The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-15 00:00:00

MESMERIC SURGERY.

A surgical operation, performed by Dr. Loysel, at Cher-
bourg, on the 27th of May last, upon a mesmerized patient,
has produced in that place an extraordinary sensation.
The particulars, as they appeared in the Journal de Cher-
bourg, signed and attested by the Sons-Prefect, the maritime
authorities, the principal medical men, and many distin-
guished inhabitants of the place, who were present at the
operation, are as follows _ _

" At 40 minutes past 4 P.M. of the day above named, Dr.
Loysel, assisted by Dr. Gibon and three other medical men,
performed, with remarkable talent and complete success, the
operation hereafter described, upon a patient named Francois
Bayssett, aged 18, who was previously placed in a state of
mesmerism and absolute insensibility.
" Since four o'clock the patient, being placed in an arm-
chair, had been brought into the necessary state by M. De-
lente, by whom he had been several times mesmerised. After
about two minutes, the eyes of the patient closed by gentle
degrees; the upper eyelids, agitated by a gentle trembling,
rested firmly against the ball of the eye, which appeared con-
vulsed under the eyebrow; the muscles of the neck gently
relaxed, the head inclined backward, and rested upon the back
of the chair. The patient had his arms crossed upon his
chest, and his countenance bespoke the mast absolute
quietude. At this juncture the mesmerizer experimented upon
the sensibility of the patient by puncturing the flesh repeat-
edly, but of which he appeared quite unconscious
‘ In the meantime, 1)r. Loysel had prepared his instru-
ments, and the medical assistants were ready to aid the
operator. At 4h. 40m. the first incision was made, extend-
ing from the hinder part of the left lower jaw to beneath
the s 3 mphisis of the chin. The operator then dissected with
great caution, and speedily eradicated a mass, consisting of
seven glands united, of which the largest was of the form
and size of an egg.
"The first dissection, notwithstanding the skill with which
it was executed, did not last less than ten minutes, and
during that time the patient continued in a state of utter in-
sensibility to pain, his features manifesting no motion, but
continuing perfectly calm to such a degree as to denote the
total absence of the smallest suffering. Nevertheless, several
of the spectators, unable any longer to endure the sight which
this dreadful operation presented, quitted the apartment.
"The pulse ,of which the state was ascertained previous
to the operation, remained the same during and afterwards
(84), and the heavings of the chest continued in a regular
manner, and in perNct harmony with the beating of the
heart.

"After an interval of a few minutes rest, the Doctor ef-
fected a fresh incision on the right side, extracting in the like
manner two other glands, the patient remaining the same as
during the first operation, maintaining a state of calm immo-
bility altogether inexpressible.
" The two operations lasted altogether, including the in-
terval of repose, 29 minutes. After which one of the spec.
tators, who appeared particularly interested by this pheno-
menon, questioned the patient in the following manner
" ' How do you find yourself?'—' Quite well, Sir.'
" ' Do you suffer now; I saw you suffered but a little while
ago Not at all, Sir.'

s'"
At 31 minutes after five the dressing of the wounds com-
menced, which continued till three minutes before six, when
it was accomplished; then everything calculated to make
a disagreeable impression upon the patient was removed
from the apartment; and, having washed and adjusted his
dress himself, he was awakened by his mesmerizer in less
than a minute.

" Restored to the ordinary state of life, with all the appa-
rent calmness of a comfortable existence, the patient declared
to the numerous witnesses of the operation, who interrogated
him upon the subject, with a lively emotion, that he had no
knowledge or recollection whatever of what had just passed,
that he was free from pain, and that, without the bandages
which enveloped his head, he should have had no idea that
the operation had been performed; and after having affec-
tionately thanked the operator, the mesmeriser, and the
medical gentleman, he retired and proceeded on foot, and
without any support, to his residence at Egneurdreville,
about half a league from Cherbourg."