Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1845-05-29
Achievement OF Mesmerism.

count OF the successful emp'oyment oi
this agent in a great surg ical operation,
it is apparently SO well authenticated that
we feel bound TO place it before our rea-
ders. National hieiigtnecr.
Il From the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal
Eriirpaiion of The Mamma Of a female IN
\ The .Mesnfric sleep, ciihout any eri-
\ dence Of sensiJiiiiy during the opera
Hon. by l.. "A. Dugas, w. ID. Pro-
/ Jessor Of Physiology. &c. an The .Medi'
| cal College Of Georgia.
/ On the Sd January, I845, Mrs.
CLARK (wife Of MIR. JESSE CLARK, OF
Columbia county, Georgia came to this
city for the purpose Of getting me 10 re-
move q schiIrous tunor of her ighi
mamma, which had been gradually in.
creasing for the last three years, and
which had now attained the size Of
turkeys egg. The iumor had never
caused any pain Of consequence, was
not adherent to the skin, nor did it impli-
cate any of the axil!ary glands. Mrs.
/ G.. is about forty-seven years Of age,
and her health, though by no means ro-
bust, was pretty good, and had not been
impaired by the evolution Of The tumor
The operation having been determined
upon for the following day, Mrs &. re-
marked to me that she had been advised
by Mr.. kenrick to be mesmerized but,
as she knew nothing abou, it, she would
like to have my advice and would abide
by IT, To which l replied that there
were several well. authenticated cases
on record in which surgical operations
had been performed under mesmeric in
| huence, without the consc iousness of the
patient TINT would be happy to test
the subject in her case, and that l would
endeavor to mesmerize her, instead of
operating, as had been proposed, on the
day following.
On the 4,h January, at II o'clock
A. NJ, | called On Mrs. C.. and was in.
formed that on the preceding evening
she had been put to sleep by Mr.. Is. i,
Kenrick, (at whose house she resided. }
then mesmerized her myself, and in
duced sleep in about fifteen minutes
Finding my patient susceptible to the
mesIneric influence, and rejecting that
IT would not be convenient for the same
person 10 maintain this influence and to
perform a surgical operation at The same
time, requested Mr.. Kenrick to mes
'ncrizc Mrs. G.. morning and evening at
stated hours until insensibility could be
induced. This was regularly done with
gradually increasing effect, when, on The
evening of the 9th Of January, sleep was
induced in five minutes, and the prick
of a pin was attended with no manifesto
,ion Of pain. The sittlngs were continued,
and the patients insensbiliy daily tested
by myself and others in various ways
On the OH January, | invited Professor
Ford to be present, and, after pricking
and pinching strongly the patient without
evidence Of pain, the mesmerlzer was re-
quested TO leave the room, when we ex-
posed The breast, handled il roughly in
eyarainirlg the tumor, and read djusted the
dress without the consciousness Of the
pntieat. We then held TO her nostrils a
vial of strong spirits of hnrtshorn, which
she brea,hed freely for a minute or two
without the least indication Of sensation,
unless the fact that she swallowed once
be regarded as such instead of mere
reflex action. On the Ilth Of January,
in presence of Professors Fort and
Means, in addition to the usual tests,
made with my pocket knife an incision
about two inches in length and half an
inch in depth into the patents leg, with
out indication of sensation.
Fully satisfied now of our power to in
duce total inscnsibili,y, ! determined to
operate on her the next day at noon, but
carefully concealed any such design from
the patient and her friends, who did moi
expect its performance until several days
later.
On the 10Th January, at 90 minutes
past II A. VI. Mrs G. was put to sleep
in lorly-fv seconds, without touch or
pass OF any kind, the facility with which |
the mesmerc influence was produced
having gradually increased at each sit
ting A, ~ o'clock NJ. in presence Of
Professors Ford, Means, Garvcn, and
Newton, & DIR. Halsee, the patient being
in a profound sleep,l prepared her dress
for the operation, and requested my pro-
(essional brethren to note her pulse, rrspi-
ration, complexion, countenance, &c.
be fore, during, and after the ampulation,
in order to dc,ec, any evidence of pain
or modification Of tho functions. AS
Mr.. kcnrick had never Witnessed sur I
z cal operation. he feared he mi ght lose
his sell-possession, and requested to be
which was done. He now
seated himself on the couch near The
patient, and held her hand in his during
the operation. This was accomplished II
by two elliplical incisions, about eight
inches in length, comprehending between
them the nipple and considerable por-
'ion of the skin, after which the inlegu.
mcnts were dIssectcd up in the usual
manner, and the entire mamma removed. i
1t weighed sixteen ounces. The wound
was then left open about three quarters
OF an hour, in order To secure the bleed
irg vessels, six Of which were ligaied.
The ordinary dressing was applied, and
all appearances of blood carefully re-
moved, go iha, they might not be seen
Wy the patient when aroused. The Il
amour, Of hemorrhage was rather more
than is usual IN such cases.
Du,inu tho onc, ntinn Tho N nj in nj uayc IN