The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-01-16
Magnetism-Dr. strons's Lscturs at the
Society Library

MaEnetlsm-Dr. StrOng's Lecture at tho
/ Society Library.
| As was expected, very considerable audience
assembled last night at the lecture room of the So
ciety Library, to enjoy the developments made by
| DR.. Strong in Medical Magnetism Al the hour
appointed for the proceedings, the house was nearly
full, and all seemed bent upon close scrutiny OF
the performance. A good number of ladies' were
in attendance, and all ranks and conditions and
professions OF life were fairly represented.
DR.. STRONG came forward to address the meeting,
and all was profound silence His demeanor
modest and unpretending, and totally Invested o.
all airs, his address OF pretence and assump-
tion He first enforced upon the attention OF his
listeners that he came not there to excite
OF the marvellous, nor satisfy idle vulgar curioslty
but to state what had come under the observation
Of his senses-what he had seen and experienced
Dr. s. reviewed the condition of the medical prac
ice at the present time--the relative position OF
| the physician and the patient-the liability t.
abuse Of the healing art, owing to the vast power
| Of the faculty on one hand, and the ignoranc,
Of the patient the other After q practice Of man,
he had been ced that the properties
of magnetism unquestionable and that day woul
come when M substitution for that Of quackery wouc
take place. This was no theory. He had acGomplishe
cures wonderful they we'll attesed and he had
in his possession documents from the first of th
sviating and sradloains disease Thousands had beer
msgnezed by him. and he felt his duty end his pride
these truths before public believipga
that they designed prove beneficial and the
right conclusion would be arrived at In doing So how
ever was not hi: design to 80 into any abstract erqu
ries nor to raise discussion upon the fundamental prr
cipes Of magnetism although he would be happy
were consistent with the limited time allotted to him
Still he did not regret the omission of such nvestgs
on as he preferred practice theory, and was o.
opinion that those hotileif any such
ba more persuaded Of the truth OF his views by 81
appeal to their by operating upon Individual
whose character and standing LEFT them above all susp
ing that the audience should sppoint committee who's,
business should be to examine the subject who should
magnet as i frequently happened that without ucl
| a precaution, the most rena kable phenomena wer,
either not seen or else not understood. "A pause)
MEMsER Il nominate Samuel Parmelee "a pause)
DR. A B. srRosc.-0entlemen, would suggest tn.
necessity Of despatch the time is short
some ofthe Common Council If any present perhap
they would consent to be Of the committee.
VoIcE.-I nominate DR.. Parker.
DR. PARxER-I would rather he excused gentlemen. l
am firm believer in the truth Of magnetism and wha,
ever be the result of your experiments would by
means change my opinion (ApProbation) ! would
suggest that Dr. Ferguson be one Of The committee h
would perhaps favor with the benefit 0f his experience
Calls for FERGUSON, who, however, declined like thu
mo person seemed willing to assume the duty sour,
to be imposed Dr. Parker further suggested that the
perments should DO proceeded with, they had suff
the Interpretation Of third party. (Applause)
This proposition seemed to meet with very general sp
Of the committee was again raised AT length after nu
merous nominations, committee consisting of Dr. Sole
mon, Mr. Grsttan and another gentleman whose name
we did not hear took their seats upon the platform
watch narrowly and report accurately whatever there
was remarkable in the proceedings
These arrangements being made, the temporary hustle
and noise attendant upon the ssle tion of committee
gave way to profound silence All eyes directed
young gentleman, Mr. Roe to take his seat in the mag
netcal chair In person, the subject and firmly
built hi: countenace mild and bearing an atr orspoa,
posto Dr. observed ohs subject he had chosen
MIN for his debut because he had been before magnezed
the matter that the first experiment was not un ueny
much more tedious than succeeding ones; therefore
ing an entire stranger in the rs instance ''A' ~
This short explanation being made, Dr. g. and his sub
upon recruit Lifting ii. right he pcin
towards and within ten twelve inches of the
stern Sok-commanding up
with all energy his of volition ascertane
afterwards For the first seconds there no chang
dscernibe but after that could detect slight re-
taxation Of the eyeldsa tremulous motion Of the hese
"a slight inclination Of that member to side and
about half minute from the commencement the youn.
gentleman pronounced in state of happy rspose
and entire abstraction from the external world.
Dr. 8. politely handed mot chair to him. but him t.
chair reminded the audience Of the desrabIenes
silence and quiet and advanced to the front Of the pat
in the bodv Of e house Which was
unknown to all but himself At last il was suspectd
moreover that lady ~as quite Up smv,n,
to obcvethe concentrated gaze the operators and IN
peepnE, and the changing position and al
sorts OF efforts to get view Of the lady who By
this time WI advanced towards the land Of iorgefuness
When at length she was discovered was in state
COnuuueQ y
Whilst this was enscting, several persons were
ofths nrst mesmerized subect-Mr Roe-who sat per
fectly metionlesS. Not feature moved; and what a.
wsies s T was the position Of his arms
form they had been left in accidentally by the operator
Upon this question II was pretty generally conclude
COLLISION, to preserve that position of he armwjthon
any stay or support save thin airuriDg the time wnci
'ad elapsed from the beginning of his nap. -
Dr COLEMAN then, the part Of the committee
ported-ser hsying made series Of vationsths
apparent on the suSsO.hst WI. ver1 dcu
not to conceive a soporfc fstate induced Tn,
'nl.s vas much changed before the operation, it wa
about the ordinary state 65but il was verv weak
and tremuous. There also a marked difference be
tween the velocity OF the TEMPORAL artery the Others
BILE change Upon the whole the person was in stranr
and unusual condition, hut what that was he would MOI
mesmerism. Marks of epprobation)
whole crowd had by this time gathered round the Ia.
already alluded TO- and as fer as we could Judge the
was something entertaining to be seen, but what it YVES
we could not ascertain Dr. Coleman approached and az
ter short examination said that her case very de
mt from the other she seemed to be good deal
and In and exhausted state aud her pulse hardly
A vorcE-How was she before she went to sleep7
DR.. CT did not examine her before that.
AVoIcE-And what is her condition now7
DR.. CoLEMAr-very feeble indeed ! would say, in me.
dical language, that she Is prostratsd Gaughterj
Here Dr. Strong was observed to emerge from the body
Of the ROOM accompanying another lady to the platform
whom the audience by sort of intuition discovered 10
be third regular case On fronting the spectators her
eyes we've firmly closed, but in all other respects he
vsage and attitude seemed natural and un TERED She
placed in chair opposite the sleeping gentleman
her bonnet taken off, and placed that the spectators
might have an unobsructed view of her countenance.
She seemed to be conscious Of her situation and evnced
wonderful quickness of hearing and fippanoy of ex-
preston, whilst the committee directing thei-
tention to her case; but she spoke Voice quite
inaudibe and sometimes with other indication thon
motion Of the lips, cannot record her remarks.
Dr. COLEMAN again informed the audience that after re-
examining the gentleman magnetzed, he found still
another change effected In Consequence of one arm
being made rigid by the mesmerc passes there followed
difference IN the quckness OF the pulse in the two
arms.
DR.. srRoSo If there are any physicians present,
would be elnd they would and observe for them
selves IN, reply) And (making manipulation
Roe) that the patient has any affection OF the lungs
az 10 in the case-i is for the time, fell
by the magnctized person.
MEMBsR.What is the effect Of those manipulations7