New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-12-09
Or. Forbe. on 1Ie.merism.

The October number OF the brltish ana : 0f@lsA
Medical Review published II London quarterly
by DR.. Forbes author Of Young Phystc, Physi-
clan in Ordinary 10 Her Majestys Household Ply
stefan Extraordinary to His Royal Hishness Prince
Albert. contains a long review OF Dr.. Esdaile's
Mesnerisrn n India, and It's practical Appica
ton in Surgery and Medicine. Dr. F. Is a man
Tar advanced in life and IS placed BY common con
sent at the very head Of the Medical Profession
Up TO the commencement; OF tins year. he has been
considered ultra-sceptical IN reference to all new
things In the January number, 1876 he made
clean breast OF his views upon Medicine and pub
licly repndiated the system lAilopathy he had all
his lie pursued In the number before US ne mt
mates to ms professional brethren that The evl-
dences IN favor OF Mesmerism can 10 longer De
philosophicaIly dsregarded We give an ex-
tract
Having however, fully admitted the nigh probability
OF some OF Dr. Esdalles statements concerning the
painless character OF the surgical operations and be
ing, indeed. from many circumstances well conTinced
that great depression OF outward senso'T II not It's
Temporary abolition viii in constitutions. result
from practice OF the Mesmerc art vii no" proceed
the consideration OF what deem 10 oe the reason
able corol.ary, from this admission on our part We
conceive then the evidence etesnE the fact OF
certain abnormal being induced BY MesEne.ism
is now of sucn character that no longer be PHI
losophicaly dsregarded By the members Of our pros
sion bu, that they bound 10 meet il in the Only way
in which alleged facts satisfactorily be either ven
I fed OF confuted-by observation and experiment
When il j. positively affirmed that the Mesneric pro
w sometimes render patient utterly Insensine
the surgeon knife wheI detailed illustrations OF ls
fact are recorded almost every day how tC1Ty
reject such statements unless 20 Nature, observe
for ourselves, and demonstrate the source OF the mon
fallacy that deuding members OF the proes
sion and the public alike Indeed. we hesitate not 20
that the testimony Is Of 50 varlcd and e:ten
sve kind strong and in certain proportion Of ca
seemingly uneXcepnonable a. 20 authorize US
nav in HONESTY 70 compel us TO recommend that I'M
mediate and complete trial of the practice be made IN
surgical cases Il experience Ike that which DR.. Es
dale relates be but true in tenth nay hun
dred,h OF il particulars hold that case i made
out demanding searching inquiry. II Mcsmer1su even
in it humber preensions be absolutely untrue. let
be prored be If careful observations and repeat
ed experiment lead to the detection OF some hitherto
hidden OF and mistake that has deluded and
uystihed the more honest class OF Mesmersts, what
service Will be rendered 10 humanity and 10 truth II
this be proclaimed on perfectly Just and adequate
grounds In how much better position shall DC
dtsr investigation confutng the iuposture il sucht
shall out ultimately TO be than in continuing to
the subject with con;emptuous disregard OF one
thing let rest assured not only the public but the
sober thinking OF the profession will ere long,
hold those a, disadvantage who, in opposition TO dc
apparently well authenticated can or will but adduce
mere unsupported argument or udicule.
There would appear 10 be two conditions attaching 10
any novel practice in medicine, Independently oil the
authority by winch 1t comes recommended tEal snOud
influence liz title TO fair trial. trS the extent OF the
anticipated benefit and second the degree OF possible
mischief attending s employment. Now the promised
advantages OF McsmersrN in surgical operations CORES
pond with these requirements in an eminent degree II
the statements be curroborhted and II insenhity ran
be produced ariihciay surely the immense acquisition
both TO operator and patient Is obvious at once; and
according ali the evidence that exists upon tins sub
cct, mischief very rarely follows the practice OF Mes
merlsm in the either OF OF failure.
beg state says DR.. Esdaile that hive no bad
consequences whatever from persons being ope
rated in the Mcsmerc trance. Cases have oct urred
IN winch no pain was clt subsequent "a tie ope
ration, and The wounds healed by the first Intention;
and in the have indication OF injurious
consequences TO the constitution On the contrary II
appears 10 have been saved and that less const
tutiunal disturbance has followed than under ordinary
circumstance If then good Is possibly ensue and
mischief i h1y ta to be feared roas the Experiment
why not candidly make Assurcdiy experiments in
therapeutics constantly made grounds far less
reasonable. II single practitioner or any eminencc
recommend md As0ic treatment in serious
disease. multitudes ready Try ii however peril
Gus to the patient the tral, prior may appear. Al
though, the present day, il is pretty well made out
that pneumonia IN many instances, will come 10 sue
cess.u issue with very littlc depletion. some dozen
years since large numbers of the profession especially
IN France did not hesitate, the recommendation Of
VI Boulaud. TO bleed coup corp and, about twenty
years ago when Dr. Armstrong 5cd largely and admin
istered heroic doses of caome in the ncpen, stage Of
fever many persons elt themselves authorized in adopt
iug the treatment cXpermenally Yet, in these nstan
ces, degree risk the patient incurred IN the
attainment of the possible benefit, and there
over an uncertainty deciding upon the exact manure
Of the result which regards Mcsmerism in surgery
would not be experienced Again. say let II be rifd
upon patients about TO be submitted 10 the knife If
true lei have the benefit OF H. and hse let the
fasehood be demonstrated.