Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-12-11
How to MesmeriZe.

A recent writer on the mysteries of mes
merism, says: l lay it down as fact which
can be verified by all who are curious
enough to try it, that the mesmeric condi-
tions can be produced without the supposi-
ton of y subtle fluid, without the use of tho
cabalistic passes of the mesmerst, without
the bouquet, the magnetic rod or any of
the mysterious means employed by the
professionals to hcighten the effect of what
would be too simn'c and 100 unattractive if
performed straight!orwardly The direc.
tlons are these: Place the person to be
operated on, naturally in 4 chair With
your left hand suspend by string, about
foot from the eyes. some small object, u
dark marble or brig ght steel ball or a dia-
mOnd-it matters not what, though some
thing bright is perhaps, preferable Direct
the subject to iasten his eyes and centre
his attention on the object. Slowly raise
your left hand until the object is as far
above the eyes Of the patient as is COM
patible with his gazing steadily at it. Watch
his eyes. At first you will see the pupils
contract but after q few seconds they will
| expand rapidly. When they are at the
point of greatest expansion, move the
first two fingers Of your right hand from
the object directly toward the eyes,
the fingers being separated forklikc to
embrace both eyes. As the fingers
approach the eyes will close, and the sub
jcct will be unable to open them. After q
quarter ola minute the subject will be tho
| roughly under control, so that the operator
may make him believe whatever he tells
him. Left quiet, the subject will sink
into Il profound torpor, during which his
ears. nose, Il finger may be cut off without
pain. To arouse him-and this is an impor-
tant stcp-sind either from a hand-bellows
or a fan, should be directed against his ewes
or else his eyes should be ticllled with q
feather. The rationale ofthe method is sim
| pe The fixed stare Of the subject fatigues
MS retinol nerves, aud when tho operotor,e
| fingers approach, the cyelids close as eve
| lids always do when the eyesare threatened
But the fatigue of the nerves has produced
muscular fatigue as well, transient paralysis
OF the eyelids has resulted and they cannot
be opened. The eyelids being then closed
the delicate frontal nerves exhausted, and
the mind made vacant by monotonous at
tcntion to one subject, the patient is in a
condition to fall asleep and he does fall
asleep. He is now ready to dream The
| only thing remaining to do is to make him
dream
But how is this To BE- effected? Dreaming as
has long been determined is the result of cxter-
| nal suggestion. Dr. Gregory, to illustrate hav-
| ing been thinking of Ecsuvius, went to bed with
jug of hot water at his feet and dreamed that he
was climbing the sides OF the burning mountain
DIR. Reid read book on the Indians, put blister
| to his head on retiring. and thought in his sccp
that he was being scalpcd. Both the DREAMS as
all others are were caused by suggestions offered
externally. These suggestions. being received
while the directing power the common sense of
| the mind was in abcyancc, owing to sleep. were
| interpreted very enormously. yet according to
| plain laws OF association. The hot water in the
ease called up the previous subject of thought
| Vcsuvius; the stnging blister in the other, the
equally singing scalp-knitc. 1t is now easy to
see how the sleeping subject may be made to ac-
cept as truth whatever he is told.