Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-17
Fro n the London Lancet.
AMI MAI. NJ A G NET s NJ.

After an interesting ard ildieious paper read TO
,hs wes,mins ter Medical Socie.y, by Mr. Long
more condemnatnry OF animal m,gne;isrn. the dis
cussiou was much enlvened by the practical enhi-
buion Of the r1esmeric treatment upon susceptible
subject one OF The members Of the society, who was
well knosn, and beyond suspicion The subject
OF the eIrerinent WAS young gentleman OF about
nineteen years OF age, Of the administrations
temperament, robust, aud healthy. Having taken
seat at the table, the Chairman entered into eonyer-
saton With him, obviously for the purpose oil re-
moving any agitation that might exist, that the e1
pe-imen, nigh, be f,ir.y conducted. The society
IVES informed that OF the peculiar features OF
this cas-. was the power the individual possessed in
dusins upon himself the "erisi'," or the "mesmero
Sleep" without manipulation, or the intervention o.
q second party. Having taken his seat IN the area,
he showed the society how be eoald induce The
"crrsis.r he held a pen tou,r5s the point OF his
nnse and fixed his eyes (Which necessarily sqdInt.
ed a lHtel upon the pen, but his niger he said
would do equally well. Having continued stead
faslly eaz ny IL were, at the point OF his nose Tor
abou, forty or hfty seconds, he fell back upon The
chair in a q, similar that Of epilepsy, with tins
difference, that the muscles Of bis face were MOI
distorted, nor was there any f,smins a, the mouth
The muscles of the trunk and limCs we're, however,
rgd his pu quick and irregular; the pupils diaisd'
and the tips OF his fingers ics'eold. When on arm
or e raised, it remained oui-sire'ched sud IL
gid in the position in which u was placed, as IN ca
taepsy. While sitting on the chair with his head
much drawn backwards over the back OF the char,
INST, was raiseQ OY an ASSISTANT c'llcn-ly
with some difhedity from the rigldty OF the mus
oles t the limb was al right angles with the trunk,
when Il remained liked in that position. The other
arm was then raised in a similar manner, and lett
fixed at similar angle. IL was proposed then TO
try the effects of lifting the legs. While the young
man s;il sitting with his arms projecting tor
wards right angles, one foot was first raised Ill
the whole lower limb projected forward, upon
level with the Of The char: the other foot was
then treated in a similar Manner and the four LIMBS
IL To- 49,
ROD than could be maintained by any voluntary c.
foIt. He was aroused after s>me minutes by sma
stroke upon one OF the o"ss'reIched lnss, aud ap
peared much confused and 6s~ildered, bu, soon
regained his usual ar Isarance Sson afterwards the
chairmsn tried W IN him the usual manpuulons,
but with the oacks OF the hands instead OF the
palms; prc sss which is said 10 be entirely useless,
or inadequate 20 produce, eccoTcins TO the adopts
any mesmeric effects whatever. While these posses
ne being made, the Chairman inquired how the
young man fe'i, and be replied. that he had ssnsa
lion as If electricity passing through him. The
chairman then pointing with his iO'.hnser 70 the
forehead Of the young man, requested him TO look
steadfasty at his the chairman's) hnge-, which he
did, and 10 less than minute he dropped in
"erisis" The rigidiiy OF the muscles was great
as 10 the former experiment, and no doubt could be
entertained that the yong man was totally lnsensi
bic 10 all that was passing around him. Tins was
proved 10 the satisfaction Of the society by various
experiments upon the tkn ana upon the eye
After numerous trials of the state OF his sensbiiy
the young man Was lifted and placed erect upon his
feet and held in that position for some lime, every
muscle being npparently IN rigid state OF con,rsc
ton After remaining for some minutes in this
taleptic state, he was reused as before ny smart
blow upon the ARM and though standing still upon
his feet he appeared when thus struck to be aroused
from deep sleep, and seemed az ms! nmszsd ct
whs; wBs going on around him.
The chairman having be:n requested by the
soee v for on explanation Of the phenomena just
Witnessed said, although he doubted whether sails
fc'o'y answer could be given, 70 was 20 him per-
iectly obvious that the phenomena were atfri-
tutatls TO any new agency developed and intro.
duoed into the system Of the young man, for the hi
could obviously be induced by the Young man
hmse more quick han by the agency ofanother.
What might be The cause Of the ht, IT could not
possibly he attributable TO animal magnetism, or TO
any eI,rinsc cause. According 10 the chairman II
depended upon peculiar state OF idiosynefasy OF
the nervous Systsm-the epileptic,-Unlch might
be called into activity by various causes, hs menta
enotion ina ginaiion, habit Of recurrence by the
induction Of some of he precuuory movtm,n:s Of
epilep sy, or even by inducing peculiar sate OF
single nerve. The chairman was Inclined 10 ettri-
butte the phenomena m the rase before the society
10 tho last Of these causes. peculiar impression
first induced on the optic nerves Of the young
man, by the fixing steadily, and for some time the
eyes upon q gwen point: a state similar 10 that n
duced by pressure upon the nerves Of limb when
numbness or sleeping" ofths limb occurs The
sta;e Of the optic nerve thus induced, he conceived
was transmitted, hy continuous sympathy, 10 the
brain and the whole nervous system, with it, re-
cessary effects upon consciousness and the motive
and sensitive powers.
The subject excited consider, be discussion and
the majority Of the speakers eoneuned with the
essayist IN the views he supported IN opposition 10
animal magnetism.