Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-02-07
VOL. xxx, NO. 9....wHOLE NO. 1880

k3f1xAIf1l
for any person except myself TO attract her at
tention in the least But TO the lowest word
from me, she would respond with as much
readiness as though she had been awake. Ma
ny attempts were made by those present, in
various ways, 10 wake her, but without ma
king the least impression upon her. ] asked
her several questions respecting her feelings,
and oil Of which she answered, either by signs
or in low voice, II at first appeared TO BIO
difficult for her 10 speak, but afterwards she
spoke distinctly. A considerable variety of
experiments were made to ascertain whether
she really was conscious Of the presence of
my hands, when held over, ard in near ap-
Proclamation 10 any part Of her body or limbs,
as was the case the preceding evening. In Or
der that these experiments should be entirely
satisfactory, she was bndioded, in such a
manner that it was impossible for her to see,
and the experiments were made with SO much
caution, that there was no possible means OF
her knowing where my hand was, EXCEPT
through the medium of feeling. Ii was also
ascertained, beyond doubt, that she was con-
scious OF my presence or absence from the
room. To prove this, she being still bndlol-
ded, would pass out Of the room with great
caution, and, after being absent some time,
would return without my boots, so still that it
was impossible ior any person TO hear me. As
soon as | arrived at the bedside, and fixed my
eyes upon her, with a wish that she would
open her eyes, she would show signs of recoc-
milton, and on removing the handkerchief her
eyes would be found fixed upon me. She was
asked, if she knew when | was in Tue room or
out of il. She said she did. ! then asked her
if she saw or heard me 10 which she answer
ed, that she did not. Upon pursuing the in
quiry further, she said she was sensible of my
presence or absence, by her feelings. After
fully satisfying myself, and all present, that
she really was in state Of somnambulism,
| and she appearing somewhat fatigued, | a.
woke her, fearing her situation 10 be rather
distressing than refreshing. Immediately af-
ter awaking, she wa considerably distressed,
and had rather an uncomfortable night. The
z following evening, she was again magnctized
r in the presence of several physicians. The
cough, this evening, which had been incessanl
an hour, and would, almost certainly, have
, continued four or five hours longer, was en-
= tlrely relieved in less Than two minutes, and,
f in about ten minutes, she was sound asleep
She had been promised that there should not
be many experiments made this evening,
which felt myself bound TO observe but,
, Notwithstanding only few trials were made,
t to test her somnambulic powers, | presume
there was no one present who doubted, in the
, least, that decided effects were produced, or
, however differently the phenomena might be
accounted for.
Since the evening above alluded to- she has
several times been magnotzed, and once was
put to sleep in fifteen minutes, by looking at
her from the distance OF ten feet As this
magnetic state has always been attended by
some degree Of distress, and is followed with
, much fatigue, experiments have not been null
tiplied neither has she been kept in that state
! L., L.. IL, & a.. ~
oasion, however, after putting her to sleep,
told her 10 visit her family in the country which
she did, and when she awoke it appeared to
her like reality. She described the particu-
STAR situation Of three out OF four Of the mem
{ bers Of the family. Ii is worthy OF remark,
3 that il afterwards proved that the one which
! she did not seem TO see, was absent from home,
though she had no knowledge of this fact
Whether she was correct with respect to the
r other members Of the family or not has not
f been ascertaincd. The writer, himself, puts
, 10 confidence in this vision, believing it 10 be
u mere dream, excited by the impression made
upon the mind by command of the ma gnetizer,
in the same manner that dreams are produced
in ordinary sleep, by whatever affects the sens
, es sufficiently 10 make an impression upon the
brain. She drank water this evening, which
che was told was cordial, and, after she awoke,
0 she thought she had drank cordial, though she
/ had no recollection Of being told what it was,
neither did she remember being told TO visit
, her friends. After she was sound asleep, she
t was told to sleep until nine o'clock. l was
t under the necessity Of leaving her about an
| hour-durng my absence, many attempts were
made TO awake her by different PERSONS, but
without attracting the least notice from her.
! On my return, few minutes before nine, che
| being still asleep, was importuned 10 arouse
hor md mink In which |
reluctantly consented. The instant address
SEQ her, her eyes flew open as though springs
were attached TO them, and she partially u
[ woke. Her reluctance 10 remain longe in that
state, she being very much faligued, prevented
me from again closing her eyes; notwithstan-
: ding my curiosity 10 witness the result of the
; experiment. As, however, she well knew the
times at which she was 10 awakc-at the same
time, that she did not know The manner in
which she knew il, not remembering that she
had been told to awake at that time-perhaps
+ shall not be considered over crcdulous in be.
lieving that she would have obser cd the time
precisely.
, Respecting The effects produced upon this
Young lady's case, ii is but candid 10 remark,
that although the success of the second expe-
riment was very great, and led us TO hope that
much benefit would result iromit, and although
her cough has always been temporarily reliey-
ed, and, perhaps, may add, some other symp-
toms milgated, she did not, upon the whole,
derive any decided advantage from Magne-
tism.
BY reference TO the above case, it will be
observed, firstly, that her sense Of feeling, as
well perhaps as her other senses, with refer
ence to the magnelizcr, was very much oxal-
ted SO much SO indeed, as TO be sensible Of
, the presence of his hand at the distance Of
sevetal inches, and OF his person at the dis
lance of some feet; secondly, that che was
unconscious Of the presence Of any other per