Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-11-19
LAY1N ON OF HANDS

LAYING ON OF HANDS"
DR.. Bryant. Of the Ess., now in San
Francisco. il creating quite an excitement
in his new medical, magnetic or vital
power influence. in healing the lame ana
the halt. As he will in all probability
come over to this State Of silver bricks
We canno, help publishing the following
account. Of hi, new powers and expert
ments, which we find in the correspon-
dencs of the Sacramento Union OF Satur-
day last. In point Of precise description
Of what occurs in presence Of q large and
spprsciasivs audience. seeking after know
ledge, mys,ifed but useful, this account
sxcsls anything we have read for q long
time. The Union's correspondent Wee
escoe" 10 brick-and a decidedly jolly
one. Here is what he says about LAY
ing on Of Hands"
Another subject Of talk At present is the
spiritual DR.. Bryant, who processes to
cure various kinds Of disease BY means
unknown to the faculty, or At least dis
earded In their practice. An advertise
ment stating that for two hous daily the
sick will be publicly cured by the laying
on Of hands, draws . large number to the
hall ct the corner Of Post and kearny
streets, where his lsvees are held. A cir
Gle, or rather square Of benches, the inner
one for patients, the outer ones Tor speesa-
tors, form O space IN which the Doctor
onerates. Nor is the assemblage COM
posed entirely Of spectators. Indeed one
would think the hospitals were emptied,
such is the number Of the lame, the halt
and the blind. mostly Of the poorer classes.
who come hither 10 test his skill. The
Doctor is Q small, spare man, but evil
IDENTIFY one OF great neryous and muscular
owe with = bright eye, long beard, and
q voice hardly full or pleasant. One BY
one. without losing time, the patients seat
themselves on a stool IN the center Of the
vacant space. and after a question as to
their ailmsnt the Doctor proceeds with his
manipulations, spending upon each from
one TO ten minutes time, frequently stop
ping 70 address a few sentences to his
audience, and often using the patients
head as q sort Of desk upon which to lean
while delivering his short lectures. His
method seems principally to consist in the
Swedish system Of movements. and "psy-
Geological force is resorted to only as an
auxiliary or secondary motor. The treat
ment can hardly be called gentle, but is
rather Of the heroic order. bearing in
many cases . closer resemblance to "hick-
DRY OIL or "strap syrup" than any medi-
cament ! have seen prescribed since Child
hoods blissful days" always making the
patients close their teeth and frequently
ex,or,ing cries Of pain. The parts affect.
ed and those from which the nerves radiate
are slapped quite smartly, especially the
nspe Of the neck and small Of the back
and in cases Of paralysis, rheumatism or
stiffness, the limbs are drawn out, doubled
UP, twisted around; and when the afec-
ton is in the muscles Of the neck or
shoulders the head is jerked round from
side to side. For deafness, after slapping
the head and cheeks, the Doctor thrusts
his knuckles into the ears, grasping the
lobe with his fingers, and after screwing
awhile, As though inserting q corkscrew,
draws them violently out a. II bringing
some obstruction with them. For atfec-
tions Of the eye, he m~anipulates tina,
organ in pretty much the same way
These measures seem often beneficial,
though I should not wonder II many
frequently express themselves as feeling
better In order to escape any further treat
msns. He 10 said TO have performed va
rious remarkable cures. During the time
spent looking on / saw an old darkey
from the Marine Hospital, who hobblec
up on two sticks, after being put through
rather active course Of sprouts. go of SC
much relieved that he could afford &c
carry his sticks under his arm. Whether
such improvement is permanent l canno,
say-opinions differ; but his plan 10 being
pretty thoroughly tested. as, in addition
to those who come for free treatment, the
Doctor 10 said to have very large prac-
tice. Though / do not know that he
claims to DO q medium" he is an ardent
Spiritualist, loses no opportunity TO give
Q rap to orthodox churches and physicians,
and evidently considers himself 9 mission
AIRY Of the new doctrines, protesting 10
have como to this coast in compliance
with the direction OF his Esprit guides"
The pathetic element 10 not wanting in
these exhibitions. II touches ones feel
ings to see poor old creatures, to whose
scared syebslls and withered limbs no
hand save that which raised the widows
son could ever bring healing, eagerly
grasping at the slightest possibility OF
cure, and when assured that for them
there can be no help, ,ot.ering away, with
countsnances from which the last faint
ray Of hope has departed. or course, all
sorts Of opinions are entertained Of the
Doctors ability-from that which has un-
hssitsting faith in his power to that which
pronounces him an arrant humbug.