The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-22 00:00:00

THE MESMERIC INFIRMARY.

The annual general meeting of the Mesmeric Infir-
mary, 36, Weymouth-street, Portlan d-place, was held
on Saturday, at Willis's Rooms, King•street, St.
James's.

Major-General BAGNOLD presided, and in opening the
proceedings said he regretted exceedingly that they had
not some gentleman of more weight, and who could use
his iefluence on society and the public at large, with
greater effect than lie could pretend to do, to occupy
the honourable position io which they had placed him.
However, he trusted that in taking this duty on himself,
an old soldier was not to be considered out of his place
in advocating the cause of charity and benevolence.
(Hoar, hear.) He begged, therefore, to call the atten-
tion of the meeting to this charity. It was one of a
most useful character, and had been the means of re-
storing many to health, happiness, and the powers of
labour, when all other means had failed, and such being
its character, it was eminently entitled to the support of
the community at large. (Hear, hear.) As regarded
himself, he could only say that had he not been a most
firm believer in the curative powers of mesmerism they
would not have seen him there en that occasion. (Hear,
hear.) He was one of those who, during a considerable
period of a long and active life, ridiculed and scorned
the idea of mesmerism. In fad, he looked upon it as a
gross superstition, and when he heard of its doings in
Europe, be ascribed them to theemaeations of a diseased
brain. But on making ful• inqtiry into the subject, his
views underwent a complete cLange, and he was now
more firmly convinced of its truth than ever he pre
viously was of its fallacy. (Seer, hear )
Mr. Jeuez INWARDS then read the report of the coun-
cil of management of the institution for the past year.
it commenced by stating that the knowledge of mes-
merism and the admission of its truth had been steadily
spreading in this country, since attention to it was power-
fully excited in 1837 at University College Hospital. It
then proceeded to give a succinct sketch of the progress it
had made in this country from the first intimation of it,
200 years ago, down to the present time, the opposition
it had met with, the prejudice with which it had been
assailed, but at the same time the triumphs it had
achieved—triumphs which the greatest foe to mesmer-
ism could cot now gainsay. The report then went on
to state that there had been in the infirmary since
the last annual meeting 266 patients. At that date
the number under treatment was 41. There had been
cured or benefitted to a greater or less extent 63.
The great majority of the rest attended far too short a
time for any good to be done, and some attended a few
times only, perhaps but once or twice. The report
enumerated some of the cures effected, such as severe
sprains, palsy of senses, and motion of the legs,
deafness, rheumatism in its most obstinate form—that
form of it mentioned by Sir Astley Cooper, which oc-
curred in connection with a local contagious diseaee—
the wh le of the cases cured having been treated un.
successfully in hospitals and by medical practitioners
A detail of the cure of epilesy was also given, and which
was of a somewhat extraordinary character. A young
lad, 15 years of age named William Ibez Rowland,
living at No. 1, Gould's-h. 1,, Shadwell, the son of a man
belonging to the Land Transport corps, A division,
had spent the last three years on board a collier as an
apprentice. On the 11th January, 1856, his mother
went on board the vessel, and told him that his father
had died at Belaklava on the Ist of the previous Decem-
ber, from frost, in consequence of the tents being blown
away. The young lad was immediately distracted, felt
as if his heart was bursting, and passed a sleepless night.
In the morning he was seized with an epileptic fit, and
bad s.x or seven in the course of that day and the next.
lie continued to have there for a month on board the
vessel, and was then sent home by the captain, and
while at home he had three or four daily, for three
weeks. The mother applied to the Pa'aiotie Fund for
assistance, and he and her other two children were both
sent to the Orphan Home at Bernet, established for the
orphans of soldiers who perished in the Crimea. He
remained there a year. The fits did not cease, but
took piece once, twice, or three times a day, and he be-
cause violent, to a degree insane, so that it was consi-
dered ho must be placed in a lunatic asylum. A little be-
fore Christmas he was in the Westminster Hospital, but
aro wing worse and worse hewae brought exceed:ngly ill into
the Mesmeric Infirmary on the 18th of April last by Mr.
Ross, of the Orphan Home. He was astonished on see-
ing passes made before his face, as he thought he was to
have medicine ; yet the first time that was done he went
to sleep, and from that day was elways thrown into the
sleep after passes before his face during a very few mi-
nutes. At the end of a week the fits were fewer and
milder, and the boy was calmer and more manageable.
When at the infirmary on Monday afternoon, the 19th
of May, he told his mesmeriser that he had been attacked
with a fit in the morning at ten o'clock, and that he had
dreamt at the infirmary that he should have it at that
time, and that he should have two more fits only, one on
Thursday, at ten o'clock, and another on Saturday at the
same hour. After his mesmeric sleep was over he was
desired to attend on. the Thursday and Saturday at the
hour indicated, when he bad the fits at the hour pre-
dicted, and be bad had none ever since. He is now in
perfect health, and went back to school on the 29th of
May. We may add here that the boy was present at
the meeting, and appeared a smart-looking healthy little

fellow. The report went on to give som© farther inte-
resting details respecting the institution, and the curos
effected by means of it, and concluded by urging on its
friends greater liberality in aid of its funds, as many
cases had to be refused in consequence of the smallness
of them.
The Rev. Mr. SAITDBY moved the adoption of the re-
port. That report was no common document ; it was a
philosophical and scientific paper, full of important scien-
tific principles, which, if fully known and carried out,
would go far to benefit their fellow-creatures. (Hear.)
It gave a most succinct and graphic sketch of the rise
and progre,s of mesmerism in this country, until it led
them to the turning point in its career here, namely, the
establishment of the Mesmeric Infirmary (hear,
heai)—the anniversary of which they were that day met
to celebrate. The establishment lof that institution was
a triumph of mesmerism which all the medical men
in Europe and America could not get over. When it
was first instituted, these gentlemen predicted, " Ob,
it would not live a year ;"—(hear hear)—but here
they were on the occasion of their eighth anniversary,
while they bad got such cases of cure to produce
and lay before the public, as would defy the greatest
enemy of mesmerism to controvert or gainsay. (Hear.)
The report alluded to many gratifying facts. It told
them that mesmerism was flourishing, and so ood„bt,
edly it was. It also told them that the infirmary was in
the most perfect state of order and efficiency ; and so
it was, for the arrangements were such as reflected
the greatest credit on the Council, and those who
had the management of it, who deserved the sincere
thanks of all true friends of the cause. (Hear.) It told
them likewise that there had been some most interesting
cures effected during the past year, but it also added to
those gratifying statements, one which partook of report,
namely, that much more good could be done if the coun-
cil had more funds at their disposal. (Hear.) He re-
gretted that the council were obliged to send many
parties away because they had not funds which would
enable them to treat them and pay for the mesmerisers.
He supposed that all charitable associations laboured
more or less under the lukewarinatise of their professed
friends, but in the use of mesmerism this lukewarmness.
was most unjustifiable. Ho did not hesitate to say that
many ought to be subscribers who were not, and there
were many who had received the benefits of the institu-
tion who were able to subscribe to its funds, but of whom
they never heard of after they were cured. He believed
mesmerism to be a great test of human character. It
showed what sort of stuff a man was made of. He did
not mean in a physical sense, but it was eminently qua-
lified to tell them what was his organisation, It might
not be out of place on that occasion were he to ask why
it was that many men holding distinguished positions in
this country—men of rank, and character, and standing,
who were the professed friends of reesneerisno,—why it
was that they were not there on that occasion to coun-
tenance it ? (Hear.) Were they afraid ? There 16 as