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, Portland-place, was held
on Saturday, at Willie's Rooms, King street, St.
James'p.

Major-General BAGNOLD presided, and in opening the
proceedings said be regretted exceedingly that they had
not some gentleman of more weight, and who could use
his is fleence, on society and the public at large, with
greater effect than he could pretend to do, to occupy
the honourable position in wisieh they had placed him.
However, he trusted that in taking tai duty on himself,
an old soldier was not to be considered out of his place
in advocating the cause of charity and benevolence.
(Hear, heara He begged, therefore, to call the atten-
tion of the meeting to this charity. It was one of a
most useful character, an I 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, beer.) As regarded
himself, ho could only say that bad he, not been a most
firm believer in the curative powers of mesmerism they
would not have seen him there on that occasion. (He r,
bear.) He was one of those who, during a consi 'erable
period of a long and active life, ridiculed and scorned
the idea of mesmerism. In fact, he looked upon it as a
gross super, tition, and when he hear I of its doings in
Europe, I.e ascribed them to the emanations of a die
brain. Bat on making fel: inquire into the subject, his
views underwent a complete change, and he was now
snore firmly convinced of its truth than ever he pre
viously was of its falacy. (Hear, bear)
Mr. Janez Iwwanns 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 mess
meristn and the admission of its truta hal been steadily,
spreading country, since attention to it was pewer-
•in this
fully excited in 1837 at University College Hospital.
then proceeded to give a succinct sketch of the progress it
had wade 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 fog to mesmer-
ism could not now gainsay. The report then went on
to state that there had been in the infirmary since
the last annual meeting 266 patients. At teat 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. Too report
enumerated some of the cures effected, such as severe
sprains, palsy of senses, ae mqiern of the legs,
deafness, rneurnatiem in its in6st—Wßilnate form—that
farm of it mentioned by Sir Astley Cooper, which oc-
curred in connection with a local contagious dissue—
the wh le of the cases cured having been treated un-
successfully in hospitals and by medical practitioners
A detail of the cure of epilcsy was also given, and which
was of a somewhat extraordinary character. A young
lad, 15 years of age named William Ibex Rowland,
living at No. 1, Gould's-h.li, 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, 1853, his mother
went on board the vessel, and told him that his father
had died at Belaklava on the let 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
had s:x or seven in the course of that day and the next.
He continued to have them 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 Patriotic Fund for
assistance, and he and her ether two children were both
sent to the Orphan Home at Barnet, established for the
orphans of soldiers who perished in the Crimea. He
remained there a year. The fits did not cease, but
took place once, t wice, or three times a day, and he be-
came violent, to a degree insane, so that it was consi-
dered be ns.ust ho placed in a lunatic asylum. A little be-
fore Christmas he was in the Westminster Hospital, but
growingworseand woree hewas broughtexceed:ngly ill into
the Mesmeric Infirmary on the 18th of April last by Mr.
Rose, 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 ho went
to sleep, and from that day was elways thrown into the
sleep after passes before his face during a very few reds
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 had the fits at the hour pre-
dicted, and he had 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 some farther inte-
resting details respecting the institution, and the cures
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. SANDBY 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 progress 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,
hear)—the anniversary of which they were that day met
to celebrate. The establishment of 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 undoubt-
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 cans% (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 lukewarmmess of their professed
friends, but in the use of mesmerism this lukewarmness
was most unjustifiable. He 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 her a great test of human character. It
showed what sort of stuff a man was made of. He did
net 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 mesmerism,—why it
was that they were not there on that occasion to coun-
ten tune it? (Hear.) Were they afraid ? There 1:N as