we must apply the copper and brass or the two steel halves o f the armature; and, in three or four days, either the continuance or diminu­tion o f the nervous disease will inform us whether we ought to continue the application or nse the other side o f the ar­mature.

3. Lastly, i f any doubt remains regarding the action o f the copper or the brass, employ all the four metals o f the apparatus at o n c e ; just as in urgent cases: and, i f the patient derives no benefit,— a circumstance which may happen in 30 or 40 cases out o f 100 when the metal is not the proper one, we must either make a com plete examination, or, as the susceptibilities to the metals are marked, we must bring these to light by the various means already pointed out, avoiding, in every instance, to fatigue the patient by useless applications if after a short time any improvement is per­ceptible.

A t the same time, to nse all the hygienic means o f pre­vention ;— frictions o f the limbs, not with brushes, hair- gloves, &c., only, but with strigils, which unite mechanical action with the influence o f the m ost active m etalsj percus­sions o f the indolent muscles with metallic ro d s ; all kinds of muscular exercise without fear o f fatigue; in short, to increase strength and sensibility, and bring these to a m ore healthy condition.

T o give the preparations o f the same metal internally which is used externally; in short, when copper, brass, and steel are inefficacious in the dry form, to give them wet, in the form o f a bath.

I have already said that the bath may be o f three form s: a simple bath o f copper, brass, or steel, with plain or slightly salt water— four pounds of sea sa lt : or, in addition to the metal o f the bath, a long chain o f copper, brass, or steel is

167Difference» in excitability.

put around the arms and tegs; or a hath is made o f filings o f copper, brass, o r one o f the two steels, in which the patient is kept from h a lf an hour to two hours. I cannot too strongly recommend th e wet form s for cases in which the dry forms do not com plete ly answer. But, unfortunately it is, and will always be, th e most difficult to procure, because, except at some large bath establishment, as that o f M . Neotherm er, a long tim e is lik e ly to elapse before the general use o f m y bathing vessels will cause the expense o f them to be incurred.

The excitab ility o f the nervous system, although shewn by merely sudden redness o f the face, palpitation, or a con­cealed excitem ent o f the feelings, hy general trembling, copious evacuations, fain tings, or even delirium, displays itself by th e ir suddenness and the disproportion between them and th e ir causes.

This excitab ility has infinite varieties. To say nothing o f the differences in this respect according to Bex and age, resi­dence in tow n or country, between artists and artisans, per­sons o f fashion and those whose nervous systems have been early accustom ed to a more regular l i fe ; the excitem ents o f the nervous system present other great variations in indi­viduals w h o appear subjected to the same influences. Thus in the very sam e classes we find persons o f so calm a tempera­ment that noth ing excites them, and the most violent inun­dation w ould not prevent them from being com pletely masters o f themselves. Others, again, placed at the opposite extre­mity o f th e scale o f impressionability, possess so morbidly* excessive an excitability that the least sudden noise, the least news, upsets them, or at least disturbs some o f their functions.

In the latter, indeed in all nervous patients, great pertur­bations o f th e nervous energy are readily p rod u ced : it is easily d isplaced from organs in which its accumulation had already b e g u n to occasion a morbid activity o f function with all the con sequences, and transferred more uniformly, or even, when we desire, removed, by means o f the metals.

In oth ers, on the contrary, nothing is more obstinate than this en ergy in health ; and it is only when, by the force o f the disease itself, it has acquired a certain excitability that we can hope to render it obedient to us sometimes, It is our duty, and will be our duty, to put other restraints upon it occasion a lly ; for the nervous system o f some o f those strong and robust constitutions that we all have m et with has been too s ingu larly disturbed to be easily attacked by simple and external m eans. I f it has not yet attained a sufficient degree o f excitab ility , apply a metallic plate to the patien t: and,

1 6 8 M odes 0/ fulfilling indications.

provided the metal is proper, the nervous energy, so licited only as two, and maintained, i f one may say so, as four, w ill remain within its natural limits, or will not permit itse lf t o lose more than a very inappreciable quantity : you have th en to do with what 1 have called the dissimulated m etallic su s ­ceptibilities.

In this case, it will be useless to m ultiply the application, unless you increase the attractive force, o f the m eta l; or, u n ­less, i f you do not interfere, the nervous disease itself o r som e fresh causes lessen the stationary condition o f the n er­vous en ergy : and the only means by which I have cured th e disease has been by fulfilling one o f these two indications, and, i f necessary, both.

In order to fulfil the first, increase i f possible the activ ity o f the metal. There are two ways o f doing this. First, to moisten the armature by placing between it and the sh in a constant layer o f plain or Balt water by means o f flannel or a compress wetted, and give to the metal a rough instead o f a sm ooth surface. In the latter case, there is som ething similar to what takes place every day in a house when w e expose two coffee pots to the fire,— one o f which is as sm ooth and polished as the other is black and embossed. I f we are using copper, brass, or steel, we readily com bine both means by taking the filings o f either metal and a little sugar and water, with the view o f making a kind o f poultice (the sugar prevents oxidation). These poultices are very efficacious, andlately cured (in M ajor ------- ’ s family) a wry neck, in a fewdays, that had existed for eight months.

To fulfil the second indication, the metallic susceptibilities will he ascertained by giving medicines, which, like the salts o f strychnine, exert upon the central nervous system either a very powerful expansive or centrifugal action.

The preparation which I prefer is the tincture o f nux vo­mica. Every m orning and evening the patient should take from five, six, seven or eight drops successively to 20, in one or two spoonfuls o f sugared w ater; and, when this does not dislodge the enemy, I alternate them with sulphate o f quinine, which often acts so decidedly upon the nervous Bystem and its diseases.

But a measure which appears superior to these is m e s ­m e r i s m , Indeed we seldom have met with a patient who, having been treated mesmerically, does not answer to a metal, although he had never been sent to sleep; and in our next memoir we shall see how well the metals and mesmerism co-operate.

Let me repeat that it is perfectly nseless to fatigue a pa-

169Mr. Wakleg’s gentle language.

tient i f th e m etal has not acquired power enough, nor the nervous system susceptibility enough, to give in the intervals o f their application sensible results under the pin or the dy­nam om eter a fter an application o f the suitable metal.*

V I . Cure of an appalling case of Obstruction of the Bowels, accompanied by stercoraceous vomiting. B y W . J, Tubbs, E sq ., o f U p well, Cambridgeshire. Communicated by D r . E lliotaon .

“ Is any one rash enough to look for honourable dealings from the man whose professed nailing is an imposture ; whose very existence is drawn from the daily practice o f fraud; who is amenable to no responsibility ; who is under no restraint but the remote and almost inappreciable fear of a trial at the Old Bailey ?

“ Let those who tightly talk of ‘ free trade In medicine’— who encourage ho. meeopathista, mesmerists, Coffinitea, practising druggists, *( id genu» ontoe, reflect upon the consequences to society. They are directly fostering fraud, nurs­ing iniquity, and spreading social crimes in a Christian country, such as we are accustomed to denounce as the peculiar disgrace o f barbarous and heathen tin. tioas.” — M r. W i i u v , Lancet, May 7, 1853.

“ We leave it to these who hare leisure and taste for the amusement to ana­lyte the various shades of darkness between ' homeeopatbists, mesmerists, Cof- finitea, practising druggists, el id genu» omne,’ whom we classed together, and stfll class together. Splitting hairs is not our custom.''—Hid., May 14, 1853.

E l i z a b e t h Stevens, aged 1 6 , living about half a mile from m y h ouse, assisted her m other to lift her sister, who was in a dying sta te , from one side o f the bed to the other. Shortly after th is sh e felt a sudden pain in the left side. In a few hours d iarrhoea began, attended by fever, hurried respiration, and a q u ic k pulse, I ordered a blister, and she took digitalis with hyoscyam ua and liq. aamoniae acetatis. As her sister had d ied o f decline, it was supposed that she would soon follow.

F o r severa l days there was a teazing cough. The rector — the R e v . W illiam Gale Townley, called to ask me i f cod liver o i l w ou ld be o f service. This was given seven or eight days. D u r in g this time a soreness was felt in the left side.

O n th e 20th March sickness came on, and lasted several hours, I entered the house shortly after she had vomited a

* Though I have been at the trouble of translating Dr. Bnrq's three papers, (end great trouble it bee been from the excessive carelessness of the hand­writing and the foulness of the copy sent by him to me,) and I have forwarded them to The Zaitt, I beg to decline oil responsibility. I know not whether his observations are well founded: but 1 am always anxious to promote the publication o f what is new, if not evident absurdity and disgraceful imposture like spirit­rapping and ^pirif-table-moving: lest a good truth should be lost, st least for a time, through indifference at its announcement.—J o h n E l l i o t s *}*?,

170 Vomiting stepped and sleep induced.

glairy fluid, streaked with blood. A s the bowels had not been relieved for nearly two days, 1 ordered a saline prussic acid mixture with calomel and colocynth pills. There was no relief o f the bowels, but an increasing irritability o f the stomach.

W hen 1 saw her at night, 1 ordered croton oil in com bi­nation with hyoscy&mus and calomel, continuing the prussic acid mixture, with a mustard poultice to the stomach. Ene­mas were tried, but only unloaded the lower bow el. I in­troduced a very long tube as far as 1 could. I now had recourse to croton-oil pills every two hours, telling the m other that some might be retained. I ought to have stated that stercoraceous vomiting had taken place before I began giving the croton oil.

Early in the m orning on Saturday, the 25th o f M arch, her mother, thinking her daughter must die from the state o f exhaustion through constantly vom iting her motions, was on her way to m y house, when, happening to meet w ith M r. H em ing, a surgeon, who was on his return hom e from a midwifery case, she asked him to see her daughter: and he kindly did. The mother returned with him for the medicine, and was directed to give a powder at twice. A ll was rejected.

Nothing was retained on the stomach day or night, until Sunday morning the 25thr after my first mesmerising her.

I visited her three times on Saturday.The last tim e was at eight o ’clock in the evening, Mrs,

Massa and Mrs. Pawley had been fanning her most part o f the afternoon : she had vom ited several motions during the d a y : her countenance was anxious and haggard : her eyes dark and sunken: her pulse weak and thready, 1 46 : her tongue moist, coated with a yellowish fu r ; its tip and edges red : her cheeks o f a dark circumscribed redness: the aim o f the nose contracted : the rest o f the face as pale as sn ow : the temperature o f the body was l o w : the knees drawn u p ; pressure gave pain in the left side.

1 was about leaving the room, when, taking as I thought m y last look o f m y patient, I said to the mother I should like to try what mesmerism m ight d o : and, obtaining her consent, I soon pulled o ff my coat, took m y seat by the side o f the bed, and, with an earnest stare to do my best, I suc­ceeded in throwing her into balmy sleep in less than ten minutes.

I continued m aking passes for some time. I raised the arm, which dropped as i f it belonged to a dead body. I said to the attendants, who were all anxiously watching m y m ove­ments, and were three, Mrs. Bates, aged 73, Mrs. Grey, aged 50, and the mother, all residing in this village, “ She is now

O bstruction rem oved and cure effected . 171

in a h a p p y s t a t e . I w ill t r y to m a k e h e r g e t u p , a n d th e n w ill e n d e a v o u r t o a ct u p on th e s id e b y m ea n s o f m y b re a th .”

A t m y w ish she gently rose, an d w as p la ce d o n th e u ten s il.I sa id , “ N o w , ray d ea r, t r y an d g e t y o u r bow e ls re lie v e d

and I w il l h e lp y o u .” I b r e a th e d on th e le ft s ide u n t il 1 w as qu ite t i r e d ; a n d she e x e rte d h e r a b d o m iu a l m u sc le s . O n ly a lit t le f la tu s e s c a p e d . S h e tr ie d fo r som e t im e , a n d th en sh e lay d o w n a g a i n . 1 sa id , “ A re you ea sy?” “ Y e s ” I n o w took h e r o u t o f th e s leep b y b r e a th in g o v e r th e e y es . S h e had n o t f e l t m e raise h e r a rm , b u t sa id , “ I fee l b e t te r .” I then s e n t h e r o f f aga in , an d m esm erised h er u n t il I w as in a p ro fu se p e r s p ir a t io n . I n o w le ft h e r , t e l l in g h e r m o th e r 1 th o u g h t h e r b o w e ls w ou ld b e re lie v e d b e fo r e m o r n in g .

I n r e t u r n in g h om e I ca lle d at a fr ie n d 's h o u s e : a n d , m e e t in g t h e r e M r . H a n s lip P a lm e r , so lic ito r , a n d M r . H a rr is , land s u r v e y o r , I to ld th e m I h ad b e e n m e s m e r is in g a p o o r g irl w h o I t h o u g h t w ou ld d i e ; th a t I h a rd ly e x p e cte d it w o u ld b e o f a n y u s e , b u t “ dum spiro s p e r o a n d bid th e m g o o d n ig h t.

A t e ig h t o 'c l o c k in th e m o r n in g I w as e x ce e d in g ly g la d to find th e p a t i e n t wonderfully better. S h e h a d first slept fo r ty - five m inutes, v o m ite d once, a n d fa llen asleep a g a in fo r half an hour, w hen she called fo r some cake and wine, which she took and kept dow n, an d th e n sa id sh e fe lt so sleepy that she must have anoth er sleep. O n w a k in g sh e h ad e n jo y e d a p ie c e o f toast a n d a c u p o f tea . A t tw e n ty m in u te s past sev en she had fe lt s o w e ll th a t sh e g o t o u t o f b e d , a n d h ad a c o p io u s e v a c u a t io n f r o m th e b ow e ls .

S h e h a d a n o th e r b e fo r e d in n e r .A t t h a t m ea l sh e e n jo y e d a p ie c e o f p u d d in g a n d b o ile d

m u tto n , a n d d ra n k som e w in e . S h e sa id , “ I am a ll r ig h t n o w , S i r : m y b o d y fe e ls as so ft as a g lo v e ." H e r c o u n te ­n a n ce w a s s tra n g e ly a ltered fo r th e b e tte r .

I m e s m e r is e d h er n ig h t a n d m o r n in g w h en I c o u ld fin d le is u r e : a t o th e r t im es sh e w as op e ra te d o n b y h er m o th e r .

O n t h e fo u r th d a y sh e sa t u p , a n d w ou ld p u t o n th e v ery c lo th e s t h a t w e re in te n d e d to lay h e r o u t in .

T h e r e c t o r o f th e p arish v is ited h e r a b o u t a n h o u r b e fo r e 1 m e s m e r is e d h er, an d w as, I b e lie v e , o f th e sa m e o p in io n as th e r e s t o f u s w ere,— th a t “ a ll w h o liv e m u st d ie , p a ssin g fr o m n a tu r e t o e te r n ity ,” an d th a t h eris was a dying ca se : a n d I a m s o r r y t o say n ow , th a t n e ith e r th e r e c t o r n o r h is cu r a te (th e R e v . E . M a rsh a ll, o f E le m ), w h o b o t h d a ily v is ited th e h o u s e , h a s th e h o n e s ty to a c k n o w le d g e th a t m e sm er ism cu r e d h e r , b u t m a in ta in that th e c r o t o n o il d id th e w ork .

I w is h m y rea d ers to k n ow , th at, o n th e v e ry S u n d a y I

173 Incredulity o f the rector and curate.

m e sm e r ise d h e r , sh e w as p ra y ed fo r a t U p w e ll C h u rc h , and th e fo llo w in g S u n d a y th e cu ra te , a t h e r d e s ire , re tu rn ed th a n k s in ch u rc h fo r h er sp e e d y re s to ra t io n .

A n a c c o u n t o f th is e x tra o rd in a ry case w as in o u r papers th e tw o fo llo w in g w eek s .

T h e p a tie n t is n o w e n jo y in g p e r fe c t h e a lth , a n d is ex* tr e m e ly g ra te fu l t o m e fo r h a r in g m e sm e r ise d h er .

W . J . T o b b b .U p w e ll , J u n e , 1 8 5 3 .

n o t e b y d r . e l l io t h o n .T h e in cr e d u lity o f th e r e c to r an d cu ra te w a s th e re ­

su lt o f g ro ss , y e t p a rd o n a b le , ig n o r a n c e . B u t th e co n s e q u e n t ia l fellow B a n d m e m b e rs o f o u r m e d ica l c o lle g e s a n d so c ie t ie s , o n r jo u r n a lis ts , a n d th e b u sy reform ers! o f th e p ro fe ss io n , sh o u ld b lu sh an d ta k e a le s so n fr o m M r , T u b b s — fr o m an h o n o u ra b le , b e n e v o le n t , in te ll ig e n t , a n d fear less in h a b ita n t o f a h u m b le c o u n tr y n o o k .

I r e ce iv e d a le t te r fr o m ( th is e x c e lle n t m a n tw o m on th s a g o , fr o m w h ich , w ith o u t h is p e rm iss io n , I w ill v e n tu r e to m a k e a n e x tra c t .

" M y d ea r D o c t o r ,— I am n o w a c o n v a le s ce n t p a tie n t, and am g ra te fu l th a t G o d h as a g a in sp a red m e o n c e m o r e to j o i n m y g o o d w ife a n d d a u g h te rs . O f la te I h av e h ad m u c h to d o b y n ig h t a n d b y d a y , I c a u g h t a sev ere c o ld a b o u t a w eek s in ce , a n d d a ily a u g m e n te d it u n t il 1 w a s o b l ig e d to ta k e to m y b e d . I w as ic y c o ld fo r tw e n ty -fo u r h o u rs , u n t il m y serv a n t (w h o is an e x ce lle n t servan t, as w e ll as a g o o d m esm er iser , a n d o n e y o u sh a ll h av e in L o n d o n so m e d a y ) m e sm e r ise d m e fo r a n h o u r an d a h a lf, on th e 1 5 th u lt . , w h e n I r e tu rn e d to m y b e d w ith a lit t le w a rm th within me. 1 to o k th e fo l lo w in g , liq . am . a ceta tis w ith m in u te d oses o f a n tim o n y (I w o u ld n o t ta k e sa lts o r n itr e , as 1 k n e w y o u w o u ld n o t l ik e m e to d o so, o w in g to m y le ft k id n e y h a v in g b e e n a ffe c ted ) e v e ry th re e o r fo u r h o u rs , w ith h o t m u sta r d p o u lt ice s o c ca s io n a lly a p p lied to m y ch e s t . I w as m e sm e r ise d n ig h t a n d m o r n in g . A t ea ch o p e ra t io n I fe lt m o r e w a r m th th a n fr o m a ll th e sa rd oriS cs I h ad ta k e n an d th e s t im u la t in g p o u lt ice s w h ich h a d b e e n ap p lied .

" O n th e n ig h t o f th e 1 7 th I was v e ry h o t , restle ss , a n d fe lt m u ch op p re ss io n o v e r th e s te rn u m , w ith a p u lse q u ic k a n d s tro n g , a n d a d ry c o u g h , w h ich w as fo llo w e d in a fe w h o u r s b y a cu te p a in under the right clavicle, o c c u p y in g a sp ace a b o u t t h e s ize o f a fiv e -sh illin g p ie ce . T h is w as b e tw e e n tw o a n d th r e e

M r. Tubbtfa own cate. 173

o ’ c lo c k in th e m o r n in g . M y w ife , f in d in g m e v e ry u n ea sy , im m e d ia te ly g o t u p fo r th e p u rp ose o f s e n d in g th e serv a n t t o th e d r u g g is t fo r tw e lv e le e ch e s . I sa id , ‘ T e ll th e b o y to c o m e t o m y b e d -s id e , a n d try a n d ease th is p a in b y som e p a s s e s ; an d if , a fte r m e sm e r is in g m e h a lf a n h o u r , 1 a m n o b e t t e r , th en le t u s a p p ly th e le e ch e s .’ M y w ife le ft th e c h a m b e r d o o r u n lo c k e d , a n d g o t b es id e m e . I t o o k m y w ife ’ s h a n d , an d sa id , 1 I f I fe e l b e tte r , a n d in c l in e d t o d o z e , I w ill s q u e e z e y o u r h a n d , w h ich w ill b e a s ig n a l fo r th e serv a n t to g o t o b e d . ’ I n th e g re a te st fe a r th a t 1 was b e c o m in g th e s u b ­je c t o f p le u r isy , an d a h o r r o r I fe lt o f b e in g b le d a n d c a lo m e l- iz e d , a n d h a v in g m y b r a in stn p ified b y o p iu m , I w as reso lv ed to h a z a rd m y life a t th e e x p e n se o f a lit t le humbug ca lled m e s m e r is m . H o w e v e r , a t th e e x p ira tio n o f th re e qu arters o f a n h o u r , I w as d e lig h te d to fin d th e e n e m y a b o u t ta k in g its f l i g h t : a fe w m in u te s a fterw ard s I fe lt ‘ n a tu re ’ s so ft n u r s e ’ s te a lin g o n m y b r a in . A n d h ere en d s ray ta le , f o r I n ev er w o k e till h a lf-p a st e ig h t o ’ c lo c k , w h en th e se rv a n t-m a id , as u su a l, k n o ck e d at th e d o o r to r e m in d u s th a t b rea k fa st w as n e a r a t h a n d . E v e n th e n I c o u ld h av e s lep t o n a n d ta k e n m y r e s t . O n tu r n in g o v e r I fe lt a p a in in m y old epol (th e left kidney), w h ich in crea sed b y m y e x e r t in g th e d ia p h ra g m . I g o t m y b rea k fa st in b e d ; a n d , fin d in g th e p a in n o b e t te r , 1 sa id t o m y w ife , ‘ S e n d th e b o y u p ; an d h e sh a ll tr y a n d ta k e th is p a in q u ite aw ay .’ T h e b o y s o o n ca m e . I sa id , ‘ Y o u g o t m e t o s leep , a n d re m o v e d th e p a in fro m m y b r e a s t : y o u shall t r y a n d ease m e o f th is pain in th e s id e .’ H e a c ­c o r d in g ly m a d e passes fo r a few m in u tes o v e r th e sea t o f p a in , an d th e n g ra d u a lly d re w d o w n th e p a in o f f b y th e toes . S u f ­fice it t o sa y , it h as n o t re tu rn e d .

“ I h a v e o fte n , m y d ea r D o c t o r , re m o v e d th e p a in fro m v ariou s p a rts o f th e b o d y b y lo c a lly m e sm e r is in g p a t ie n t s : b u t lit t le th o u g h t th a t I m y s e l f sh o u ld b e re liev ed in su ch a m a n n er .

“ I r e m e m b e r a few y ea rs b a ck g o in g in to a d r u g g is t 's sh op in th e v illa g e , a n d se e in g a b u tch e r ’ s w ife w a it in g a t th e c o u n te r , w ith h e r ba ck tow a rd s m e : a n d , h a v in g o fte n h eard h e r sa y th at sh e w o u ld g iv e a n y th in g i f sh e c o u ld b u t g e t r id o f th e p a in in h e r b a ck , ( I o n c e a tte n d e d h e r o n p u rp o se t o try a n d re liev e h e r b a ck , b u t d id n o t d o so ,) I th o u g h t i t w as a n ic e c h a n c e fo r m e s ile n t ly t o m esm erise h e r w h ile sh e w as g iv in g o r d e rs to th e d r u g g is t . I s to o d w ith in a y a r d o f h e r , a n d m a d e s low d o w n w a rd passes, e a rn estly w ish in g t o re liev e h e r . T h is I a m q u ite su re o f , th a t sh e w as n o t aw a re o f m y in te n t io n o f m e sm e r is in g h e r , a n d sh e a lw a ys g re a tly o b ­je c t e d t o th e n a m e , m u c h m ore th e a p p lica t io n , o f m esm erism .

1 7 4 A butcher** w ife and daughter cured.

“ P r e se n t ly sh e c r ie d ou t, ‘ W h a t are y o u d o in g t o m y b a ck ? y o u are d ra w in g m e.’ I sa id , ‘ O n ly ta k in g t h e o l d p a in a w a y / S h e sa id , ‘ I c a n ’ t s t i r / ' N o / sa id I , ' n o r sh a ll y o u t i l l I h a v e g o t it o u t o f y o u r l e g / ‘ W e l l / s a y s s h e , ' p ra y m a k e h a s t e /

" I m a d e passes d o w n th e le ft le g t i l l I g o t th e p a in f r o m th e lo in s t o th e k n e e , th a t sh e to ld u s o f . A f e w m o r e passes b r o u g h t i t q u ite aw ay. 1 T h e r e , ’ sa ys sh e , ' i f t h a t is w h a t th e y ca ll m esm er ism , i t is n o b a d th in g . ’

" I t is n o t m a n y d a y s s in ce I saw h e r an d a sk ed h e r h o w h e r b a c k w as ? ' Q u ite w e l l ; h av e n e v e r h ad th e p a in s in c e y o u to o k i t a w a y a t th e o ld s h o p /

“ A b o u t a y e a r s in c e I a tte n d e d h e r d a u g h te r w ith s e v e re ch est a ffe c tio n , w h o m I o rd e re d t o b e d a ily m e sm e r ise d . T h is w as d o n e b y a s is te r a n d som etim es b y th e m o th e r f o r s e v e r a l w eek s, a n d sh e p e r fe c t ly re cov ered .

“ T h o u g h I d o n o t p ra ctise m esm erism m y se lf , I s t ill o r d e r it t o o th ers , a n d have at th is t im e tw o p a t ie n ts w h o are d a ily a tte n d e d to b y m y m esm er iser . I w ill a lw a y s su p ­p o r t a g o o d cau se .

“ A d o c to r , t o w h om I w ro te th e o th e r d a y to t e l l h im I h ad sen t tw o p h o to g ra p h s o f a w ry n e c k * ca se t o th e E x h ib i ­t io n a t W is b e a c h th a t I h a d cu re d b y m esm erism , in h is n ote , a llu d in g t o m esm erism , sa id , ' I t is m o r e lik e ly to c re a tp in w eak an d ig n o r a n t m in d s scep tic ism fa ta l t o th e ca u se o f tru e r e lig io n , th an to b e n e fit m a n k in d / S u c h n o n s e n s e I co u ld n o t stan d , a n d a c c o r d in g ly sen t h im th is r e p l y : ' H o w an y sc ie n ce c a n b e re p u g n a n t t o th e p re ce p ts o f r e l ig io n , I a m y e t t o d is c o v e r ; a n d I sh o u ld b e w illin g t o a b a n d o n i t a lto g e th e r i f y o u w o u ld b e k in d e n o u g h t o p o in t o u t t o m e su ch per­n ic io u s te n d e n cie s . M y v iew s o f th in g s h a v e q u ite a n o p p o ­s ite t e n d e n c y : fo r I c o n s id e r th a t w h ere w e h av e c le a r e v id en ce fr o m o u r senses an d p r in c ip le s o f k n o w le d g e , r e a so n b e co m e s th e p ro p e r j u d g e ; an d , th o u g h r e lig io n , b y a g r e e in g w ith it, m a y c o n fir m its d icta tes , y e t ca n n o t in a n y ca se in v a lid a te its t r u t h : ' n o r a re w e o b l ig e d to g iv e u p th e c le a r a n d ev id en t se n te n ce o f reason , a n d q u it it , u n d e r th e p r e te n c e o f those w h o c o n s id e r i t as in co n s is te n t w ith t h e ir o w n n o t io n s o f f a i t h / ”

* See Zoiti, No. X X X ,

I.

( 1 7 5 )

V U . The M esm eruaüon and M ovem ent o f Tablet, § c ., con­s id ered : w ith a notice o f a recent pam phlet, L a Danse des T a b les, phénomènes physologiques dém ontrés, p a r le D octeu r F élix Roubaud. I n a le t te r t o D r . E l lio t so n b y th e R e v , G e o r g e S a n d b y , V ic a r o f F lix to n , S u ffo lk .

*' But, though e»ery body ia cottriootly perfomuag the procen deeeribed in the eecood book o f the Novum Oryanum, some men perform it veil end eome perform it ill. Some ere led by it to truth, end some to error. It led Franklin to diacoTtr the nature of lightning. It led tbonunda, who had leas braim thin Franklin, to believe in animal magnetiam. But tbie wag not became Franklin went through the process described by Bacon, and the duptt (>f Mttmer through a different process,” — Macaclat, E aay on flacon.

R u e R ich e p a n se , P a ris , M a y 2 8 , 1 8 5 3 .M t d e a r E l l io ts o u ,— A l l P a n s is in e x c ite m e n t a t th e

" d a n c i n g o f t h e t a b le s /1— as th e y ca ll it . W e have h ea rd o f n o t h in g e ls e s in ce o u r arriva l. S o e n g ro ss in g ia th e to p ic , that i t h a s su p e rse d e d th e m a rr ia g e a n d th e illnesB o f th e E m p re s s , a n d b e c o m e th e ra g e o f th e d a y . C e r ta in m a rv e l­lou s f a c t s w e r e ju s t b e g in n in g to b e m e n t io n e d in L o n d o n b e fo r e w e c r o s s e d : fo r th e tw o e x tra c ts fr o m fo r e ig n jo u r n a ls , that h a d a p p e a r e d in The Times, h a d d ir e c te d th e a t te n t io n ev en o f m a n y p erson s, w h o h a d n o t m ix e d th em se lv es u p w ith any b e l i e f i n t b e sp ir it -ra p p in g s , to w a rd s a c o n s id e r a t io n o f th e q u e s t io n ; a n d I h a d h e a rd , as y o u k n o w , o f tw o o r th ree e m in e n t m e n o f lite ra tu re a n d s c ie n ce w h o h ad s u c ce e d e d , as it was s a id , in th ese e x p e r im e n ts . B u t th e sen sa tion in P a r is fa r su rp a s se s a n y th in g th at y o u c o u ld h ave im a g in e d u p o n su ch a s u b je c t : e v e ry a cq u a in ta n ce th a t I h ave m e t r e fe rs t o it : m e n , w o m e n , a n d c h ild re n b e g in a t o n c e to te l l y o u w hat th e y h a v e s e e n o r d o n e : an d th e w alls a n d s h o p -w in d o w s o f th e b o o k s e l le r s a re c o v e r e d w ith affiches an d w ith w o o d cu ts , a d v e r tiz in g a n d illu s tra t in g d iffe re n t p a m p h le ts o n th e s u b je c t .

I d e t e r m in e d to ju d g e fo r m y se lf, an d t o lo se n o tim e in b r in g in g t h e a lle g e d re su lts t o a te s t. A n d I w as fo r tu n a te iu h a v in g fr ie n d s , w h o w e re a cq u a in te d w ith th e " c o n d i t io n s " w h ich a r e sa id t o b e n e ce ssa ry , a n d w h o h ad th e m se lv e s a s ­sisted a t f o r m e r e x p e r im e n ts . F iv e o f u s, th e n , b e in g fo u r lad ies ' a n d m y s e lf , p la ce d o u rse lv e s b e fo re a sm all r o u n d m a ­h o g a n y t a b le , w h ich w e n t u p o n ca stors , o b s e rv in g ce rta in in s t ru c t io n s , o f w h ich I w ill sp ea k p re se n tly . I n a b o u t te n m in u tes , t h e ta b le b e g a n to c re a k , a n d s lig h tly t o heave, a n d at la st t o m o v e in a m ost d e c id e d w a y . W e h a d to fo llo w it in it s c o u r s e , a s w ell as w e c o u ld . T h e fa c t t o m y m in d w as u n d e n ia b ly e s ta b lish ed : h o w e v e r , as th is sm a ll ta b le w e n t o n roulettes, i t w as su g g e s te d , th a t w e m ig h t u n c o n s c io u s ly h ave g iv en a n im p u ls e to th e ta b le a n d c a u se d th e m o t io n ou rse lves ,

176 M r. Sandby’s experience o f the fa c t.

s o w e d e te rm in e d u p on a n o th e r e x p e r im e n t . W e se le c te d a m a h o g a n y c a r d -ta b le , w h ich w as c lo se d o r d o u b le d , an d c o ­v ered in th e in s id e w ith c lo th . S ev en o f o u r pa rty sa t d o w n : b u t w e w ere n o t su ccess fu l : th e re w e re o c ca s io n a l c re a k in g s an d h e a r in g s , a n d , as w e th o u g h t, in c ip ie n t m o v e m e n ts ,— b u t n o actu a l m o t io n . W h e th e r th e b a ize d is tu rb e d th e a c ­t io n o f th e flu id , as i t w as th o u g h t b y som e o f n s ; o r w h e th e r , a s I b e lie v e , th a t tw o o f th e la d ies, fe e lin g th e m se lv e s fa t i ­g u e d , an d b e c o m in g a n x io u s t o leave o ff , c e a se d to g iv e t h e n e e d fu l a ssista n ce , I c a n n o t say : m y o w n o p in io n is , th a t i f w e h a d b e e n jo in e d b y a d d itio n a l a id , an d g iv e n a lit t le m o r e p ersev era n ce to tb e a ttem p t, th e c a r d -ta b le w ou ld h a v e b e e n sp e e d ily in m o tio n . F o u r o f us n e x t se le c te d a sm a ll o b lo n g r o se w o o d ta b le , n o t u p o n castors . I u te n m in u te s th e m o v e ­m e n ts b e g a n . T h a t n o im p u lse was g iv e n , I am c o n fid e n t . A f t e r th e m o t io n c o m m e n c e d , w e all m ost c a r e fu lly a v o id e d g iv in g a n y pressu re t o th e ta b le . W e to u c h e d it v ery s l ig h t ly w ith th e m e re t ip s o f th e fin g ers , in su ch a w ay th a t a f ly w o u ld s ca rce ly h av e b e e n in ju re d o r a flow er c ru sh e d . T h e a c tio n , h o w e v e r , o f th e ta b le w as s tro n g , an d q u ic k , a n d m o s t u n m ista k ea b le . I c o n s id e r th e a lle g e d factB to b e e s ta ­b lish e d b e y o n d a d o u b t ,— and th a t th e co n tro v e rs y is at a n e n d .

P a m p h le ts are a p p ea r in g e v e ry d a y in P a r is u p o n t h e s u b je c t . T b e b es t is o n e b y D r . F e lix R o u b a u d , ca lle d The D ance o f the T ables; or, Physiological Phenomena demon­strated. 1 w ill g iv e y o u a b r ie f resum é o f it s c o n te n ts ; f o r th o u g h I d issen t fr o m so m e o f th e D o c t o r 's c o n c lu s io n s , a n d th o u g h so m e o f h is sh o r t d isserta tion s , fo r in s ta n ce , th o s e u p o n “ circonstances morales “ sentim ents de Vdm e” a n d su ch l ik e k in d re d to p ics , are m ere su rp lu sa g e , a n d in tr o d u c e d fo r th e p u rp o se o f sw e llin g th e p a ges , still as th e l it t le bro­chure c o n ta in s a ce rta in a m o u n t o f in s tru ct io n a l an d s u g ­g e stiv e m a tter , a n d o ffe rs a s u c c in c t sta tem en t o f th e r u le s o r c o n d it io n s , w h ich are , at p resen t, a ssu m ed t o b e n e e d fu l fo r su ccess , y o u m a y b e n o t u n w illin g to le a rn w h a t a re t h e a u th o r ’ s v iew s.

D r . R o u b a u d says, in h is P r e fa c e , th a t at first h e u t t e r ly d is cre d ite d e v e ry p a rt o f th ese re v e la tion s j b u t , w h e n h e fo u n d th a t severa l s c ie n tific a n d m e d ica l fr ien d s, u p o n w h o m h e c o u ld r e ly , h a d a ttested th e re a lity o f th e se p h e n o m e n a , h e reso lv ed u p o n m a k in g an in v estig a tion h im se lf. " D o u b t , ” b e n o w asserts, " is n o lo n g e r p o s s ib le : w h a tev er m a y b e t h e ca u se ,— w e m u st a d m it th e fa cts , w h ich are co n s ta n tly r e p r o ­d u ce d w ith a sp ecies o f m a th em a tica l a c c u r a c y .” “ M y h o p e is ,” h e ad d s, “ th a t a n e x a m in a tio n o f th e s u b je c t w ill b e Bpeedily c o m m e n c e d b y so m e lea rn ed an d s c ie n tific b o d y .

D r. Hmbaud’s book. 177H i s fir s t c h a p te r co n ta in s th e h is to ry a n d th e o r ig in o f

th e d is c o v e r y . H e traces, o f co u rse , its first a p p ea ra n ce t o th e t h r e e w e ll-k n o w n A m e r ica n g ir ls ,— w ith w h o m c o m m e n c e d th e r e c e n t sp ir it -ra p p in g s ,— a n d w h ose o b je c t (h e th in k s ) w as to f o u n d a r e l ig io u s se ct. W h e t h e r h e b e r ig h t in th at c o n ­je c t u r e , is u n im p o r t a n t : b u t a t an y ra te it is c le a r , th a t th is a c t io n o f t h e ta b les w as fir s t d e v e lo p e d at th e spiritual c o n ­fe r e n c e s o f th e s e y o n n g w o m e n , an d th at th is r o ta to ry m o v e ­m e n t w a s s a id b y th e m t o b e cau sed b y sp iritu a l a g e n c y . W it h th is p a r t o f th e s to ry w e are m ost o f u s fa m ilia r : b u t , a c c o r d in g t o H r . B o u b a u d , G e rm a n y , w h ich o f a ll n a tio n s in the w o r ld , th r o u g h its lo v e o f th e m a rv e llou s a n d th e m y s ­tica l, a n d a t th e sam e t im e its s tro n g p ow ers o f re a so n in g , is best a b le t o " sep arate th e fa lse fro m th e tru e , an d th e im a ­g in a ry f r o m t h e real,” — G e rm a n y w as th e first c o u n tr y to re ce iv e t h is d is co v e ry o f th e “ m o v in g -ta b le s M as a p h ilo s o ­p h ica l fa c t , a p a r t fro m a n d u n c o n n e c te d w ith th e su p erstition o f th e s p ir itu a l m a n ifesta tion s . T o th e a lle g e d e le c tr ica l a c t io n , t h e n , o f th e h u m a n fra m e u p o n w o o d e n m a tte r , th e G e rm a n s e x c lu s iv e ly d ir e c te d th e ir a t t e n t io n ; a n d a t B re m e n , the f ir s t in v e s t ig a t io n s to o k p lace . H r , A n d r e e , w h o , i t ap ­pears, i s a m e d ica l m a n o f h ig h ch a ra cte r a n d a tta in m e n ts , p u b lis h e d a le t te r in th e Augsbwrgh G azette, g iv in g th e re in th e r e s u lt s o f h is e x p e r ie n ce s . F r o m th e n c e th e in q u iry sp rea d t o B o n n ,— to V ie n n a ,— and t o P aris . I t is n eed less t o a d d th a t th e n u m b e r o f b e lie v e rs is im m e n se , a n d d a ily o n t h e in cr e a s e .

H r . K o u b a u d , th en , p ro ce e d s in th e fo l lo w in g ch a p te rs to la y d o w n th e ru les o f p ro ce d u re a n d th e c o n d it io n s o f s u c ­c e s s ; b u t th e se , I im a g in e , h e has m u lt ip lie d fa r b e y o n d th a t w h ich is n e ce ssa ry . T h e m a in co n d it io n s seem v ery s im p le . A c e r t a in n u m b e r o f p e rso n s p la ce th em se lv es r o u n d a ta b le , a c c o r d in g t o th e Bize o f th e la tter , a n d fo r m a ch a in . T h e d re ss e s m u s t n o t to u c h , a n d th e ch a irs o u g h t t o b e su ffic ien tly a p a rt so th a t n o th in g sh o u ld c o m e in c o n ta c t . B in g s a n d b r a c e le t s s h o u ld b e ta k e n o ff , a n d th e ta b le o n ly to u c h e d b y th e h a n d s . T h e ch a in is th e n estab lish ed b y each p e rso n la y in g h is h a n d s l ig h t ly u p o n th e ta b le , a n d p la c in g th e l it t le f in g e r o f h is r ig h t h a n d u p o n th e l it t le f in g e r o f h is n e ig h ­b o u r ’ s le ft . S o m e p erson s Bay th a t th e pa lm s o f th e h a n d s s h o u ld t o u c h th e t a b l e ; o th e rs , th a t o n ly th e fin g ers sh o u ld t o u c h : I p la c e d m y p a lm s u p o n th e t a b l e : i f i t b e n o t th e b e s t w a y , i t is at lea st th e m o s t c o n v e n ie n t , e sp e c ia lly i f th e e x p e r im e n t b e p r o lo n g e d . T h e fin gers , it is sa id , sh o u ld n o t t o u c h e a c h o t h e r : a n d i t is d e s ira b le th a t th e re sh ou ld b e n o c a r p e t o n th e f l o o r : I d o n o t b e lie v e th a t th is c o n d it io n is

178 Dr. jRoubaud’s error.

e ssen tia l t o s u c c e s s ; b n t , o f co u rse , e v e r y th in g th a t in ter­r u p ts th e e le c tr ic a l a c t io n , is p re ju d ic ia l. D r . R o u b a u d is o f o p in io n th a t a ch a in fo rm e d p a rtly o f m e n a n d p a rtly o f w o m e n su cce e d s b e s t : o f c o u rse , y o u t h a n d h e a lth are th e b e s t e le m e n t s : b u t so m e p a rties have m o r e p o w e r th an otberB , o r p erh a p s u n ite m o r e h a rm o n io u s ly a c c o r d in g to th e co n s titu t io n a l te m p e ra m e n ts o f each o th e r . A s in m esm eris ­in g th e h u m a n b o d y , so in m e sm e r is in g a ta b le , s i le n ce and a tte n tio n to th e su b je c t , o r w h a t w e ca ll " w illin g ,” sh orten s th e tim e . S en sa tion s in th e fin g e rs , y a w n in g s , p a ins in the arm s a n d in th e h ead , a n d so m e th in g very m n ch l ik e sea­s ick n ess , a re e x p e r ie n c e d b y so m e p erson s ju s t b e fo r e th e ta b les b e g in to crea k . 1 fe lt a m a rk e d sen sa tion a t th e ends o f m y fin g ers . T h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e p h e n o m e n a varies a c c o r d in g to c ircu m sta n ce s .

A ft e r a n e n u m e ra tio n o f so m e cu r io u s e x p e r im e n ts , and o f su n d ry a n a lo g o u s fa cts c o n n e c t e d w ith th is d is co v e r y , we c o m e a t le n g th t o D r . R o u b a u d ’ s c o n c lu s io n r e sp e c t in g th e rationale o f th is p h e n o m e n o n ; a n d h ere th e w rite r is m ost o b scu re . W h a t , in d e e d , h is o w n o p in io n is, it w on ld b e d if­f ic u lt t o g u ess . T h is m o tio n o f th e ta b les , h e says , h a s n o c o n n e c t io n w ith e le c tr ic ity , n o r w ith ga lv an ism , n o r w ith c a lo r ic , n o r w ith te rrestr ia l m a g n etism , n o r w ith a n im a l m a g ­n e t is m ; n e ith e r is th e p h e n o m e n o n o f a m o ra l c h a r a c t e r ; th e re is n o p h y s io lo g ica l a c t io n in th e m a tter w h ich th u s w a lk s an d tu rn s , n e ith e r a n y p s y c h o lo g ic a l a c t io n . <l I k n o w n o t ,” h e a d d s , " w h a t th e ca u se m a y b e , b u t I k n o w a n d I a ffirm th a t it is n o n e o f th e a b o v e .” I t w ill s t r ik e m a n y p e rso n s , p erh a p s, th a t th is le a rn e d D o c to r , w h o d isp la ys s u c h b e c o m ­in g m o d e sty in a d m itt in g h is ig n o r a n c e as t o th e c a u s e o f th e se s tra n g e fa c ts , w ou ld have e x erc ised as w ise a d is c r e t io n h a d h e n o t s o p e r e m p to r ily asserted w h a t w as n o t th e cau se , m o r e e sp ec ia lly , as h e d oes n o t p re te n d t o o ffe r th e s l ig h te s t a r g u m e n t in su p p o rt o f h is assev era tion . “ I o fte n h e a r ,” h e says , “ th e w ord s , a n im a l m a g n e tism , p r o n o u n c e d iu c o n ­n e c t io n w ith th is d is c o v e r y : b u t w h a t is a n im a l m a g n e t is m ? a n d w h a t re la t io n has th e fa lse , o r a t lea st d o u b t fu l, lu c id it y o f th e so m n a m b u lis t w ith th is p o s it iv e a n d in co n te s ta b le p h e ­n o m e n o n ? ” T h is is b y n o m ea n s th e first t im e th a t 1 h a v e p e r ce iv e d a m o n g s t F r e n c h w riters , th a t th e ir e x c lu s iv e n o t io n o f m e sm e r ism is th a t w h ich re la tes t o c la ir v o y a n c e a n d it s a n a lo g o u s m a n ifesta tion s . W it h th e m it is a lw a ys lu c id ity a n d so m n a m b u lism , an d n o th in g e l s e : a n d h ere , th e re fo re , I m u st a g re e w ith D r . B o u b a u d th a t th e r e is n o c o n n e c t io n in th e d a n c in g ta b les w ith th e h ig h e r p h e n o m e n a o f o u r s c i e n c e ; b u t w ith p u re a n d s im p le m esm erism in its p r im a ry a c t io n ,

The agency ú m eem erie. 1 7 9

th e r e c a n b e n o q u e st io n th a t th is d is co v e r y is c lo s e ly a llied , i f it b e n o t , as 1 b e lieve , o n e a n d th e sa m e th in g .

1 h a v e a lw ays c o n te n d e d fo r a n d b e lie v e d in th a t th e o ry , w h ich M e a r n e r o r ig in a lly p r o m u lg a te d , (a n d w ith e v e ry d e fe r ­e n ce t o M r . M a ca u la y , I a m n o t ash a m ed t o co n fe s s m y s e l f t o b e o n e o f th e (t d u p e s ” o f th a t ca lu m n ia te d m a n ,) v ia ., th a t s o m e e x te r n a l a g en t, a n a lo g o u s t o a flu id , o r p erh a p s to th e s p a r k s th a t p ro ce e d fr o m a n e le c tr ic a l m a ch in e , d o e s p r o c e e d in th e a c t o f m esm er is in g fr o m o n e h u m a n b e in g t o a n o th e r . T h is in v is ib le , im p o n d e ra b le a g e n t 1 h a v e seen m a n y r e a s o n s to reg a rd as b e in g o f a y u o r i-e le c tr ic a l c h a ­ra c te r , i f 1 m ig h t n o t ev en ca ll i t a n a ctu a l e le c tr ic a l m a n i­fe s ta t io n u n d e r th e m o d ifica tio n o f p h y s io lo g ic a l a c t io n . D r . S c o r e s b y * a s c ie n t if ic in v e s tig a t io n s o n th is v e ry p o in t h ave a d d e d g r e a t ly t o o u r a rg u m e n ts in fa v o u r o f th is v iew . R e ie h e n b a c h ’ s e la b o ra te research es c o n fir m th e n o t io n . T h e a lle g e d r e s u lt s o f M r . R u tte r ’ s e x p e r ie n ce w ith a g o ld r in g a n d w i t h th e m a g n e te s co p e ( o f w h ich I m yB elf h a v e seen n o t h in g d e c is iv e ) te n d th e sam e w a y . A v a r ie ty o f c ir c u m ­s ta n ce s g o t o p r o v e th is tra n sfe ren ce o f a n ex tern a l a g e n t, ir r e s p e c t iv e o f an y c o n n e c t io n w ith m e n ta l p re p a ra t io n .* W e m e s m e r is e th e b lin d an d v e ry y o u n g c h ild re n w ith o u t th e ir c o g n iz a n c e . W e r e - in d u c e m e s m e r ic e ffe cts u p o n p atien ts , w h o h a v e b e e n p rev iou s ly ren d ered su sce p t ib le t o m esm erism , w ith o u t t h e i r c o n s c io u s n e s s : w e m esm erise a n im a ls r e p e a te d ly ; w e m e s m e r is e w ater , m eta ls , lea th er , an d p a p er, as w e learn b o m t h e e f fe c t s p r o d u c e d u p o n o u r p a tien ts : an d th is a c t io n o f t h e t a b le s , in d u ce d b y c o n t in u e d c o n ta c t w ith a c h a in o f h u m a n f in g e r s , is n o th in g b u t s im p le m e sm e r ism , d e v e lo p in g i t s e l f in a n u n e x p e c te d ph ase .

A n d th e v a lu e o f th is d is co v e ry is c o n s id e r a b le . W e c a n ­n o t , in d e e d , sa y w h e th e r it w ill lead to a n y u lte r io r fa cts , o r b e n a e fu l i n p r o m o t in g m o r e ex ten d ed in fo rm a t io n in s c ie n c e : p e r h a p s n o t , t o an y v ery g rea t e x t e n t : b u t it a d d s a n im ­p o r t a n t , i t m ig h t b e sa id , a c o n c lu s iv e a m o u n t o f e v id e n ce to w a r d s t h e e s ta b lish m e n t o f m esm erism as a p h y s ica l tru th . T h e t h e o r y o f im a g in a t io n w ill n o t h o ld g o o d w ith w o o d e n m a t t e r . M is a M a r t i n eau , in h e r c le v e r n a rra tiv e re la t iv e to t h e c o r e o f h e r s ick c o w , ob serv ed p o in te d ly e n o u g h , th a t th e sadd c o w w as a g o o d c o w , a n d p ossessed a d m ira b le q u a li­t ie s a s a " m i lk e r ” (as w e sa y in S u f fo lk ) : b u t u n fo r tu n a te ly t h a t a h e w a s d e fic ie n t in th e im a g in a tiv e fa c u lty . T h e r e w a s n o p r e p a r a t io n o f c o n sc io u sn e ss , t o sp eak a fte r th e p e d a n t ic

* See roy Renew o f Dr. Holland's Theory in the Tenth Volume o f T h * ZoUt.

1 8 0 The movement it not from muscular action.

p h ra se o f th e m e d ica l w orld , o n th e p a rt o f th e d u m b a n im a l : a n d o f co u rse , still less is th e re , i f i t b e p o ss ib le , in re g a rd t o th e genus, ta b le . T a b le s , u se fu l im p le m e n ts as th e y are , at le a st a re sa fe fr o m b e in g ta x e d w ith im p o s tu re , o r d e s ig ­n a ted as h yster ica l c o n v u ls io n n a ir e s : b u t th e n , it iB sa id , th a t th o u g h th e re b e n o " e x p e c t a n t a t t e n t io n ” o n th e p a rt o f th e ta b le , th e r e is m u ch o n th e p a r t o f th o se w h o s it r o u n d th e ta b le , a n d h e n ce th e so u r ce o f th e m ista k e , a n d th e e x ­p la n a tio n o f th e w o n d e r . T h e ta b les m o r e , it is c o n d e s c e n d ­in g ly a d m itte d , b u t n o t fr o m e le c tr ica l o r m e s m e r ic a c t io n ; b u t b eca u se th e parties, in te re ste d in th e p ro ce ss , g iv e u n ­co n s c io u s ly a n in n o c e n t im p u lse , an d s t ir th e m o v e a b le m a­ch in e th r o u g h im p a t ie n ce o r fa t ig u e . T h is , 1 p e r ce iv e , is th e e x p la n a t io n o ffe re d b y th e sce p tica l o p p o n e n t . U n in te n t io n a l o r in se n s ib le m u sc u la r a c t io n p ro d u ce s th e e f f e c t ; a n d th e p a rtie s , w h o ca u se th is in v o lu n ta ry m o v e m e n t, a re as m u ch d e ce iv e d th em se lv es as th e sp ecta tors .

N o w it m u st b e a d m itte d , th a t th ere is a c e r ta in p o r t io n o f tru th , an d a g re a t d ea l th a t d eserv es a tte n t io n in th is a r g u m e n t ; b u t th e n , lik e m a n y o f th ese a rg u m e n ts , i t is b u ilt o n p a rtia l o r o n e -s id e d d a ta . I t is th e tru th , b u t n o t th e w h o le tru th . T h e s ce p t ic g en era lizes fro m p a rt icu la r fa c ts w h ich h a v e c o m e w ith in h is o w n k n o w le d g e , an d w h ich are p r o b a b ly c o r r e c t , a n d a ssu m es th a t th ere a re n o o th e r fa c ts o f an o p p o s ite n a tu re . A n d th is is th e ca se w ith u s a ll, w ith b e liev ers as w e ll a s w ith o p p o n e n ts . T h e a n t i­m e sm er ist , w h o h as w itn essed ce r ta in u n d o u b te d fru its o f im a g in a t io n o r su g g e s tio u u p o n th e h u m a n fra m e (fo r in ­sta n ce , th o se in "b io lo g y ” ), a ssu m es p re m a tu re ly , th a t all th e re su lts o f m e sm er ism are o f th e sam e ch a ra cter . A n d th e sam e p r o ce s s in re a so n in g o b ta in s in re g a rd t o th is n e w p h e n o m e n o n . T a b le -m o v in g , in g e n e ra l, re q u ire s p a t ie n c e ; m o re p a tie n ce , in fe e t , th a n m o s t p erson s are p rep a red t o b e s t o w ; it is o fte n a lo n g an d w earisom e p a s t im e ; a n d c o n ­se q u e n tly i t is v ery p r o b a b le , th a t in B undry in sta n ces , t h e ex h a u s te d a t te n t io n o f th e a n x io u s c ir c le is n o t c o n s c io u s o f th e s lig h t m u scu la r m o v e m e n t th a t has ca u sed th e r e su lt . S ev era l p r o b a b le e x a m p le s o f th is k in d h av e b e e n m e n t io n e d ; a n d I d o n o t d is c r e d it th e d e ta ils as th e y are g iv en : b u t w h a t d o th e y p rov e ? s im p ly , th a t in th o s e p a rticu la r in sta n ces t h e m o v e m e n t was p r o d u c e d b y m u scu la r a c t io n a n d c o n c o m it a n t fa t ig u e , an d th a t , th e re fo re , g re a t ca u tio n a n d w a tch fu ln e ss a re n e e d e d in te s t in g th e tru th .

B u t fifty n eg a tiv e in s ta n ce s a n d f ifty fa ilu res ca n n o t o v e r ­set o n e p os itiv e a u th e n tica te d fee t. F o r , o n th e o th e r h a n d , th ere a re n u m e ro u s in sta n ces , in w h ich th is e x p la n a t io n o f

Rapidity o f Ike motion. 181

fa t ig n e a n d o f lo n g -p re p a re d e x p e c ta t io n w ill n o t a p p ly a t all. A s in m e s m e r is in g th e h u m a n fra m e , s o a lso in m e s m e r is in g a m a h o g a n y ta b le , ce rta in p erson s seem g ifte d w ith g re a te r an d p e c u l ia r p o w e r , a n d p ro d u ce m o r e sp e e d y a n d m o r e m a rk ed r e s u lt s . S o m e tim e s th e m o t io n is e ffe c te d b y th e m in th e c o u r s e o f fire m in u tes , o r ev en less ; a n d e v e ry p r e ­cau tion is e m p lo y e d to p re v e n t an y a p p ro a ch t o assista n ce from m u s c u la r pressure . N o t o n ly is th e r e n o u n c o n s c io u s , in v o lu n ta ry im p u lse , b u t th e m in d is a c t iv e ly o n th e a lert in a n tic ip a tio n o f anch an o b je c t io n , a n d w ith a d e te rm in a tio n that n o s u c h a n a lleg a tion sh a ll b e c o r r e c t ly a d d u ce d . A n d in fa c t , t h e in te r v e n in g p e r io d is so sh o r t , th a t th e re is n o tim e fo r fa t ig u e o r fo r o v e r -w e a r ie d e x p e c ta t io n to le n d its a id tow ards t h e r e su lt .

B u t t h e r e is a n o th e r p o in t , w h ich to m y m in d is c o n c lu ­sive a g a in s t t h e ab ove a rg u m e n t , and th a t is th e rapidity w ith w hich t h e t a b le o fte n m oves. I t w ill b e o b s e rv e d th a t th e re is n o c h a r g e o f im p ostu re p re fe rre d a g a in st th o s e w h o b o a st o f th e ir s u c c e s s in th ese e x p e r im e n ts ; a ll th a t is sa id is , th a t they a r e s e l f -d e c e iv e d . N o w le t us a d m it th at in v ery m a n y in sta n ces t h is s lig h t m u scu la r p ressu re has se t th e ta b le in m otion ; I a m sp e a k in g n o w o f th e in c ip ie n t m o t io n s o f th e ta b le ; b u t w h e n th e la tte r b e g in s a t le n g th to m o v e w ith such s p e e d , th a t th e e x p e r im e n tin g c ir c le c a n w ith d ifficu lty k eep u p w i t h it , th e a rg u m e n t su re ly is at an e n d . I t is id le to s u p p o s e th a t th e s c ie n tific m en , w h o h a v e ca u tio u s ly te s ted th is a l l e g e d d is co v e ry , sh o u ld have b e e n d e ce iv e d a t th a t stage o f t h e e x p e r im e n t. D r . A n d r é e , o f B r e m e n , says th a t on o n e o c c a s io n " th e ta b le m o v e d w ith su ch ra p id ity th a t th ey w h o fo r m e d th e c h a in c o u ld sca rce ly fo llo w th e r o t a t io n ." D r. M a y e r , c h ie f e d ito r o f La P resse M édicale, a t P aris , m e n t io n s t h a t , a ch a in h a v in g been fo rm e d w ith th r e e o f h is fr ie n d s , a t t h e end o f eight minutes th e ro ta to ry m o v e m e n t had a c q u ir e d su ch sp eed th a t th ey c o u ld w ith d ifficu lty k e e p u p w it h i t . D r . H e r m a n n S c h a u e n b u r g , p ro fessor a t B o n n , e m p lo y s s im ila r la n g u a g e in resp ect t o a sm a ll m a h o g a n y ch e s t o f d ra w e rs . I h av e read sim ilar s ta tem en ts in r e g a rd to s o m e o t h e r e x p e r im e n ts a t P aris . A n d a c o r r e s p o n d e n t o f th e M anchester Guardian, w h o is w ell k n o w n to th e e d ito r , sa y s , t h a t " th e m o t io n in cre a se d in ra p id ity , a n d w e b e c a m e b o t h d iz z y fr o m m o v in g ro u n d , a n d tire d w ith th e c irc u la r l e n g t h o f w a lk o r ra th er ru n . I tr ie d t o s to p th e ta b le b y p r e s s in g v e r y h e a v ily , an d s u c c e e d e d / ’ & c . N o w a ll th ese e x p e r ie n c e s a re d e c is iv e as to th e fa c t . I t is im p o ss ib le th a t a ll t h e s e g ra v e n a rra tors c o u ld have b e e n m ista k en . T h e y m i g h t n o t h e c o n s c io u s o f g iv in g a s lig h t p ressu re at first,

-v o i,. x i . o

1 8 2 B ecguerel's experim ent.

b u t w h en th e ra p id ity o f th e ta b le b e c a m e su ch th a t th ey c o u ld sc a r c e ly fo llo w it , it is lu d ic ro u s to su p p ose th a t p h ilo ­s o p h ic m en , w h o are p u rp o se ly te s t in g a n a lle g e d p h e n o m e n o n w ith th e w ish o f e s ta b lish in g w h a t is th e t r u th , s h o u ld be se lf-d e ce iv e d in a tra n sa ction o f th a t n a tu re . C h e v re u l’ s ex ­p e r im e n ts in re g a rd to th e o s c illa t io n s o f a p e n d u lu m have n o t , as it is su p p osed , a n y b e a r in g u p o n th is ra p id action . F o r i t h a s b e e n a rg u e d , in an a tte m p te d e x p la n a t io n o f the ta b le -m o v e m e n ts , th a t M . C hevreuJ sh ew ed , th a t in h old in g th e p e n d u lu m o r a r in g , a n in se n s ib le m u scu la r m ovem ent o f th e arm set i t s l ig h t ly o s c i l la t in g ; a n d h e n c e , it is in ferred , th a t th e sam e s lig h t p ressu re fro m a w e a r ie d h an d produces a s im ilar e ffe c t u p o n a ta b le . B u t th e re is n o a n a lo g y in the tw o cases . T h e tre m u lo u s o s c illa t io n o f a r in g , w h ich is so s l ig h t th at o p t ica l illu s ion is ca lle d in , a n d th e e y e made to suppose th a t it p erce iv es a v ib ra t io n , (as in th e case o f the m a g n e te se o p e , r e sp e c t in g w h ich I g iv e n o o p in io n ,} has no­th in g in c o m m o n w ith th e m a rk e d an d ra p id ra c in g o f a ta b le . T h e co m p a riso n b e tw e e n th e tw o in s ta n ce s breaks d ow n at o n c e : fo r in th e la tte r case , s e lf -d e ce p t io n and im­p e r fe c t v is ion are n o t a d m iss ib le . I rep ea t it , th e n , that we m a y c o n s id e r th e w e ll-e s ta b lish ed fa ct o f th e rapid action o f th e ta b le as a lo n e d ec is ive o f th e q u e st io n .

A v ery s tr ik in g in c id e n t , w h ich I have r e ce iv e d from un­q u e st io n a b le a u th o r ity , p resen ts us a lso w ith s t r o n g additional p r o o f. T h e in c id e n t to o k p la ce in th e p r e s e n ce o f throe m e m b e rs o f th e A c a d e m y o f S c ie n ce s , th e B a ro n Thenard, M e ssrs . E lie d e B e a u m o n t an d B e c q u e r e l. A youD g girl, a g e d 1 4 years, (a n d I c a n n o t h e lp o b s e rv in g b y the way, th a t n u m e ro u s in sta n ces seem to sh ew th a t y o u n g persons fr o m th e a g e o f 1 4 t o 2 0 are p o w e r fu l ag en ts in producing th e p h e n o m e n o n ,) s e t a sm all ro se w o o d ta b le in m otion after an in te rv a l o f less than six minutes. I t m o v e d qu ick ly and s tro n g ly . E a ch o f th e A c a d e m ic ia n s in su cce ss io n placed his h an d s u p o n th e ta b le in o r d e r to s top th e m o v e m e n t , but the ta b le m o v e d o n . T h e m u scu lar pressure , it w ill b e observed, w as h e re d ire c te d at/ainst, a n d u o t in fa v o u r o f , th e motion.A t le n g th M . B e cq u e re l, h a v in g 1 p la ce d h is tw o han ds upon th e ta b le , r e q u e s te d : th e y n u n g i r l - t o p la ce h e r tw o hands o v e r h is, m akings'»■ ' com pldfce1 isM alibrv '{4’ isoletneTit etait com- p lit) : th a t is, n o < p ressure cO uld 'p o ss ib ly p r o c e e d from the b a n d s o f t h e y o u n g g ir l , as th e 'bands « P M : ¿ e o q u e r e l inter­v en ed . B u t th e -n a b v e m e n t ¡©f tfm-Gatolfe'JWfii) Amirtdrrupted in its co u rse . 11 u n d ersta n d 1 th a t-M '. ’ © iequevekJ tw hose judg­m e n t is o f v a lu e in q u e st io n s ' 'o f ' Jthis l*was t perfectlysatisfied w ith th e eH p ru im en f)) 'a h d v lm t ^ in ls it o r t j 't h e three

The movement» adm itted in Fi'unce. 183

A c a d e m ic ia n s n o w h clicv c in th e rea lity o f so m e ex te rn a l a n d n e w ly -d is c o v e r e d fluid.

T h e n a m e s o f o th er s c ie n tific m en , b o th in G e rm a n y a n d F r a n c e , c a n b e a d d ed to th e list o f be liev ers . D r . J . B o h m , d ir e c t o r o f th e ob se rv a to ry a t P ra g u e , assisted b y P ro fe sso r S c h le i c h e r , P r o fe sso r th e B a ro n L e o n h ard i, a n d D r . H a lla , has m a d e s e v e r a l su ccessfu l e x p e r im e n ts ,— th e resu lts o f w h ich w ere p u b l i s h e d in a sh ort le t te r . P ro fe sso r E n n e m o se r , an e s t a b l is h e d n a m e in G e rm a n y , has w ritten a le tter o n th e s u b je c t t o th e Augsburg G azette, in w h ich h e says , " T h e fo r m a t io n o f th is cha in is o f g rea t im p o r ta n ce , n o t o n ly in r e fe r e n c e t o t h e m o v em en t o f th e ta b les , b u t a lso in re sp e ct o f o t h e r e f fe c t s . M esm er was the first to throw light upon this su b ject,— w h ich is a fa ct lit t le k n o w n . I t was h e w h o fo r m e d a c h a in o f sick p erson s, and o f p e rso n s in h e a lth , a n d p r o d u c e d th e m o s t s tr ik in g resu lts . . . . T h e e ffic ien t cau se o f th e s e m a r v e l lo u s p h en om en a is n o th in g b u t e le c tr ic ity ; and th e r o t a t o r y m o v e m e n ts o f th e ta b les tow a rd s th e n orth or to w a r d s t h e s o u th are b r o u g h t a b o u t in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th e w e l l -k n o w n la w s w h ich O e rs te d t au d F a rad ay have esta ­b l is h e d .” A m i in P aris , th e tru th o f th is p h e n o m e n o n is n o w s o fu l ly a d m itte d , th a t several s c ie n tific m e n have fo r m e d th e m s e lv e s in t o a “ c o m m iss io n ” fo r th e p u rp o se o f a s ce rta in ­in g w h a t is it s ch a ra cter a n d rationale. T h is I have lea rn t th r o u g h o n e o f th e m em b ers . I n sh ort, th e fa c ts are n o w n o lo n g e r q u e s t io n e d .

A c o m b in a t io n o f c ircu m sta n ce s , th en , seem s to p ro v e th e e x is t e n c e o f a p h y s ica l e m a n a tio n fr o m th e h u m a n b o d y . A n d w it h th is p h y s ica l e m a n a tio n it w o u ld a p p ea r th a t th e ta b le s b e c o m e sa tu ra ted , a n d a c tio u co m m e n c e s . I was g la d t o o b s e r v e in th e last n u m b e r o f The Z oisl th a t th e a cu te w rite r o f t h e p a p er u p o n th e " S p ir i t -R a p p i n g s ” ca u tio u s ly a d v e r te d t o th e p o ss ib ility o f som e “ e le c tr ic a l” a g e n c y b e in g m ix e d u p w ith th e m a n œ u v res w h ich h e had w itn essed . H e h ad d e t e c t e d m u ch th a t w as false, a n d m u c h th a t was e f­f e c t e d b y d e x te r o u s ju g g le r y ; s t ill h e fe lt th a t th e r e was ju s t r o o m f o r t h e e n tra n ce o f so m e o th e r e le m e n t , a n d th a t a p o r t io n o f t h e " m a n ife sta tio n s ” m ig h t have b e e n a id ed b y e le c t r ic a l c o m b in a t io n s . " W e w rite ,” h e says, “ o f th a t o n ly w h ich w e h a v e w itn essed : o f rea l e le c tr ic p h e n o m e n a w e g iv e n o o p in io n . ” S u b se q u e n t ev en ts h a v e p r o v e d th e sa g a city o f th e w r i t e r , a n d sh ew n th e p r o b a b ility o f h is c o n je c tu r e . F o r a lo n g t i m e I have th o u g h t th a t th ere m ig h t b e a su b stra tu m o f t r u t h in th e s e " s p ir i t u a l -p e r fo r m a n c e s :” th e m a n n e r b y w h ic h t h e a lle g e d c o m m u n ica tio n s fro m th e “ s p ir i t -w o r ld 1’ w ere a c c o m p lis h e d , was d e a r ly ex p la in ed : still th ere w ere

o 2

M r. M acaulay’ * rem arks.1 8 4

p o in ts w h ich p e rp le x e d m e ; an d a m o n g th e m , w e re ce rta in ta b le -m o v e m e n ts , in w h ich , i f th e e v id e n c e w ere to h e d e ­p e n d e d u p o n , I c o u ld n o t see h o w th e o p e r a t io n s o f th e M e d iu m c a m e in to p la y . T h e m y s te ry is so lv ed b y th e se n e w p h y s io lo g ic a l fa cts .

A l l th ese d is co v e r ie s te n d to p ro v e w h a t in ju s t ic e h a s b e e n d o n e to th e m e m o ry o f M e s m e r . I n o n e o f h is m o s t c h a rm in g essa y s ,* M r . M a c a u la y h as t r u ly o b se rv e d in r e g a r d to th e fa te o f th e h era ld s o f n e w tru th s , th a t “ i t is f o r t h e in te re s t o f th e h u m a n r a c e th a t th e m e m o ry o f su ch m e n sh o u ld b e h ad in re v e re n ce , a n d th a t th e y s h o u ld b e s u p ­p o r te d ag a in st th e s c o r n and h a tr e d o f th e ir c o n t e m p o r a r ie s ; — to g o o n th e fo r lo rn h op e o f tr u th is a serv ice o f p e r i l . W h o w ill u n d e r ta k e it , i f it b e n o t a lso a se rv ice o f h o n o u r ? ” A n d , a g a in , in re sp e c t t o th e m a n n e r in w h ich a n e w t r o t h d ev e lop s itse lf , h o rn its first fa in t g lim p se s , a n d its g r a d u a l a c c u m u la t io n o f fa c ts , t i l l it sh in e s o u t u n t o a m o r e p e r fe c t d a y , M r . M a c a u la y in th e sam e essa y m a k es o b s e rv a t io n s w h ich m a y ap p ly in so m e d e g re e t o th e p ro g re ss o f m e s ­m erism , “ F irs t c o m e h in ts, th e n fr a g m e n ts o f sy s te m s , t h e n d e fe c t iv e sy stem s , th e n c o m p le te sy stem s . T h e sou n d o p i ­n io n , h e ld fo r a t im e b y o n e b o ld sp e cu la to r , b e c o m e s t h e o p in io n o f a sm a ll m in o r ity , o f a s t r o n g m in o r ity , o f a m a ­jo r i t y o f m a n k in d ,” P erh a p s, i f I w e re re q u ire d to e x p re s s th e p resen t p o s itio n o f m esm erism , I sh o u ld u se th e la n g u a g e o f M r . M a ca u la y , a n d sa y th a t it is a p p re c ia te d b y a “ s t r o n g m i n o r i t y E v e r y t h i n g ten d s to sh ew th at th e t im e is a p ­p ro a ch in g w h en it w ill b e e n te rta in e d b y a “ m a jo r it y ."

T h a t th ese ta b le -m o v e m e n ts w ill h asten th a t tim e , t h e r e c a n b e l it t le d o u b t ; p ro v id e d o n ly th a t m esm er ists b e c a u ­t io u s iu th e ir e x p e r im e n ts . E s p e c ia lly m u st th e y b e c a r e fu l n o t t o assu m e th a t in ev e ry in s ta n ce , in w h ich th e y a p p e a r t o su cce e d , th e y have su cce e d e d . P erh a p s th e rea l ca se s o f su ccess are m o r e lim ite d in n u m b e r th a n th at w h ich w e fir s t im a g in e d . I f w e b e a ll d il ig e n t in te s t in g th e tru th o f t h is

* Ewiy o n Sir Junea Msglrintosh’s History of the Revolution, Apropos o f this quotation ; among the successful table-movers in Engtand, might oe named one of our moat accomplished Bishops, an historian, who had met with nothing of the kind in the " middle ages/' and an artist of distinguished name» These wore the throe warlock# who set the table in motion* And a gentleman, who received it from one of the party, informed me that another great historian, who was present and looking on, stared at the movement of the table with namheed astonishment. Perhaps he felt so me rising misgivings u to what he bad oooe written respecting "the dipea of M earner," and r e g n t & d that he had boon " jo v e r y sure" in hie judgment! To feel ,f so very sqre” hhpself, and think every one else wrong, is one of the defects o f this great writer, who will be com­pelled to alter many of hie observations in hits Essay on BaOon*

M r. Towntkend convinced. 1 8 5

pow er] i t s rea lity w ill b e sa fe ly e s t a b lis h e d : i f w e b e h asty , im p a t ie n t , a n d in ju d ic io u s , th e e n e m y w ill ava il h im s e lf o f o a r b lu n d e r s , a n d a r e a c t io n a g a in s t m e sm er ism b e th e in ­ev ita b le re su lt .

A s 1 am w e ll aw a re o f th e e x tr e m e a n d co n s c ie n t io u s ca u tion w h ic h y o n y o u r s e lf e x e rc ise in th e e x a m in a tio n o f every a l le g e d fa c t , I a m n o t ce rta in th a t y o u w ill b e p rep a red to g o n lo n g w ith m e iu m y b e lie f. I w e ll k n o w , w hat an ig n o r a n t w o r ld d oes n o t k n o w , th a t w h ile y o u r m e d ica l a d ­versaries e n d e a v o u r to re p re s e n t y o n as b e in g p re c ip ita te in y ou r d e c is io n s , y o u are o n e o f th e m o s t p a tie n t, th e m ost ca u tiou s, a n d th e m o s t c o r r e c t o f o b s e r v e r s ; an d th e re fo re I sca rce ly e x p e c t y o u r fu ll a d h e s io n t o th is n ew ta b le -h y p o ­thesis. B u t a t a n y ra te , w h eth er y o n a g re e w ith m e o r n o t ; and w h e th e r y o u th in k m y u n sc ie n t ific o p in io n s d eserv in g o f p u b lica t io n o r n o t , I m u st a lw a ys su b s cr ib e m y se lf,

M y d ea r E llio ts o n ,Y o u r s in ce re a d m irer a n d fr ien d ,

Gjegkoe S a n d b y .

V I I I . On Table M oving. B y th e R e v . Chauncy H are T o w n sh e n d , A le t te r t o D r . E llio ts o n .

“ In answer to tie lady who style* herself the W \ f* o f a n U . D . , we beg to tUte that we cannot discuss in our columns the subject she has noticed. We reply, however, to her questions in the order that they stand. Iu answer to No, I. We say no.— In reply to No. 2 . Mechanical pressure.— 3. A deception, —(. No.—5. A juggle like mesmerism and homoeopathy.” —Mr. V i'rtu v . I m c e t , J a n a 11, 1BS3.

1 Received th e fo l lo w in g le t te r fr o m M r . T o w n s h e o d in th e m id d le o f M a y : a n d , th o u g h I have n o a u th o r ity t o p u b lish it, I fo r w a rd it t o The Zoist, w ith th e su p p re ss io n o f so m e nam es : fo r , l ik e a ll th a t M r . T o w n s h e n d w rites, it is t o o ch a rm in g ly w ritten to b e lo s t , an d I k n o w h e w ill p a rd o n m e .

J oh n E lliotson .

M o n L o is ir , L a u sa n n e .M y d e a r E l l io ts o n ,— I t h i p f c y o u w ill lik e to h ear th a t I

am sa fe ly a rr iv ed , -,jo u r n e y , a t m y o ldquarters a t Lausazuifit m i L b a yOjj tdi^uAOHlBtbing to te l l y o u w hich I th in k 1 fife n d w U th e w orld h ere

w orld ; d id n o t ta k em u ch hefedf 6 f f r i e ^ i o f 'i i m n e , o n w h o m I

186 M r. Towns head’s experiments.

to ld m e th a t h e h ad h im s e lf assisted at a ta b le -m o v in g , a n d h a d n o d o u b t o f th e re a lity o f th e p h e n o m e n o n . H e w a s k in d e n o u g h to ta k e m e to th e la d y 's h o u se w h ere th e e x p e ­r im e n ts w ere m a d e — M a d a m e d e S ---------'a . T h e e x p e r im e n tsw e re m a d e o n a sm a ll r o u n d ta b le , o r guiridon, ( s o m e ­th in g lik e a la d y ’ s w ork ta b le ,) o n th r e e le g s , without c a s to rs , ( t im e o n e o 'c l o c k in th e d a y .) F ir s t th e tw o M e d lle s . d eS -------- l ig h t ly la id th e ir h a n d s , not to u c h in g e a ch o th e r , o nth e ta b le , a n d in a b o u t a m in u te it b eg a n to tu rn . I w a s th e n in v ite d to p la ce ray h a n d s a lso o n th e ta b le , a n d I t r ie dto s top it , b u t c o u ld n o t . T h e n S ir C -------- S --------- p u t h ish an d s o n th e ta b le , an d w e o fte n sh ifte d h an d s, a n d o n e o r o th e r w ith d rew fr o m th e t a b le ; b u t it k e p t m o v in g r o u n d w ith a cce le ra te d v e lo c ity , a n d I w as fo r ce d to ru n to k e e p p a ce w ith it . T h e n , b y d e g re e s , all le ft th e ta b le e x c e p tth e y o u n g e s t M iss d e S -------- , w h o a lso g ra d u a lly w ith d r e wev ery fin g e r b u t o n e ; a n d s t ill th e ta b le k e p t o n , n o r c e a se d t i l l sh e w ith d rew th at last f in g e r . B u t th e s tra n g e st p a r tw as th a t S ir C -------- S -------- by his will, e ith e r e x p ressed o rm en ta l, c o u ld m a k e th e ta b le p e r fo rm v ariou s fea ts . A t h is w ill, it s to p p e d , o r w e n t o n . A t h is w ill, it le a n t o v e r t o th is sid e o r th at s id e , o r b a la n ce d it s e lf o n o n e o r tw o le g s , o r s tru ck s o m a n y t im e s o n th e flo o r w ith o n e le g , o r a d ­v a n ced tow a rd s th e w in d o w , in a s id e lin g w ay— m a k in g d e m i- tou rs to th e r ig h t a n d le ft . I am quite sure th e re w as n ot r ic k in th is . S ir C -------- is in ca p a b le o f it , a n d th e M is s e sd e S -------- seem ed m u ch g r iev ed in sp e a k in g o f th e w a y th e yh a d b e e n su sp e cte d . I f S ir C -------- w ille d th e ta b le t o le a no v e r , I tr ie d t o s top i t on th e o th e r s id e ; b u t it s e e m e d a l­w ays im p e lle d b y su p e r io r fo r ce . I d id n o t d o u b t o f th e r e a lit y o f th e p h e n o m e n a . W e first tr ie d th e ta b le on a b o a r d e d f lo o r (parquetSj a n d th e n o n th e carp et. I t w as lo n g e r b e f o r e i t tu rn e d o n th e c a r p e t ; b u t , o n ce in m o t io n , i t s e e m e d t o g o r o u n d w ith ev en m ore v e lo c ity .

O n arr iv in g a t h o m e , I to o k a Bin a ll, b u t , fo r its s iz e , a h ea v y ta b le , w ith a n o c ta g o n to p , o n e fo o t fo u r in c h e s across . I t has th ree h eavy c la w leg s , w ith o u t ca s to rs , a n d th e w o o d is v ery ro u g h u n d e rn e a th . I t m oves w ith d if f ic u lty , a n d I c a n h a rd ly p u sh it r o u n d in a n o rd in a ry w a y . I p la ce d it in a ro o m without a ca rp e t, a n d ca lle d in m y m a n H e n r y a n d o n e o f th e m a ids . I th e n , w ith o u t s a y in g w h a t I w ish ed to e ffe ct , m a d e th em p la ce th e ir h a n d s lightly o n th e t a b le ; I a lso p la ce d m in e , s o as t o to u ch lit t le fin gers all ro u n d . W c all stood u p , as in th e fo r m e r e x p e r im e n t . A t first in d e e d I sat, b u t w h en th e ta b le b e g a n to m o v e , in a b o u t fo u r m in u tes , I g o t u p . M y servan ts w ere a s ton ish ed . T h e

187Som e have an opposing pow er.

ta b le w e n t q u ic k ly r o u n d . T h e y th o u g h t I w as p u sh in g it . N o ! I w as c a r r ie d w ith it , a n d it a lw ays se e m e d to m ov e m o r e q u ic k ly th a n I , a n d I c o u ld h a rd ly k e e p p a ce w ith it . M y m a n H e n r y , ra th er a cu te ly , a sk ed m e to ta k e o f f m y le ft h a n d . I d id s o ; a n d so d id w c all s u c c e s s iv e ly ; a n d y e t as l o n g as a n y tw o h a n d s w ere o n it, it m o v e d ro u n d .

I n t h e e v e n in g I tr ie d a sq u a re ta b le , o n e fo o t n in e iu eh es b y o n e f o o t t w o an d a h a lf in ch e s , w ith fo u r le g s , w ith ou t ca s to rs , a n d o n a carpeted floor . I tr ie d it by m yself (s it t in g d o w n ) , a n d in a b o u t tw e n ty m in u te s it b e g a n to m o v e , b u t s lo w ly . I r a n g fo r m y m a n , a n d h e p u t h is h an d s o n i t a lso, w h e n instantly it b e g a n to r o ta te w ith su ch v e lo c ity th a t w e w e re f o r c e d t o ru n , a n d I b e c a m e g id d y a n d w as o b l ig e d to ce a s e . I m u s t o b se rv e w e a ll fe lt t in g lin g s in th e tip s o f th e f in g e r s , a u d , a fter I h ad le ft o ff, I fe lt a p e cu lia r fa t ig u e as i f 1 h a d b e e n m e sm er is in g . O n o n e o c ca s io n 1 w illed th e ta b le t o s t o p , a u d it s t o p p e d ; b u t I c o u ld n o t m a k e it lea n o v e r , b y m y w ill, t o th e sid e I w is h e d : o n ly o n c e , I w illed it t o le a n t o m y side , a n d in a b o u t a m in u te it le a n t o v e r r a th e r a w a y fr o m m e , ju s t as I h a d fo r g o t te n 1 h ad w illed a n y t h in g .

Y e s t e r d a y , I c a lle d o n M is s H -------- , L o r d B -------- ’ s sister,a la d y o f m u c h in te lle c t , a n d n o t a t a ll o f a c re d u lo u s d is ­p o s i t io n . A s I had h eard o f h a t -m o v in g , I a sk ed h er i f she w o u ld t r y i t ; sh e a g re e d , a n d c a lle d iu h e r m a id t o h e lp . M y h a t w a s p la ced o n a ta b le , r im u p w ard s. W e p la ce d o u r f in g e r s v ery lightly o n th e r im , a n d in th ree o r fo u r m in u te s it b e g a n t o ro ta te , t o th e m a id 's g re a t a s ton ish m en t. W c h ad t o m o v e v e ry q u ic k ly to k e e p p a ce w ith i t ; a n d I o n ly s to p p e d th r o u g h a fe e lin g o f s ick n ess a n d g id d in e ss w h ich i tp r o d u c e s iu m e . M iss H ---------w as p e r fe c t ly c o n v in ce d . Y o usee , f r o m t h e sh ortn ess o f th e t im e , th e r e is n o q u e st io n o f fa t ig u e , o r o f w e ig h in g h e a v ily fr o m fa t ig u e o u th e h a t o r ta b le . T h e u n b e lie v e rs , a ll o f w h o m w ill o n ly look on and not t r y t h e th in g th e m s e lv e s , ex p la in it b y sp a sm od ic n erv ou s a c t io n , m u sc u la r c o n t r a c t io n , See. I ca n n o t a d m it th is e x ­p la n a t io n , as I h ave s e e n th e ta b le m o v e b y th e c o n t a c t o f one f in g e r , an d I know th a t m y o w n h an d s s o to u c h e d th e ta b le t h a t th e y w o u ld ra th e r h a v e s to p p e d it th a n o th e rw is e in a n o r d in a r y w a y . S o m e p e rso n s seem to e x e rc ise a n e g a ­t iv e p o w e r . M r . B --------, a c le rg y m a n h e re , te lls m e th a th e believes in th e th in g — th a t h e wishes t o b e o n e o f th e t a b le -m o v e r s , b u t th at, in va ria b ly , i f h e is p resen t in a ch a ir , o r i f h e o n l y to u c h e s a m o v in g ta b le , it s top s . O th ers , l ik eS ir C ----------S -----------, have g rea t p os itiv e p ow er. T h e p ow er, Ia m t o l d , is d e v e lo p e d b y ex ercise . S ir C -------- te lls m e th a t

1 8 8 M esm eric effects.

a t M a d lle . d e S---------Js a la rg e w e ig h ty m a n w as p la ce d in th ec e n tre o f a c ir c le w ith fin g ers to u c h in g h im . A fte r a t im e h e b e g a n ir re s is t ib ly t o rev o lv e : b u t h e fe lt v e ry i l l a fte r th ee x p e r im e n t , a n d was fo r c e d to g o to b e d . M a d lle . d e S --------sh ew ed m e a v ery la r g e r o u n d ta b le in h e r d ra w in g r o o m w h ich b y a s it t in g p a rty w ith lit t le fin g e rs in c o n ta c t (th o u g h th is d o e s n o t s e e m to b e a n essen tia l) w as m a d e t o m o r e in fo r ty m in u te s , s o th a t a lo o s e ca rp e t, o n w h ich i t stan d s, above a fixed ca rp e t, w as all ro lle d r o u n d th e le g s . T h e tim e o f m o v in g seem s to b e a r a re la tion to th e s ize o f th e ta b le a n d th e n u m b e r o f p erson s , p e rh a p s aU o to th e m e s m e r ic p o w e r o f th e p erson s.

M a d lle . d e S-------- , t o shew th a t n o b o d y pushed .the ta b le ,p u t d ra u g h tsm e n a ll r o u n d i t ( in m y p r e se n ce ), a n d th e n w e la id o u r fin g ers o n th e d ra n g h ts , a n d th e ta b le m ov ed a ll th e s a m e ; w hereas y o u k n o w , h a d w e p u sh ed , th e d ra u g h ts w ou ld have m o v e d . A sh eet o f p a p e r la id o n th e ta b le sh ew s th e sa m e th in g , fo r , i f o n e p u sh e d , th e sh e e t w o u ld b e cru m p le d . 1 a m in d e e d a lm ost c o n v in c e d th a t th ese p h e ­n o m e n a are m e s m e r ic d e v e lo p m e n ts . O f co u r se I sh a ll i n ­v estig a te th e m fu rth e r . T h e M iss e s d e C -------- have o f t e nm a d e h ats revo lv e b y lig h t ly to u c h in g th e r im s . T h e y t r ie d w ith tw o la rg e ta b les a t th e E lysée, an d w ith tw o p a rt ie s s it t in g r o u n d th e m . T h e re w as n o m o t io n : b u t in a b o u t tw e n ty m in u te s a la d y at ea ch ta b le fe l l in to th e m e s m e r icstate . O n e w as M a d a m e d e B -------- , th e o th e r M is s L ---------d e C -------- ; an d it is cu r io u s th a t th e y c o u ld o n ly b e a w a k en edb y th e g e n t le m a n w h o h ad sat, n o t next, b u t opposite, t o th e m .M r . L -------- d 'H ---------- c o u ld a lo n e w ake M a d a m e d e B --------- ,a n d M r . d e B -------- c o u ld a lon e w ak e M is s d e C ---------- . O t h e rs in g u la r p h e n o m e n a w ere d e v e lo p e d , su ch as a ttra c tio n a n d r e p u ls io n , s ig h t w ith c lo se d e y es , & c . A t a n o th e r tr ia l a n o ­th e r la d y w as s im ila r ly a ffected .

I th in k I have n o w t o ld y o u m o s t o f o u r e x p e r ie n ce s , a n d n o w I b e g o f y o u to try th e th in g you rself an d w ith reliable p e o p le , a n d th e n p ray le t m e k n o w th e resu lt . N o t h in g is so easy as to try w ith a h at o r small ta b le , a n d I h a v e n e v e r fo u n d th e tr ia l la st so lo n g as ev en te n m in u tes . I o b s e rv e ,a n d s o d id th e M is s e s d e S -------- , th a t y o u m u st g iv e a c e r ta inattention t o th e ta b le a n d c o n c e n tra te th e will, a s in m e s ­m er ism , a n d th a t , i f y o u Tenait a tte n tio n , th e ta b le e it h e r g o e s m o r e s lo w ly o r s top s a lto g e th e r . T h e y say y o u m u s t n o t le t an y o f th e c ir c le to u ch th e ta b le w ith th e ir c lo th e s , only w ith th e t ip s o f th e fin gers. I o b serv ed fr e q u e n t ly th a t th e ta b le w o u ld s to p in th e m id st o f ra p id m o t io n , p e rh a p s fr o m so m e su d d e n oessa tion o f th e n ecessa ry conditions f o r it s

E ffects like those o f M esm erism . 1 8 9

m o t io n . W h e n once th e ta b le h as b e e n a ffe c te d , it aeem sm u ch m o r e ea sy to d o i t a g a in . A t M iss H -------- ’ * w e w ereo v e r t h r e e m in u te s b e fo r e th e h a t r o ta te d . T h e n w e to o k sw a y o n r h a n d s (a t M is s H . 's su g g e s t io n ), a n d , o n r e p la c in g th em , th e h a t w e n t r o u n d a g a in in a fe w se c o n d s . I d o really in fe r th e a c t io n o f a flu id fr o m a ll th is , a n d a ce rta in a c c u m u la t io n o f flu id (o r v ib ra to ry a c t io n o f a f lu id , o r m e ­d iu m ). T h e f lu id o r m e d iu m is n o t e le c tr ic , b e ca u se M r , B o s se t (a b e lie v e r ) tr ie d w ith an e le c tr o m e te r i f e le c tr ic ity w ere p r e s e n t , b u t it c o u ld n o t b e d e te c te d . T h is , h ow ev er , d oes n o t p r o v e th at th e m esm eric medium is n o t p re se n t . I can o n ly sa y , a ll m y o w n sen sa tion s in t r y in g th e e x p e r im e n t are m esm eric. I e x p e r ie n ce a te n s io n o f w i l l ; I a m se n s ib le o f a n a c t i o n th a t passes fr o m m y b ra in to th e t a b l e ; I fe e l m e s m e r ic fa t ig u e a fte r th e e x e rt io n . S o m e m a y sa y , “ A l l im a g in a t i o n ! " b n t I k n o w m y o w n sen sa tion s . I t is tru e that t h e B ligh t n a u sea a n d h e a d -a ch e m a y b e th e re su lt o f m ere c i r c u la r m o v e m e n t, b u t not o th e r v ery m a rk ed sen sa -ta t io n s th a t I h av e . A n d S ir C -------- S ---------- says h e c a n n o tbe m is t a k e n as t o th e peculiar se n se o f fa t ig u e h e h as fo r som e h o u r s a fte r e x e r t in g h is pow er.

--------- la u g h s at i t a ll, a u d (th o u g h h e h as n o t e v e n seenit) sa y s th a t n o n e b u t g ir ls , w o m e n , o r w e a k -m in d e d m e n b e lie v e in i t . T h e n a m I , I fear, a w e a k -m in d e d m a n .

E v e r a ffe c t io n a te ly y o u rs ,C . H a b e T o w n s h e n d .

* * * A f t e r I had r e ce iv e d M r . S a n d b y 's le t te r , I w ro te t o M r . T o w n s h e n d , r e q u e s t in g t o k n o w w h e th e r h e h ad m a d e a n y m o r e e x p e r im e n ts . T h e fo l lo w in g is h is re p ly .

' John E lliotson.

M o n L o ie ir , 1 9 th J u n e , 1 8 5 3 .M y d e a r E U io ts o u ,— I h av e lit t le m o r e to re la te re sp e c t in g

th e t u r n i n g ta b le s . In d e e d , I have fo u n d th a t t o t r y th e e x p e r im e n t o fte n is v e ry ex h a u stin g . N o r am I th e o n lyp e r s o n w h o e x p e r ie n ce s th is e ffect . M y c o u s in , M a jo r L -------- ,w h o i s s t a y in g h e re , a fte r ass is tin g a t a su ccess fu l e x p e r im e n t, d e c la r e d th a t , th e n e x t m o r n in g , h e fe lt as i f h e h a d been d a n c in g a l l n ig h t at a b o ll. T h e e v e n in g w e tr ie d th e e x p e ­r im e n t M is s H ■— h e lp e d u s , a n d fo u r s to o d r o u n d a sm all o c t a g o n t a b le w ith th re e le g s . A f t e r it h a d tu r n e d aw h ile , w e , h a l f jo k in g ly , d es ired th e ta b le t o te ll th e M a jo r ’s a g e , w h e n i t im m e d ia te ly ce a se d re v o lv in g , a n d b e g a n w ith o n e

1 9 0 D ifferent from muscular effect.

le g to strik e . I t w as th e le g n e x t M iss H ---------. T h e le gstru ck o u th e g r o u n d th ir ty t im e s . T h e M a jo r sa id h e w a n te d tw o d a y s o f b e in g t h ir t y : b u t , on e n q u iry , th is c a m eo u t, n a m ely , th a t I fa n c ie d h e was tw e n ty -e ig h t , M iss H ---------w ish ed th e ta b le to s tr ik e tw e n ty -n in e , b u t M a jo r L ---------h im se lf, th in k in g h e w as fa ir ly th ir ty , h ad w ish e d th e t a b le t o s tr ik e th ir ty tim es . S o it lo o k s as i f th e M a jo r ’ s w ill o v e rp o w e re d o u r ’ s. I m ust o b serv e , th a t h e s to o d o n o n e s id e , w h ere h e c o u ld less in flu e n ce , m u scu la r ly , th e ta b le th an an y o n e e lse . T h is e x p e r im e n t w as m a d e s o p a ssive ly a n d q u ie t ly as t o seem m o re c o n v in c in g th an m o s t o th e r s , as t o th e p re se n ce o f so m e p ecu lia r m o tiv e p ow er.

I m u st te ll y o u fa ir ly th a t I have so m e tim e s h a d m y d o u b ts w h e th e r som e in v o lu n ta ry m u scu la r a c t io n d id not in flu e n ce th e t a b le ; b u t , as fa r as I have y e t seen , th ere is a l­w ays a resid u a l p h e n o m e n o n — a s o m e th in g w h ich th e th e o ry o f m u scu la r a c t io n d o e s n o t e x a c t ly so lve . T h e e x p er im en t w it!) th e d ra u g h tsm e n seem ed d ec is iv e as to th e fa c t that th e re w as n o p u s h in g ; a lso , th e re v o lv in g o f th e h ea v y square ta b le at M r . d e C -------- ’ s ap peared in co m p a t ib le w ith th e m a ­ter ia l m o tiv e fo r ce e m p lo y e d . T h is w as p a rticu la r ly m a n ifest w h en th e ta b le c h a n g e d its m o t io n fr o m r ig h t to le ft in to a m o t io n fr o m le ft t o r ig h t . T h e re was then a lw ays a m om en t w h e n it w as still, an d w o u ld , u n d e r o rd in a ry c ircu m sta n ces , h a v e req u ired a g re a t a m ou n t o f n ew im p e tu s to se t it g o in g a g a in in a n e w d ir e c t io n . F o r , re m e m b e r , th is w as a table w h ich o u r u n ite d fo r ce s c o u ld n o t m a k e re v o lv e , w h en i t waso n c e at rest, b y m e re p u sh in g . T h e n , M r . H -------- te lls meth a t h is n ep h ew , M r . F -------- M ---------- , has w ritten t o sa y thath e c o n v in c e d h im s e lf th ere w as m o re in m o v in g ta b les than is d rea m t o f in th e m u scu la r p h ilo so p h y , b y s e t t in g h is little c h ild re n to tu rn a h ea v y la rg e ro u n d ta b le , w h ich th e y cou ld n o t m o v e u n d e r o rd in a ry c ircu m sta n ce s . I t m o v e d in less th a n fo r ty m in u tes , a n d , w hile it was in ra p id r e v o lu t io n , he p la ce d h im s e lf on th e to p o f th e ta b le , an d sat th e re w ith his w h o le w e ig h t, a fte r w h ich it w e n t ro u n d as b e fo r e . H e then rem a rk s, “ I h a rd ly lik e to say I b e liev e ,— y e t h o w res is t the e v id e n ce s o f m y senses ?iJ

S in c e I w ro te , w e have tr ie d h e re th e o ld s c h o o lb o y trick o f l i f t in g u p a m a n w ith o n ly th e e ig h t fo re fin g e rs o f four p erson s , w h en th e p a tie n t a n d h is bea rers b rea th e tog eth er . T h e e x tre m e lig h tn e ss o f th e lifte d p e rso n is re m a rk a b le , and h as n e v e r b e e n a c c o u n te d fo r . M a y th e re n o t b e s o m e m es­m e r ic a g e n cy , h e re , a id in g th e m u scu la r ?

W e k n o w th at th e m u scles a re o n ly m o v e d b y th e nerves an d b y n e u ro -g a lv a n ism . N o w th is la st p o w e r m a y possib ly

191Tables moved and spirits departed.

je c o n t i n u e d o n , o u t o f th e m ere a n im a l fra m e , ao aa t o c o n ­s t i t u t e in ita e lf a m o t iv e a g e n c y . A n d th ia w ill n o t seem w o n d e r f u l t o a m esm er ist , w h o ao o fte n p r o je c ts a fo r ce b e y o n d b i s o w n b o d y .

M i n d , I sa y a ll th is o n ly p r o b le m a t ica lly , a n d ae a se e k e r a f t e r t r u t h . I lo n g t o k n o w th e resu lt o f your e x p e r ie n c e .

E v e r , m y d ea r E llio ts o n ,Y o u r s m o s t fa ith fu lly ,

C. H ah e T o w n sh k n u .

I X . The D eparted Spirits. B y D r . E l lio tso n .

“ Black spirits and white,Rad spirits and grey,

Mingle, mingle, mingle,You that mingle umy.1'

" Whither are they vanished f Into the air s and what seemed corporeal, tnelta aa breath into the wind. Would they hod staid."

M a c b e t h ,

■1 Solventur risu tabule; —’ ’H o b a t iu s .

T h e t a b l e s a re b e y o n d a ll d o u b t tu r n e d a n d tb e sp ir its h ave b e e n s c a t t e r e d an d m a d e to van ish fo r e v e r fr o m th e rea lm s o f r e a l i t y . E v e ry b o d y n o w seea th e ta b les tu rn iu h is ow n d w e l l i n g , b e i t B u c k in g h a m P a la ce o r a ro o m w h ich serves fo r k i t c h e n a n d p a rlo u r an d a ll, and c a n b e a r te s t im o n y to su ch fa c t s a s a r e d e s cr ib e d b y m y tw o fr ie n d s th e c le r g y m e n w h o h a v e w r it t e n to m e o n th e s u b je c t . W e are n o t in d e b te d t o p h i lo s o p h e r s fo r e ith e r th e o r ig in a l d is co v e r y o r ev en o n e o f t h e e n d le s s in s ta n ce s w h ich h ave e s ta b lish ed t b e fa c t . T h e y h a v e b e e n o b l ig e d , lik e m ed ica l m e n in tb e case o f m e s m e r is m , in sp ite o f p r e ju d ic e to a d m it i t ; b u t h a v e as­c r i b e d i t t o m u scu la r p u s h in g , e x erted u n c o n s c io u s ly . T h e y h a v e , h o w e v e r , b e e n t h e v e ry la st t o g o an d w itn ess th e m o v e m e n t s ; a n d it is r e p o r te d th at th e g rea t A le x a n d e r H u m b o l d t o n c e p r o n o u n c e d th e a ssertion s to b e n on sen se , s a y i n g th a t h e h a d in h is lo n g li fe h eard o f s tra n g e fa c ts w h i c h h a d tu rn e d o u t t o b e u n fo u n d e d , a n d th at h e was t o o o l d t o b e c a u g h t w ith c h a f f ; n a y , it is r e p o r te d th at, w h en a p a r t y w e re m a k in g t h e ta b le s s p in in th e p a la ce a t B e r lin , h e r e f u s e d to g o f r o m a n a d jo in in g r o o m t o see th e m , n o t ­w i t h s t a n d in g th a t a t le n g t h th e k in g le f t th e p a rty a n d e n ­t r e a t e d h im .

A s in th e ca se o f m e sm e r ism , th e p u b lic h a v e b e a te n t b e l e a r n e d .

It

1 9 2 Some have pushed.

W h e n th e y c o u ld n o lo n g e r d e n y th e m y ria d s o f f r e s h instances., th e y d e te rm in e d , w ith o u t s e e in g o n e , th a t a l l r e ­su lte d fro m p u s h in g ; th o u g h , th e y d id n o t a ttem p t t o a c c u s e th e p u sh ers o f fra u d . T h e ta b le s c o u ld n o t b e ca lled , b y M r . W a k le y a n d o th e rs , v ile im p o sto rs , as th e tw o O k e y s w e r e — are n o t h y s te r ica l fe m a le s , d e s ir in g n o t o r ie t y : m o s t h a v e lu ck ily m o r e th a n tw o le g s t o stan d u p o n . T h e o p e r a t o r s , n o t b e lo n g in g t o a p a rt icu la r p ro fe ss io n , a s u n fo r t u n a t e ly I d o , w ere n o t assa iled b y p ro fe ss io n a l sp ite o n th e p a r t o f th e ir o p p o n e n t s : b u t th e fa cts w e re k in d ly e x p la in e d . T h e Leader n ew sp a p er ad v ertized th a t o n th e n e x t S a t u r d a y i t w o u ld e x p la in th e m a tte r o n p h y s io lo g ic a l p r in c ip le s : a n d t h e se c re ta ry o f th e R o y a l In s t itu t io n , th e R e v . M r . B a r lo w , o n th e e v e n in g b e fo r e th e Leader ca m e o u t, w h en th e a u d ie n c e w e re a ssem b led in th e In s t itu t io n fo r th e le c tu re , a s t o n is h e d e v e ry b o d y b y a d v a n c in g t o th e ta b le b e fo r e th e l e c t u r e r 's arriva l a n d b e g g in g th e m , fo r th e e x p la n a t io n o f th e t a b l e - m o v in g , w h ic h n o b o d y was th in k in g o f a n d w h ich d id n o t re la te in th e lea st t o th e su b je c t o f th e le c tu re , t o c o n s u l t a le c tu re d e livered a y e a r a g o b y D r . C a rp e n te r r e a lly o n “ E le c t r o -B io lo g y ,” a n d a ch a p te r b y D r . H o lla n d o n t h e e ffe c ts o f e x p e c ta n t a tte n tio n — n e ith e r au th or b e in g a t a l l o r ig in a l in th is a n y m ore th a n in a n y th in g e lse h e h as w r i t ­t e n ; f o r C h e v re u l m a n y y ea rs a g o p o in te d o u t th e o c c u r ­r e n c e o f u n c o n s c io u s v o lu n ta ry m u scu la r a c t io n , a n d a f t e r h im The Z oist re p e a te d ly p o in te d o u t th a t w e n o t o n ly m a y w ill u n c o n s c io u s ly , b u t m a y ta k e in k n o w le d g e u n c o n s c io u s ly , re ta in it u n c o n s c io u s ly , an d a ct in u n c o n s c io u s c o n s e q u e n c e o f it , a n d a ct u n c o n s c io u s ly . M r . B a r lo w seem ed a n x io u s t o b e before^ h a n d w ith th e Leader.

N o w I a m su re th a t so m e cases o f th is tu r n in g are th e resu lt o f u n c o n s c io u s m u scu la r m o v e m e n t. A g e n t le m a n a rrived in E n g la n d th r e e w eek s a g o , h e a rd o f th e s u b je c t f o r th e first t im e , a n d im m e d ia te ly fo u n d th a t h e t o r n e d h is h at, th o u g h h e w as ce rta in th at h e d id n o t in te n d it . H e fe lt h is a rm s g ro w stiff, an d e v e n h is fin g ers , b e fo r e th e h at m o v ed . W e b o th tr ie d to g e th e r . T h e h at in tw o m in u te s b e g a n to ro ta te , b u t h e fe lt , a n d d id th e m o m e n t b e fo re fe e l, th e stiff­n ess . W e b e g a n a g a in , a n d I m a n a g e d th a t h e s h o u ld p la ce th e p o in t o f o n e o f h is f in g e rs ju s t u p o n th e seam o f th e le a th e r w h ich lie s a ro u n d th e in s id e o f th e h a t : w h ile th e h a t m o v e d , I fo u n d th a t h is f in g e r g o t in a d v a n ce o f th e seam j s o th at h e c le a r ly p u sh ed th e h a t r o u n d , th o u g h u n ­c o n s c io u s ly : a n d th is ob serv a tion I r e p e a te d ly m a d e in su b ­se q u e n t e x p e r im e n ts . Im p re sse d w ith th is id e a , I have re p e a te d ly e x p e r im e n te d a lon e u p on a h a t : an d a lw ays at

Some have not pushed. 1 9 8

le n g th m o v e d i t , b u t c lea r ly pu sh it , (th o u g h u n in te n t io n a lly a n d u n c o n s c io u s ly ,) f o r m y h an d s a lw a ys g e t o n fa s ter th an th e h a t , a n d have som etim es m a d e a su d d e n s lip fo rw a rd s . O th e r s h a v e n o t ic e d ev en m y sh o u ld e rs to a d v a n ce b e fo r e th e h at. O n a n o c ca s io n o f a ta b le m o v in g d o w n w a rd s so m a n y t im e s , in s t e a d o f rap p in g s b e in g m a d e , t o an sw er n u m e rica l q u e s t io n s , I o b se rv e d th e b a n d o f th e y o n n g la d y , o n th e s id e w h ich m o v e d d ow n w a rd s , n o t m o v e w ith th e ta b le o r a fte r it , b u t b e f o r e i t : a n d h e re a ll w as a p p a re n tly d e c e p t io n .

B u t m a y n o t su ch m o v e m e n ts fr e q u e n t ly resu lt fr o m so m e o th e r c a u s e — fro m an o c c u lt e n e rg y ? T h e r e are th e fa c ts r e c o r d e d b y M r . T o w n s h e n d a n d M r . S a n d b y . A v e ry la rg e n u m b e r o f p e rso n s w h o have m o v e d ta b les , a n d o f o th e rs w h o have w itn e s s e d th e m o v e m e n ts , r id ic u le t o m e th e id e a o f th is e x p la n a t io n . T h e y k n o w o f th e e x p la n a t io n b e fo r e th e y m a k e t h e e x p e r im e n t : an d are m o s t ca re fu l th a t th e t ip s o f th e f in g e r s sh a ll to u c h th e ta b le in th e lig h te s t p o ss ib le w a y , so t h a t y o u m a y a lm o st see b e tw e e n th e fin g ers a n d th e ta b le . A s t r o n g e f f o r t w ou ld b e re q u ire d to m o v e som e o f th e h eavy ta b le s , a n d y e t th e y o r e conscious that they make no effort, a n d t h e b y s ta n d e r s a re sa tis fied th a t th e r e is n o ex p re ss io n o f e f fo r t . S o m e a lso assu re m e th a t , w h en th e y rea lly a tte m p t to m o v e t h e ta b le , th ey fee l a h eavy w e ig h t as w ell as an e f f o r t : w h e r e a s “ th e g e n u in e ta b le -tu r n in g is q u ite l ig h t t o th e h a n d a n d a t th e tim e so m e p erson s fee l a c u r io u s p r ic k in g o f th e fin g ers a n d a so r t o f c h il ly h e a t : a n d som e , as s o o n a s i t m o v e s , e v e n w h en it first c ra ck s , as it o fte n d o e s b e fo r e i t m o v e s , e x p e r ie n ce th is sen sa tion an d w ish fo r fre sh a ir . O n e m o s t tru th fu l y o u n g la d y te lls m e , a n d o th e rs h ave m a d e s im i la r rem ark s, th a t , h a v in g m o v e d a la rg e ta b le a g o o d d e a l o n e e v e n in g , it b e ca m e so su sce p t ib le th at th e y h a d o n l y t o to u c h it w ith th e v e ry t ip s o f th e fin g e rs , a n d i t w o u ld g o r a p id ly ; a lw a y s h ow ev er c r a c k in g fir s t .* In som e

* Mr. Dolton, of Kelmareh, Northampton, his loudly reminded me of the following passage, which is the concluding sentence of Newton's P r i n c i p i a :—

“ Allow roe to add a few words respecting s very subtle spirit which pervades •olid bodies and dwells in them : by its power and action the particles of bodies mutually attract each other at very email distances, and, becoming contiguous, cohere : and electrical bodies act at greater distances, both repelling and attract, mg neighbouring small bodies : and it is emitted from these, reflected, repelled, inflected, and it heats them : and all sensation is excited, and the voluntary mo­tion o f the limbs of animals is prod need, by the vibrations of this spirit that are propagated through the solid fibrils of the nerves from the external organs of sense to tbe brain SDd from the brain to the muscles. But a few words will not suffice for this subject; nor are we yet iu possession of experiments enough to determine the laws of this spirit accurately."

■* Adjicere jam liceret nonnulla de spiritu quodam subtUissimo corpora erases pervadente, et in iisdem latente; enjus vi ct actionibus particulm corporutn ad

1 9 4 I m yself unsuccessful.

cases th e fin gers are co n v u lse d b e fo r e th e m o v e m e n t b e g in s , a n d th e o p e ra to r is o u t o f sorts a fterw ard s . O n e g e n t le m a n t o ld m e th a t b e fo re th e m o v e m e n t b e g in s h e fe e ls a n u n c o m ­fo r ta b le sen sa tion d o w n o n e s id e th a t ceases w h en th e m o v e ­m e n ts c o m m e n c e . I have seen o n e ca se , an d h ea rd o f o th e r s , in w h ich o n e h an d h ad b e c o m e r ig id ly c lo s e d fo r w e e k s a fte r th e e x p e r im e n t. In th e case r e s p e c t in g w h ich I w as c o n ­su lte d , th e th u m b s o f each p erson h ad b e e n p la ce d o n t h e ta b le a n d th e h an d g ra sp ed b y th e n e x t p erson in th e c ir c le .* T h e e x tre m e fa c ility w ith w h ich a ta b le , o n w h ich th e f in g e r s o r h a n d s h a d re ste d till m o t io n to o k p la ce , is l i fte d b y t h e t ip s o f th e fin gers u n d e r it , w ith as s lig h t c o n t a c t as p o s s ib le , has b e e n m e n tio n e d to m e b y several e x p e r im e n t e r s : o n e y o u n g la d y sa id , “ G ra d u a lly th e ta b le h as r isen , a n d r e ­m a in ed s ta tion a ry in th e a ir u p o n th e fin gers , f

I h a v e b e e n u n fo rtu n a te in m y a ttem p ts to see th e ta b le m o v e m e n ts . M r . N o t ta g e , M r , C a p ern , M a r y A n n , r e ­fe r re d t o in fo rm e r n u m b ers o f The Z oist, an d m y s e lf , s a t o n e e v e n in g nu h o u r w ith o u r h an d s on o n e o f m y ta b le s in v a in . O n c e I v is ited th re e y o u n g la d ies w h o h a d b e e n v e ry su ccess fu l, an d th e y a n d m y s e l f sa t th e g re a te r p a rt o f a n h o u r w ith th e tip s o f o u r f in g e rs p rop er ly a r r a n g e d ; b u t in va in . O n c e I w en t an d m et so m e o th e r y o u n g la d ie s w h o h ad b e e n e q u a lly su ccess fu l, a n d six a p p lied th e ir fin g e rs , a n d at la st I a d d ed m y s e lf t o th e m , fo r th e g re a te r p a rt o f a n h o u r ; b u t in v a in . I w e n t t o S u r b ito n , ex p ressly to s e e t h e

minima« distant!»« sc mutuo attrahunt, et contigns facte coherent: et corpora electric* agunt ad dislantia» m&jorea, tana repellendo quim attrahendo corpus cilia virioa ; et bis emittitur, reflectiturf refringitur, infiectitur, et corpora calc- facifc; et BenB&tio omnia cicitatur, et membra ammalium ad volant&Lem mosentur, ribrationibuB scilicet hujus Epiritfis per solids nervoram capillameota ab extern» sensuura organ» ad cerebrum et & cercbro in musculos prepagatie. Sed haec paucis 0 1 pom non possnnt; Deque adest sofficicns copia experimentoruio qnibtu lege« actionem bujtu spirit;» accurate determinari et moostrari debeut.M

* A friend write* to me:—“ A young man, upon whom the moving of the table« had a moat extraordinary effect, was almost convulsed; and, during the remainder of the evening, everything that be touched, work boxes, books, basket», &c., m a t e d a b & u t by the more touch* I am told that he himself a l o n e moved a large round drawing-room table. Two of my friend« set the table in motion. It moved towards them alternately: and each charged the other with pushing it ; but &t each time the supposed pusher hardly touched it. The table came t o w a r d s than, and was not pushed by them: they began as sceptic«, and took the greatest care that no muscular action should come in. I recollect a »tout fanner tried it, and his arm« became affected and stiffened from the action,1’

In Nos. XXXVI, and XXXIX, are articles by Non-Wist of Edinburgh, in which the lifting of a heavy man with the tip» of the forefinger« of a few persona, provided the fingers touch the individual, ia detailed; and suggesting the possi­bility of gravity bring lessened. Sir David Browsier hand« over the subject to the mesmerists if bis own explanation is not satisfactory: and Non-Wist now writes to u« suggesting that the muscular strength is exalted.—Zoist,

A m ccesifui experim ent. 195

e x p e r im e n t s w ith y o u n g Indies w h o h ad m o v e d g re a t ta b les a d m ir a b ly : b u t th e y fa iled , b o th w itli m e an d w ith o u t m e , n o t w i t h s t a n d in g th e y all w ere d es irou s o f s e e in g th e ta b le m o v e a n d f u l l y ex p ected d u r in g th e lo n g trial th a t it w o u ld m o v e . A t la s t 1 aga in v is ited th e first th re e y o u n g la d ies . I t w as o n l y t h e e v e n in g b e fo r e th e p r in ters h ad a d v a n ce d to th is p a g e in m y M S . th at I had th is last o p p o r tu n ity o f an e x p e r i m e n t . I m u st rem ark th a t th e fa m ily in fo rm e d m e t h a t , v e r y s o o n a fte r I le ft th em th e p rev iou s e v e n in g , th e y t r i e d a g a in , a n d th e ta b le m o v e d . W h e n I arrived th e f a t h e r m e t m e o n th e sta irs a n d sa id th e ta b le was m o v in g . I fo u n d th e son an d tw o d a u g h te rs h a d b e e n s it t in g at i t f o r t h e b es t p art o f h a lf a n h o u r . I t w as th e sam e ta b le , ju s t s u f f i c ie n t fo r fo u r to sit r o u n d , c lo s e to e a ch o th e r j s lig h t, c i r c u la r , w it h o n e le g s ta n d in g on a la rg e flat c ir cu la r p e d e s ­ta l w i t h o u t ca stors . I t fr o m tim e t o t im e tu r n e d fro m th e ir r ig h t h a n d s t o th e ir le ft , v e ry s low ly a n d to a sh o r t d is t a n c e ; th e n s t o p p e d ; th e n b eg a n a g a in : i t m o v e d fa s ter so m e tim e s th a n a t o t h e r s . T h e fa th er h ad b e e n a ss is tin g , b u t n ow h is p la c e w a s v a ca n t, a n d still it m o v e d o n . I sat d o w n a n d j o i n e d i n t h e e x p e r im e n t, a n d from tim e to t im e it m o v e d as b e fo r e . E v e r y o n e p la ce d m erely th e tips o f th e fin g ers u p on th e t a b le , s o very s lig h tly th at o fte n o n e o r o th e r rea lly d id n o t t o u c h th e ta b le . I n o w a n d th e n tr ie d th e h an d s o f o n e o r o t h e r a n d fo u n d th e c o n ta c t so tr iflin g th at m o v e m e n t b y p r e s s u r e s e e m e d im p o ss ib le . I can an sw er fo r m y se lf. T h e fa m ily w a s th at o f M r . C . R . S ta n le y , th e e m in e n t p a in ter . T h e t r u t h fu ln e s s o f fa th e r an d ch ild re n an d th e ir d es ire t o a s c e r ta in t h e rea l facts are p e r fe c t an d u n a llo y e d . T h e y w ere a ll g r a v e a n d ser iou s in th e m atter. T h e y fe lt assu red a ll th e t i m e t h a t th e y d id n o t ev en u n c o n s c io u s ly p u sh th e ta b le , I w a t c h e d th e m all a n x io u s ly and u n in te rru p te d ly , a n d th ey as a n x io u s ly w a tch ed th em se lv es . F ro m t im e to t im e I t r ie d t h e ir h a n d s d u r in g th e w h o le o f th e lo n g e x p e r im e n t , a n d I c a n n o t d is c e r n h o w th e r e w as a n y p o ss ib ility o f th e ta b le b e i n g p u s h e d . M o r e o v e r , th e ta b le a lw ays s lid a w a y fr o m t h e ir f in g e r s a n d m in e , so l ig h t ly d id w e a ll to u ch it. I t m o v e d fa s t e r th a n th e fin g ers o f an y o f us, a n d g o t in a d v a n ce o f u s . O n p la c in g th e c a n d le o n th e flo o r s o th a t I c o u ld o b s e r v e b o t h th e to p an d th e pedesta l, I n o t ic e d th a t th e la t ­t e r m o v e d o n th e ro u g h ca rp et c ircu la r ly a n d ra th e r fo rw a rd s . A t la s t I su g g e s te d th a t w e sh ou ld try to m o v e th e ta b le : a n d o f c o u r s e w e at o n c e su cce e d e d , b u t th e m o tio n w as n o t s m o o t h , a n d th e fin g ers d isp la yed c le a r ly th at th e y w ere in a c t i o n . I n n o n e o f th e ir e x p e r im e n ts have M r . S ta n le y ’ s f a m i ly f o u n d th e ta b le m o v e ra p id ly o r o th erw ise th a n w h en

196 Spirit» neither rap nor move.

I saw i t ; a n d I su sp e ct th a t , in m a n y cases , th e parties be­c o m e e x c ite d o n b e h o ld in g th e m o v e m e n t, a n d th e n begin t o assist it w ith m u scu la r fo r c e in sp ite o f th e m s e lv e s : ju st as in m esm erism th ere is th e tru e m e sm e r ism , a n d im agination m a y co o p e ra te , a n d m a y in e v e ry ca se a fte rw a rd s produce th e p h e n o m e n a i f th e p a tie n t is aw are o f w h a t y o u are at­te m p tin g . S t ill th e re is tru e m esm er ism , as th e re probably is t r u e m o v e m e n t o f th e ta b les in d e p e n d e n t o f m u scu la r force.

W h ic h e v e r b e th e tru e e x p la n a t io n o f th e ta b le -m ov in g , e v e n th e m o s t b a re fa ce d im p o s to r o f a M e d iu m c a n u o t m uch lo n g e r re fe r th e fa c t t o v is it in g sp ir its , n o r sp e a k o f —

" Spirit* -which by mine art I have from their confine* call’d to enact My present fancies." Sec.

Tempt*.

I n ig n o r a n t days , th e a t tr a c t io n o f th e m a g n e t, th e electric sp a rk , th u n d e r , th e h u rr ica n e , w ere a ll re fe rre d to spirits. A s a ll p e o p le are m o v in g th e ta b les b y a m a n u a l p rocess o r a s tro n g e x e rt io n o f th e w ill, w ith o u t th o s e d ea r Medium», o r th e in v o c a t io n o f sp irits , o r a s in g le th o u g h t b es to w e d upon th e ir lit t le in v is ib le w orsh ip s , th e im p o stu re o f th e M ed iu m m u st su re ly b e seen th r o u g h b y th e s illie s t o f th e w eak. T h e M e d iu m m a y c o n t in u e t o p u t h e r m o u th n e a r th e ta b le w h en a sk ed to m o v e it , an d sa y , “ W i l l th e sp irits b e so k in d as to o b l ig e m e b y m o v in g th e t a b le ? ” a n d th e n give a ra p to assu re th e b a b y lis ten ers th a t th e sp ir its w ill m ove th e ta b le fo r h er. B u t th a t m u st n o w en d . I f th e M e ­d iu m k n e w n o b e t te r b e fo r e , sh e m u st n o w . B u t th at she d id k n o w b e tte r b e fo r e is certa in : fo r w h o ra p s o n t an­sw ers ? S h e h erse lf. I n e v e r d o u b te d th a t sh e m a d e the raps h erse lf, o r th a t sh e d id so w ith h e r lo w e r e x tre m itie s ; th o u g h I d o u b te d th a t sh e d id it b y th e a c t io n o f o n e toe u p o n a n o th e r . T h e e x p la n a t io n g iv e n b y a M e n d o f mine, in th e a rt ic le s ig n e d N . E . E . N . , in th e la st n u m b e r o f The Z oi»t is , I fee l sa tis fied , c o r r e c t as fa r as i t goes. B n t , in an o n tsp o k e n p a m p h le t w h ich has s o ld en orm ou sly , a n d is n o w in it s n in th e d it io n ,* it is sa id th a t th e polished le a th e r o f th e b o o t o r sh o e , r u b b e d ag a in st th e p o lis h e d chair o r ta b le , g iv es th e p recise sou n d a n d in te n s ity o f th e sp irit­raps : a n d so i t d oes . T h e M e d iu m , n o q u e s t io n , h a s m ore w ays th a n o n e , p r o b a b ly m a n y , o f doing as sh e w ish es . Still, th a t sh e m a k es th e ra p s w h en sh e has n o c o n fe d e r a te , and, w h en I was p re se n t, d id m a k e th em w ith h e r lo w e r e x tre m i­ties , I c a n h a v e n o d o u b t . I f y o u a sk a q u e st io n , w h o hears

* S p i r i t - R a p p i n g * . By Qoe who ha* tried the Spirits. Ninth Edition.

Medium baffled. 197

it ? w h y s h e d o e s : s o d sh e is v ery w id e aw a k e . T h e n i f y o u ask f o r o n e , tw o, o r th ree raps, w h o m a k es t h e m ? T h e y m u st b e m a d e b y som ebody ,* and b y s o m e b o d y th a t hears y o u r q u e s t io n , and is w illin g to rap . W h o b u t sh e ? u n le s s sh e h a s a t t im e s a con fed era te . T h e n i f sh e e v id e n t ly m a k e s th e r a p s ( fo r sp irits a re o u t o f th e q u e st io n w ith an y b u t p e r s o n s q u a l i f ie d for a d m ission in to th e A s y lu m fo r I d io t s o r B e d la m H o s p it a l } , sh e k n ow s th a t n o sp ir its d o rap . T o sa y th a t » b e m a y re fe r h er o w n v o lu n ta ry a c t io n t o sp ir its , fr o m h a v in g b e e n e d u ca te d su p erstitiou s ly , is p r e p o s t e r o u s ; a n d sh e m u st l a u g h in h e r sleeve at all her c ru d u lo u s d u p e s , an d k n ow th a t t h e y d e s e rv e a rap u p o n th e k n u c k le s foT p a y in g h e r . I w o u ld n o t e n co u ra g e su ch im p o s it io n b y p a y in g fo r it . A g e n t le m a n e n g a g e d a M e d iu m fo r a p a rty , an d in v ited m e t o i t : a n d t h e n th e m an w h o h ired th e M e d iu m to sh ow in E n g la n d b e g g e d m e to v isit h er and ju d g e fo r m y s e l f ; a u d I y ie ld e d t o h is requ est. I ch e e r fu lly p a y R o b in , H o u d in , & c ., b e c a u s e t h e y o p e n ly te ll y o u th a t all is t r i c k ; au d v ery c lev er t r ic k s t h e s e a r e , n ot lik e th o se o f th e M e d iu m s , fu ll o f c o n ­t e m p t ib le fa ilu re s . I w as sh ew n n o ta b le -m o v in g a t a n y in te r v ie w s w it h a M e d iu m .

I f p e r s o n s w ill ob serv e th e fe w ca u tio n s g iv e n in th e a r t i c le i n t h e la st Z oisl, t o e v e ry w o rd o f w h ich I a d h e re , as I a m s u r e d o e s th e g e n t le m a n w h o w ro te in it o f th e p r o d u c ­t i o n o f th e r a p s an d th e ta b le -m o v e m e n t , th e y w ill f in d th eim p o s t u r e o f b o th . C a p t a in -------- , a fr ien d o f th e R e v . ------------------ , w a s a n x io u s to see a M e d iu m , an d w e n t in c l in e d t ob e l ie v e . H o w e v e r , h e w as to ld h ow to te s t th e a ffa ir . H e h e ld t h e a lp h a b e t a n d h is h an d s d ow n o u t o f s ig h t, a n d th e d e c la r a t io n o f th e sp ir its w ere a ll w ro n g a n d th e v ile s t n o n ­s e n s e . H e th e n , as i f b y ch a n ce , p la ce d th e a lp h a b e t o n th e t a b le , a n d a ll in s ta n tly w e n t o n p e r fe ct ly r ig h t . W h ile h e w a s le a v in g th e M e d iu m , sh e “ h op ed th at h e w as sa tis fied .” “ N o , in d e e d , M a d a m , I a m n o t ,” said h e ; " y o u have t o ld ra e a l l w r o n g , an d n o th in g b u t a b su rd ity .” “ I a m su re I a m v e r y s o r r y , S ir . B u t y o u are a t lib e r ty to c o m e a g a in f r e e o f e x p e n s e .” H e d id n o t re tu rn , h a v in g h ad e n o u g h .P r o f e s s o r F --------- , o f K in g 's C o lle g e , w en t a n d to o k n o p a in st o c o n c e a l o r lea d astray , a u d all w as rap p ed o u t c o r r e c t ly . H e t h e n m o v e d h is fin g ers very s low ly o v e r th e letters T .O .M .N . O . D . D . Y in passing th ro u g h th e a lp h a b e t ; a n d so th e s p ir i t r a p p e d o u t th a t its n a m e w as T o m N o d d y . T h e se fa c ts I c a n p r o v e : and o th e rs o f m y fr ien d s h a v e o b ta in e d th e sa m er e s u lt s . T h e R e v . M r . T . w e n t w ith M a j o r ---------. H e to o kn o p a in s , a n d a ll was c o r r e c t . T h e M a jo r p au sed w ith c a re o n e a c h le t t e r eq u a lly , a n d all w as w ro n g . T h e M e d iu m n e e d

V O L . X I . p

1 9 8 Mediums1 tricks.

n o t see th e a lp h a b e t : sh e ju d g e s b y w a tch in g th e h a n d s , e v en th e c o u n te n a n ce , w h en i t is th e b es t m o m e n t fo r a rap .

W e are to ld o f a p e n r is in g fro m th e ta b le , d ip p in g it s e lf in th e in k an d w r it in g a le t t e r ! a n d o f a b o o k c a s e u n b o lt in g an d o p e n in g i t s e l f !

O n e M e d iu m te lls u s “ th a t m essa ges is s e n t b y h er b y sp ir itu a l tekgrapkt in less th a n th ree m in u te s t o A m e r ic a a n d b a ck , e n q u ir in g a n d te l lin g h e r h o w M r . a n d M r s . S o -a n d -S o it, a n d w hat g o o d o r ill has b e fa lle n t h e m ; a n d th e n w h e n th e le tte rs c o m e in b y th e m a il a ll is c o n firm e d t o th e v e ry le t te r 1” N o w th is is e ith er a fa c t o r a fa ls e h o o d ; it is n o t a q u e s t io n o f delusion. W e , fr o m o th e r fa lseh ood s w e h ave d e te c te d , d e n y it a lto g e th e r (ap art fr o m its in h e re n t im p r o ­b a b i l ity ) , a n d sa y th a t th is, a m o n g s t m a n y o th e r in s ta n ce s w e c o u ld m e n tio n , sh ew s to w hat le n g th s a M e d iu m w ill g o t o d e lu d e h e r v ict im s .

A l l p h y s ic ia n s are a cq u a in te d w ith sp ectra l an d a c o u s t ic i llu s io n s fr o m c e re b ra l e x c ite m e n t, w h e th e r b y d isease , c e r e ­b ra l sy m p a th y o r m esm erism , o r o th e r so u rce s o f e x c it e m e n t , a n d th ese h a v e g iv e n r ise to th e b e l ie f in th e a p p e a ra n ce o f sp ir its . M a n y n a tu ra l p h e n o m e n a in in a n im a te m a tte r , as b e l l -r in g in g an d o th e r n oises h a v e b e e n m y ste r io u s , b u t s o o fte n e x p la in e d , lik e th e sou n d s p r o c e e d in g fr o m th e s ta tu e o f M e m n o u in E g y p t , th a t a ll, n o d o u b t , a d m it o f e x p la n a t io n o n n a tu ra l p r in c ip le s . 1 h av e n o d o u b t th a t m a n y p e rso n s fa n c y th e y have h eard th ese ra p p in g s a n d seen m o v e m e n ts , s o le ly fr o m e x c ite m e n t . V e r y m a n y p e o p le ca n n o t o b s e rv e c o r r e c t l y : s o th a t it is said w ith tru th th a t w e have as m a n y fa lse fa c t s as fa lse o p in io n s .

I n th e L eader o f M a r ch 1 2 th , M r . G . H . L e w e s sa y s t h a t h is p a rty fo u n d th ey c o u ld m ov e a h u g e o a k ta b le w ith t h e ir k n e e s , in v is ib ly t o a ll s itt in g ro u n d it , a lth o u g h th e y c o u ld n o t m o v e i t by th e ir h a n d s ; a n d th a t , w h en th e M e d iu m t r ie d t o m o v e i t a s sh e h ad p rom ised , o n e g e n t le m a n tw in e d h is le g s a ro u n d its le g a n d p rev en ted h er, b u t fe lt h e r s t r a in in g to m o v e it , a n d th a t sh e at la st g a v e u p th e a t te m p t in d esp a ir .

T h e g e n t le m a n w h o w ro te a p o r t io n o f th e a r t ic le in t h e la st Z oist in fo rm s m e th a t w h en he req u ested a M e d iu m t o m o v e th e ta b le , sh e sat w ith h e r le g s under th e ta b le , fro m which position she would not move. T h e ta b le , s h o r t ly a ft e r th e in v o c a t io n , g a v e a su d d en lu rch o f a b o u t h a l f a y a r d , a n d th e n sto p p e d . I t n e v e r a ttem p ted to g o r o u n d , as ta b le s n o w d o . W h ile all w e re w o n d e r in g , a n o th e r lu r c h ! S o m e o n e n o w g o t u n d e r th e ta b le : n o m o r e m o v e m e n ts ! H e w e n t a w a y : a light w as p la ce d and a ll look : n o resu lt . T h e M e d iu m

W ant o f sound Education. 199

was a sk e d t o in v o k e a g a in , b u t , th e e y e s a n d th e l ig h t b e in g u n fa v o u ra b le t o th e e x p e r im e n t , th e re w as n o re sp o n se .

W h e n t h e M e d iu m w as a s k e d , a fte r th e t r ic k h ad b e e n seen th ro u g h , t o m o v e tfee ta b le s , th e eyes o f th e e n q u ire r b e in g d ire c te d t o th e p r o p e r q u a rter— to h e r le g s , sh e declined , d e c la r in g t h a t th e o r d e r o f sp ir its th a t m o v e d ta b les w as v e ry um ntelleclual, an d th at sh e d id n ot cu lt iv a te t h e m !

A l l th is is to ta lly d iffe r e n t fr o m th e ta b le -m o v in g n ow u n iv e r s a l : f o r th e M e d iu m s n o w b e g y o u to p u t y o u r h a n d s on th e t a b le , an d th u s is r e a lly p r o d u ce d th e o r d in a r y m o v e ­m en t. I f t h e M e d iu m b e lieves sh e d oes it b y sp ir its , w h y does s h e b e g y o u t o to u ch th e ta b le a n d sit r o u n d ? S h e o u g h t t o b e l ie v e th at th e sp ir its d o a ll o f th em se lv es . T h e y rap w it h o u t y o u r a s s is ta n c e ; w h y n o t p u sh ? A t te n t io n to th e se M e d iu m s sh ew s a la m e n ta b le state o f ig n o r a n c e iu th ose w h o a r e ca lle d ed u ca ted . I n fa c t , th e g ro sse s t su p er­s t it ion p e r v a d e s ev ery p art o f th e ea rth in h a b ite d b y m a n . E v e n t h e h ig h e r o rd e rs a n d th e u n iv ersit ies o f o u r c o u n tr y are p e r v a d e d b y it. H e r e are c le rg y m e n o f th e C h u rc h o f E n g la n d , e d u c a te d a t C a m b rid g e , a v ow in g th e ir b e l ie f in a ll th is r a v i n g ; an d o n e in E ssex w r it in g a n o n y m o u s ly a n d m ost d is c r e d it a b ly a g a in s t th ose w h o are n o t so s illy a t h im s e lf . H ie fr ien d s a lso , n o t m ore e n lig h te n e d th a n h im se lf, have w r it t e n as d is cre d ita b ly . B u t e d u ca tio n in G re a t B r ita in is m o s t u n s o u n d , o r th e v is ita tion o f th e sp ir it -ra p p in g a n d s p ir it - ta b le -m o v in g w ou ld have b e e n re p e lle d h arm less . F o r , ns th e c h o le r a an d o th e r e p id em ics fin d en d less v ic t im s o n e n t e r in g d is tr ic ts w h ere th e r e is bad fo o d , bad v e n t ila t io n , an d a l l u n h e a lth in e s s : s o d o e s ev ery a b su rd ity o f b e lie f , r e ­l ig io u s , m e d ica l, o r w h a te v e r e lse , fin d en d less v ic t im s fr o m th e w r e t c h e d a n d u n h e a lth y m en ta l sta te o f a v ery la rg e p o r ­t io n o f s o c ie t y . E v e r y th in g th a t w e o b se rv e a n d e x p e r im e n t u p o n i s n a tu r e . T h e P r e s id e n t o f th e R o y a l S o c ie ty in a d ­m i t t i n g F e llo w s tells th e m th at th e S o c ie ty is fo r th e in v e s t i­g a t io n o f natural k n o w le d g e . O f th e su p ern a tu ra l w e c a n o b s e r v e a n d in v e s tig a te n o t h in g : a ll su p ern a tu ra l q u estion s , s u c h a s l iv in g a g a in a fte r w e are d ea d , c a n b e d e te rm in e d b y r e v e la t io n o n ly .*

* Locke soya, “ There are many things wherein we have very imperfect no. tions, or none at all; and other things, of whose past, present, or future ei- istence, by the actual use ot our ft cutties, we c a n Aape no knowledge; these, ss being beyond the discovery of our natural faculties, and above reason, are, when revealed, the proper matter of faith. Thus, that part of the angels rebelled against God, and thereby lost their first happy state, and that the dead ehall rite and l i v e again: these and the like, being beyond the discovery of reason, are

F 2

2 0 0 Folly o f M ultitude*.

l a e x a m in in g n a tu re , su p ern a tu ra l fa n cies a re v ile in ­tru d ers , r e je c te d b y e v e ry p e rso n o f in fo rm a t io n a n d c o m m o n s e n s e : a n d n o t a d m itte d in to a n y p h ilo s o p h ica l w o rk . A c h e m is t , a n a s tro n o m e r , a w rite r o n m e ch a n ics , o p t ic s , o r a co u stics , w o u ld n o t th in k o f in tr o d u c in g su p ern a tu ra l e x p la ­n a tio n s an d v iew s in to a trea tise . I f h e d id , h is w ork w o u ld b e r e je c te d b y a n y p h ilo s o p h ica l s o c ie ty to w h ich h e m ig h t p re se n t it , a n d h e w o u ld be p r o p e r ly se t d o w n as a m o n o ­m a n ia c . M a n y p e rso n s are s o w eak th a t th e y n o s o o n e r fa n cy a th in g p o s s ib le th an th ey fee l c e r ta in th a t it is a tr u th . M e d ic a l m e n a c t th u s h o u r ly , in g iv in g m e d ica l o p in io n s . W h e n a b e l ie f th u s fo r m e d is o u tra g e o u s n on sen se , a n d fix e d a n d a ctive , w e ca ll it m o n o m a n ia : a n d h o w m a n y are th u s w eak , is p r o v e d b y th e e x p e r im e n ts in w h a t is a b su rd ly c a lle d e le c t r o -b io lo g y , w h ich is th e artific ia l in d u c t io n o f m o n o ­m an ia .

I n tru th , th is d e lu s io n is im p a ir in g th e in te lle c t o f m a n y . N o t m e re ly fem a les , b u t g r o w n -u p m e n , a re y ie ld in g t o it . O n e o ld g e n t le m a n w h o , it is sa id , w as n e v e r sa tis fied o f t h e e x is te n ce o f a p erson a l G o d , a n d has sp e n t a lo n g l i f e in u n su cce ss fu l s ch e m e s , an d is s o d e a f th a t h e c a n n o t h e a r t h e raps d is t in c tly , b u t tru sts t o o th e rs , is n ow sa tis fied t h a t th ere is a p erson a l G o d a n d a fu tu re state, b eca u se h e is a ssu red b y th e r a p p in g s m a d e b y th e sp irits o f th e fa t h e r o f o u r e x ce lle n t Q u e e n , F ra n k lin , a n d J e ffe rso n , th a t h is s c h e m e s w ill, e r e lo n g , at le n g th b e a d o p te d b y m a n k in d . T h e c u n ­n in g M e d iu m k n o w s h o w t o c a tch th e p o o r o ld m a n . T h e sp ir its , h o w e v e r , d o n o t seem to h a v e im p ro v e d h is v ie w s o f G o d , F o r , w h ile h e c o n s id e rs G o d t o b e a sp ir it , h e c o n s id e r s th at a ll sp ir its are b u t fin e ly a tten u a ted m a tte r . S o m e h a v e v isits fr o m th e sp irits o f th e ir fa th ers , c h ild r e n , h u sb a n d s , w ives, ca llin g th em u p fr o m th e ir b liss fu l a b o d e s

purely matters of faith, with which r e tu r n h a » n o th in g d ir e c t ly (a d o .” — Locke, E esa y o n H u m a n U n d e n t a n d in g , i t ., ch . IS.

Bishop Watson say», “ When I went to the University, I was of opinion, as moat schoolboys are, that the aonl was a substance distinct from the body, and that when a man died, be, in classical phrase, breathed out his soul, animont e x p i r a e i t ; that it then went I knew not whither, as it had come into the body, from I knew not where nor when, and had dwelt in the body dnring life, but in what part of the body it had dwelt I knew not,"— *' This notion of the aoul was without doubt, the offspring of prejudice and ignorance,” —" Believing as I do in the truth of the Christian religion, which teaches that men are accountable for their actions, I trouble not myself with dark disquisition» concerning neces­sity and liberty, matter and spirit; hoping as I do for eternal life through Jesus Christ, 1 am not disturbed at my inability clearly to convince myself that the aoul is or is not a substance distinct from the body.” —A n e c d o te » o f th e l i f e o f B ith o p H 'a lso n , p, 14, sqq.

\

W ickedness o f these things. 201

a t p le a s u r e , an d p r e v a ilin g u p on th e ir aeria l in v is ib ilit ie s to a n s w e r v a r io u s q u e st io n s , (o ften v ery s illy ,) a n d ev en to w rite t h e m le t te r s , o f f h a n d , in a n y r o o m o r sh o p o r w h erev er e lse t h e M e d iu m s m a y h a p p en to b e . I say M e d iu m s , fo r th e p o o r c r e a t u r e s h a v e n o w ta k e n th e ir d eg rees as M e d iu m s ,— t o b e a b le t o s u m m o n sp ir its ,— co n fe r re d u p o n th e m b y a k een s p e c u la t in g fe m a le , a n d are s ty le d M e d iu m s . I k n o w o f n o c o m m u n ic a t io n s y e t m a d e th at are a n y th in g b u t n a m b y p a m b y t w a d d le , o r a ssertion s u n p ro v e d a n d o fte n n n p rov a b le .

T h e m is c h ie f , i f n o t c o r r e c te d b y c o n te m p t a n d r id icu le , m a y b e in c a lc u la b le a m o n g us. S ta tis t ica l a c c o u n ts fro m th e v a r io u s lu n a t ic a sy lu m s in A m e r ica r e p o r t 1 7 3 lu n a tics fr o m th is p e s t i le n t b e l ie f , a n d 17 su ic id e s . O n e M e d iu m has th e B ib le o n th e ta b le an d b e g in s w ith a p r a y e r ; a n d d e c la re s all th e s p i r i t s th a t o b e y th e o th e r a n d d o h e r b id d in g are ‘ b a d s p ir i ts •/ w h ile h e r o w n are ‘ g o o d s p ir i t s /

“ Damned Bpiriu ail.That in crossways and floods have burial."“ They wilfully themselves exile from light,And must for aye eonsort with black-browed night “ But tee are spirits of another sort."

M id su m m e r N ig h t 's D r to r n .

T o t h e M e d iu m s w h o d e c la re th a t th e y b r in g sp ir its from o th e r r e g io u s , th e ch a rg e o f w ick e d n e ss , g ro s s w ick e d n e s s a p p lie s . T h e y p ro fess t o b e lie v e th a t th o se sp ir its h av e b e e n ju d g e d : th a t p u n ish m e n t is p a ssed , a n d h a p p in ess is n o w t h e ir l o t . A n d y e t th e y sc ru p le n o t t o b r in g th e m aw ay fr o m t h e i r r e a lm s o f h ap p in ess , in w h ich , i f th e M e d iu m b e ­lie v e s h e r B ib le , sh e m u st b e lie v e th e m e n jo y in g th e p re se n ce o f G o d fa c e t o fa ce a n d th e c o m m u n io n o f sa in ts , t o th is w r e t c h e d w o r ld , t o ra p on ta b les , an d p u sh ta b les , a n d u tte r a ll s o r t s o f u n tru th s a n d ch ild ish an d r id icu lo u s trash .

T h e f o l ly an d w ick ed n ess o f th e M e d iu m a n d th e d u p e s a r e e q u a l .

J ohn E l lio tso n .

X . London M esm eric Infirm ary-

T b e A n n u a l M e e t in g o f th e M e sm e r ic In firm a r y o f L o n d o n w a s h e ld a t W il l is ’ s R o o m s o n F r id a y th e 1 7 th o f J u n e , a t th r e e o ’ c l o c k . B a ro n d e G o ld s m id h ad p ro m is e d to ta k e th e c h a ir : b u t , n o t fe e lin g v ery s tro n g , h e w ro te th e d a y b e fo r e t o s a y t h a t h e sh o u ld a tten d , b u t fe a re d h is s tre n g th w as n o t e q u a l t o t b e d u ties o f ch a irm a n . T h e E a r l S ta n h o p e w as

II

2 0 2 London M esm eric Infirm ary,

a c c o rd in g ly w r itte n to , a n d , th o u g h b e h ad b e e n a t t h e tr o u b le o f ta k in g th e ch a ir la st y e a r , h e a t o n c e a s s e n t e d , a n d ca m e to to w n in th e m o r n in g e x p ress ly fr o m h is s e a t n e a r S ev en oa k s .

T h e la rg e ro o m d o w n stairs w as e n g a g e d , as u n fo r tu n a te ly th e v ery la rg e room u p stairs h ad b e e n p re v io u s ly ta k e n fo r th e m e e t in g , at th e sam e h ou r , o f th e S o c ie ty fo r th e p r o p a ­g a t io n o f th e G o sp e l in F o r e ig n P a rts . T h e ro o m w as c r o w d e d to e x ce s s , a n d b e tw e e n o n e a n d tw o h u n d re d la d ies a n d g e n ­tle m e n c o u ld n o t fin d a d m ission .

T h e fo l lo w in g r e p o r t o f th e c o m m itte e w as rea d b y D r . E llio ts o n :—

" T h o s e w h o k n o w th e tru th o f m esm er ism , a n d are a n x i ­o u s th at its b le ss iu g s sh ou ld b e sp read fa r a n d w id e , h a v e g re a te r rea son th a n ev er to r e jo ic e . T h e s te a d y a d v a n c e w h ich it has b e e n m a k in g fo r fifteen y ea rs in tb is c o u n tr y , as a re m e d ia l a g en t, has at le n g th e s ta b lish ed it a m o n g th o se fa c ts w h ich n o p erson o f c o m m o n sen se a n d in fo rm a tio n v e n ­tu res to say th a t h e d o u b ts . M a n y still re fuse to a d m it th e p o ss ib ility o f c la irv o y a n ce a n d o th e r p h e n o m e n a te rm e d ike higher b u t th e c o n v ic t io n o f th e rea lity o f its o r d in a r y p h e ­n o m e n a a n d o f its u tility in m e d ic in e is u n iv ersa l, an d is fr e e ly co n fe sse d b y all e x ce p t th ose w h ose p e cu lia r d u ty is to e m p lo y it h o u r ly a n d p roc la im its p o w e rs a n d im p o rta n ce b o ld ly to th e rest o f m a n k in d , a n d w h o , t ill la m e n ta b le ex ­p e r ie n ce p ro v e d th is t o b e a m is ta k e , w ere, as a m a tter o f c o u rse , c o n s id e re d th e b est ju d g e s o f its tru th a n d value. T h e d e a d ly o p p o s it io n fo rm e r ly o ffe re d to it has su b s id ed in to ca re fu l s ile n ce , in te r ru p te d b y o n ly o c ca s io n a l sh o r t expres­s ion s o f v ex a tion w h ich o u r tr iu m p h m u st b e e x p e c te d t o ex cite in m en n o t e n d o w e d w ith m o re th a n m o rta l p a tie n ce o r that m o ra l d ig n ity w h ich m a k es th e re lin q u ish m e n t o f e rro r a sa tis fa ction . T h e in v a ria b le ig n o r in g b y m e d ica l p eriod ica ls an d treatises o f th e facts la id b e fo re th e w orld e v e ry quarter, y e a r a fter y e a r , is rea lly lu d ic ro u s . N o t m e re ly is n o allu ­s ion m a d e t o th e d a ily a n d a ck n o w le d g e d su ccess o f m es­m erism in c u r in g , r e ta rd in g , a n d a ssu a g in g d is e a s e ; b u t the m ig h ty m ass o f su rg ica l o p e ra t io n s p a in less ly p e r fo rm e d in In d ia b y th a t n o b le a n d in tre p id m a n , D r . E sd a ite— m a n y o f th e m so g ig a n t ic as t o have ra re ly b e e n w itn essed in th is c o u n tr y , a n d e q u a lly g ra n d w ith th e H im a la y h a m ou n ta in s th e m se lv e s ,— are m ost a m u s in g ly ig n o re d . U p o n th e 2 8 th o f o n ly la st m o n th , a m ed ica l p ra ctit io n e r o f S a lisb u ry , n am ed M a r t in C oa tes , p u b lish e d a le tte r in th e Lancet u p o n th e ad- m iu is tra t io n o f c h lo r o fo r m , an d th e fo llo w in g p a ssa g e occu rs in it :—

London Mesmeric Infirmary. 3 0 3

“ T h i s d i s c o v e r y w a s n o t a n a c c i d e n t , b u t t h e d i r e c t r e s u l t o f e x p e r i m e n t m a d e b y D r . S im p s o n o n h i m s e l f a n d h i s t w o f r i e n d s , D r s . K e i t h a n d M a t h e w s D u n c a n ( s e e M i l l e r ’ s Principle of Surgery, p . 7 5 7 ) . I k n o w o f f e w m o r e b o l d a n d h e r o i c a c t s t h a n t h a t o f t h e s e t h r e e g e n t l e m e n m e e t i n g t o g e t h e r t o t r y , b y e x p e r im e n t s o n t h e m s e l v e s , a n d a t t h e r i s k o f t h e i r l iv e s , t o d i s c o v e r a n e f f e c t u a l m e a n s o f r e n d e r i n g s u r g i c a l o p e r a t io n s p a i n l e s s ; y e t I c a n n o t le a r n t h a t o n e v o i c e h a s b e e n r a is e d , c a t l i n g u p o n e i t h e r t h e p r o f e s s i o n o r t h e p u b l i c t o e x p r e s s , b y s o m e t e s t i m o n i a l , t h e i r g r a t i t u d e f o r t h i s b r i l l i a n t a n d b e n e f i c e n t d i s c o v e r y . ¥ c h a v e m o n u m e n t s r a i s e d t o t h e d e a d ; w e h a v e t e s t i m o n i a l s p r e s e n t e d t o p o l i t i c a l r e f o r m e r s , n a y , e v e n t o t h e s u c c e s s f u l s p e c u l a t o r ; s h a l l i t b e t b o u g h t t h a t w e s u r g e o n s w h o , b y t h i s d i s c o v e r y a r e s a v e d f r o m t h e p a in f u l n e c e s s i t y o f in f l i c t s t a g a c u t e a g o n y o n o a r f e l l o w - c r e a t u r e s , a n d t h a t o u r p a t i e n t s w h o h a v e h a d c o n f e r r e d u p o n t h e m s u c h a n i n e s t i m a b l e b o o n a s e x e m p ­t i o n f r o m p a i n d u r i n g s u r g ic a l o p e r a t i o n s , a r e a l o n e d e s t i t u t e o f g r a t i t u d e ? I c o n f i d e n t l y t r u s t n o t . I f i r m l y b e l i e v e t h a t w e r e a s u b s c r i p t i o n o p e n e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f p r e s e n t i n g t o D r . S i m p s o n a s u b s t a n t i a l p r o o f o f o u r g r a t i t u d e , e v e r y s u r g e o n w h o h a s o p e r a t e d u p o n a p a t i e n t t o w h o m c h l o r o f o r m h a s b e e n d u l y a d m i n i s t e r e d , a n d e v e r y l i v i n g p a t i e n t s o o p e r a t e d u p o n , w o u l d c o m e f o r w a r d w i t h d o ­n a t i o n s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e i r m e a n s , a n d t h a t t h u s a s p l e n d i d a c k n o w ­l e d g m e n t w o u l d b e m a d e a s h o n o u r a b l e t o t h o s e w h o c o n t r i b u t e a s t o t h i s b e n e f a c t o r o f h i s r a c e .

** I s h a l l n o t p r e s u m e t o a t t e m p t a c o m m e n c e m e n t o f s u c h a w e i g h t y e n t e r p r i z e , le s t f r o m m y i n c a p a c i t y a n d w a n t o f i n f i u e n c e t h e c a u s e m i g h t b e i n j u r e d . I t h r o w o u t t h e s u g g e s t i o n i n t h e h o p e t h a t s o m e e m i n e n t m e m b e r o f o u r p r o f e s s i o n w i l l t a k e u p t h e m a t t e r a n d c a r r y i t t o a s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n . ”

“ N o t a w o r d o f a l l u s i o n t o m e s m e r i s m , w h i c h n e v e r

d e s t r o y s l i f e a s c h l o r o f o r m , t h o u g h a b l e s s i n g b e y o n d p r i c e , e v e r y n o w a n d t h e n d o e s u n d e r t h e b e s t m a n a g e m e n t ; s o m e ­t i m e s k i l l i n g o n t h e s p o t , s o m e t i m e s c a u s i n g t h e p a t i e n t t o s i n k g r a d u a l l y a s i f h e w e r e d y i n g o f l o w f e v e r , w h i c h i u

t r u t h i s t h e n u s u a l l y a l l e g e d t o t h e f r i e n d s t o b e t h e c a u s e o f d e a t h , i n o r d e r t h a t t h e c r e d i t o f c h l o r o f o r m a n d o f t h e m e ­d i c a l a t t e n d a n t s m a y b e s a v e d ; a n d v e r y f r e q u e n t l y c h l o r o ­f o r m l e a v e s b e h i n d i t , f o r a s h o r t e r o r l o n g e r p e r i o d , h e a d ­a c h e , g i d d i n e s s , c o n f u s i o n , i m p a i r m e n t o f m e m o r y , o r e v e n a d e g r e e o f m e n t a l a b e r r a t i o n . N o t a w o r d o f a l l u s i o n t o t h o s e h e r o i c m e n w h o i n v a i n , f o r y e a r s , a m i d s t o b l o q u y a n d i n j u r y , u r g e d u p o n t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l b r e t h r e n t h e d u t y o f

p r e v e n t i n g s u r g i c a l a g o n y , a n d n o t o n l y p o i n t e d o u t a s a f e a n d p l e a s a n t m e t h o d o f p r e v e n t i n g i t i n n u m e r o u s c a s e s , b u t s e t t h e e x a m p l e a n d g a v e t h e p r o o f b y p e r f o r m i n g h u n d r e d s o f o p e r a t i o n s i n t h e s w e e t m e s m e r i c s l e e p , f r o m w h i c h p a ­

t i e n t s a w a k e r e f r e s h e d a n d s t r e n g t h e n e d , a n d b y w h i c h t h e y r e c o v e r f r o m t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e k n i f e b e t t e r t h a n i f . t h e y

2 0 4 London Mesmeric Infirmary.

h a v e n o t b e e a m e s m e r i s e d . N o t a w o r d , t h e r e f o r e , o f a l l u s i o n t o D r . E s d a i l e , w h o s t o o d a l o n e i n t h e E a s t , d e f y i n g a l l h i s m e d i c a l a s s a i l a n t s , t i l l t h e n o n - m e d i c a l p u b l i c s a w t h a t h e

w a s r i g h t , a n d t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f t h e c o u n t r y declared t h a t h e w a s r i g h t a n d r e w a r d e d h i m a s h e d e s e r v e d .

" S i n c e t h e l a s t A n n u a l M e e t i n g w e h a v e h a d 2 2 n e w d o n o r s a n d 4 4 n e w a n n u a l s u b s c r i b e r s . I t i s a s t r i k i n g c i r ­

c u m s t a n c e t h a t m a n y o f o u r d o n o r s a n d a n n u a l s u b s c r i b e r s r e s i d e i n d i s t a n t p a r t s o f t h e k i n g d o m , s e t t i n g a n e s a m p l e t o

t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f L o n d o n , t h e i n d i g e n t o f w h i c h a r e t h e o n l y p o o r w h o c a n b e b e n e f i t t e d b y u s , s i n c e w e d o n o t r e c e i v e i n - p a t i e n t s a n d t h e p o o r c a n n o t o f c o u r s e c o m e o p f r o m t h e c o u n t r y a n d t a k e l o d g i n g s i n t o w n i n o r d e r t o a t ­

t e n d a t o u r I n s t i t u t i o n . T h i s s h e w s a r e a l h e a r t i n e s s i n t h e c a u s e a n d i s b e y o n d a l l p r a i s e . A l t h o u g h t h e y c a n p r o c u r e n o g r a t u i t o u s m e s m e r i s m f o r t h e i r p o o r n e i g h b o u r s , t h e y

r e s o l v e t h a t t h e s i c k p o o r w h o l i v e a w a y f r o m t h e m , b u t n e a r a s o u r c e o f m e s m e r i s m , s h a l l n o t f i n d t h a t s o u r c e d r y u p . T h e y k n o w l i k e w i s e , t h a t , i n s u p p o r t i n g t h i s I n s t i t u t i o n , t h e y

a r e a d v a n c i n g t h e g r e a t m e s m e r i c c a u s e a l l o v e r t h e e a r t h , b e c a u s e t h i s I n s t i t u t i o n i s a g r a n d s t a n d i n g f a c t , a n d t h e p h e n o m e n a a n d c u r e s w h i c h a r e g o i n g o n i n i t e v e r y d a y , a n d a r e a c c e s s i b l e t o t h e i n s p e c t i o n o f e v e r y b o d y , a r e s o l i d t r u t h s

i n n a t u r e a n d a r t , a n d c a n n o t b e o v e r t h r o w n b y t h e m o s t n u m e r o u s a n d d e a d l y f o e s .

" W e h a v e , w i t h i n t h e s e f e w w e e k s , e s t a b l i s h e d , w i t h g r e a t s u c c e s s , a n e w d e p a r t m e n t i n t h e I n s t i t u t i o n . M e s m e r i s m

m a y b e p e r f e c t l y c o s t l e s s o r v e r y e x p e n s i v e . I f a p a t i e n t h a s a f r i e n d w h o i s a b l e b y c o n s t i t u t i o n , a n d w i l l i n g f r o m k i n d n e s s , t o m e s m e r i s e h i m , i t i s a l t o g e t h e r i n e x p e n s i v e . I f h e h a s n o t , b u t p a y s f o r i t s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t h e c o s t i s n o t i n c o n s i d e r a b l e a t t h e e n d o f s o m e w e e k s o r m o n t h s — h a l f a g u i n e a a w e e k a t l e a s t , a n d a g u i n e a o r m o r e i f m u c h a b o v e h a l f a n h o u r i s o c c u p i e d i n i t o r t h e m e s m e r i s e r l i v e s a t s o m e d i s t a n c e . M a t t y p a t i e n t s a r e u n a b l e t o p a y h a l f a g u i n e a a w e e k , a n d y e t d o n o t f e e l j u s t i f i e d i n r e c e i v i n g a s a c h a r i t y w h a t i s i n t e n d e d f o r t h e p o o r . W e t h e r e f o r e s u p p l y m e s m e r i s m t o s u c h p e r s o n s f o r f i v e s h i l l i n g s a w e e k ; a n d f i n d t h a t a v e r y l a r g e n u m b e r w i l l g l a d l y a v a i l t h e m s e l v e s o f t h i s a d v a n t a g e . S e p a r a t e a p a r t m e n t s a r e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e m .

“ A n d h e r e w e c a n n o t r e f r a i n f r o m p r o u d l y , — l e t t h e w o r d r a t h e r b e t h a n k f u l l y , — r e m a r k i n g , t h a t t h e s h o c k i n g l a n g u a g e u s e d b y t h e f i e r c e a d v e r s a r i e s o f m e s m e r i s m , i n r e g a r d t o i t s i m m o r a l t e n d e n c y a n d t h e d e p r a v i t y o f m e s m e r i s e r s a n d p a t i e n t s , i s s h e w n b y o u r I n s t i t u t i o n t o b e a n u t t e r s l a n d e r .

>L

London Metme-ic Infirmary, 2 0 5

F o r t h r e e y e a r s a n d a h a l f h a s m e s m e r i s m b e e n c a r r i e d o n r e g u l a r l y w i t h f e m a l e s a n d c h i l d r e n i n t h e i r a p a r t m e n t s j a n d w i t h m a l e s i n t h e i r s , f r o m 1 0 o ’ c l o c k i n t h e m o r n i n g t i l l 4

i n t h e a f t e r n o o n ; a n d i n v a r i a b l y c o n d u c t e d o n t h e p a r t b o t h o f p a t i e n t s a n d m e s m e r i s e r a w i t h t h e u t m o s t p r o p r i e t y . N o

a c c u s a t i o n h a s e v e n b e e n b r e a t h e d , a l t h o u g h o u r v i s i t o r s a r e v e r y n u m e r o u s , a n d c o m e f r o m a l l p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y a u d t h e w o r l d . I f a s h a d o w o f e v i l h a d b e e n v i s i b l e a m o n g u s ,

c e r t a i n j o u r n a l s w o u l d h a v e d i s c o v e r e d i t a n d m a d e t h e m o B t o f i t . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , a l l t h e l a d i e s a n d g e n t l e m e n w h o

v i s i t t h e h o u s e a r e d e l i g h t e d w i t h w h a t t h e y s e e , a n d i n f r e ­q u e n t i n s t a n c e s a r e m o v e d t o m a k e d o n a t i o n s o r b e c o m e s u b s c r i b e r s .

" T o t h e l a d i e s ' c o m m i t t e e o u r o b l i g a t i o n i s u n b o u n d e d . T h e y m e e t w e e k l y a s w e d o ; a n d o n e o r m o r e o f t h e i r n u m b e r l o o k s i n e v e r y d a y . T h u s m o s t u s e f u l s u g g e s t i o n s a r e c o n t i ­

n u a l l y m a d e t o u s ; t h i n g s n o t i c e d a n d a r r a n g e m e n t s e f f e c t e d f o r w h i c h g e n t l e m e n a r c i l l q u a l i f i e d ; a n d a p r o p r i e t y , a r e s p e c t a ­b i l i t y , w e m i g h t a l m o s t s a y a h o l i n e s s , i m p a r t e d t o t h e p l a c e . T o o n e o f t h e m w e a r e i n d e b t e d f o r a n i n c o m p a r a b l e m a t r o n , w h o , l i k e t h e s e c r e t a r y a n d h i s f a m i l y , r e s i d e s i n t h e h o u s e ; a n d t o t w o o f t h e m f o r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f d o m e s t i c d o n a ­t i o n b o x e s , i n t o w h i c h s m a l l s u m s m a y b e d r o p p e d b y t h o s e w h o c a n n o t a f f o r d t o p l a c e t h e i r n a m e s i n t h e l i s t o f d o n o r s

o r s u b s c r i b e r s , a u d y e t a r e a n x i o u s , l i k e t h e p o o r w i d o w , t o b e s t o w t h e i r m i t e s * — t h e w h o l e t h a t t h e y c a n g i v e . T h e s e b o x e s h a v e n o t b e e n l o n g i n o p e r a t i o n , a n d y e t , w h e n c a l l e d i n b e f o r e t h e l a t e a u d i t , f u r n i s h e d a s u m i m p o r t a n t t o u s .

M a n y i n d i v i d u a l s t o o k a b o x i n t o t h e i r h o u s e s w h o w e r e t h e m s e l v e s u u a b l e t o b e c o m e s u b s c r i b e r s . T h e l a d i e s w h o s u g g e s t e d t h i s p l a n , b o c o m m o n a m o n g r e l i g i o u s s o c i e t i e s , s u p p l i e d a l l t h e b o x e s a t t h e i r o w n c o s t , a n d t o o k u p o n t h e m ­s e l v e s t h e w h o l e t r o u b l e a n d e x p e n s e o f d i s t r i b u t i n g t h e m

a n d t h e n o f r e c a l l i n g t h e m f o r t h e a u d i t .“ " W e b e g t o r e t u r n o u r w a r m e s t t h a n k s t o t h e m a u d a l l

t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e l a d i e s ' c o m m i t t e e , a n d t o t h o s e b e n e v o l e n t f r i e n d s w h o p l a c e d t h e d o n a t i o n b o x e s i n t h e i r h o u s e s , a u d t o t h e u n s e e n d o n o r s ; a n d w e t r u s t t h a t t h e y a g a i n , a n d a l s o

o t h e r s , w i l l r e n d e r t h e s a m e s e r v i c e t o t h e c h a r i t y .

“ T h e l a s t G e n e r a l M e e t i n g e m p o w e r e d u s * t o m a k e a r ­r a n g e m e n t s f o r t a k i n g a n o t h e r h o u s e f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e

* It is a toaehmg fact» exemplifying the well-known charitable feelings of the poor, that ia the&e botes were 35 farthings, aud ¿ 4 17a. 6d. in pence aud half* pence»—-Zout.

2 0 6 London Mesmeric Infirmary.

I n s t i t u t i o n , o r f o r r e n e w i n g t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n t h e l a t e h o u s e ,

a s w e s h o u l d c o n s i d e r e x p e d i e n t . * W e a c c o r d i n g l y t o o k a l e a s e o f a s p a c i o u s a n d h a n d s o m e h o u s e , s i t u a t e d i n t h e c o r n e r o f F i t a r o y S q u a r e a n d G r a f t o n S t r e e t , N o . 1 a , a t

t h e m o d e r a t e r e n t o f £ 1 1 0 p e r a n n u m , t h a t h a d b e e n v a c a n t

f o r t w o y e a r s , a n d w a s t o b e h i r e d s o c h e a p l y o n a c c o u n t o f t h e d i f f i c u l t y o f l e t t i n g s o g o o d a h o u s e i n s u c h a n e i g h b o u r ­

h o o d . W e d i d n o t i m a g i n e t h a t a n y i n h a b i t a n t o f t h e S q u a r e w o u l d t h i n k o f o b j e c t i n g t o o u r p r e s e n c e , s i n c e w e r e c e i v e n o i n - p a t i e n t s , n o r c a s e s o f i n f e c t i o u s o r a c u t e d i s e a s e ; s i n c e w e n e v e r c a n b a v e a c r o w d a t t h e d o o r , b e c a u s e a l l t h e p a ­t i e n t s d o n o t a t t e n d a t o n e h o u r , b u t s u c c e e d e a c h o t h e r

e v e r y h a l f - h o u r , e n t e r i n g t h e m o m e n t t h e y a r r i v e a n d l e a v i n g a s s o o n a s t h e i r m e s m e r i s a t i o n i s o v e r , a n d a f t e r a l l f o r s i x h o u r s o n l y i n t h e t w e n t y - f o u r ; s i n c e n o b o d y c o u l d d i s c o v e r a n y d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n o u r h o u s e a n d t h e o t h e r h o u s e s o f t h e p l a c e , o r t h a t i t w a s a c h a r i t a b l e i n s t i t u t i o n ; a n d s i n c e o u r

d o o r i s n o t i n t h e S q u a r e , b u t s o m e y a r d s d o w n G r a f t o n S t r e e t : a b o v e a l l , w e c o n c e i v e d t h a t w e s h o u l d n o t b e o b j e c t e d t o w h e n w e b e h e l d t h e o p p o s i t e h o u s e i n t h e S q u a r e , i u t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g c o r n e r , h a v i n g a s i d e d o o r a n d a v i s i b l e a n d o p e n s u r g e r y , o r d o c t o r ’ s s h o p , i n t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g s t r e e t , i n t o w h i c h p o o r p e o p l e e n t e r a t p l e a s u r e alt day t o p r o c u r e

a b o t t l e o f p h y s i c o r h a v e t h e i r s o r e s d r e s s e d , w h e r e a s w e g i v e n o p h y s i c , d r e s s n o s o r e s , n o r p r e s e n t a n y v i s i b l e d i f f e r e n c e f r o m t h e r e s t o f t h e S q u a r e . *

“ S o m e o f t h e h i g h e r i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h e S q u a r e h a v e w i t h d r a w n a l l o p p o s i t i o n o n o b s e r v i n g t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a n d o n l e a r n i n g , b y t h e m s e l v e s v i s i t i n g o r f r o m t h e v i s i t s o f

t h e i r f r i e n d s , t h a t a l l w i t h i n a s w e l l a s w i t h o u t i s s i m p l i c i t y , o r d e r , q u i e t , a n d p r o p r i e t y , f i t f o r a n y l a d y , o l d o r y o u n g , t o w i t n e s s a t a l l t h e s i x h o u r s o f a t t e n d a n c e . B u t t h e m a j o r i t y a r e i n e x o r a b l e , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h a t i n s u c h s q u a r e s a s S t . J a m e s ’ s S q u a r e , H a n o v e r S q u a r e , a n d C a v e n d i s h S q u a r e , t h e r e s i d e n c e s o f t h e n o b i l i t y , f r o m b a r o n s t o d u k e s , p u b l i c i n ­s t i t u t i o n s a r e a l l o w e d , a n d c l u b h o u s e s , a n d i n o n e o f t h e m p o s i t i v e l y s h o p s . T h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f F i t z r o y S q u a r e r e s o l v e t h a t w e s h a l l n o t b e n e a r t h e m ; a n d w e a r e l o o k i n g f o r a n o ­

t h e r h o u s e t o p r e v e n t t h e e x p e n s e o f l i t i g a t i o n : a l t h o u g h , h a d w e m o r e f u n d s , w e c o u l d , a c c o r d i n g t o a v e r y h i g h o p i n i o u , r e s i s t w i t h l i t t l e d o u b t o f s u c c e s s . - W e h a d h o p e d

v The proprietor, sre hear, is the roost active of the opponents to the In- ftruaary, though Dr, Elliatson has attended his fatnUy and him os a friend when­ever called upon : and Mr. Capem, the secretary, went a mite and a half times without number as a friend to mesmerise this gentleman’? father— Z o h tL

London Mesmeric Infirmary. 2 0 7

t h a t a n i n s t i t u t i o n n o t m e r e l y i n e v e r y r e s p e c t p e r f e c t l y u n ­

o b j e c t i o n a b l e , b u t f r a u g h t w i t h b l e s s i n g s t o t b e a f f l i c t e d , w o u l d h a v e b e e n a s o u r c e o f p l e a s u r e a n d s a t i s f a c t i o n t o t h e i n h a b i t a n t s .

" S i n c e t h e l a s t A n n u a l M e e t i n g w e h a v e t r e a t e d 2 9 8

p a t i e n t s , 4 1 b e i n g s t i l l u n d e r t r e a t m e n t , s o t h a t t h e a m o u n t o f m e s m e r i s m p e r f o r m e d d a i l y b y t h e t h r e e m a l e m e s m e r i s e ™

a n d t h e t w o f e m a l e m e s m e r i s e r s i s c o n s i d e r a b l e .“ T h i r t y - n i n e h a v e n o t i m p r o v e d . B u t i t i s t o b e r e m e m ­

b e r e d t h a t m a n y p a t i e n t s s o o n c e a s e t o a t t e n d , s o m e i n d e e d a f t e r a v e r y f e w , e v e n a f t e r t w o o r t h r e e , v i s i t s : s o m e d i s ­a p p o i n t e d a t n o t b e i n g c u r e d o f l o n g - s t a n d i n g d i s e a s e s o f f h a n d a t o n c e , a s i f b y m a g i c j s o m e l i v i n g a t t o o g r e a t d i s ­t a n c e t o a t t e n d w i t h r e g u l a r i t y .

" F i f t y - s e v e n h a v e b e e n i m p r o v e d : m a n y o f t h e m e n a b l e d

t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r w o r k , a n d t h e r e f o r e u n w i l l i n g t o r e f r a i n l o n g e r f r o m g e t t i n g t h e i r l i v e l i h o o d a n d t o c o n t i n u e w i t h u s t i l l t h e i r c u r e i s c o m p l e t e d .

" S i x t y - o n e h a v e b e e n c u r e d , — m a n y l a b o u r i n g u n d e r r h e u m a t i s m a n d n e u r a l g i c a f f e c t i o n s c u r e d i n f r o m o n e t o t h r e e v i s i t s . M a n y o f t h e d i s e a s e s c u r e d w e r e i n t e n s e a n d o f l o n g s t a n d i n g , a n d h a d b e e n t r e a t e d i n v a i n a t t h e g r e a t

h o s p i t a l s a n d d i s p e n s a r i e s , a n d b y t h e m o s t e m i n e n t m e d i c a l m e n , m e t r o p o l i t a n a n d p r o v i n c i a l .

“ E l e v e n o f t h e s e r e m a r k a b l e c u r e s a r e r e c o r d e d i n t h e l a s t n u m b e r o f The Zoist, m o s t o f t h e m t e s t i f i e d b y t h e p a ­

t i e n t s t h e m s e l v e s . W e w i l l c o n s e q u e n t l y d o n o m o r e t h a n r e f e r t o t h e m : b u t t h e M e e t i n g w i l l n o t o b j e c t t o o u r r e l a t i n g a f e w o t h e r s w i t h t h e v i e w o f d i s p l a y i n g t h e p o w e r s o f m e s ­

m e r i s m ." T h o m a s R o b e r t s , 6 1 y e a r s o f a g e , l i v i n g a t N o . 8 4 ,

M o r t i m e r S t r e e t , C a v e n d i s h S q u a r e , f o u n d h i m s e l f r a t h e r d e a f a b o u t 3 0 y e a r s a g o . S o u n d s w e r e c o n f u s e d , a n d a t l e n g t h h e h a d n o i s e s i n h i s e a r s l i k e t h e r i n g i n g o f b e l l s , w a t e r f a l l s , a n d t h e r o l l i n g o f c a r r i a g e s , e s p e c i a l l y a t n i g h t w h e n h i s h e a d w a s o n t h e p i l l o w . H e t h e n e n t i r e l y l o s t t h e

h e a r i n g o f t h e r i g h t e a r , a n d f r e q u e n t l y w a s a t t a c k e d b y p a i n a n d g i d d i n e s s . F o r t h r e e m o n t h s h e b a d u n u s u a l p a i n

i n t h e l e f t e a r : m a t t e r w a s d i s c h a r g e d f r o m b o t h , a n d h e t h e n b e c a m e t o t a l l y d e a f i n b o t h a n d s o r e m a i n e d , s t i l l c o n s t a n t l y s u f f e r i n g p a i n a n d n o i B e s . I n t h a t s t a t e h e b e g a n t o a t t e n d a t t h e I n f i r m a r y i n F e b r u a r y , a l w a y s a c c o m p a n i e d b y h i s w i f e , o n a c c o u n t o f t h e d a n g e r o f b e i n g r u n o v e r i n c r o s s i n g t h e

s t r e e t s . B u t i a a s h o r t t i m e t h i s p r e c a u t i o n w a s n o l o n g e r n e c e s s a r y : a t t h e s i x t h s i t t i n g h e h a d l e s s n o i s e i n h i s h e a d .

2 0 8 London Mesmeric Infirmary.

a n d w a s w e l l e n o u g h t o l e a v e u s o n t h e 6 t h o f J u n e . T h o u g h f o r 8 0 y e a r s h e c o u l d n o t h e a r w i t h h i s r i g h t e a r , e v e n w h e n a t r u m p e t w a s a p p l i e d t o i t , h e n o w c a n , a n d h e h a s r e s u m e d h i s o c c u p a t i o n a s a c o a c h m a n , w h i c h f o r s o m e t i m e h e h a d b e e n o b l i g e d t o g i v e u p . I n t h e t r e a t m e n t p a s s e s w e r e m a d e d o w n t h e h e a d o v e r t h e e a r s , a n d t h e s e w e r e b r e a t h e d i n t o . M e s m e r i s e d w a t e r w a s d r o p p e d i n t o t h e m , a n d c o t t o n s a t u ­r a t e d w i t h m e s m e r i s e d o i l p u t i n t o t h e m . S l e e p w a s n e v e r i n d u c e d ; b u t c o m p o s u r e .

“ M r s , W o r k m a n , o f N o , 5 1 , U p p e r M a r s h , L a m b e t h , s i x y e a r s a g o h a d b u u l c e r a t e d s o r e t h r o a t , f o l l o w e d b y d e a f n e s s , c h i e f l y o f t h e r i g h t e a r , a n d c o n s t a n t n o i s e s . S h e w a s t r e a t e d w i t h o u t a n y a d v a n t a g e b y M r . C u r t i s , b y a p r a c t i t i o n e r i n T o t t e n h a m C o u r t R o a d , b y M r . F r a n c i s , b y B a r o n M a c k e n ­z i e , a n d a t l e n g t h w a s m o r e d e a f t h a n e v e r . H e r h e a r i n g w s h p r e s u m e d b y h e r f r i e n d s a n d h e r s e l f t o b e u n l i k e l y e v e r

t o r e t u r n . S h e h a d b e e n d e l u g e d w i t h m e d i c i n e s . T h e l a t e L o r d D u c i e s e n t h e r t o u s . S h e w a s a b l e t o a t t e n d w i t h l e s s r e g u l a r i t y t h a n w a s d e s i r a b l e ; y e t w h e n s h e l e f t u s s h e c o n ­s i d e r e d h e r s e l f c u r e d . S u c h w a s h e r s u s c e p t i b i l i t y t h a t s h e

c o u l d b e s e n t t o s l e e p i n h a l f a m i n u t e . B r e a t h i n g i n t o h e r e a r t h r o u g h a t u b e s e e m e d t o d o h e r g r e a t g o o d . P a s s e s o v e r h e r h e a d a l w a y s o c c a s i o n e d a p r o f u s e p e r s p i r a t i o n , W h e n s h e f i r s t c a m e s h e c o u l d n o t h e a r a v e h i c l e g o i n g a l o n g t h e

s t r e e t , b u t w h e n s h e l e f t u s s h e c o u l d j o i n i n c o n v e r s a t i o n .“ M a r y W y a t t , N o . 1 4 , K i n g ' s M e w s , G r a y ’ s - I n n L a n e ,

h a d s u f f e r e d a g o n i z i n g t i c d o u l o u r e u x f o r s e v e n y e a r s , T h e p a i n , s h e B a id , w a s m a d d e n i n g , a n d s c a r c e l y l e f t h e r d a y o r

n i g h t . S h e h a d b e e n u n d e r D r . B u d d a n d M r . H u x t a b l e o f B a r n s t a p l e , M r . T h o m a s L a n e , M r . J o i c e , a n d D r . N e w b o l d ,

w i t h b u t s h o r t r e l i e f . S h e h a d t a k e n a r s e n i c , q u i n i n e , b e l l a ­d o n n a , a n d c a r b o n a t e o f i r o n . E x t e r n a l a p p l i c a t i o n s n e v e r r e l i e v e d h e r . T h e p a r o x y s m s w h i c h w e w i t n e s s e d w e r e h o r ­

r i b l e . S h e b e g a n m e s m e r i s m o n t h e 1 8 t h o f A u g u s t , a n d l e f t u s c u r e d i n t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f J a n u a i y . S l e e p w a s n e v e r i n d u c e d . P a s s e s w i t h o u t c o n t a c t w e r e a l w a y s m a d e o v e r t h e a f f e c t e d p a r t . S h e c a l l e d a t t h e I n f i r m a r y l a s t m o n t h t o s a y t h a t B h e h a d e x p e r i e n c e d n o r e l a p s e .

“ T h e f o l l o w i n g w a s a n o t h e r c a s e o f n e r v o u s a f f e c t i o n , b u t o f a d i f f e r e n t f o r m , — o n e o f t h e m o s t d r e a d f u l i n s t a n c e s o f d i s t r a c t i o n t h a t w e e v e r w i t n e s s e d . W e w i l l g i v e i t i n t h e p a t i e n t ’ s o w n w o r d s ,

“ W i l l i a m E s t l o b , 4 1 y e a r s o f a g e , a t a i l o r , w a s a d m i t t e d o n t h e 1 s t o f l a s t D e c e m b e r . F o r t h e p r e v i o u s s i x y e a r s , t h o u g h t s , h a v i n g n o r e l a t i o n t o h i s o c c u p a t i o n , w e r e i n c e s ­s a n t l y i n h i s m i n d . T h e y l o n g w e r e o f a p l e a s a n t a n d b e n e -

London Mesmeric Infirmary. 3 0 9

v o l e n t c h a r a c t e r , b u t f o r t h e l a s t f e w m o n t h s , h e h a v i n g

b e c o m e d e b i l i t a t e d , t h e y c h a n g e d , a n d h e g r e w i n c e n s e d w i t h h i s m o s t i n t i m a t e f r i e n d s , a l t h o u g h h e d i d n o t b e t r a y h i s f e e l i n g s . H e n o w h a d i n t e n s e h e a d - a c h e s , l a s t i n g f r e q u e n t l y f o r t w o d a y s t o g e t h e r , a n d h e o b t a i n e d e a s e o n l y b y w r a p p i n g h i s b e a d i n w e t c l o t h s o r i m m e r s i n g i t i n c o l d w a t e r . T h e b e a d - a c h e s a l w a y s l e f t h i m g r e a t l y e x h a u s t e d , a n d i n a s t a t e

o f i r r i t a b i l i t y a p p r o a c h i n g t o m a d n e s s . H i s s t r e n g t h w a s i m p a i r e d , a n d f o r t h e l a s t f o u r y e a r s a n e r u p t i o n h a d d i s ­f i g u r e d h i s f a c e u n r e l i e v e d b y a n y m e a s u r e s w h i c h M r . E r a s m u s W i l s o n p r e s c r i b e d . O n t h e d a y o f h i s a d m i s s i o n t h i s e r u p ­t i o n w a s v e r y c o n s i d e r a b l e , a n d h i s d e s p a i r a n d d i s t r a c t i o n

c a m e o n i n p a r o x y s m s w h i c h w e r e a b s o l u t e l y h o r r i f y i n g . O n t h e t h i r d d a y o f h i s a t t e n d a n c e — a S a t u r d a y — a v e r y s e v e r e h e a d - a c h e b a d b e g u n a n d p r e v e n t e d h i m f r o m g o i n g t o h i s w o r k : b u t , a f t e r h e w a s m e s m e r i s e d a t t h e I n f i r m a r y a t t w o

o ' c l o c k , i t w a s c o m p l e t e l y s u b d u e d , a n d h e w a s a b l e t o g o t o b i s w o r k a n d c o n t i u u e w i t h o u t l e a v i n g o f f t i l l e l e v e n o ' c l o c k a t n i g h t . H e a t t e n d e d d a i l y f o r t h r e e w e e k s a n d m o r e o r l e s s f o r t e n w e e k s ; f o r t y - t h r e e t i m e s a l t o g e t h e r ; a n d s l e e p w a s n e v e r i n d u c e d . H i s c u r e w a s c o m p l e t e , a n d h e r e m a i n s a h e a l t h y a n d h a p p y m a n t o t h i s h o u r . P r e v i o u s l y t o l e a v i n g u s h e p r e s e n t e d h i m s e l f b e f o r e t h e c o m m i t t e e w i t h e x p r e s ­s i o n s o f t h e w a r m e s t g r a t i t u d e ; a s p a t i e n t s , w e r e j o i c e t o s a y , d o e v e r y w e e k . N o f r e s h e r u p t i o n h a d t a k e n p l a c e i n b i s f a c e s i n c e m e s m e r i s m w a s b e g u n , a l t h o u g h b e f o r e t h a t

t i m e i t w a s c o m i n g o u t e v e r y d a y ." A n d t h i s l e a d s u s t o t r o u b l e t h e M e e t i n g w i t h a n a c c o u n t

o f t h e c u r e o f a n o t h e r c a s e o f v e r y s e v e r e , c u t a n e o u s d i s e a s e ." H e n r y T h o m a s B r o w n , a c a b i n e t m a k e r , l i v i n g a t N o .

5 5 , H a t f i e l d S t r e e t , h a d b e e n s u f f e r i n g f r o m , t h e s k i n d i s e a s e c a l l e d p s o r i a s i s f o r e i g h t y e a r s . T h e s o r e n e s s w a s a t t i m e s s u c h a s t o p r e v e n t h i m f r o m w o r k i n g . H i s h a n d s w e r e s w o l l e n a n d t h e p a l m s v e r y m u c h c r a c k e d . H e h a d b e e n u n d e r d i f ­

f e r e n t s u r g e o n s a n d a t t h e I n s t i t u t i o n f o r D i s e a s e s o f t h e S k i n i n E a r l S t r e e t , * w i t h o u t a n y b e n e f i t , a n d b e c o m e v e r y n e r v o u s , i n c o n s e q u e n c e , h e b e l i e v e d , o f t a k i n g p o w e r f u l m e d i c i n e s , t h o u g h h e a l w a y s h a d b e e n r a t h e r o f a n e r v o u s h a b i t . H e w a s i n c a p a c i t a t e d f r o m m a n y k i n d s o f h i s l a b o u r , a n d c o u l d p e r f o r m n o n e w i t h o u t g l o v e s . H e b e g a n t o b e m e s m e r i s e d

* W e have learnt that a certain skin-doctor in connection with this charity, whose wife has consulted Dr. Elliotaon, a friend, and been mesmerised, did, on hearing from a gentleman that he had brought up his son with diseased longs from the country at the desire of two medical men to consult Dr. EUioteon, at­tempt to dissuade the gentleman from consulting Dr. Elliotson, saying, "H e will not d o ; he's a

210 London Mesmeric Infirmary.

o n t h e 3 r d o f F e b r u a r y , a n d o n t h e 1 9 t h o f A p r i l h e w a s c u r e d a n d c e a s e d t o a t t e n d . H e c a l l e d u p o n u s o n t h e 2 3 r d

o f M a y t o s a y t h a t h i s c u t a n e o u s d i s e a s e s t i l l r e m a i n e d c u r e d .“ T o g i v e a n o t h e r p r o o f t h a t t h e s a n a t i v e p o w e r o f m e s ­

m e r i s m i s b y n o m e a n s l i m i t e d t o f u n c t i o n a l a n d n e r v o u s a f f e c ­t i o n s , w e m a y b r i e f l y m e n t i o n t h e c u r e o f a c o n s i d e r a b l e o v a r i a n e n l a r g e m e n t o f t h e b o d y .

" M r s . S a r a h P o w e l l , l i v i n g a t N o . 9 2 , R e g e n t S t r e e t , V a u x h a i l - b r i d g e H o a d , w a s a d m i t t e d o n t h e 1 4 t h o f J a n u a r y , 1 8 5 2 , w i t h a n o v a r i a n t u m o r , p r o n o u n c e d t o b e B u c h b y t h e m e d i c a l m e m b e r s o f t h e c o m m i t t e e a n d b y h e r f o r m e r m e ­d i c a l a t t e n d a n t s . I t h a d c o m m e n c e d i n 1 8 5 0 , a n d s h e , m i s t a k ­i n g i t s n a t u r e , e n g a g e d a n a c c o u c h e u r i n t h e O c t o b e r o f t h a t y e a r . A s i t c o n t i n u e d t o i n c r e a s e , s h e b e c a m e a p a t i e n t a t t h e H o m o e o p a t h i c I n s t i t u t i o n u n d e r M r . D u d g e o n : b u t i t

s t i l l e n l a r g e d . W e m e s m e r i s e d h e r d a i l y , a n d s h e d e c r e a s e d f i f t e e n i n c h e s i n c i r c u m f e r e n c e i n e i g h t m o n t h s : a n d n o w ,

a f t e r v i s i t i n g u s f o r a y e a r a n d a h a l f , c o n s i d e r s h e r s e l f c u r e d . S h e w a s i n s p e c t e d b y D r . S y m e s a t t b e m e e t i n g o f t h e c o m ­m i t t e e l a s t w e e k .

“ W e n e v e r a i m a t w h a t a r e t e r m e d t h e p h e n o m e n a o f m e s m e r i s m , a n d c a r e f u l l y a v o i d a l l c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h a r e c a l c u l a t e d t o e x c i t e t h e i m a g i n a t i o n . F o l l o w i n g t h e s o u n d a d v i c e g i v e n b y M r . M o n c k t o n M i l n e s a t o u r f i r s t g e n e r a l

m e e t i n g i n 1 8 5 0 , w e n e v e r p e r m i t o r e n c o u r a g e a u y t h i n g l i k e a n e x h i b i t i o n o f t h e w o n d e r s o f m e s m e r i s m . B u t p h e n o m e n a s o m e t i m e s p r e s e n t t h e m s e l v e s s p o n t a n e o u s l y , a n d t h e f o l l o w ­

i n g c a s e e x h i b i t s a m o s t s a t i s f a c t o r y c u r e a n d t h a t n o t u n ­c o m m o n v a r i e t y o f c l a i r v o y a n c e c o n s i s t i n g o f a n i n t u i t i v e i m p r e s s i o n i n t h e p a t i e n t a s t o t h e c o u r s e o f t h e d i s e a s e .

" A y o u n g w o m a n , n a m e d M a r y A n n M a l l o w s , a u d l i v i n g

a t N o . 1 3 , A l d e n h a m T e r r a c e , O l d S t . P a n c r a s H o a d , a p p l i e d o n t h e 1 9 t h o f l a s t J a n u a r y o n a c c o u n t o f e p i l e p t i c f i t s . F r o m h e r c h i l d h o o d s h e h a d s u f f e r e d g r e a t l y i n h e r h e a d a n d

s t o m a c h . T w o y e a r s b e f o r e h e r a p p l i c a t i o n t o u s , s h e h a d s e v e r e p a i n i n t h e l o w e r p a r t o f h e r b a c k f o r a m o n t h , a n d

t h e n w h i l e w a s h i n g h a d a n e p i l e p t i c f i t w h i c h l a s t e d f o r t h r e e h o u r s . I n s i x m o n t h s s h e h a d a s e c o n d , m o r e v i o l e n t . I n

t h r e e m o n t h s a t h i r d ; a n d f r o m t h a t p e r i o d t w o , t h r e e , o r f o u r e v e r y w e e k . B e f o r e c o m i n g t o u s , s h e w a s m e s m e r i s e d b y M r . B a r t h . T h e f i r s t m e s m e r i s a t i o n a t t b e I n f i r m a r y p r o d u c e d m e s m e r i c c o m a . O n t h e s i x t h t h i s c h a n g e d t o s l e e p - w a k i n g , a n d s h e t a l k e d . S h e p r e d i c t e d b y a n i n t u i t i v e f e e l i n g t h a t h e r n e x t f i t w o u l d h a p p e n o n t h e f o l l o w i n g e v e n ­i n g a t s i x o ’ c l o c k . H e r p r e d i c t i o n w a s f u l f i l l e d . T h e n e x t

d a y s h e p r e d i c t e d i n h e r s l e e p . w a k i n g t h a t s h e s h o u l d h a v e

London Mesmeric Infirmary, 211

f o u r m o r e a t t a c k s , n a m i n g t h e d a y a n d h o u r o f t h e f i r s t ; a n d s h e n a m e d t h e d a y a n d h o u r o f e a c h i n h e r s l e e p - w a k i n g a f t e r

t h e f i t p r e v i o u s l y p r e d i c t e d h a d t a k e n p l a c e . A l l h e r p r e ­d i c t i o n s w e r e f u l f i l l e d . W h e n p r o g n o s t i c a t i n g t h e l a s t f i t , s h e s a i d i t w o u l d b e v e r y v i o l e n t . I t o c c u r r e d o n t h e 2 3 r d o f

M a r c h a t t h e v e r y h o u r s h e h a d f o r e t o l d , a n d i t s v i o l e n c e w a s a w f u l , r e q u i r i n g f o u r p e r s o n s d u r i n g t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f

t h e t i m e t o p r e v e n t h e r f r o m i n j u r i n g h e r s e l f . I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r i t w a s o v e r , s h e w a s m e s m e r i s e d i n t o s l e e p - w a k i n g , a n d d e c l a r e d s h e s h o u l d n e v e r h a v e a n o t h e r f i t . N o r h a s s h e . H e r m o t h e r c a l l e d a t t h e I n f i r m a r y t h i s p r e s e n t m o n t h a n d s a i d t h a t s h e h a d s u f f e r e d n o a t t a c k s i n c e t h e 2 2 n d o f M a r c h .

“ B e s i d e s t r e a t i n g d i s e a s e s , o u r s e c r e t a r y g i v e s i n s t r u c ­t i o n s t o a l l w h o w i s h t o l e a r n t h e m e t h o d o f m e s m e r i s i n g t h e i r f r i e n d s ; a n d p e r s o n s , s a t i s f a c t o r i l y r e c o m m e n d e d , a r e

a l l o w e d t o a t t e n d a n d m e s m e r i s e u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n a n d s u p e r v i s i o n o f t h e s e c r e t a r y o r m a t r o n .

“ T h e a c c o u n t s h a v e b e e n v e r y k i n d l y a n d c a r e f u l l y a u d i t e d b y M r . W . W a t k i s s L l o y d a n d M r . G e o r g e S . N o t ­t a g e ( t h e i r s t a t e m e n t w i l l b e f o u n d a t p . 2 1 4 ) .

" W e a r e s a t i s f i e d t h a t n o t a s i x p e n c e i s e x p e n d e d u n n e ­c e s s a r i l y .

“ T h e M e e t i n g i s n o d o u b t a p p r i s e d o f t h e d e a t h o f o u r e x c e l l e n t p r e s i d e n t , t h e E a r l o f D u c i e . H e w a s v e r y a c t i v e i u t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e S o c i e t y : a l l o w e d a l l t h e o r i g i n a l

m e e t i n g s t o t a k e p l a c e a t h i s h o u s e i n B e l g r a v e S q u a r e , a n d , a s w e l l a s h i s b r o t h e r - i n - l a w , M r . L a n g s t o n , m e m b e r f o r t h e C i t y o f O x f o r d , a n d t h e B a r o n d e G o l d s m i d a n d P a l m e i r a , p r e s e n t e d u s a t t h e v e r y c o m m e n c e m e n t o f o u r a t t e m p t w i t h

a h u n d r e d p o u n d s . W e a r e a n x i o u s t o r e c o m m e n d a s h i s s u c c e s s o r t h e A r c h b i s h o p o f D u b l i n — a v e r y r e m a r k a b l e m a n — g r e a t i n e v e r y p a r t i c u l a r , i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d m o r a l — a m o d e l t o c l e r g y m e n a n d l e g i s l a t o r s — a n a r d e n t , o p e n , a n d u n r e ­s e r v e d f r i e n d t o m e s m e r i s m , a n d w h o s e w i f e , a s a l l E n g l i s h m e s m e r i s t s a r e a w a r e , e f f e c t e d o n e o f t h e m o s t s p l e n d i d c u r e s i n t h e w h o l e h i s t o r y o f m e d i c i n e — t h e c u r e o f a b l i n d n e s s w h i c h h a d e x i s t e d f o r s i x a n d t w e n t y y e a r s . T h e c a s e i s d e ­

t a i l e d i n t h e T w e n t y - f i f t h N u m b e r o f The Z otit."

I t w a s t h e n m o v e d by P r o f e s s o r D e M organ , o f U n i ­v e r s i t y C o l l e g e , L o n d o n , a n d s e c o n d e d b y M r . H . U . J anson, o f E x e t e r , — T h a t t h e r e p o r t b e r e c e i v e d a n d a d o p t e d .

B y t h e R e v . G e o r g e S a n d b y , a n d s e c o n d e d b y M r .

212 London Mesmeric Infirmary.

A s h u r s t M a j e n d i e ,— T h a t H i s G r a c e t h e A r c h b i s h o p o f D u b l i n b e e l e c t e d P r e s i d e n t o f t h e I n s t i t u t i o n .

B y M r . G e o r g e M o f f a t , M . P , a n d s e c o n d e d b y C a p ta in t h e H o n . W . F . S c a r l e t t ,— T h a t D r . G r e g o r y , P r o f e s s o r o f

C h e m i s t r y i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f E d i n b u r g h , b e e l e c t e d a V i c e ­

P r e s i d e n t o f t h e I n s t i t u t i o n .

B y M r . M o n c k t o n M i l n e b , M . P . , a n d s e c o n d e d b y M r . C o l l y G r a t t a n ,— T h a t M r . G o f f a n d M r . K i s t e b e e le c t e d

m e m b e r s o f t h e C o m m i t t e e i n t h e r o o m o f M r . B r i g g s a n d M r , W i l b e r f o r c e ; t h e f o r m e r g e n t l e m a n r e s i g n i n g f r o m i n ­

c r e a s i n g i n f i r m i t i e s , a f t e r m o s t e f f i c i e n t s u p p o r t t o t h e c h a r ity f r o m i t s c o m m e n c e m e n t , a n d M r . W i l b e r f o r c e n o t h a v i n g y e t

b e e n a b l e t o a t t e n d ; a n d t h a t C a p t a i n t h e H o n , W . F . S c a r l e t t a n d D r . S y m e s , w h o g o o u t b y r o t a t i o n , b e r e e le c t e d .

B y M r . F r e d e r i c k M o c a t , * s u r g e o n t o t h e 9 t h r e g i ­m e n t o f I u f a n t r y , a n d s e c o n d e d b y M r . G . S . N o t t a g e , — T h a t t h e c o r d i a l t h a n k s o f t h e M e e t i n g b e g i v e n t o t h e L a d ie s 1 C o m m i t t e e f o r t h e i r c o n s t a n t a n d i m p o r t a n t s e r v i c e s , a n d t h a t t h e L a d y M a r y B e n t i n c k , + t h e D o w a g e r L a d y M o l e s - w o r t h , M r s . W h a t e l e y — t h e w i f e o f t h e A r c h b i s h o p o f D a h l i a , M r s . S a n d b y , a n d M i s s G o l d s m i d , w h o h a v e k i n d l y c o n s e n t e d t o j o i n t h e L a d i e s ' C o m m i t t e e , b e a d d e d t o M r s . D e M o r g a n ,

M r s . S y m e s , M r s . H e r r i n g , M i s s B r i n e , M i s s E m m a B r in e , M i s s W a l l a c e , a n d M i s s S w a n n e c k .

B y C o l o n e l B a g n o l d , a n d s e c o n d e d b y L i e u t . - C o l o n e l

T o p h a m , o f H e r M a j e s t y ’ s B o d y G u a r d , — T h a t t h e C o m ­m i t t e e b e e m p o w e r e d t o m a k e w h a t a r r a n g e m e n t s t h e y t h in k

f i t i n r e g a r d t o t h e h o u s e o f t h e I n s t i t u t i o n .

A l l t h e s e r e s o l u t i o n s w e r e c a r r i e d u n a n i m o u s l y : a n d th e n , o n t h e m o t i o n o f D r . S y m e s , a v o t e o f t h a n k s t o E arl S t a n h o p e f o r h i s k i n d n e s s i n c o m i n g u p t o L o n d o n t o ta k e

t h e c h a i r , a n d h i s c o n d u c t i n i t .B e f o r e t h i s w a s c a r r i e d , M r . J e f f e r y s a n d C a p t . H u d s o n

o f L i v e r p o o l a d d r e s s e d t h e M e e t i n g m o s t e n e r g e t i c a l l y u p on

* This gentleman bore hi a testimony to the truth of all the phenomena of the Okeya, whom he had attentively watched during the whole of their residence in University College Hospital. He considered it the height of absurdity to enter­tain a doubt upon the subject, and declared that from that time, now fifteen years ago, he had been a firm advocate of mesmerism. See this gentleman'« remark» in a late No.—Z a u i .

t To the Lady Mary Bentiuck England is indebted for the first great painless surgical operation—the amputation of a leg in the mesmeric trance, and the report of which created such a hurricane in the Medical and Cfairurgical Society, —Z o i t t .

X

London Mesmeric Infirmary. 2 1 3

t h e m i g h t y r e m e d i a l p o w e r s o f m e s m e r i s m , a s m a n i f e s t e d i n t h e i r o w n e x p e r i e n c e , u r g i n g u p o n a l l t o e m p l o y i t a n d a d v o ­c a t e i t s e m p l o y m e n t i i i t h e t r e a t m e n t o f d i s e a s e . C a p t a i n H u d s o n i s t h e g r e a t m i s s i o n a r y o f m e s m e r i s m i n t h e N o r t h o f E n g l a n d , a n d b y h i s c u r e s a n d h i s l e c t u r e s b e a t s h o s t s o f o u r o p p o n e n t s , a n d g a t h e r s s u p p o r t e r s f r o m a l l c l a s s e s , e s p e ­c i a l l y a m o n g t h e c l e r g y , a n d n o t a f e w f r o m t h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n . H e h a s g i v e n 1 1 0 l e c t u r e s i n t h e p r e s e n t y e a r i n s o m e o f t h e p r i n c i p a l t o w n s o f L a n c a s h i r e . L a s t T u e s d a y e v e n i n g h e f i n i s h e d a c o u r s e o f 4 2 l e c t u r e s i n A s h t o n a n d S t a l e y b r i d g e . O n e m a n w h o h a d l o s t t h e u s e o f b o t h h i s a r m s f o r t w o y e a r s , l i f t e d t h e m u p i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e a u d i e n c e , a n d t h a n k e d 6 o d t h a t h e h a d g o t t h e n s e o f t h e m a g a i n b y m e s m e r i s m ; a n o t h e r p e r s o n , w h o h a d b e e n a f f l i c t e d w i t h f i t s f o r n i n e y e a r s , w a s p u t i n t o t h e m e s m e r i c t r a n c e f o u r m o n t h s a g o , a n d h a d n o t h a d a f i t d u r i n g t h a t t i m e j a b o y , w h o c o u l d n o t u t t e r h i s o w n n a m e { f r o m i m p e d i m e n t i n

h i s s p e e c h ) b e f o r e h e w a s m e s m e r i s e d , c a n n o w s p e a k p l a i n ; s e v e r a l o t h e r s w h o w e r e p r e s e n t h a d r e c e i v e d b e n e f i t d u r i n g h i s s t a y i n t h e t o w n s , O n o n e o c c a s i o n h e m e t w i t h a y o u n g

f e m a l e w h o w a s w a l k i n g h o m e l a m e a n d i n m u c h p a i n . A f t e r s p e a k i n g t o h e r a b o u t t h e c a u s e o f a l l t h i s , h e p a i d h e r a v i s i t a t h e r m o t h e r ’ s h o u s e ; a n d f o u n d h e r m o t h e r a b o u t 7 0 y e a r s

o f a g e , w h o u n d e r s t o o d n o t h i n g a b o u t m e s m e r i s m . T h e y a l l o w e d h i m t o t r y t o d o h e r g o o d . H e p r e s e n t l y p u t h e r t o s l e e p . H e r m o t h e r t h o u g h t s h e h a d f a i u t e d . B u t h e b e g a n t o s i n g a h y m n , a n d t h e g i r l s a n g t o o . T h i s a l a r m e d t h e m o t h e r . H e m a d e t h e g i r l ’ s l e g q u i t e s t r a i g h t , a n d g o t h e r

t o w a l k w e l l i n h e r s l e e p , t o h i s o w n u t t e r a s t o n i s h m e n t . A t P r e s t o n , L a n c a s h i r e , h e o p e r a t e d o n f o u r p e r s o n s : i n t h e m e s m e r i c s t a t e t h r e e o f t h e m h e a r d h i m s p e a k , a l t h o u g h t h e w h o l e f o u r w e r e b o r n d e a f a n d d u m b , a n d o n e s p o k e t w i c e . T h e g o o d c a u s e , h e a d d e d , i s s p r e a d i n g r a p i d l y i n n e a r l y a l l t h e p r i n c i p a l t o w n s o f L a n c a s h i r e , a m o n g r i c h a n d p o o r .

v o n . x i . Q

'< ■

The Treasurer in account with the London Mesmeric InfirmaryS t .

1852. Jane 11.

1853. June 15.

1S53. June 15.

4 lx .

To Balance at Union Bank£ *. d.391 2 10

To Annual Subscription*.. . . . . . . 212 15 11Donation! ............................. 125 2 6Ditto pee Bones..................... 27 13 3Sale of Crystals..................... 1 5 0

Renta per Mr, Ban me’s gift Payments of some PatientsInterest i—

On Exchequer B ills.......... II 0 10Per Bankers..................... 3 2 9

366 16 832 1 3

8 9 2

M 3 6

£815 13 5

1833. £ *• d .

June 13, By Salaries of Secretary and Mesmeriser*.. . . 250 0 6Rent ........................................................ 85 0 0Rates and Tout ...................................- 26 9 9Expenses of Removal, Fittings, and House

Expense* ........................................ 50 3 11Stationery, Printing, and Advertisements.. 31 16 dLaw Expenses on Lease ......................... 11 0 0Furniture ................................................ 23 13 2Balance at Union Bank ........................ 3d 7 7 9

£815 13 5

To Balance at Union Bank Five Exchequer Bills ..

347 7 9306 9 11

W illiam Watbiss Lloyd, ) , ... Giorgi 8. N otta o b , ^ « a t t o r i .

21

4

Statement o

f Jceountg.

( 215 )

X I . The omission of important Facts from an AmericanDocument.

W e have perused the Eeport o f the Select Committee ap­pointed by the United States Government, “ to which were referred the various memorials in regard to the discovery o f the m eans by which the human body is rendered uniform ly and safely insensible to pain under surgical operations/’

T h e first line in the Report is, “ That in the opinion o f the C om m ittee such a discovery has been made,” Seven years after the announcement o f the discovery, and when the w hole civilized world has appropriated it, a com m ittee o f A m erican statesmen gravely assert that in their opinion such a d iscovery has been m ade! They are equally clear that one o f three citizens o f the U nited States is entitled to the credit and h on ou r o f the discovery, but the Committee is not una­nim ous, and therefore the Committee is o f opinion “ that this point should not be settled by Congress without a ju d i­cial inquiry,” W e shall see presently that there are other points concerning which there Beems to be great unanimity o f opinion. The object o f the Committee was to decide who discovered the method o f producing ansesthesia by means o f ether, so that Congress m ight bestow a reward o f 100,000 dollars. W e find in the first page— the Report consists o f on ly tw o pages— the following statement, and we are com ­pelled to remark that we did expect even an American Btate docum ent would contain some recognition o f the tru th :—

" T he mesas o f safely producing insensibility to pain in surgical and kindred operations have been the great desideratum in the cura­tive art from the earliest period o f medical science, and have been zealously sought for during a period o f more than a thousand years. A t various periods, and in various ages, hope has been excited in the human breast that this great agent had been found ; but all proved delusive, and hope as often died away, until the discovery now under consideration hurst upon the w orld fro m our own cou n try and in our own d ay. Then, and not till then, was the time-cherished hope realized that the knife would lose its sting, and that blood might follow its edge without pain.”

W e know that the great majority o f the members o f the medical profession are very ignorant o f the practice o f m es­merism, and that a large number have never heard, or, i f they have heard, do not believe, that surgical operations have been perform ed without pain in the mesmeric state. O nly a few days ago we m et with an instance o f a medical man who had never heard that an operation had been performed with­out pain under mesmeric influence. H is journal had not

216 American injustice.

chronicled the fact, and he, not being a reading man and n o t gleaning his information from a variety o f sources, naturally concluded that his journal would have informed him o f such an important event. Alas ! on such trivial matters E nglish medical journals and American state documents are equally silent. I t ts not in these repositories that we are to look for inform ation, or even a chronicle o f the most important facts bearing on the subject under discussion.

It is most extraordinary that the authors o f a R ep ort presented to the Senate o f the Uuited States should not even m ention the fact that, rou a y e a r s previous to the experi­ments with ether, eight legs had been amputated and other surgical operations performed under the mesmeric influence, and that it was these important facts, and the difficulty which has almost always been experienced in inducing m esm eric anaesthesia, which directed the attention o f Am erican phy­sicians to the discovery o f some other means by which t o accomplish the required end. So decidedly is this the fact, that we And, on perusing the remarks appended to this R eport, an American physician in 1845 actually adding to the m es­meric process the influence o f nitrous oxide gas. I t is cha ­racteristic o f the " go-a-head” and “ annexation” system so prevalent amongst our brethren on the other side o f th e Atlantic, to claim for themselves, and i f possible to take possession of, all credit for this great improvement in m odern surgery. B ut we shall not permit such departure from truth to pass unnoticed. W hat says the R eport?— “ A ll proved delusive, aud hope as often died away, until the discovery now under consideration burst upon the world from our own country and in our own day Surely it is the duty o f g en ­tlemen appointed to investigate and report upon a subject to give facts. W hat theD are the facts ? Let us give a Bhort resumé o f the operations performed in the mesmeric sleep previous to the discovery that ether would produce the re ­quired anaesthesia, '

Iu 1829. Madame Flautin had her breast removed by M . Cloquet.

In 1837. There were several teeth extracted in Providence, Am erica, by M r. Estin.

In 1838. Elizabeth O key had a seton inserted in her neck at the University College Hospital, under the care o f D r. Elliotson,

In August, 1842. The tendons at the back o f the knee- jo in t were divided by D r. Engledue.

Am erican injustice. 217

In O ctober , 1842. The leg o f James W om bell was amputated by M r. Ward, at W ellow , Nottingham .

In 1844 . The finger o f John Marriott, by M r. D unn, o f W o l verham pton.

In A u g u st , 1844. The leg o f M ary A nn L atin , by M r. Tosswlll, at Leicester.

In N ovem ber, 1844. The leg o f Elizabeth ------- , by M r.Paget, at Leicester.

In M a y , 1845. The arm o f M rs. N orthway, at Torquay, by M r. Jolly.

In J u n e , 1846. The leg o f Thomas Dysart, by D r. Fenton, at A lyth , Perthshire.

In O ctober , 1645. The leg o f M dlle. D ’ Alb&net, at Cher* • bourg, France.

In A u gu st, 1846. The leg o f John Pepperal, at Bridgwater, by M r. K ing,

IN AMERICA.

In J u ly , 1843. Bemoval o f polypus from nose, at Boston,U .S ., by D r. W heelock.

In M a y , 1844. Removal o f tumor, by Professor A ckley, at the Cleveland M edical College, America.

In January, 1845. Removal o f tumor at New York, by D r. Bodinier.

In January, 1845. Removal o f breast from Mrs. Clarke, by D r. Ducas, Professor, &c., Georgia, U .S .

In 1846 . Removal o f cancer from breast, by D r. Ducas, Professor, &c., Georgia, U .S.

In M arch , 1846. Removal o f tum or at Bermuda, by D r. Cotes.

In M a y , 1846. Removal o f large tum or at New Y ork, by D r. Bostwick.

S o that, to cast aside all minor operations, we have a list o f eight amputations performed in England in the mesmeric sleep— a list o f four tumors removed in Am erica— two breasts rem oved in Am erica, and one polypus from the nose in A m erica . Some o f the latter operations were performed at m edical colleges and by professors o f surgery at the said co l­leges. And let it be carefully noted, that all this was accom ­p lished previous to the discovery that the inhalation o f ether w ou ld produce anaesthesia. This discovery was made in 1846. W e ask what stimulated men to look for some other means to produce insensibility to pain, i f the facts just related did n o t ? W hat truth is there, then, in such language as this? “ B u t all proved delusive, and hope as often died away, until

It

2 1 8 American injustice.

the discovery now under consideration burst upon the world from our own country and in our own day.’’

A ll efforts to produce safe anesthesia failed till mesmeric investigators proved that this great desideratum could be ob­tained by mesmeric influence. The fact, that most-frequently considerable tim e was required and that very often the insen­sibility to pain could not be produced, directed the attention o f some medical men in America to the inhalation o f nitrous oxide gas and ether. The inhalation o f ether has been super­seded by the inhalation o f chloroform . In India D r. Esdaile used neither the one nor the other, but he produced insen­sibility in the natives by means o f mesmerism. A nd we pre­dict that iu Europe and Am erica chloroform and ether will be superseded by mesmerism in the great majority o f surgical cases, when we have discovered some m ethod o f producing the required insensibility in European organisms with as great rapidity as D r. Esdaile and his assistants did in the natives of India. W e do not despair. W e believe this will be accom­plished, and we shall then supersede the use o f a drug, which is frequently hurtful and sometimes fatal, by a health-restoring, anaesthetic power inherent in man, always at hand and never injurious. L et us chronicle this prophecy. July 1st, 1853.

J3ut i f we were astonished at the language o f the Report, we were still more so when we read the following paragraph. T o the Report the Chairman has appended a brief historical retrospect o f the means which have been used at various times for the purpose o f producing either com plete or partial anaesthesia. In this historical department the author seems to have taken the pamphlet published by D r. Simpson, of Edinburgh, Borne years ago, as his text-book. D r. Simpson, our readers will Temember, published a pamphlet on anaes­thesia, and ignored mesmerism altogether. This was not from ignorance, because he had been engaged for a long time in the investigation o f mesmeric phenomena, and was accustomed to invite his medical brethren to his house to witness his experiments. The pamphlet was published to illustrate the importance o f chloroform , and o f course did not appear till the operations we have chronicled had been performed. H e professed to furnish an account o f all known attempts to produce anaesthesia,— why he failed to include mesmerism, and the list o f important surgical operations, we must leave him as an honest man to tell his professional bre­thren at some future day.

“ There is no doubt whatever that in slight operations, such as those o f dentistry, that the mentally prepared patient, who has a right understanding with the operator, can by the force of im agios-

Books received. 219

don and a strong effort o f the will greatly modify the proper phy­sical effect o f ao agent such as this (nitrous oxide). Hence the undoubted success in many cases of mesmerism when used alone in surgical operations.’ *

R e a lly this is quite worthy o f the magnates who pretended to d iscu ss the subject at the M edico-Chirurgical Society some years a go . Slight operations indeed ! U nder the influence o f m esm eric sleep operations have been performed which no E u rop ea n or American surgeon has yet attempted with suc­cess. D r . Esdaile unquestionably stands forth as th e 'o n ly su rg e o n w ho has performed such a number o f extraordinary su rg ica l operations as cast into the shade all his compeers. T h e " righ t understanding w the poor H indoos had with D r. E sd a ile consisted in their witnessing those who had been a fflicted with enormous tumors which rendered their lives a b u rth e n com e forth from the hospital relieved from them, and b y a process which they could not comprehend. They kn ew th e simple fact that they did not suffer, for they knew n o t w h e n the operation was performed. These operations co n s is te d o f some o f the m ost appalling in the annals o f sur­gery , a n d we speak practically when we say, that we do not b e lie v e a similar result will be obtained, as regards the ab­sen ce o f fatal cases, by the inhalation o f ether or chloroform . T h e o n e is a health-restoring power, the other is a drug— one e n a b les the nervous system to sustain great shocks without le a v in g any injurious consequences, the other produces a sta te o f profound stupor, requiring great care during its ex­h ib it io n , and even, with the greatest care, frequently fatal. T h e rapid production o f mesmeric anaesthesia is the great desideratum o f the day, and we believe, that we are not far fr o m reaching the goa l to which all benevolent men have so lo n g anxiously directed their attention.

BOOKS ¡RECEIVED.

P r a c t i c a l I r u t r u c t i o n s in T a b le M o v in g , tei/A P h y s i c a l D e m o n s tr a t io n s . By a P hvbician . With a plate. BftUlicri1, London, 1853.

W e turned to this little pamphlet with interest, in the expectation of receiving som e information upon the subject of which it treats: but great was our surprise upon discovering that it is almost, word for word, a translation from Dr. Felix Roubaud’ s French work, to which Mr. Sandby’ s letter has directed our attention. O f course the arguments and the facts are not weakened by the process o f being transferred into another tongue: yet we think it would have been a more be­com ing, if not a more honest act, on the part of the translator, if he had openly avowed bis obligations to Dr. Roubaud, But the name of this latter gentleman

2 2 0 Books received.

ti atudionsly avoided in every page : not a hint U given, either in the Preface or in the body o f the work, that it is not an original treatise, and that that, which we cannot help regarding as a fraud, has been passed off upon the pnbliaher and upon the public. Even the plate is a servile copy o f that which appears in the Original work, except that French faces are made to look more like English ones. The few original observations that are introduced, to give a colour aa it were to its authenticity,— for instance, allusion to Dr. Ashbtimer's translation of Rei- ehenbach (published, be it remembered, by Mr, Bsillicre), only add to the decep­tion. One line would have been mffident to represent the real state of the case ; end its omission on the part of the translator is a proceeding so disingenuous that we have felt it to be oar duty to make the transaction public.

A Arr:>tr o f Mr S p ir i h a i l M a n ife s ta t io n * . Read before the Congregational Asso­ciation of New York sud Brockley, of the first Congregational Church, Newark, New Jersey. By Cb a&uss Bex c s s a, Pastor, London, 1863.

This little book was read before the Congregational Association of New York, and published in accordance with the usages of the Society. It contains a com ­pendium o f almost every opinion that has been uttered or printed in regard to the origin, nature, character and claims of these very marvellous developments. The spiritual or materialistic character of the tappings,— we ought to aay, their pneumatic or apneumatic character—is given, with the arguments and opinions that have been offered in favour o f each hypothesis : Scripture is quoted at length ; to say nothing of Pagan and Deisti cal writers. The author, at any rate, moat bave read much on the subject, and has certainly compressed his various readings into a short compass ; but what his owu opinions arc, it might be difficult to guess. He finds great virtue in ** I f . " I f the '* Pneumatic movement" bo an error, it is, he says, " an i<mert error,” (we are not quite so certain o f this On all occasions,) i f it be a delusion, it is a strong delusion : and i f it be true— why that is a point "which time will shew, nod upon which every man must judge for himself,” In plain words, though this little treatise may exhibit the results o f considerable study, there is not one single sentence in it upon which it it necessary to waste the time of our readers.

M id s u m m e r M o m t a g ’s Dream. By Mr. F. Stara, o f Norwich.The author has made it a somewhat delicate task for ns to give an opinion upon this book, inasmuch as he tells us in his preface, that time can alone discover whether Ida read era will regard the stirring incidents contained therein as " M- SACV or naval, avion.” This, it will be admitted, is a startling alternative to begin with, and certainly narrows the field of critical examination. Why the author sent a copy to The Zoist we are at a loss to discover ; for, assuredly, its subject- matter does not fall much within our province. If we rightiy understand this “ M id s u m m e r M o r n in g 's D r e a m ," it purports to be another revelation ; and, verily, revelations of late have been as plentiful as blackberries.” We have had the revelations of Swedenborg, the revelations o f Morraonism, the revela­tions of Cahagnet's lucid damsels, the revelations o f the two American girls, the recent revelations in Queen Anno Street, by which Mr, Owen and Other learned pundits have been converted from Atheism to Deism ; and here we have before us the revelations of Mr. F. Starr, of Norwich ; and whether these latter ones proceed " from the finger of God, or the hand of man,” is the point which we are especially required to consider.

Mr. Starr writes occasionally with spirit, and is probably an amusing fellow­traveller. It would seem that he is a commercial gentleman; and that his em­ployee's business carried him to Paris in 1650. O f this trip he gives ns sundry incidents, as well as the history of some odd adventures that brfel him iu London and its environs on his way back. Among other places that he visited was the park at Greenwich ; there, overcome with fatigue, he fell asleep, and “ dreamed a dream." This dream, it would appear, lasted vèr K e e k s ; at least, so we un­derstand it : and the communications which were received during its prolongation form the staple of the revelations.

Books received. 221

There is a melancholy clue to the whole boo t: at p, 6 we learn, that M r. S. bad been sometime back ** released from a lunatic asylum,1' and though there ia "ranch m ethod'’ in what he tells us, and though in many respects be doe# not write unpleasantly, but rather with talent, still we fear that the explanation of the dream ia too obvioua to need discussion.

Bnt we cannot avoid taking the opportunity of making one remark. It would appear, that this unfortunate gentleman was at one period under the care of an eminent practitioner in the City of Norwich, who ia notorious for the abuse with which he every where bespatters meant eriners and mesmerism, Norwich, it is well known, baa greatly fallen from the high position which it once occupied in the medico-cbirurgical world ; inferior men are now the leading members of the profes­sion in that place; but, as we bare been informed, if there be a superior man among them , it is the gentleman under whose care Mr. Starr was placed. Ad­mirable as an operator, correct iu his diagnosis, and judicious in his treatment, ofdisease. M r . ---------bss the confidence of a large body of patients; but he hascommitted himself egregiously on the subject of mesmerism, and acted in a manner unw orthy of his ability. Mesmerism, which he thus vituperates, be has probably never studied : but if ho had studied it carefully, and if especially be had seen its salutary effects in cerebral disorder», and moreover if he had himself tested its powers with certain of his owu patients, this unfortunate author, whose work is before ns, would in all probability have quitted his house of reception with his brain in a far healthier condition, and we ourselves should have been spared the pain of passing an opinion upon so strange a work as a “ Midsummer Morning's bream.

Mesmerism solved. Divested of mystery, and shewn to he simply an overlooked branch o f Medical Science, to be received and practised as on auxiliary by the Medical Professors and head» o f Families for curative purposes. Jones. London, 1853.

ffhaf is Mesmerism ? The question ansicered by a Mesmeric Practitioner ; or, Mesmerism not a Miracle. An Attempt to shew that Mesmeric PAettomena and Mesmeric Cures are not supernatural. To which w appended tieefid remarks and hints fo r Sufferers Sofia arc frying Mesmerism for a cure. By George Barth. London, 1853.

Spirit i or (he Hebrew terms Ruach and Neshamah, and the Greek term Pneuma. B y W illiam Glen Moa Crieff. Edinburgh and London.

M any dreamers would be enlightened by the study of this work; and we strongly recommend the purchase of it.

Observations on the Mature and Treatment of the Asiatic Cfiofera. By William Stevens, M .D „ D .C .L ., Oion. London, 1833.

Motes and Marratnes q f a Six Years’ Mission among the Dens of London. By R . W . Vanderkiste, late London Missionary. Third Edition. London, 1853.

Observations on the treatment q f Stricture qf the Urethra, by an improved Instrument, tcifA some remarks on Mesmerism, By John Battishill Parker, M .R ..C .S .L . Exeter, 1853.

Th e world may here learn that, however conscientiously M r. Parker has given his patients the benefit of mesmerism, he has not neglected the cultivation of other medical improvements. Probably his general industry has been increased by the intellectual habits to which mesmerism leads.

The Christian Examiner and Bible Advocate. No, V I . 1853

The Exposition of Life and Immortality. Edinburgh. April, 1853. V O L , X I . K

222 N otices to Correspondents, tyc.

Et Heraldo Medico. Madrid, June 2nd, 1853.

The Ladite' Own Journal and Miscellany for May 28th, 1853.We are as much disgusted sa M r. Gray can be.

Tattle Moving ; its Causes and Phenomena : with Directions how to Experiment. Wesley, London, 1B53. Twenty-first Thon send.

This little work, which is haring a most extensive run, contains many interest­ing details of the subject on which it treats, embracing the best authenticated accounts of experiments already performed, with engraved illustrations of four or five different modes of operating.

Spirit Rapping». By One who has tried the Spirita. Ninth Edition.This deserves to be read by all.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.The “ Leader" arid Dr. Aehbumer,— Q u id n u n c is informed that although

the Leader speaks of Dr. Ashbumef's known connection with The Zoist, this is entirely a mistake. That gentleman never was in any nay connected with The Zoist. He communicated a few articles with bis name: but that is all. It would be as correct to apeak of his known connection with the Leader.

M r. Jangon is aincerely thanked for his great kindness in advertizing our list number twice in the Western Times; in which he has also advertized a list of the benefactors to the London Mesmeric Infirmary, occupying nearly two columni and a half.

We have received the communications of M r. James Mount and Mr. Chase, and they will appear in our next. We have received also M r. A. K .’s verse«, »" article by S. K ., Esq., A .M ., M .R .I.A ., and M .R.S., and one from Non-Wiat.

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