Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-02-01
NJ | s c L L L An E 0 i s.
From tie London Morning. Chronicle.

From the LOndOn Morning. Chronicle.
The MYSTERY OF MEsMERIsM AND SoMN AMBULIsM
IkPLAINED.-Anmal magnetism has for some
y;ars, amused and bewildered the lovers of the
1iaryclOus. Rldicucd as a mere illusion or delu-
son, it has nevertheless perplexed the scientific +;
is effects too pal pable to be denied, but any
fauonal solution OF the or causes in which
they have originated has hitherto eluded detection.
The honor OF unvehng this mystery was reserved
for MIR. James Braid, an eminent surgeon in Man
chester, who, having witnessed the recent expert
ment OF Monsieur Latontain, in the Athrnnum of
that town, determined, If possible, to bring the
system to the test of physiological and anatomical
principles This gentleman, having satisfied his
own mind that he could produce the phenomena
without personal contact, and even induce sleep
when IN different room from the person to be
thrown into state of somnolcncy, announced a
public lecture the subject, which he delivered at
the Manchester AthenGum on Saturday last, before
seven hundred persons.
Mr. Braid first placed on the table a common
black WINE bottle, IN the mouth of which there
was a cork having plated top. The individual
on WHOM the experiment was to be performed was
seated on chair, and directed to gaze mtently at
the cork without winking or averting the eyes,
The cork about two feet from the person to be
operated upon whose head was inclined back
wards forming angle of about forty five degrees.
In this position he remained for about five minutes,
when profound sleep was produced.
The second experiment was completed in the
same time. In the third case, a bandage was pla-
ced round the head, for the purpose of retaining in
an mmoveabe position a common bottle cork, a
little above the root of the nose, as the object to be
gaZed at, and IN about four minutes a complete
state of somnoIency cnsucd. In this case was
proved the inability of the patient open the eye
lids, although consciousness was in no respect sus-
pended, and he able to reply distinctly to any
question. The fourth experiment failed, either
through the noise that prevailed, or owing to the
person not fixing his gaze continuously on the OBJ
Jet. The fifth successful, and although the
party made desperate effort to open his eyes, so
much TO agltate his whole frame, they remained
though Theoretically sealed when Mr.. Braid
took from his pocket a wooden ruler, and drew the
end Of it gently the upper eycds, of both eyes,
when the spell was broken, and the sense OF sight
restored with perfect ease. These experiments
fully demonstrated that the phenomena were per-
fecty Independent of animal magnetism, III nc
one instance was there the least approach to perso-
nal contact or any manipulation.
Having thus convinced the audience that scoI
could be produced without pressure OF the thumbs
or wavin@ of the hands as employed by Monsieur
Laiontaine, MIR. Braid proceeded to explain the ra-
h0nalc OF his discovery.
The artificial mode of producing sleep Is to IA
tiGuc the rcctus and levator muscle OF the eye,
which is effected by continuously strained and
intent gaze at an object viewed under an acute an
gle. Under such circumstances the lTItabIy OF
those muscles becomes exhausted, we'll as the IT.
ritability of the optic nerve giddincss ensues, a
mist rises up before the eyc and sleep ensucs.-
Congestion Is induced in the eyes, and carried
from them to the optic and muscular nerves of the
eye, and owing to their proximity to the origin OF
the nerves of respiration and circulation affect
them through sympathy, and cnfeeble the action OF
the heart and lungs. The heart, thus acting eeby
is unable propel the blood with sufficient force to
the cXrcmies, and hence their codncss The
blood consequently is accumulated in the region OF
the heart, and it is thus stimulated; and in order to
remove the nordnate load, it is compelled to in
crease the frequency OF Its contracuons, IN order c
compensate for the tccblcucss of its efforts The
brain, head, and face now become congcstcd III
consequences and varied phenomena, resulting
from rregularlty iii the circulation of that mpor-
tant organ, the brain, follow The inability to raise
the upper eyclid Mr.. Braid accounts for on the
principle of temporary paralysis of the cvator mus
Giles, owing to excessive and long-continued eXcr-
ton at the commencement of the operation.