The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-10-26
Blind made 10 see by RgesE,cri, m.

Blind made 10 see ny EgesNicri,m m.
We copy the following strange
but well authenticated relation of
tic effect Of mesmerism on q blind
woman, from London letter in the
New York Commercial:
"a case Of mesmeriSm has been
published in this months number of
a quarterly journal called the Zoist,
which has resulted in the restoration
to sight of person who had been
blind for % years. The patient was
a poor woman, 45 years of age, and
the mcsmcriscr was the wife Of one
who is "among the very highest in
virtue, talent and rank in our coun-
try" bat who, although willing, as
well as her husband, to verify the
facts to all scientific persons who
may care abou. the subject, avoids
the needless noteriety Of appearing
in print. The leading points are
simply as ows,-The patient be-
came blind four months after the
birth Of her first child, when she
was about 20 years old. She could
with one eye discern light from
darkness, but nothing more. The
disease was opacity of the cornea.
\ few years after she became blind,
she underwent three operations, on
one Of which occasions she saw a
flash Of light. When the first oper-
alton was performed, which she
thinks was about 20 years ago, the
surgeon advised her never to under
20 another. for her sight was quite
gone. In appearance the eyes were
/ covered with thick, Opaque, green
isA-white substance, but in one eye
there vas a spotl less Opaque, through
which, when she held her head in
particular direction, she could dis
Germ tire difference between light
and darkness. She was first subject
I'd to mcsmerism about three years
back, the object being to relieve
! rheumatic pains and giddiness Of the
head, from which size had long sul-
fcreI. OF mesperism she knew no
thing, and all that was said was that
it was thought that the pain might
be relieved by hand being placed
on her head and drawn to her feet.
At first size felt only cold thrill
run down her arms. Next she APP
ologized for feeling sleepy, and after
striving for few minutes TO resist
the influence, she fell asleep. On
awakening she said ga great pain
r had been Ti= from her head"
| The process was continued daily,
and in the course ola few days, dur
ing one Of her sittingS, she said she
= saw something bright and colored
pass before her, 1t was the mesmer-
, izer's wrist, and from this circum-
stance hope was aroused that not
only might her pains be cured, but
her sight restored. The attendance
upon her was therefore steadily con-
, tinued, and mcSmer iSed water was
} also used to wash her eyes. In six
months she could see colors in the
shop windows, and walk into town
unas$istcd. Her sleep was less like
natural sleep at this time. She sees
vivid colors in the dark when her
mcsmeriscr passed her hands before
her eyes, and light seemed TO stream
from them. The Improvement went
steadily on, although subsequently
she was not mesmeriscd more than
+ once 4 week, and she can now see
as well as other women of her age.
She can now work in the common
I way, walks four miles into town
, alone, and performs all the ordinary
occupations of life. "These things
are the more remarkable in her." it
, is observed, "becauSc she was ex-
, trcmely awkward in every thing and
/ had never performed for herself any
: Of those little Offices which blind
, people are usually Taught to accom-
, plish." During her recovery the
, signs were, first that she could close
, her eyes, whereas she had never
since her blindness been able to close
the lids over them; secondly, that
water frequently poured from them
after being mesmerised, whereas
they used to be perlec city dry; third
ly, that the opaque substance which
) at first, became thinner over the up.
, per part Of the eye and thicker be-
meath, and gradually portion of the
eye became visible. The present
state Of the eye is-the opacity ofthe
, cornea in one eye has disappeared,
leaving only slight cloudiness in
, one spot, in the other the opacity is
, worry much contracted and occupies
, only small space in the bottom part