Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-04-03
VITAL MAaNETIsM.


know. This knowledge should be
diffused, that men of science, and wo.
men too, may observe other facts hav.
ing bearing upon the subject. It il
never wise to neglect facts simply be-
cause they are not in harmony with
any theory yet known. All true sci
ence 10 based upon observation, 80
that we should observe all facts of in
tcrest, aud in due time, the law upon
which they rest may be developed
Science is q hill up which we climb
and constantly enlarge our views.
We may never reach the top for il
reaches to the Infinite.
In looking for theories to account
for what we see or know, we should
bear in mind that Natures forces are
all invisible. Gravitation, magnet.
ism, galvinism, electricity, steam, ETC.,
are names we give to causes that are
never seen, and that the very elements
of nature are simple and invisible.
Oxygen, the promoter of wonderful
results. equally causing life or death
nitrogen, that netralizes its power
and supplies oil living things
with means of growth; hydrogen,
that combines with 1t and forms wa
ter, of which all living things are
largely made; these three have never
yet been seen. We Judge of their
existence by what they do, by the re-
suits of their activity.
Everything is full of electricity.
An orange peel requires but little
friction to develop it. A piece OF
glass or a strip of silk, equally devel-
ops this wonderful element that per.
vades the universe.
Magnetism is another force Of ma
ture. We place q piece of steel upon
q magnet, it receives this hidden force
and passes 1t to other pieces; so ami.
mails receive and transmit this mag
netic force. For all intents and pur-
poses the sbrain 10 q natural magnet.
1t gives and receives magnetic force
according to certain laws. Some per-
sons contain more magnetism than
others. All forces possess tendency
to uniform distribution. A mag
netist, overloaded with this force,
passes his hands over the outer nerves
Of him who has less, and transmits it
W w lAO w Nb AANhlHk III 1ls L Ale
force iavital magnetism or mesmer-
ism. Facts innumerable show what
unseen forces do. We call them
forces because they produce effects
peculiar to themselves.
What Is health, and what disease
Perfect health exists when every or
gan and tissue does fully it's proper
duty. Disease is imperfect health,
and every organ and tissue does not
perform its function. How do these
parties obtain sufficient force to do
their respective duties? Anything
that lends the brain and nerves their
needed force enables them to dis
charge their duty. Magnetism may
in this way be transmitted from him
who has much to him who has but
little. Mesmerism may cure diseases
simply by imparting nervous force.
Mesmerism is natural force, affects
directly the nerves and muscles, les
sens or prevents the pain of surgical
operations and gives new life and &C.
tivity to those who need them.
Everybody knows that the organf
of secretion, those Of bile, tears, sali-
va and the follicles of the alimentary
canal are reused to unusual activity
by some mental emotion, as grief
anxiety and sorrow. So that it needs
no great amount of faith to believe
that any force that acts upon the brain
may induce similar results.
The power Of mesmerism to allay
pain in surgical operations is attested
by over 22O cases. Among them are
smpulations of breasts, legs and arms
removal of fifteen tumors, weighing
from ten to forty pounds, and other
marked cases too numerous to be re.
lated. 1t has, in thousands Of cases
produced an@sthesis, 80 that surgical
operations were performed in pain
less way and no case of death has ev-
er happened therefrom.
Some. may inquire why this safe
and effective way of producing anas.
thesis 10 not more generally practiced
The answer given by men Of science
and experience is that the process II
long and tedious and that those who
have the power to mesmerize are few
and those who are susceptible tt
mesmeric force are not many. Will,
we recognize the existence of vita
magnetism, 1t Is only now and ther
that it is available. Possibly at pres.
ent we may not know how to develoI
1t. Aftertime may teach mankind
how to develop and employ it.