The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-09 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 9, 1855.

ARGYLL ROOMS.—lmmense success of the
new dance, LA VARSOVIANA : Music by H. LAURENT.
—Danced every evening.

MR. AGUILAR respectfully announces that
he will give a MATINEE MUSICALE at Willis's Rooms.
THURSDAY, June 14, under distinguished patronage, and assisted
by Mdlle. Anna Bockholtz Talroni, ;Arne. Ferrari, Mr. Mirandi,
Signor Ferrari, signor Nabatti, Herr Ernst. Signor Platt:, Mr. IL S.
Pratten, and Mr. F. Mod —Reserved seats, 15s. ; tickets, 10s. 6d.;
to be had of Mr. Aguilar, 68, Upper Norton-street; and at all tho
principal music publishers. •

THE LONDON GAZETTE OF LAST _NIGHT.

DOWNING-STREET, JUNE 7.

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Lieutenant-
Colonel Caine to be the senior member of the Legislative
Council of the island of Hong Kong.
Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint James
Harris, Esq., to be a member of the Council of the island
of Montserrat.
Her Majesty has further been pleased to appoint Thomas
Warwick Brooke, Esq., to be stipendiary magistrate for
the Falkland Islands.

WHITEHALL, Juan
.8.
The Queen has been pleased to present the Reverend
William Stobbs to the church and parish of Gordon, in
the presbytery of Lauder, and County of Berwick, vacant
by the death of the Reverend James Paterson.

CROWN-OFFICE, JUNE 6.

MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIA.
MENT.

_
City of Bath—W. Tite, Esq., of Lowndes-square, in the
county of Middlesex, in the room of Thomas Phinn, Esq.,
who has accepted the office of Steward of her Majesty's
Chiltern Hundreds.

Hay Wodehouse, East Norfolk Militia, to be Captain,
vice Penrice, promoted; Lieut. Raoul Stephen Bedingfeld
to be Captain.__.

Forfar and Kincardine Regiment of Militia Artillery.—
John Alexander, late Lieutenant in the 2d Grenadiers,
Bombay Army, to be First Lieutenant; Alexander Leigh-
ton, Gent to be Second Lieutenant.

3d or Royal Westminster Light Infantry Regiment of
Middlesex Militia.—Ensign George Popplewell Walker to
be Lieutenant, vice M`Ewen, appointed to the 92d
lenders ; Francis Knightley Kingston, Gent. to be En-
sign, vice Bulkeley, promoted ; Edward Philip Salter,
Gent., to be Ensign, vice Walker, promoted ; John Mayne-
drake Shepherd, Gent., to be Ensign.
[The following appointment is substituted for that
which appeared in the Gazette of the Bth May last.]
sth or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of
Middlesex Militia—Major Lodge Murray Prior to be Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Commandant, vice Villiers, resigned, re-
taining his rank.
North York Rifle Regiment of Militia—The commission
of Major Hudson, advertised in the London Gazette of 15th
May, 1855, is directed to bear date from the 30th day of
March, 1855.

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.
John Kitching, grocer, Clayton, Bradford.
BANKRUPTS.

James Harris, potter and brickmiker, Old Shot Tower
Wharf, Commercial-road, Lambeth, to surrender June 21,
at one, and July 20, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Canaan, official assignee ; Arkcoll, Tooley-street, South-
k.

David Leopold Lewis, merchant, Salter's Hall-court,
Cannon-street, City, June 15, at one, and July 25, at
half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham,
official assignee ; Chidley, Gresham-street.
Samuel Dudley, tailor, Tipton, Staffordshire, June 22
and July 20, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court.
Ohriptie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Duignan and
Henitnant Walsall.

George Frederick Johnstone, otherwise George John-
stone, draper, St. Ives, June 19, at half-past eleven, and
July 25, at one, n.ukruptey.
official assignee ; Sole, Turner, and Turner, Aldermanbury.
Henry Andrews Simon, boarding-house keeper, Albion-
road, Wanesworth-road, June 20, at one, and July 25, at
half-past twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld,
official assignee ; Ellaby, Queen-street, Cheapside.
Wilmot James Nokes, potato salesman, Spitalfields,
June 22, and July 20, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; G. and E.
Hilleary, Solicitors, Fenchurch-buildings-
Christopher Bowles Bell, otherwise Christopher Roles
Bell, coal merchant, Hounslow, Middlesex, June 18, at
half-past two, and July 24, at one, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Lee, official assignee, Aldermanbury ; Scott and
Syms, Furnival's-inn.

Charles Blanks, blacksmith, East Hanningfield, Essex,
June 19, at half-past two, and July 17 at half-past one, at
the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee,
Sambrook-court; White and Cole, Martin's-lane, Cannon-
street.

Richard Nicholson, stone mason, Liverpool, June 21 and
July 12, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird,
official assignee, Liverpool ; Evans and Son, Liverpool.
William Parry, tailor and draper, Newtown, June 20,
and July 9, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court.
Cazenove, official assignee, South John-street, Liverpool ;
Rogerson and Peacock, Chapel-street, Liverpool.
Miles Robinson, farmer, Norwood, June 21 and July
20, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official
assignee, Leeds ; Harle, Leeds.
Thomas Davies, ship-builder, Cardigan, June 19 and
July 17, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Miller,
official assignee, Bristol ; Brittan and Sons, Bristol.
Thomas Lake, grocer, Wakefield, June 25 at twelve,
and July 21, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope,
official assignee, Leeds ; Scholey, Marsden, and Skipworth,
Wakefield ; Bond and Barwick, Leeds.
William Beardsall, plumber, Manchester, June 22 and
July 13, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court.
Hernaman, official assignee, Manchester; Marriott, Man-
chester.

George Oldfield and Robert Oldfield, willow merchants,
Manchester, June 19 and July 18, at twelve, at the Man-
chester District Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester;
Roberts, Manchester.
William Mellor and David Norbury, cattle dealers,
Chorloy and Alderley, Chester, June 18, and July 10, at
twelve, at the Manchestet District Court. Pott, official
assignee, Manchester ; Norris, Macclesfield.
James Fish, cotton manufacturer, Bury, Lancashire, June
20 and July 18, at twelve, at the Manchester District
Court. Pott, official assigned, Manchester; Slater, Man-
chester.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
James Scrimgeour, cattle dealer, Inverness.
Alexander Munro, architect and builder, Glasgow.
William Cameron, merchant, Dundee.
Yule and, Wilkie, engineers, Glasgow.
John Binnie, dealer in grain, West Craigs, near Min.
burgh.

MESMERIC INFIRMA

Yesterday the annual general meeting of the friends of
this institution was held at Willis's Rooms, St. James's,
the night lion. the Earl of Dunraven in the chair.
There was a full and fashionable attendance.
The noble CHAIRMAN, in commencing the proceedings
of the meeting, congratulated them and all the friends
of mesmerism as to its relative position now and 10 or
12 years since when he first turned his attention to the
subject. Whatever society they then went into they
heard mesmerism spoken of as an imposition and a chi-
mera, which was to be put down by the writers in re-
views and magazines, but now it was impossible to go
amongst educated people and hear the subject mentioned
without perceiving that a great majority of the people
more or less believed in it ; and if they did not believe
in the highest phenomenon of mesmerism, they saw it
was a matter that could be no longer treated as a hum-
bug or pooh poohed, hut deserving scientific investigation.
(Hear.) When, through the kindness of Dr. Elliotson,
he first witnessed one of these phenomena he experi-
enced great delight at the time, but he soon saw it was
not to be used as a play thing, and he accordingly set
to work to ascertain its truth. After devoting many
months to the examination of the subject, he was per-
fectly satisfied in the reality of all the phenomena of
mestneries, from the lowest to the highest--that of

clairvoyance. (Hear.) And he never felt 'any shame or

hesitation in acknowledging his conviction. It occurred
to him that although mesmerism was a beautiful and

marvellous phenomenon. it had higher purposes to fill
than exciting.their imagintion or interesting their in-
tellect, and the saw plainly it was, as it had been stated
by Mr. Sanbv, " a gift given by God with which to al-
leviate the sufferings of mankind, " and that thegreat point
for them to strive to attain was to place it on such a foot-

• ht ing that some institution might be established wherein
mesmerism might be practised simply as a remedial
agent (Mgr.) How successful it bad been in accom-
`plisbing that object they all knew, and it was not his
_ _

intention to enter into the details of that success in their

institution, or the experiments there carried on, because
that would be done by more able hands who would ad-
dress them. He felt he should not be doing juctice to
his own feelings if he failed to say one word in admira-
tion of, and in gratitude to, one individual who had eon-

tributed to the advance of mesmerism, for wherever
mesmerism was mentioned the name of Elliotson was
revered. (Applause.) Dr. Elliotson, by the open and
indefatigable zeal he had displayed from the commence-
ment, to investigate the truth of the science, had lost
the Fympathy and support of many of the members of
that profes,ion of which he was a distinguished orna-
ment, and if he had not outlived their obloquy, he had
merited and obtained the approbation of all those who
loved to see truth flourish and fully carried out, and had
earned the gratitude of hundreds, and the good opinion
of thousands of his poor suffering fellow-creatures.

(Appian...) If they agreed with him' that mesmerism,
as a curative agent, should be adopted and fully carried
out, he called on them to support the institution, and
take a deep interest in it by visiting it with theirfriends,
and indit,e them to become subscribers to it with them.
Those who were already subscribers to the institution
could_ not show their devotion and belief in the science
better than by doubling the amount of present sub-
scriptiens, to allow the institution thereby to increase
its benefits. (Applause.)
Dr. ELLIOTSODT then read the report of the committee,

which was an elaborate and highly-interesting document.
At t‘,e commencement of the year they had 47 patients
on the books, since which they had had 204 more,

making a total, for the year, of 251. Of that number
69 had been cured, 9 had nearly completed their cure, 49

had been improved to a greater or less extent, and 41 were
still under treatment. The cures exceeded by 27 those
of the preceding year. The report mentioned cures that
had been effected of St. Vitus's dance, nervous affec-

tions, asthma, contraction of the hand with a sore in the
palm, derangements of the digestive organs, affections of
the skin, scrofula lupus, palsy. &c., and one case of
dropsy in a female who was suffering from an ovarian
tumour at the same time. This atient, after being in
the hospital and once tapped, Wks told she must have
an operation performed, which she objected to ; and

after 'being tapped three times was discharged as incur-
able. She suffered greatly after that, and was in that
state that she hoped death would terminate her suffer-
ings. She was tapned altogether 55 time., and in all
495 gallons were drawn froip her. Under mesmeric
treatment she had recovered, and was 'that day in the

room. The report bore ampie testimony to the assiduity
of the eccretary and the officers of the institution.
The Rev. G. SANDY moved the reception and ad'op-

tion of the report, which; he said, was bah interesting
and instructive. It was interesting to them who were
met together in behalf of this good cause to know that
the institution was progressing so favourably, was ad-
vancing so steadily, and remedying so much evil ; and it
was instructive from the details it gave of the manner in
which nv.inn-rism operated. He hoped, when the report
was printed, it would be read attentively, and considered
both by the friends of the cause and its enemies. The
institution was admirably conducted, everything being
regulated in a proper and careful manner ; and he fear-
' lessly asserted there was not another institution in the
kingdom where a better system of order and regularity
prevailed. When a patient entered the institution be
was questioned as to the hospitals he bad been in and
the treatment he had there received, and also from his
own medical attendant, and the suffering ho had endured,
and was informed he would have to attend regularly for
some time, dependent on the nature of his malady, but
by no means to imagine he would derive miraculous
effects from the treatment at once. All the cases, with
their progress. were registered in a book, so that, in ten
years hence, if any person wished to know the particu-
lar condition of a patient, at any particular hour, it
could be furnished. By that means they were accumn-

lating a mass of valuable mesmeric statistics, available
for the future prosecution of the science; as knowing to
what diseases the great curative agent was more imme-
diately applicable. He congratulated them on holding
this their sixth annual meeting on a science they were
told, a few years since, was ridiculous, and when their
mesmerisers were opposed, and those who attended
their meetings were laughed at. They were now forcing
their way in spite of the opposition they had met with,
and this institution had taken root, and would be a per-
manent thing amongst them. He was much struck
with a remark in the report, that one of their cures was
equivalent to several cured by other means. He should

like to have an investigation by a committee similar to
the Sebastopol committee, of the comparison of cures
made by their institution (which took in the refuse of
other hospitals, allowance being made for their limited
means) with that of other hospitals, and he had no doubt
they would stand in a very advantageous position. The
result of such a comparison would also show similar re-
sults to-that of the Sebastopol committee, that it was
the love bf medical routine and medical red-tapism that
prevented the people from calling to their aid that great
power which nature had so providentially and bounti-
fully afforded them ; and rather than hurt the feelings of
their friends who were medical men they allowed their
relatives to die. Mesmerism was a great truth in nature,
and he considered they were madmen not to employ it
when they knew its advantages. He was glad to see so
many, ladies present, because they possessed more moral
courage than men. They spoke their minds when men
were afraislof offending their medical practitioner, and
he called o/Khem to stand forth and insist on mesmerism
being tried before all other remedies had failed. (Hear.)
Having witnessed the attention paid at the infirmary to
the patients. and the thankfulness they expressed for
the benefit they had derived from the treatment, he con-
sidered they were arrived at a point from which they
could not be driven back. The institution had taken
deep root, and for which they had reason to thank God,
and take courage to go on and defy all opposition.
Mr. JAlrsorr, of Exeter, seconded the motion. He
had been unexpectedly called on to do so. and was not
prepared with a speech for the occasion. The beat thing
he could therefore do, was to give them some informa-
tion of the progress of the science in that part of the
country in which he resided. He was located at Exeter,
and he knew of no provincial town where it had made
a greater progress than in that city. He had often asked
the question why it had not progressed the same in other
large towns, such as Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and
Manchester. He wished all persons in the provinces
would exert themselves, and try if they could not estab-
lish something like a mesmeric movement, and give them
the result of their exertions at similar meetings to that,
which would greatly add to their interest. They had
effected many excellent things at Exeter, to many of
which he referred, but which it was needless for him to
enumerate in detail, as they must be well known to the
readers of the Zoist.

Captain
HUDSON, of Leeds, moved the second resolu-
tion, and in doing so, observed that in his part of the
country the advocates of mesmerism left no means un-
tried by which to advance the science and benefit the
afflicted. He had delivered 50 lectures on the subject
at Liverpool, 58 in Huddersfield, and 90 in its neigh-
bourhood, and he had just finished his 80th lecture in
Leeds. He regretted there was not more opposition,
for if there was they would progress more rapidly. At
one of his, meetings he bad 14 doctors and six clergymen
present. • The latter and four of the former were friends
of the science, and before the meeting terminated he
succeeded in passing two resolutions in his favour. The
brother of one of the medical profession present most
opposed to the science declared his conversion to the
principle of mesmerism, and that he would do all he could
in its furtherance. He appealed to the ladies to exert
themselves in the movement, because he had always
found them the best men of business. (Laughter.)
Wherever he went, instead of ten opposing him, he
found a hundred supporting him, because he showed
them there was a power connected with mesmerism cal-
culated to do an infinite amount of good. After giving
instances of the cures he had effected (including that of
-a medical man) by mesmerism, he moved that Major-
General Bagnold be elected a vicepresident.
Mr. MONCKTON Mums seconded the resolution. The
greatest amount of opposition the science received was
from scientific men, which appeared to many persons to
be a great misfortune, and inclined them to think ill
of
much men in consequence. He was of a different opinion,
-‘r thought it was their good fortune to live in
amongst scientific people, and which
—hv'they might hope mesmerism
1. by the exertion of honest
ewe, Mesmerism had

and raEu—
scientific age ant,
was a special reason
would become successful, -any.,
, men, take its proper plape fo± a''

Ibeen known for ages, and there was a glimmering of it
to be seen in the history of medical science ; and it ap-
peared surprising that so beneficial and useful an agent
should have appeared in the scientific world and then
have disappeared again. It had been the same with the
I great discoveries that bad been made in their time to
I improve °lir physical .sciences. These elements of nature,
I ether and chloroform, were no doubt known as early
as the 12th century, but, from the want of scientific
i investigation, and a sufficient interest to take them up
and perfect them, were allowed to die away as if they
never existed. Vaccination was known in Snain years
before it was discovered and applied in England ikyJenner.
!All scientific persons agreed that the discovery of any par-
ticular elements in natal-a was not of so much importance
as the disc ,)very of the existence of a sufficienly intelli-
gent community to understand, receive, and practise
them. Therefore it was that he was glad to see so large
an attendance at that meeting, who he hoped would de-
part with the conviction that they who believed in the
truth of mesmerism would see it become a practical
science: When they were charged with being supersti-
tious for holding such views, be repliel they were not
so•--that the superstition was on the other aide, by those
who wished to get out of the domain of ordinary nature,
and attribute all those things to fanciful and accidental
causes. The advocates of the science wished them to be

aken as phenomena of simple events, which would in
due time accumulate till they could be recognised under
special laws, and be established as a full and perfect
science. (Applause.) It was on that account that be
believed reasonable men interested themselves in this
subject, and that he always felt some doubts as to the
reasoning faculties and the power of receiving evidence
on the part of those scientific men, and unfortunately
there were many who said they could see nothing in the
science. He had arrived at his conviction from a know-
ledge of facts, and not from being led away by anything
surprising or curious. He wished them to confine their
attention to this matter as regarded medical science.
Those interesting and wonderful phenomena of mesme-
rism connected with the mind, were of a totally different
character, imperfectly understood now, and- likely_ to
lea I persons away from a clear investigation of the
simple facts. Mesmerism Was a great medical agent
which ProvidenCe had given to mankind, which
was not to be played with as a matter of Amuse-
ment, but to be applied seriously, and which
might lead to bad or good effects if well or ill applied.;
and, therefore, it was that he anticipated an enormous
amount of benefit would be conferred on mankind when
those principles became' implanted in the minds of an
intelligent community, and they met the advocates of
this science in a proper manner by bringing their friends
to be operated on by the mesmeriser, but not as a last
resource. So long as personssdid that, and tried their
constitutions and damaged themselves in every way by
other treatment before they became converts to this
science, they must not be disappointed if they were not
then set right. It would not be, giving mesmerism a
fir o'iance until people applied to it as to any of the
other healing arts—at the beginning of the disease.
(Heat.) He hoped this infirmary would greatly pro-
mote that end, because then all the opposition of scien-
tific and medical men weuld.uot in any degree -be an_
impediment to the reception of truth, but rather useful
in the end. Sensible men who wait to be converted'
until the evidence-was almost too. strong for them, when
they began to believe and receive those opinions would be
their best supporters and earnestadvocatee, and its Would
be among scientific men that mesmerism would achieve
its conquest over the credulity of mankind. (Applause.)
Major-General BAGNOLD said—ln offering you the mo-
tion now in my hand I shall merely say that my pre-
sence hero, I trust, is a guarantee that I firmly and im-
plicitly believe in the curative powers of mesmerism, and
yet I confess that for many years of my life no person
could have doubted or ridiculed the whole question more
'than I did. Guess, then, my astonishment at finding that
what I hasi reject :d when presented to me in the repulsive
shape of religious jugglery was founded on a simple fact
in nature, and one as demonstrable by a little'patient
inquiry as any schoolboy's first lessons, in electricity
or chemistry. But if I felt a degree of shame and
regret for opportunities lost of acquiring a useful know-
ledge, what will: eventually be the shame and disgrace
of those scientifically educated men whose particular
province is to look into nature's truths and make them
known, but Who, instead of doing so, abuse and revile
those who would do this work for them? However, I
do not totally despair of the medical profession. 'I have
myself made some converts from that body, sa• far, at
least, as belief goes—sbut, alas, I cannot, I fear, find
their moral courage to avow and practice it. A talented
young medical friend of mine, not long since acting
House-surgeon at one of our principal London hospi-
tals, at my suggestion put it to the proof by trsing it
on a most frightful case of hysteria that had baffled
every other treatment. He succeeded to his perfect sa-
tisf iction, and his poor patient left the hospital with
prayers and blessings on his head. In the warmth of
his feeling:: he promised me the case for pubiication—
but when the time came he declined saying, " with am-
ple proof as to the fact I dare not publish it; but I trust
a time will come when more independent of the heads
of my profession I can put them at de-fiance. 4At pre-
sent it would ruin me." But ladies, it is to you I would
particularly address mysel, you who by your nature and
your Christian education, are ministering angels in sick-
ness and suffering. Are you aware of the powers you
possess in healing the sick, or at least assuaging pain by
a few patient waves of your hands ? That in this power
you possess a mine of wealth you can dispense to others,
and, like tho widow's cruise of oil, is inexhaustible—that
in your own family-circle of relatives and friends it is in-
valuable, and to the poor often more acceptable than pecu-
niary relief ? Parlor. my enthusiasm, but I feel the time
is not far distant when it will be ascornmon for the etrong
and powerful to give out a little of their superabundant
health to the sick and weakly as it is now for the rich and
affluent to give their surplus wealth to the poor and needy.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, let me close my appeal
to you with the remark, that jnfirtnartes cannot be kept
up on good luck and wishes alone. We then offer you
the assurauce that what pecuniary assistance you can
give us shall be faithfully and economically applied.
Mr. ADOLPHE DEIST seconded the motion.

Mr. PIIRLA.ND moved the appointment of the ladies'
committee, with an especial vote of thanks to Mrs. Hain-
..

ileton, of St. John's-wood-road, for her great liberality
;owards the funds of the infirmary and the embellish-

ment of the house. That lady, he said, had expended
upwards of'lool. at the infirmary, in addition to 301.
presented to the funds, which showed how much could
be done by those who had the means if they were deter-
mined to support this science.
Dr. ELLIOTSON seconded the motion, and bore testi-
mony to the great benevolence of Mrs. Hatnbleton, to
whom the institution was much indebted for her libera-
lity, and for which it was impossible the committee
could adequately express their thanks of its value as an
example and stimulant to others.

Mi. LEWIS, a gentleman of colour, in moving the fifth
resolution, said he advocated the science for the sake of
suffering humanity, having witnessed its wonderful ef-
fects iu Africa, America, and the East and West Indies ;
and be felt certain that when the subject was more gene-
rally known and fully understood by the public they
would avail themselves of it. He alluded to the intro-
duction of the science into Edinburgh. A few years
since mesmerism was considered there to be a humbug,
and that there was no truth in it, but he knew of no
city where it was now making such rapid strides as in
Edinburgh.

The Rev. J. DUNS seconded the resolution, believing
the institution deserving of support.
Captain HUDSON moved a vote of thanks to the officers
of the institution, which was seconded by Dr. STILES.
A. vote of thanks was accorded to the noble chairman,
who, in acknowledging the compliment, said it afforded
him great pleasure to contribute in any way be could
towards the object in which they were all so deeply inte-
rested. He hoped before long the large towns of Eng-
land would establish a similar institution to that they
had in the metropolis.