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

susceptibility.
IS. Age is more modifying cause than
sex. Though no age is exempted. the very
young and old seem least susceptible; and
the period Of life between IL and 20 is that
most favorable TO the mesmeric influence.
IL. OF the temperaments, the nervo-san-
guineous seems most liable TO the mesmeric
action.
Is. Although without an exception, so
far as | can discover, mesmerists agree in
believing that a sound state of health is un-
favorable TO the success Of their operations,
| have found il most conducive TO well mar
ked mesmeric results. Oflwenty-six SOM
nambulists, nineteen were iL good, and sew
en- in bad health.
10. The mesmerizing power seems TO be
very generally possessed, but the suscepti-
bility TO soporose mesmeric impression is
confined to few individuals, being about
one in seven or eight ofthose subjected to
the trial.
20. The rapport. relation, or communiea-
ton, supposed TO have an absolute existence,
dependent on the mesmeric fluid, seems to-
be entirely voluntary on the part of the pa
iient, and 10 rest on his knowledge of its
necessity. 1t is, therefore, delusion /; but
one of the greatest convenience TO the pub
lie exhibitors OF mesmeric wonders.
81. The delusion rs TO the rapport is
one Of the many hallucinations of the mes
meric state, for which the subject Of it is no
moro answerable than for any of the wild
and monstrous dreams to which the disor-
dered fancy may be led, in that unnatural
cOnAtt,an kOtb of nj ,,,I -
truth is clearly proved by analogicnl Gases
Of Insanity, where similar decisions contiD-
ue for years. =,
%. The mesmeric state curiously molI-
hes the condition Of the senses S,gh',
hearing. and touch are usually improved,
taste, smell, and sense Of pain as commonly
impaired.
%. AS the sense oftouch aad Of pain are
so diversely affected by mesmerism, we are
led 10 regard them as independent senses;
probably, therefore. supplied by separate
nervous ibres. Such an inference ought tn
have been made before, for many organs
have the sense Of pain, but not the sense of
touch. The presence Of a poison will give
pain TO the stomach or inteslines, which d.
not perceive the motions Of the worms That
infest them. If this view be correct, tho
sense OF pain is a sixth sense.
"a. Many of the feais OF the cldirroyants,
are the result Of the sharpened hearing.
which enables them 10 detect objects by the
sounds they make. They really believe
they see them, and so does the exhibitor, al
though he aids them BY handling audlbly
the various objects. Thus he opens ami
shuts a pencil, a ponkDife, or spectacle
case, and rubs a stick, or a sheet Of PASTE
board. He always makes as much noise
as possible with every thing, and he genet
ally asks the producer of marked card To-
explain the words or device to him.
25. AS we canno: believe in mcsmcric
rapport 30 we arc not able 10 credit TIM
existence Of any peculiar sympathy between
the operator and subject. Unframed or ig-
norant patients never show sympathetic pho
nomena. have been pinched, ard hurt
otherwise, great many times, without OBJ
serving any suffering on the part OF my sub
jects, until they were taught TO believe that
such q relation existed and then they very
honestly felt hurt, as people do in Dreams
a kind Of imaginary suffering.
26. The chronological phenomena Of
when rigi1ly examined, nre
found 10 consist, as do most of the mesmer-
ic wonders, OF such stuff as dreams ara
made Of The e1citement of the brain is
general, the direction of that excitement is
giuen by the mesneri=ed PERSONS Eno,Oleds,e
Of Phrenology; but the patient is not in any
case aware Of his mental cooperation. This
singular dclusion or misrepresentation, runs
through nearly the entire subject of mesmer>
ism most OF the phenomena Of which are
strange mixture OF physical impulse and
mental hallucination. Psychologists alone
feel the phreno mesneric excitement. Per-
sons partially acquainted with phrenolOgy,
experience it only as 10 the organs known
10 them while those who are totally Ignor-
ant of the subject, present 10 local manfes-
latIons, until they are taught, either awake
or asleep, what they should know, and wha,
they should do. The displacement of old
organs, in one city, their retention of loca>
lion in another. and the adherence Of the
patients TO the peculiar and dissimilar sys-
lens Of chronology, which they have, re-
spectively, been taught, show clearly, that
The direction Of the cerebral excitement is
personal and arbitrary whilu the new maps
Of the Uranium, so widely different from
each other, leave US no longer in the least
doubt as TO the delusive source of the COM
pound science Of phreno- magnetism
27. The mesmeric influence is the effect
Of what the natural philosophers call Undue
hon. The will ofthe operator acts solely on
his altered system reacts on the
subject of the experiment, by an unexPlain-
ed power. analogous 10 the equally inexpli-
cable induction of the mechanicians, and the
presence of the chemists.
20. Mesmerism may be sometimes USE
July employed to allay nervous irritation.
procure sleep, and obtund nervous sensibil.
ty, during surgical operations but from
he fewness Of susceptible persons, ii can be
Ised very seldom for such purposes. In all
,,her cases it appears 10 be Of little use,
md so far as know, has never cured any
erious disease. On the other hand. it
especially in unpraclised hands.
,,oJ,c.s rriohtfnl disorderS both of mind