New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-14
HYPNOTISA.

Tha, there lie nothing new under the sun, ia remark
70 old apdso tte tina: it is scarcely worth while repeat
it. IL Is not uncommon in politics. in religion, in med
ne and in science TO have long exploded eTors here
sies and humbugs revived and brought forward good
az new with great flourish Of trumpets and beat Of
drums. But usualy some considerable space Of time
IL suffered to eapse before the reproduction Of OF
these defnnct monsters is ventured upon. The ass that
was yesterday stripped Of the lions hide is not ex-
pected to be troted forth to-day under the dis
guise.
The pretended discovery of Hypnotism which has
lately reached from France IL, however, striking
exception TO this rule Of prudent IL comes to
us claiming to be of the most novel and extraord
nary discoveries ever made. 1t is proclaimed des-
tined to supersede ether and choroform anesthetic
agents in medical practice and to confer invaluable
benefits on humanity by furnishing safe and sure
means of performing without pain the most difficult
surgical operations. N. Velpeau, the eminent surgeon
of Paris, we told, has communicated to the public
this astounding discovery which has just been made
by another French surgeon, N. Rocca, or Brocca.
The substance of il is this Place before the face of
person. between the eyes, at the distance Of six Or
eight inches brilliant object make the person look
fyedly at this object and in few minutes he will
squnt, and will poon fall into cstsepsy, and be de-
priyed of all sensblity. In this state operations can
be performed and have been performed, by ~ Rocca,
or Brocca of which the patients were wholly uncon-
scious until their recovery from the state of trance
thus induced.
1t will scarcely be credited by those who have failed
to notice how much is from year to year forgotten in
this rapid age that this pretended discovery OF hypno-
i. = hu EDrlis lr-
peop, who announced it to the world under the very
same title under which also it attracted much attention
in this country, and was largely practiced and nves
gated during the excitement on the subject OF mesmer-
ism or animal magnetism which prevailed here so ex-
eusiyey from s4O to 1S4S, when superseded and
swallowed up by the kindred excitement on the subject
of spiritualism.
In 1914, Mr. James Braid, surgeon, OF Manchester,
England, published work entitled " Neurypnoogy,
or Hypnotsm, or the Rationale of Nervous Sleep
" Considered in Relation to Animal Magnetism" He
claimed in this work TO have made discovery pre-
cisely similar to that claimed by Mr.. Rocca. He main
tanned that the chief phenomenon Of mesmerism-tne
state of catalepsy insensbity-could be produced
in most persons by fixing the eyes on bright point at
given distance before and above the eyes, and that
in the condition thus produced surgical operations could
be performed without pain to the patient The mes
merizers replied that his discovery no discovery at
ALL that they had been long familiar with the phe-
nomena he described which did not all invaidate the
claims Of mesmersm. And they declared that they
had long been in the habit of performing painless ope-
raons upon penons in the state of catalepsy, induced
by mesmeric influences.
In a book entitled the " History and Philosophy of
Animal Magnetism" published in Boston 10 1913,
year before Braids book appeared, find the follow
ing statements:
"Dr. Shattuck Of Lowell has been very successful
az magnetzer, and has made some new and valuable
discoveries in the science. A large tumor was e1-
tracted from the shoulder OF a lady whom ne
had magnetized at public lecture in Lowell, with
out causing the slightest pain. Inc mclsion was
made TO the depth Of two inches. Inns experiment
was performed under the direct personal inspection OF
three four other physicians who admitted the aston
shng insensibility Of the patient.
"Br Silas Allen of Boston recently magnetized
lady who had broken an arm, and the fracture was SCI
by DIR. Hewett while she was in this state without
pain. In this state persons are entirely lnsens-
Bile pain in every part OF the body. You may pierce
their flesh with knives pull out their teeth, cauterze
them with hot iron, apply the most powerful caustlc
to their flesh, give them an electric shock winch
would cause instant death in the natural state but they
appear totally unconscious Of your attacks Inc won
derfu insensibilitY of some persons IN the magnetic
state has been tested by experiments which place the
fact beyond dispute. Teeth are every day extracted
"
pain. Tumors have been out, limbs se and other
painful operations performed, which could not other,
wise be endured These facts are 10 well known and
authenticated that it is unnecessary to give the de-
tails"
This is sufficient TO show that hypnotsm is no dis
covery of DIR. Rocea, Brocca but is almost for
gotten notion of English origin, and of once extensive
practice in America. We might if necessary, illustrate
this by copious citations from the literature of mesmer
ISM and particularly from the work of DIR. James Es
daile an English surgeon of high character, who,
while in India practiced for eight months in hospital
in Bengal performing the most difficult and dangerous
operations with entire success persons in the state
of trance or catalepsy, induced by hyPnotism and
other forms of mesmerism. His work, which has
attracted ess attention than il deserves from the medi-
cal profession and the public. was published about
twenty years ago, and is entitled hesmerism in
Inda."