The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-20 00:00:00

DEATH. OF THE DISTINGUISHED
DR. ESDAILE.

This great and good man died at Sydenham on
Monday, the 10th inst., and.was interred on Satur-
day, the 15th inst., in the cemetery at Norwood,
followed by his brother, the Rev. David Esdaile,
one of his widow's nephews, Dr. Elliotson, Mr.
Corbould a medical neighbour, and three other
friends—in privacy and simplicity. He was the
eldest son of the Rev. Dr. Esdaile of Perth, and
born at Montrose on the 6th February, 1808. He
studied and graduated in the University of Edin-
burgh. At the age of 15 years he became the sub-
ject of a chronic bronchitic and asthmatic affection,
which at the end of 35 years destroyed him. With
the hope of benefit from a warm climate, a medical
appointment in the civil service of the East India
Company was procured for him ; but the hot and
pestilential climate of Indiabrought him frequently
to a state of extreme weakness ; and having arrived
in India on the 14th July, 1831, he was obliged to
leave it on furlough on the 24th January, 1836.
He returned to India on the 23d November, 1838,
resolved not to stay one day after his term had ex-
pired, and accordingly left it for ever on the Ist
June, 1851.
When he first went out he lost his bride of 17,
before the ship arrived in India. He remained a
widower many years, but at length married again,
and again lost his wife. He then, now eight years
ago, married a third time, and the lady survives
him. He never had any children.
In 1837, the facts of mesmerism began to
be copiously and clearly presented to the British
public, and reported in the newspapers and
medical journals. They attracted his attention;
and, instead of objecting or trusting to others,
he examined the matter experimentally, as every
person can, although he had not seen a single fact.
" Ever since Dr. Elliotson declared years ago," said
he in his first report, published in the Indian
Journal. of Medical and P4iicarScience in 1845,
" that he should despise himself if he did not de-
clare his conviction of the truth of mesmerism, I
ceased to regard it lightly, and paid attention to all
well-attested reports upon the subject. At last the
facts became so numerous, and were so well sup-
ported by credible witnesses, and kept their ground
so firmly both against adverse reasoning and ridi-
cule (the test of truth), that I felt compelled to sur-
render my belief in the existence of the unknown
power, or cease to be a reasoning and judging
being. Ten days before making my first experi-
ment, I thus wrote to a friend at home :—' What
think you of this new science, mesmerism ? For
my part I am thinking seriously about it, and can-.
not help suspecting that we have hit upon one of
Nature's great secrets. I keep myself perfectly
neutral, and hear the evidence pro and eon. If it
Iturns out to be a delusion, I will be happy to assist
in digging its grave.'"*
;His first results were published in the Indian
2flecit,^al Journal for June, 1845. His first trial
was casr:al. On seeing a felon in agony after
a surgical operation, he thought he would try
to mesmerise the poor creature, who knew not what
the process meant, and yet presently exhibited the
very phenomena which he witnessed in England—
went to sleep, was pinched, had pins and nails
thrust into him, sat on the edge of a chair with
the back of his neck resting against its sharp back;
had fire applied to his knees, inhaled strong ammo-
nia for some minutes, and drank it like milk, with-
out any uneasiness, and bore the exposure of his
eyes to the sun without winking or contraction of
the iris. After this time Dr. Esdaile performed a
very large number of surgical operations—some of
them absolutely gigantic—without pain. Enor
mous tumours are common in India, and Dr. Esdaile
cut them away by wholesale, and with perfect suc-
cess, the patients knowing nothing about the
matter, till on awaking they saw their tumours
lying upon the floor. 1n'1846 he removed twenty-
one tumours—some weighing 301bs, one 401b5., and
one 1121bs ; in 1847, eight—one of 401bs. and
another of 1001bs. weight; in 1848, thirty-four-
30MC of very great size and weight. In 1849 he
removed ten—some very large. In 1849 we learn
that he performed sixty-two capital operations. In
one place we read that after one hundred capital
operations with insensibility, only two patients
died within a mmrth—one from cholera and the
other from lock-jaw. With equal painlessness he
amputated, cut out nails, pared sores, performed
lithotomy, tore asunder adhesions and contractions,
and applied the strongest acids to ulcers. He also
cured obstinate diseases. All his glorious doings
may be found in the Zoist •
Persecution he of course experienced; but the
editors of the newspapers took up his cause. A
mesmeric committee was appointed by Government
to investigate his facts. He satisfied them, and
was placed at the head of a mesmeric hospital. The
Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie, sent for all the
papers of the committee, found time to examine
them carefully himself, told Dr, Esdaile that he
was perfectly satisfied, invited him to dinner, and
in the course of the evening congratulated him on
his being appointed Presidency surgeon ; and in
reply to Dr. E.'s thanks said, " You have nothing ,
to thank me for, Dr. Esdaile ; you have only to
thank yourself ; I have done only an act of justice."

After his return home, he subscribed to the Mes-
mer Infirmary, and was made a vice-president, but,
on account of his bad health, lived in privacy, first
in Scotland and ultimately at Sydenham, as he
found the north too cold. He was the means of in-
troducing pisciculture, or the artificial propagation
of fishes into Scotland ; and his last good act was
to devise an admirable scheme for giving the best
education on the lowest terms to the daughters of
ministers of the Church of Scotland and professors
in the Scottish Universities., It is now exciting
great interest, and is strenuously promoted by his
brother, the Rev. David Esdaile.
For integrity, benevolence, intelligence, inde-
pendence, and intrepidity, Dr. Esdaile will never
be surpassed.

* See the Zoist, No. 13.

THE SUNDAY OPENING OF THE
CRYSTAL PALACE.

The following is the result of the poll, as declared
at the Bridge-house Hotel, at 2 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, on the motion for rescinding the resolu-
tion, authorising the admission of shareholders to
the Crystal Palace and grounds on Sunday after-
noons .

FOR RESCINDING THE RESOLUTION.
Personal votes
Proxies

Total 75,764
AGAINST RESCINDING THE RESOLUTION.
Personal votes
Proxies
.__

Total 92,785
Showing a majority against rescinding the resolu-
tion of 17,021 votes.

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Farquhar) consequently de-
clared that the opening
of the palace and grounds
to shareholders on Sunday afternoons would be
continued as heretofore.

Capt. YOUNG said he wished to give notice that
he should renew his motion for closing at the next
half•yearly meeting.
Two other shareholders intimated that they should
propose resolutions, one to the effect that the ques-
tion should be adjourned for five years, and the
other that Capt. Young and his friends should pay
the expense of these ballots.
The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

SPANISH AMERICAN BONDHOLDERS.

The annexed memorandum, relating to the debt
of Venezuela, is from the Committee of Spanish
American Bondholders :

The Committee of Spanish American Bondholders have
received advices from Mr. I,locatta, dated Valencia, the 18th
ult., stating that
"Finding the minister of finance still silent, I addressed
him a note on the 10th inst. referring to the delay, adding
the bad impression it will make in London,, and urging a
commence:vont of conferences with the object of coming to
terms. To-day I have received' a reply, dated the 16th,
wherein Senor Herrara reiterates the difficulties which en-
compass him, and expresses surprise that I should attempt
to hurry him when his plans are not yet formed. The con-
tinued assurance that no time sball.be lost, but without say-
ing when it is probable ho will be ready, leaves me quite
uncertain as to whether it will be prior to the closing of the
sessions of the convention or not, or, in fact, gives me no
data for information to. you. I have .just Wilited on Gene-
rat Castro, who received me very politely, heard all I had
to say, and. I did not fail to urge' on him the ill effects of
further delay ; and I touched -freely on all points bearing
on the welfare of the country, united with the just rights
of the bondholders. His excellency assured me that the.
best intentions prevailed on his part, adding that he would
speak to Senor Herrara on the subject. The convention
will close its sessions within a mouth, when the executive
will return to Caracas. Gen, Paez is said to have reached
Curaana."