The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-08 00:00:00

THE COBBETT CLUB.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sitt—At a meeting of the Cobbett Club, on Wednes-
day last, a resolution was unanimously agreed to, that
the thanks of the Club were eminently due to the Editor
of The Sun, for the promptness with which he gave in-
sertion to their petition which was presented to the
House of Commons by Mr. T. Duncombe, on the last day
of the Session, condemnatory of the illegal and uncon-
stitutional interference of that House with the choice of
the Crown in the selection of its servants ; and on the
great waste of the public time. by the party squabbles
carried on by its Members,, and praying of them to at-
tend to matters of real importance, and to show to the
world that they are not totally unworthy of the title that
they have assumed as legislators, by proceeding, imme-
diately, to enact a law which shall remove all barriers to
the exercise, by the people, of the ancient constitutional
right of Universal Suffrage.
I am, Sir, your most obediant servant,
B. TILLY,
Honorary Secretary of the Cobbett Club.
92, Fleet-street, Nov. 6, 1841.

LECTURES ON ANIMAL MAG-
NETISM.
(From the Midland Counties Herald.)
Monsieur Lafontaine, whose recent exhibitions at the
Hanover-square Rooms, London, as well as in other
parts of the kingdom, have excited no small degree of
interest amongst scientific men, has been lecturing
during the past and present week at the Birmingham
Athenreum, to very respectable and numerous audiences.
Monsieur Lafontaine's exhibitions are preceded by an
essay, in French, giving a brief history of Mesmerism from
the period of its discovery, the mode of operation adopted,
and the effects produced on certain individuals who have
been subjected to his manipulations. • Being unable to com-
municate with his audience in English, M. Lafontaine has
availed himself of the services of M. O'Flanagan, of Great
Charles-street, profes;or of the French and other Con-
tinental languages, who has been the medium of com-
munication each evening between the lecturer, or rather
the operator, and the assembly, for the essay is trans-
lated and read by Mr. O'Flanagan. The following is,
we. believe, a correct abstract of the essay read on Wed-
nesday evening • the essay preceding the exhibition on
Friday being chiefly occupied with a catalogue of cures
performed under the influence of magnetic power, and a
description of those diseases in which Mesmerism might
be employed with advantage as a sanatory agent.
Mesmer announced his discovery telbe a universal fluid
existing throughout all nature, forming in animated
bodies the principle of life, capable of transmission
from one to another, and producing by means of this
communication effects more or less sensible, A com-
mission was named by the University of Paris
to examine the principles which served as a
basis to the theory, to report on the effects
produced, and the treatment adopted. It is proper here
to state that the commission, as well as other learned
bodies, while they acknowledged the existence of mag-
netic power, and the influence of man on man through
that medium, decided against its efficacy for sanatory
purposes. A covered wooden bowl, from which emerged
iron rods—a rope, by which the patients were surrounded
while holding each other's hands, were the instruments
empliqed, and to which were attributed the property
of concentrating the fluid spread through the atmos-
phere, of transmitting it to each individual, and of
making it circulate from one to the other. This
action was augmented by the magnetic process, which, at
one time, was used concurrently with the above prepara-
tions, and at other times employed alone. This 'con-
Isksted in rubbing—simple conta2t—or pressure on the
epigastrium, hypogastrium, and the lower region of the
stomach in direct movements of the .rodi or Merely of
the finger, upon the persons magnetised. Among the
effects which resulted, some were internal, and could be
known only by the relation of him who felt them ; such
were heat in that part of the'bOdy in contact with the iron
bars—the circulation of a fluid, favoured by the chain of
invalids placed in a circle and holding each other by the
hand—an impression of heat or cold, of comfort or
discomfort, excited by the proceedings. The external.
results manifested themselves by yawning, perspiration,-
tears, laughter, agitation, convulsions more or less violent,
sleep, suspension of the senses, and evacuations of divers
natures. The convulsions were very violent, and lasted
sometimes three hours, rapidly passing from one to
another; so that twenty or thirty persons often presented
this result, which was considered a most favourable
symptom. Of the truth of the existence of this fluid phy-
sical proofs were wanting, and they were obliged to con-
fess that it fell not under the evidence of the senses, and
that its existence could only be demonstrated by its ac-
tion on living bodies. Somnambulism was soon
found to be in many instances combined with mag-
netism, and produced along with it many remark-
able results. The French Revolution, which over-
turned everything for a while, threw magnetism into
the back ground; but in 1816 it re-appeared on the stage,
but this time denuded of all the paraphernalia to which we
have alluded above, and substituting for the theory of a
universal fluid, the doctrine of an individual vital fluid,
accumulated or secreted in the brain, to which the nerves
served as conductors. This fluid is subject to the will,
and may, under its influence, be attracted, and directed
in any substance, living or dead. But the main difference
in the practice consists in the admission of the will of the
magnetiser as. to the emission of the fluid, and the pro-
duction of magnetic phenomena. Violent convulsive mo-
tions have partially diminished, if not entirely ceased ; so
far from being produced by magnetism, they are, under the
new system, considerably diminished by it. The sensations
experienced by the patient may be said now to consist chiefly
in a pleasing langour, and an invincible heaviness; the
pulse beats fuller and more regular, and in process of
time the patient, who is successfully subjected to it, loses
all consciousness. Many diseases are said to be cured by
magnetism. • It would perhaps be better to assume,
that as its action is entirely through the nerves, it
is only persons of a more or less nervous temperament
who are likely to be benefited by it. These dis-
eases are, for the most part, of a nervous charac-
ter, as epilepsy, hysteria, and convulsions of every
kind. The indications of Mesmeric influence may be
classed under the heads of somnolence, profound
sleep, catalepsy, somnambulism, clairvoyance, and previ •
sion. The three first of these effects were repeatedly
exhibited in the course of M. Lafontaine's exhibitions.
At the close of the lecture on the Wednesday evening,
M. Lafontaine proceeded to magnetise one of his sujets, a
young girl of about eighteen years of age. In a few mi-
nutes she became profoundly comatose, and perfectly in-
sensible to all that was transpiring around her. The
magnetiser then proceeded to prove her insensibility by
placing immediately under her nose a phial containing a
strong solution of ammonia, which she inspired without
evincing the slightest expression of uneasiness. After-
wards, a lighted lucifer match was placed in the same
position, and produced no manifest effect on the compo-
sure of the countenance. Next, percussion caps were ex-
ploded by a pistol close to the ear, whilst every precaution
was insisted upon by the audience which might prevent
collusion, but she gave no start, and moved not a fibre.
Afterwards her arms were, by certain passes, rendered
rigid and cataleptic, and were retained in the extended
position for more than an hour and a half; and the lower
extremities in like manner. Whilst the arms were thus

horizontally extended, an electro-magnetic current from
a powerful arrangement was made to pass through them;
but, although her arms were shaken by the violence of
the current, her countenance gave no indication of sen-
sibility. Throughout all these and other operations, as
of pinching, and the introduction of pins into the arms and
face, she remained in a state of profound sleep, until she
was aroused from it by certain passes made by M. Lafon-
taine. A young man now made his appearance, of a
sallow olive complexion, and of about seventeen or eighteen
years of age. He was seated in an arm-chair, and sub-
mitted to similar manipulations, with analagous results.
The magnetiser, however, rendered his entire body cata-
leptic ; so that when he was raised to the perpendicular,
he balanced to one side or the other by every impulse
communicated to him' by either of the gentlemen whose
united strength was required to keep him in that position.
Whilst thus circumstanced, M. Lafontaine, by some passes
made behind him, released his limbs, and, supported by
the gentlemen already alluded to, he was made to take a
few steps; his power to do so, however, was at once cut off by
the magnetiser, and at a given signal from one of the
audience which could not have been by possibility noticed
by the young man, his limbs became as rigid and immo-
vable as before. After being liberated from this condi-
tion, he descended the platform, followed by the young
girl, in apparently perfect health, and with the greatest
ease imaginable. A gentleman, one of the audience, now
presented himself (Mr. Jabet, a solicitor of our town), and
declared himself willing to submit to the manipulations of
the magnetiser.W. Lafontaine begged to say, by his inter-
preter, that though it was possible he might not succeed in
producing somnolency in the first instance in Mr. Jabe t,
he would yet attempt to do so, if his audience would
preserve a perfect silence. These terms were readily