The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-30 00:00:00

THE ZOIST. .No.

The Zoist for the present quarter presents us with
an accurate record of the progress made in the
sciences of cerebral physielopy and mesmerism during
the last three months. The following observations
by Dr. Elliotson on the choice of mesmerisers will be
found important :
" I am anxious to make a few observations to Cle
public on the choice c f mesmerisers. A very large
number of those who profess to mesmerise do not a
hundredth part of the good they might, aid thus injure
individual patients and the progresi of the subject. It
is difficult to find a professed mesmeriser who gives
satisfaction. Too many are lull of whims of their own
and act the quack, talking as if possessed of t xtra-
ordinary knowledge, making all sorts cf displays in
their methods, in fact, playing all sorts of antics, and
talking all sorts of nonsense. Many of my pie nts
have been made so nervous by these mesmerisers as t
le unable to continue to employ them. Some thought•
lessly talk all the time. Now a good mesmeriser works
iu silenu, and allows no talkiumin the room, nor r,ny-
thing else that can excite the patient. The passes should
be made very slowly, or they may excite ratter than
and nay prevent sleep. The mesmeriser should
look earnestly at the patient, and be absorbed in the
attempt to produce a silent it:fluence. It is in general
best to persevere with one method, for the diversif)hig
the attempt is very likely to exoiti the curiosity anti
wonder of the patient and prevent repos-. 0: e sort of
pasting, or mere pointing, or gazing, may, for some un
known reason, suit one patient better than another: but
when a patient, by mere continuance of attempt 4, has
become affected, the method employed at the m:nnent of
success is likely from association to be afterwards, at
least fir a long while, fa more effectual, if not even
exclusively (actual, than others. I would not allow a
patient at mine t) be mesmerised by one who, while
the process is going on, talks at all, or laughs, or makes
quick passer, snaps his fingers, makes flourishes, or plays
arly monkey tricks ; or is careless and listless. All
should be done calmly and even solemnly: for mesmerism
is a serious, holy thing. There is no occasion to hold
the hands, or sit with knees against knees; or in general
to touch the patient et all. And all may be done as
well by the operator standing to one side of the patient
as oppo.ite. There is no occasion fur the operator to
vibrate his hands or head, or make any muscular effor'.
The best mesmerisers are those who do all quietly and
;,ently.
" Some persons, whom I have recommended as mes-
merisers, have taken the liberty of passing art opinion
upon the medical treatment which I had prvseribt.d at

the same Cute; or, where there vas no other treatmen•,
f auggcsting medical treatment. One person, quite
ignorant of medicines, took the liberty of applying
lee:hes v hen exhaustion forbad any such measures: one
introduced a foreigner to assist her iu mesmerising, who
was a linendraper in Brussels and passed himself off us
a doctor, and he mesmerised and prescribed. Some, in-
stead c f simply mesmerising, as I directed, introduced
pretended clairvo; ants, absolute impoeOrs. I advise all
medical men to allow nothing of this sort when they
employ n eimerisere. But, on the other hand, they
should not interfere with the mesmeriser, or take any
measures without cot ferring with him, provided they
understand nothing c f it and he is a Lilly informed and
disci eel mesmeriser.

"Some amateur mesmerisers do injury to the ea :se
by their want of perseverance. If they produce no he-
nefir, or no sensible effect, iu tho first few trials, c f per-
haps only a quarter of al hour each, they give up the
case. I wish such persons would never take a case in
hand, because their irilures must be very numerous, and
the poor patient conceives that mesmerism, perl.krs his
last and only hope, is no remedy for him, and our adver-
saries register the more failure•. In truth, mesme.ism
cannot be said to have foiled under a trial of a year or
more in chronic cases. Let no one mesmerise who is
not prepared to gibe a daily trial of at least half an hour
for many months or still longer.
`• On Ile other hand, I must also entreat the air eta
never t) begin an smerism unless firmly resolved to give
it a fair trial; and not to give it up because they are not
bett,-.:r sour, or do not go to sleep. I b Len foolishly loge
all patience with people, to whom I have .explained the
possibility of no r ffect cccuring for a length of time,
and of benefit without sleep,- returning or writing to me
ifs a few days with a deetaration that, as they telt nu-
thing, !Ley should not continue it. Some go about sa3-
ing they cannot be sent to 'sleep' because Mr. Somebody
tried one day without (Met. If a complaint is worth
tie trouble cf curing, it is worth the trouble of submit

ting to a remedy causirg neither pain nor annoyance,
but requiring merely perseverance. S: me give up in a
f.w e 2ics or months. It is surprising how many per-
sons in the world have no force of character: are only
big children—holding silly opinions on various subjects
of which they know nothing, and acting without reason
or steadit,e4s."