The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-21 00:00:00

FRUIT.

MESA

211Alir.

The annual general meeting of the supporters of
the Mesmeric Infirmary' No. SG, Weymouth-street,
Portland-place, was heWillis's Rooms, Kin ld on Tuesday last, at
n g-street, St. James's. There
was
Thea verycuA
Ifßu
Al
11 attendance.AN (
(the
Rev.
Mr
open-
ing the proceedings,msaeeidhe nSandby), in
tinuit request the kind
ogf, i
indulgence of the becausefulfilling
.thO" duties
of chairman on such an interesting occasion as the
present. But while ho made that admission,h he
must say that amongst the large aesembly
before him, there was not anyone who waseet en
devoted to the cause of mesmerism than himself.ore
(Hear, hear.) Mesmerism was one of the most
precious gifts of Providence, because it came to the
assistance of all; it alleviated suffering and glad-
dened humanity. The report to be read to them
would be a highly interesting document, as it con-
tained the pleasing intelligence that no less than 78
persons had been cured or greatly relieved,thus prov-
ing beyond all doubt that mesmerism was a great
fact in nature, although it had been laughed at and
derided by those whose standing, talent, and edu-
cation should have taught them not to ridicule that
which they could not, or would not, understand.
(Hear, hear,) Many of those then present must
have observed in the newspapers the proceedings of
the interesting meeting of the friends of Social
Science; and without wishing to say anything
disrespectful, he must observe that this was their
meeting of social science, because our object
was the wellbeing of our fellow-creatures, the miti-
gation of their sufferings, and the prolongation of
life. (Hear, hear.) At the former meeting Mes-
merism was too unfashionable to be spoken of yet,
notwithstanding all the difficulties they had to en-
counter their institution was now in the thirteenth
year of its establishment, in spite of the blindest
prejudice, and what was still encouraging,they ss ere
gaining ground every day. (Cheers.) He wished
to say a word or two on spirit rapping. It was a
subject which had been widely discussed in the
newspapers, especially as some of the instances had
been most surprising whilst others had been moot
contradictory. He was not taking the liberty or
the impertinence to deny the truth of spirit rap.
ping, as he knew nothing about it. All he had to
do at present was to notice its bearing on the Mes-
meric Infirmary, and to this institution it hadaeted
most prejudicially. When we were first established
we had amongst us some of the most ardent sup-
porters, and he regretted to say some of those had
deserted us because we refuse to support spirit
rapping. He thought such treatment was very
ungenerous and unfair, because we do not say any-
thing against it. We only say our institution was
founded to alleviate pain by Mesmerism, and to
that alone are we determined to adhere. (Hear,
hear.) So, because—to use a vulgarism—we refuse
to go the whole hog—many of our former friends
fall away. Suppose a college was founded for the
sole purpose of disseminating geographical know-
ledge, was it a valid objection against it that it
did not teach astronomy ; or suppose a lecture upon
mathematics was delivered, was it a good ground of
objection against it that it did not deal with meta-
physics ? He thought not (hear); and apply this view
of the subject to the Mesmeric Infirmary—was the
desertion of their former friends justified? While
we have been deserted for not supporting spirit
rapping, we have experienced similar treatment
from others, because we have been maligned ani
suspected of being favourable to its dissemination.
Not content with verbal objections, books have been
published, in which it is stated that mesmerism is
a mixture of glamour and necromancy. (Laughter.)
The Mesmeric Infirmary was an institution free
from all tricks and nonsense, and one in which the
great desire was to give relief to persons suffering
from disease. And, he should like to know, what
necromancy there was about that P (Hear, hear.)
So far from there being any necromancy about
mesmerism, he thought, if it was properly used, it
was a most merciful gift of the providence of God.
He rejoiced to say that, notwithstanding, all these
difficulties, the truths of mesmerism were making
rapid strides ; and if we cannot show long lists of
titled subscribers, we can show the names of 78
human being vein have, during the past year, been
thoroughly cured and greatly releaved of their
sufferings through the application of mesmerism;
and this, too, after every other means had either
broken down or failed. He believed the institution
entitled to the most extended support and charit-
able contributions; end if the means were given to
the Infirmary, the contributors might rely that
everything would be done towards lessening the
number and alleviating the pain of the afflicted
who now swarm our hospitals. He had felt it his
duty to say thus much at the commencement of
their proceedings, and he would conclude by calling
upon Mr. Wing to read the report.
The report was then read. The document was
of considerable length, but the following extracts
will be found interesting :
"The majority of the truths of mesmerism are now all
but universally admitted in this country, they having ex-
perienced a long and severe opposition for many years. No
small amount of the repugnance to admit the truths of mes-
merism has always arisen from a misconception of certain
phenomena by those who taught it—a belief that certain
phenomena were really mesmeric which were the result of
mental impression, or, in ordinary language, of-imagination
only ; and which the opponents of mesmerism saw and
proved to be the result of imagination ; and consequently
the true mesmeric phenomena were rejected as being also
the effects of mere imagination. Besides the power of pro-
ducing phenomena, mesmerism is calculated to soothe, even
to bring on sound sleep, and to invigorate ; and greatly aids
the inherent tendency and ability of the body to throw off
disease—to right itself when disordered and wrong. It
continually proves a great blessing when it does not cure;
and it continually does cure—and not because it is a gene-
ral specific, but because it assists the body to liberate itself
from disease, or to bear up till the disease ceases, whatever
be the nature of the disease, be this a fever or inflamma-
tion, or a nervous affection. It thus is beneficial in surgi-
cal as well as in medical cases ; in local as woll as general
affections ; in both the functional and the structural. But
the diseases most easily cured by natural or by.ordinr
measures are of course the most easily cured by mesmerism
The world should bear in mind that mesmerism interferes
with no other treatment which is considered proper andd
may bo conjoined with all established measures; d
all other
means. At the same time, we beg to say that never do harm, although it may greatly
la
quickly
cure certain diseases, and cases of disAeallse; e
com ntend for is
aaarateotohreer moans
and powerfully than mesm eri sm.
swilld soothes
that
iitt wofiltlencugrreeamtlays
n many
and invigorates not and
unfrequently ;
cases remove and prevent anguish, so that the most
Yasesaisset: ionthwerhicmh other means fail,
ean,
formidable operations have been and may be unconsciously
undergone, and in perfect safety. To deny this is absurd.
The first case which we shall report is the cure of a
singular nervous affection—of distress,ng somnambulism,
or sleep-waking, induced by terror.
" Miss Sarah Wren, aged 23, (became a patient of the
Infirmary on the 6th of November, 1861. She resided with
her parents,.
Church Lane, Walthamstow ; but her
she had now lodgings at No. 21, Weymouth-
street, for the purpose of her treatment in the infirmary.
Two snidrowning, before a
hhde rhor admissionhealthbecame
she
fr
the head, heat, and noises, so that she slept badly,
o yd
re oa
and she
was plopped up night and day, for her head could not en-
dure the slightest pressure. She was so weak that she
could not walk without support : and yet could
tonics. Violent hysterical fits took
place; and on
notthe bearllth
of September paroxysms of mere
sleepor coma,from the
commencement of which her strength and appetite im-
proved a little. In ten more days she began to speak in
these paroxysms of imperfect sleeep. Her sense of touch
had become so acute that, by placing the tips of her fingers
on
the back of her mother's hand while writing, she was
able to ascertain exactly the words written, and even defect
if a letter were misplaced. During the first week she could
not bear any person but her mother to touch her ever so
lightly, such pain and distress were the result. Sometimes
she imagined herself withering to nothing : sometimes so
expanded that she could not pass through a doorway. In
her seizures of sleep-waking during the day she busied
herself about the house or with writing and doing fancy
work, although she could not see. Dr. Pinching, finding
ordinary treatment unavailing,considered that it would neverf
reach the complaint, and assented to the employment o
mesmerism when it was proposed. adding that if he hoaodra.
daughter so afflicted be should undoubtedly try it. Acroher.
ingly she went to the infirmary on the sth of Nd o. vea
_ew
She was mesmerised daily by Mr. Fradelle, an in
the twenty-
days her seizures from amounting to twenty m
and on the
four hours were reduced to three, and even twdott,ys,
thougl
16th instant there had not been one for eight
i She lost the
the mesmeric process had never inducedofsh
eeerpMother's hand
power of knowing by touching the back
not thrown into sleep•
what her mother was writing : was
Shan wa s stronger
waking by a suddennoise, waslessn
ervoe
retunied with.
OA SAttirciay, the 16th of lioveralOrt

her mother to walthemstow with the intention of remain-
ing till Monday. Certain distressing news produced a re-
lapse, and the following morning she went back to London,
had another seizure, and, while being mesmerised, had
three more, the lact of which continued nearly an hour.
During the process of the 20th, spontaneous sleep-waking
occurred. On the 23d, manifested for the first time in slecp-
waking the power of prediction in regard to her complaint,
and gave some directions respecting the treatment : said
she should be cured in six weeks; and this prediction was
accurately fulfilled. On the 10th December lost her spas-
modic cough, and with that, she said, all hysterical symp-
toms : was freer from head-ache than she had been for
years ; but, though her appetite had been daily improving,
she was still very weak. On the 2d January her spine was
no longer tender to the touch; her back was strong and
erect. Before this she had stooped for years, having reached
her full height, about 5 feet 9 inches, at the age of 16, and
thereby outgrowd her strength; and on the 4th her cure
was complete. Her father wrote in May, stating that she
had never been so well in her life."

•
" PALPITATION AND PAIN.—Feb. 1,1862, Rebecca Jane
Smith, aged 14, a servant, of 48, Whitecross•strcet, Cripple-
gate, and now staying at 9, Rose-street, Soho, became our
patient, labouring under symptoms of inflammation of the
covering of the heart, or pericardium. She was sire weeks
in an hospital, and on leaving was still subject to such sharp
pains in the situation of the heart and such palpitation that
she could not return to service. She was mesmerised daily
by Mrs. Shepherd from the 20th Feb. until the Bth April,
when she was quite free from pain, and was discharged
cured."

" STIFFNESS AFTER RREIYMATIC FEVER - Rowland
Howell, aged 48, tailor, 35, Duke street, Manchester-
square, on the morning of the 21st of last December could
scarcely move in bed from rheumatism. Kept in bed about
a month, when he became a patient of the Infirmary. He
was mesmerised by Mr. Charles Fisher, and on the Ist of
April his general health was greatly improved there; great
increase of strength, with freedom of the use of the joints
and muscles."

" PARTIAL DEAFNESS.—Dec. 23, 1861. Martha War-
rener, aged 7, 19, Moscow-road, Bayswater. Her mother
observed 15 months ago that the child's hair fell off very
much, leaving the head bald in patches. Could assign no
cause for it. Shortly after the child became deaf in both
ears, was mesmerised by Mrs. Shepherd on the 31st Dec.,
and in less than a monh her hearing was restored."
" DYSPEPSIA, DEBILITY, NERVOUSNESS, A.ND NEURAL-
GIA.—JuIy 3d, 1861—Mrs. Charlotte Schuter, aged 51,
6, Great Portland-street, stated that slier had been for two
months suffering from neuralgia in the head, and so
severely at times as to make her fear her intellect was be-
"'"use impaired, brought on by great mental anxiety.
Medicine weakened the body without appeasing the pain.
Had restless nights, and was subject to great depression of
spirits, and to weep without knowing why. Had a loath-
ing of food. Her complexion was yellowish, as if from
jaundice. Her back was very weak; had pain in it, and
occasionally at the heart and right side, where it was ac •
companied with a pricking sensation. These pains were
at times exceedingly acute and almost maddening. The
liver was sluggish, the renal secretion dark and turpid.
Mr. Fradelle, bn the 10th July, took the patient in hand,
and on the 14th of August she was discharged cured.
" RHEUMATIC NEURALGIA.—Nov. 6th, 1861 Mrs.
Mary Ward, aged 45, laundress, 13, Union-street, Mary-
lebone, formerly 27, Ogle street, stated that after going
into a damp kitchen five years ago and taking cold, and
getting her feet wet some time after, se began to have pain
first in one shoulder, arm, and handh, then shifting to the
other; also in one side of the head and one eye, then the
other side and eye. The back of the head was very cold,
and as if water wero running down it to the nape of the
neck. Could not sleep at night for the pain, and had to sit
up hour after hour to rub her arms with an oil, which she
used also in the morning for several days, then rolled flan-
nel over them, but obtained no relief from either. Mrs.
Shepherd mesmerised daily for about two months, when
the poor woman returned her thanks for the benefit she had
received.
"SPRAINED WRIST.—Aug. 16th, 1861—John Sinnett,
aged 23, farrier, 24, Boston-street, Dorset-square, em-
ployed at Mr. Couksoy's, veterinary surgeon, Boston-
mews, states that on the morning of the 14th inst., while
shoeing a horse, holding firmly the fore near foot with his
left hand, the horse suddenly reared and drew back, and by
so doing violently sprained his wrist. Had no medical
advice. Had heard of mesmerism, and applied at this in
firmary, thinking he might derive benefit from it. Mr.
Fradelle took the case in hand, and at the end of the fourth
day of his attendance, he was able to return to his work as
usual.
" These instances will sufficiently show what mesmerism
is doing in the infirmary.
"At the time of our last report we had 38 patients, sinc3
then we have had 124 ; so that there have been treated 162
during the year. Of these 31 are still patients. We have
cured or relieved 78, slightly improved and unimproved 46 ;
but many patients do not attend more than a short time.
We return our warmest thanks to Mr. Frero and Mrs.
iiambleton for their continued munificence. We beg to
return thanks to Miss Bailey and Mrs. Bird, who have
mesmerised gratuitously. We also cordially thank our
lady superintendent, Mrs. Fradelle, for her gratuitous at-
tention, and cannot speak highly enough of the laborious-
ness, skill, and. goodness of Mr. Fradelle. Our lady Ines-
neriscrs have been the Misses Cooper, Mrs. Shepherd (for-
merly Miss Eliza Job), Mrs. Schuter, and Miss Truman.
Our mesmerisers give us great satisfaction."
At the conclusion of the reading of the report
' the Chairman said Miss Wren, and other per-
sons who had been patients at the infirmary, were
then present.
Miss Wren then stood up, and was greeted with
loud applause.
Dr. ELLIOTSON said the conlmittee were much
obliged to Miss Wren for appearing there that day.
It showed great moral courage on her part as un-
fortunately many of the persons who had expe.
deuced the benefits of Mesmerism , objected to at-
tend their meetings.
Sir W. TOPHAM, in moving the reception of the
report, con gratuluted the meeting on the success of
the institution, notwithstanding the lukewarmness
of their friends. He begged to endorse every word
the chairman had tapoken with respect to spirit-
rapping. The reason that mesmerism had encoun-
tered such opposition was to be attributed to the
manner in which, after its discovery, it was brought
before the public. Instead of introducing calmly
and quietly, Mesmer clothed his discovery
the Brummagem grandeur of a
innginln
cf the
Mr. COOKE, in seconding the adoptionon the manner in
re-
port, passed a high compliment n2with all
which the Infirmary was conducted.
The CHAIRMAN then put the motion to the meet-
ing, when it was carried unanimously.
On the motion of
Mr.
MAJENDIE, a vote Of thanks
was Awarded to the committee.
The retiring members of the council having been
re-elected, the proceedings terminated after a vote
Of thanks had been awarded to Dr. Elliotson, the
Chairman, and Mr. Wing.
tary I

_ROYAL AG.RICUL7UI?AL SOCIETY OF
ENGLAND.

The very extensive
TUE GREAT SIIOW IN BATTERSEA-PARK.
pro-
gress in Battersea-parkshow which comM p preparations paanraa ti
vicinityon s w h which are
the i n
grand
en
ing completion, and
c epresent
o nad av
pearance. Although comparatively
yerayreittsetraesptpinrogaaclpi:
a few acres of
land are appropriated for the purpose, y©t from the
numerous sheds, stands, tents, and other erections,
it appears on approacning the Nine Elms like a vast
camp, the numerous avenues in reality forming
several miles of streets. None of the cattle or live
stock have yet arrived, but every due preparation
is being made for their ;reception, especially
by storing large quantities of fodder, &c. The
greater portion of the machinery and impleme
cnts
are already upon the ground, and others are on;
tinually arriving, while numerous other carriages
laden with beer, wines, spirits, &c., as well as
roles
visions of various kinds, and all sorts ourit_,
occupied by persons called thither, q.. c
,107m.Ye.
yesterday give the roads leading to the.ill"'
ity of the
what the appearance of those in the vein
Exhibition prior to its openiif.bo
found a large
vgi
Amongst the machinery 1
of reaping, mow_
collection of various descriptio harrowing, turnip-
ing, ploughing, winnowing'
the chief portion of
cutting and other
niacill
steam power. There are
which will be worked bYs
also numerous beautifulpecimens of agricultural
with all
the modern improvements.
implements, stands are numerous, and placed
The refreshment
;en ly for access, as are also the offices
very cenven— conduct of the
show. Some
for those having the
have been made of the want of facility
coraplaints
and there can be no doubt that at least
f access,
all the existing gates should be opened for the occa-
sion, even if new openings are not provided. The
railway authorities are making active preparations
for the increased traffic expected, especially at the
station near Battersea Park. The 'whole of the ex-
tensive arrangements for this great show will be,
, 1 it is expected, entirely completed this afternoon.
.b. I

THE AGRARIAN OUTRAGES IN IuELAN
DUBLIN, Friday.—True bills have been fagain'd
.--•
and st Hal-
against Bohan for firing at Colonel Nos,
loran for the murder of M. Thiebault. The trial of the
'former has commenced. •
to-d D
ay