The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-02-15

nj his sug gcstIon, SO scnteG one rSehi"S' IN
the midst of a social circle Of friends. that
the Doctor could approach her unperceiyed
The lady was plnced with her bnck near TO
a baize door, that led into dark entry
communicating with another room. The
Doctor placed himself, secretly, in the en-
try behind this door, and, by there manip-
ulating, soon threw the lady into complete
mesmeric sleep. Re-entering the room, he |
ascertained this fact, and then returning to
his former position in the entry, he awokc
her. The lady exhibited no indication that
she suspected the agency by which the sleep
was induded, but remarked that she could
not permit DR.. Mott to magnetic her any
more, as she was fearful now of the spon-
taneous recurrence of the magnetic sleep.
The same experiment was repeatedly per-
formed, before the lady discovered the a.
gency of the Doctor. Now this case would
appear to afford conclusive evidence of the
possibility Of mesmeric phenomena being
induced without any knowledge on the part
of the person operated on of what is about
to take place; and yet so readily do persons
repeatedly operated on, fall into the mes
meric state, even upon the slightest hint or
suspicion that it is about to be induced in
them, that it is difficult positively to deter
mine how far, in the case Just referred to.
the lady's Consciousness was or was not
concerned in the production Of the sleep.
which DR., Mott very honestly believed he
had produced entirely without her knowl-
edge.
Dr. Mitchell remarked, that there was
another mode of answering the question
propounded by DIR. Wood. He would ap-
peal to any gentleman present, whether the
mere consciousness on the part of an Indi-
vidual that something unusual was to be
performed upon him, could possibly pro-
duce the veIy peculiar and striking phen-
omena of the mesmeric state-phenomena
so characteristic that he did not believe
they had ever been observed in any condi-
7 ion of the system, other than that produ-
ced by mesmerism. Such an idea could
not for moment be entertained-a hence,
this of itself afforded, in his opinion, sat-
isfactory answer to the question: are the
mesmeric phenomena the result Of purely
physical cause, or to be attributed solely to
the operation of the patients own mind
1t seems then to be proved that the first
cause of these phenomena is purely physi-
cal, but that subsequently they may be In
duced by mental causes alone.
Dr.. D. H. Coates suggested that the IA
cility which person acquires, of falling
, spontaneously into the mesmeric state when
he has been frequently subjected to the
mesmeric action, is by no means surprising
| a L., 81 hat oh N
many other of the phenomena of the ami
, NAL body; for instance, child after it has
. once learned to take few steps alone, rap.
idly acquires the power of walking. The
movement Of certain muscles, as the occip-
, ito frontalis, or the muscles of the car which
are at first excited with difficulty, become
by frequent trials entirely under the control
Of the will
Dr. Evans inquired, whether any patients
laboring under insanity or dementia, had
been experimental on by DR.. Mitchell and
what were the results in such cases! DIR.
E. had himself seen the attempt made in
ten or twelve cases, in persons Of both SEX
es, but without success.
DR.. Mitchell relied, that he had tried to
induce the mesmeric phenomena in three
cases of mania, but had not succeeded in
either. L was his impression that any dis
} ! t.IrDance Of the nervous system, or any IN
, trinity of the mind, offered an impeachment
to the success of the mesmeric influence.
The most healthy and robust persons were,
, according to his experience, the most easi-
ly mesmeriZed.
DR.. Pepper stated, that several years ago,
, he had seen some experiments instituted on
this subject, on some ofthe insane patients
at the Blockley Hospital. The effect Produ-
ced in these cases resembled very closely
the phenomena of hysteria and catalepsy-
He was not satisfied, however, as to what
L. influence the Imagination Of the patient
) might have had in producing these results
, and suggested the trial of series ofcxperl-
ments upon the pupils at the blind school,
, without the intention of being communica-
/ ted to them. These experiments were ac-
cordingly Instituted, and although he wa:
' not present when they were performed, hi
, was informed on good authority that they
2 failed in every instance. He would like tt
know Dr. Mitchell's experience on this point
c In answer to this inquiry, DIR. Mitchell
re-affirmed his belief, that an individual
0 could not be mesmerized for the first tint
r without contact, and hence the difficulty
: even in blind person, of experimenting
: without knowledge on the part fthe sub
:, lect that something unusual was to be done
:, The very fact of the impossibility of produ
3 cino aGv impression, in new cases, wIthou
contact. is IN itselfa argument against thu
/: imagination being the successful agent II
q the case, inasmuch as If this were the cast
i contact would not be necessary. Dr. NJ:
opportunities for experimenting on the blint
had been very limited. Several years age
e he visited the institution for the purpose
5 and the late Mr. Friedlander selected one
: of the female pupils for the subject of ex
!. pertinent. She was taken into MIR. f.:
d private room, and told that DIR. M. wished
IS to try an experiment upon her; she sub