The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-04 00:00:00

MESMERIsM

Another demonstration of Mesmeric phenomena took
Pisee at Dr. Elliotson's house, in Conduit-street, a few
day's since. Nearly a hundred persons were present—
I "blemen, clergymen, barristers, artists, distinguished
scientific and literary characters, and members Of the
medical profession, as well as many ladies, among
Whom were Mrs. Trollope and Mrs. S. C. Hall. The
little boy who, on a former occasion, was wheeled into the
room on a reclining chair, walked up stairs, perfectly
Cured of his paralysis. Dr. E. stated that in less than
a week the disease had been entirely cured by Mesme-
rism, and that one epileptic fit only had taken place since
the commencement of the Mesmeric treatment, no medi-
cine having been taken, and that it had lasted only a quar-
ter of the time of former fits and been unattended by
insensibility. This patient was sent into a state of ap-
parently the soundest sleep in about a minute, and the
same phenomena were produced as on a former occasion
Elizabeth Okey next came into the room in her
nature' state. After many of the company had con-
tersed with her, Dr. E. placed in each of her hands a
half-crown, which he had previously held in his own.
She sat in a chair for some minutes without our being
able to observe any change ; but at length suddenly
fell back senseless. She thus remained for an equal
length of time, when her eyes opened (every other part
being motionless), and continued wide open and fixed,
without her once winking. She then looked slightly
around, heaved a sigh, and raised herself in her chair.
Her expression was one of intense seriousness, or, in-
deed, melancholy. On Dr. E. approaching her, she
held out her hand to him, and, sighing, asked, in a low
and plaintive tone, and with an expression of great
anxiety, " Where's Mr. Wood ?" Dr. E. stated that
she was now in a state of somnambulism ; he then led
her round the room that she might look for Mr. Wood
among the company, and when at length she found
she took his hand and smiled, and was led by both
gentlemen to her chair. Dr. E. stated that in the
wood
state she was never happy unless both Mr.
and himself were with her. While she was seated,
E. Passedone of his hands downwards, before and at a
little distance from her face, and she instantly fell back
Se'eless. After a few minutes she suddenly awoke,
great animation, and began chattering and mak-
fing all kinds of facetious remarks. Dr. E. in-
oosrrned the company that this was her state
(ia mental unsoundness, in which she was re-
i,d to the state of a very young child, both in in-
seuect and inclination,' knew scarcely anything but
what she had learnt in this state, and was perfectly uncon-
!einus of her own existence and of all that takes place
Id 9 her natural condition—just as in her natural con-
mition she is perfectly ignorant of all that occurs in her
lesmerie state. Doctor Elliotson said the condition
was very much that of the Court fools described by
Shakspeare—that she was very silly and ignorant, and
that her wit and power of imitation were greatly
heightened. She mispronounced most words, intro-
due •
of lag x, g, n, incessantly, cutting off the first syllables
his
ord s' and introducing the words " way," and e what's
ble,,not only between words but between sylla-
Her manners were most kind and amiable, but
tiher archness and volatile waggery were extraordinary.
r• E. remarked that a person who could suppose this
state to be feigned, only proved himself totally ignorant
fq
'ME the phenomena of disordered minds. He had never
td he
difficult to detect feigned delirium for an in-
stant, ; but he would risk his professional character
,
"11 the assertion, that the delirium, or rather unsound
mental state, of Elizabeth and Jane Okey, was altoge-
bher real ; and more than this, he would defy any human
weime to feign it. None would think otherwise who
ere not grossly ignorant of the phenomena of mental
of aberration and imbecility, and destitute of all power
to
Could not comprehend.
n
ti While she was standing near them in front, keeping
e Party in great merriment, Dr. E., placing himself at
distance behind her, waved his hands downwards
ca me times, when her eyelids fell somewhat, she be-
oe silent, unconscious, and motionless ; and on taking
ald of her the company found her perfectly rigid.
° suppose this feigned would be ridiculous. After
Minute she suddenly raised her head, opened her
Yes perfectly, started with surprise, and began talk-
lag just where she left off. This experiment was re-
Peated frequently with the same results. Dr. E.
remarked, that silver and gold, as well, indeed, as
some other metals, could be charged with the agency
directly, by being held in the hand, and both produced
intense rigidity in the parts to which they were applied ;
and that if they were charged strongly, and ap-
plied for some time, complete stupor ensued, from
Which the little girl revived into a state of somnambu-
etql in the case of silver, and into one of delirium in the
one 4 of gold. Charged or Mesmerised gold was put into
,In°fher hands, and this was soon clenched violently ;
the "en beat upon the forearm, and the forearm upon
tePPer arm, when the charge was strong. Dr.
1 aTI stated that iron not only never could
of "to affect her, but possessed the power
This destroying the effect of gold, silver, &c.
her Was repeatedly shown very beautifully by
I 'and immediately relaxing, when the key of an
'rnott stove wasput in contact with it. When gold
sPir:titi"d a strong constitutional effect, short of perfect
eedel),' the whole body stiffened, the eyes opened wide
here uenatne fixed, and drawn downwards and inwards, and
ieterY complexion assumed a livid and ghastly hue. If,
ms state of things the iron was made to touch thegold
lidinst, in her hand, the,features relaxed, the eyes and eye-
tienveenxne natural, and she recovered her sense and yolie
I ,4-3 soon as the key was withdrawn from the
r:tt;treign, the stupor, stiffness, and state of the eyes
eye.l.l' d. If the charge was not quite so strong, the
key Ids Merely dropped ; but rose again as soon as the
, :711P brought in contact with the gold. Deception
she -1 this was impossible. Dr. Elliotson then
(eiltlved the curious fact that when Mesmerised gold
had l'he said the same was true of silver and nickel)
effee "eerl applied, and the effect was over, the
rehhtee 'lrught be re-produced by mere friction. He
Plied 'the hands to which gold had been ap-
a pi' 41,(1 which was in a natural state, with
said e4ce or wood, and the rigidity all returned. He
bavi'-hat this was the explanation of lead and copper
WheaPPeares; in certain experiments to affect her ;
het r;aB theY had no power over her at all. They had
per
-" ely
insrumeerts of friction. To show that cop-
Pale.l
eno power over her, he put a farthing on the
his °lle hand, and a sovereign into the other, from
%eel
c • 'lands, care being taken to prevent her seeing
‘jeli 01,101,1.. They were then removed, and each palm
been r-tv2ed. Nothing occurred in the hand which had
qich :jun/led with the copper, whereas that
Coot, ?ad been touched with the gold was violently
The The l
wster. last experiments were made with Nlesmeris.ed.
passes
~She was thrown into a profound sleep )
le
hind 0' the hands, in a high-backed easy chair. Be-
klasBeeer, on
the chimney-piece, were placed two wine-
rt'ere I%:` Water with a pencil in each. Two of his fingers
'see Pt in one. Sometimes a finger or a part of her
Wa:: ;Quelled with the pencil from one water ; some-
-Itti the pencil from the other. Whenever the
the water water was used no effect followed ; whenever
outse 'estti • d contractions took place. If the
erlZe water,
laee°F a finaer was touched, it extended strongly—
the ,b 'side, it contracted. If the. back of the hat?d,
I and opened widely ;if the inside, the fist was vio-
likttiet'enched : if both inside and outside, there was
fain m eXtemsion and closure, till one action or the other
0111*-4
the v;e,tory, accordingly as more water had been
loilled to the One part than to the other. When applied
ey,,at the forehead, this became raised and wrinkled and the
(el)4o7ened ; when to the side of the nose, the nostrils
Reis. ed and contracted alternately. While all this was,
leuto° On, the sleep seemed' to become more and more
e ed
rensast._ ' and the snoring became very loud. Dr. E.
riaisedsecl that this was a set of experiments that re-
ways so little care and so little susceptibility, as
`stt his 1° succeed. At a late meeting of Barristers
.
rnah:4,Be, he requested Sir Frederick Pollock
t/1-41 Inem : and that gentleman did so with the
'een. the and most invariable success. He had
`'neldn ent made by the Editor of the " Lancet," who
rekte ot refute them, and whom Dr. Elliotson defied to
cell nath,ern or any other experiment when scienti
ed ~ne• On that occasion, indeed, when Dr. E. ap-
'ay ; these experiments, the Editor had nothing to
wards nig reporter exclaimed that Dr. E. looked for-
ieferra whenever the Editor used mesmerised water, and.
thus teNl the girl ; to which Dr. B. gave a flat denial ;
appealtnilection was not repeated. He would boldly
liar to
these experiments alone as a proof of a pecu-
Qre lolv"eY unnoticed hy most philosophers, but whic.h,
e"rY philosopher, he was certain, would admit.

•
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,T,t.
.....
as t
week th eI‘IPTED SUICIDE BY A CHILD.—.L nea 'e famil • named Butler, residing
r 4,,_ Yof a resvectable widow, .
..
n aiseovery
?f obe "'n nersh turnpike, was much alarmed hy t e
In the
Wall her sons,
a boy fir:years old, hanging by a rope to a nail
41ack jot,, Of the workshop at the rear of the premises. He w. a
Letit de, ,i he face, and nearly choked, but recovered shortly after being
aid thwat.,, b asked how he came into that situation, e
-'4lli ,t,, " had Meant to hang himself—that he had knocked the
Pest rlet" the wall, standing on a stool at the time, but finding it at
vet/I4ee,,Ur fixed, he knocked it in tighter, and then having
l'he
~,ss, le mite round his neck, he threw himself off' the stool.
still
1,,,
thinvutngsuirnc has often threatened. he would hang himself, and
et{ • e same determination.
essi„ IL
'4-' ROBBERY.—At the Brentford Petty
4 h;:ls last week, a woman named AverlQll, was ei,zroined. on
'even I: hOving robbed another, woman named Brooks, of tnirty-
Dear., , suns,-nver under vary aggravated circumstanceg. It ala-
4vitiln that husliand of the prosecutrix had gone to Arner"i'elk-
-I,cteog„ hut Wife 401. to pay her passage thithar when she had eol-
*4
th,ertain debts due to them. The prosecutrix wentto reside lovek.e. e Primner at the prisoner's request, and lacked up thirty-seven
With toe in her box, which the prisoner broke open, and decamped
4'las oc: iTtencY to Liverpool, where she was apprehended as she
tatoio-;l).,ating to sail for America. About 20/. of the money wasy
aft* the'. Prisoner's husband was charged with being an accessar.
1 it 3 \T _} e Ilea ; and ultimately both of them were fully committed
' e7gate for trial. •
\