Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-12-06
Mesmerism.

be called, of mesmerism, which has
been looked upon with such skeptical
eyes by majority of people, was
tested in a remarkable manner in
this city yesterday, and all who wit
messed the trial we're astonished be-
vond measure. The test consisted
of surgical operation performed
upon man under the mesmeric in
fuence, and it proved of great prac-
teal value, and the Importance of
the art of surgery was beautifully
illustrated.
The operation was performed by
DIR. T. w. Koehler, surgeon OF the
Louisville homeopathic Dlspensary,
at that institution, III the presence OF
number of persons. Anegro nam
ed William Tell presented himself at
the dispensary some time ago, to be
treated for large tumor which WAS
growing from the side Of has neck
and face. 1t WIS decided that an
operation must be performed, and he
was very anxious to get relief by un
dergoing it. The time was fixed for
Wednesday, and all the arrangements
were made. At eleven o'clock Tell
was placed upon the operating table,
and an attempt was made to an@s-
thetise him with ether. He showed
strange tolerance of the agent, how
ever, and although theibest ether was
administered with free hand, 1t
seemed impossible to get him under
its influence. So much time was con-
sumed in the attempt to anesthetise
him, that the operation had to be
postoned until yesterday morning,
when the patient appeared promptly
at the Dispensary. he stated that
be bad been made very Ill from the
effects of the ether, and requested
that theioperatione be performed with
out it's and. The propriety OF this
suggestion was being discussed, when
DR.. A. G. Smith, one of the medical
staff of the Dispensary, remarked
that probably he could mesmerize the
patient. This proposition Was readi-
iy assented, since all agreed that It
could DO no harm.
DIR. Smith seated Tell on the table
and began the experiment IN the US
ual way. The patient was made to
look MIN steadily in the face, and
when the usual motions of rubbing
the hand over the face and making
passes around the head were COM
pleted, he seemed fully mesmerized
DIR. Keehler, t. satisfy himself that
insensibility to pain really existed,
stuck a PIN almost through the pa
tents hand As this excited no APP
parent pain the operation WAS com
menced.
Owing to the large size Of the tu-
NOR, the incision required for its re-
moval was very extensive, and al
though the face is known to be re-
markably sensitive to pain, the pa
tient showed no evidences of sensi-
bility, and during the whole opera
ton, which lasted seventeen minutes
he lay as ii In natural sleep. Very
hot water was used rs stypic, and
once or twice while this was applied
by means of sponge he wInced
slightly, but other than this gave not
the slightest evidence of pain.
When the operation proper had
been concluded the patient was still
kept hypnotized until all oozing OF
blood stopped and the dressing had
been applied. 1t Was then eleven
O'Clock, and the G. Grafton had been
commenced at $50 o'clock. The pa
tient had been IN mesmeric state
uninterruptediy for an hour and
half. Wnen everything had been
completed and properly arranged,
DR.. smith snapped MS finger sharply
under the subjects ear and command
ed him to sit up, which he immedia-
teiy dido He was questioned closely
and stated that he had been perfect
ly conscious of all that had been
said and done, but had felt no pain
whatever.
The case has created much com
ment and inquiry among physicians.
and especially among the skeptical
ones, and but one conclusicn n has
been arrived, at that the Practice is
remarkable one and cannot be &C
counted for.
With such an instance as this, Of
the successful employment Of mes
merism IN surgery, It would seem
that more attention should be paid
to the subject. So far the method
has been but little pr;;ctised, on ac-
count OF 8 iscl. OF faith among num-
Der Of surgeons.
Perrin, rs quoted by Lyman in his
unsurpassed article on an@sthetics, in
/ the international system OF surgery,
relates the case OF woman whose
breast was removed for cancer while
she vas IN a mesmeriC trance. Dur
ing the operation no pain WAS felt,
aud she was permitted to sleep forty
eight hours hours before the spell
was broken. 1t lis we'll known. how
ever, that every person is not prop
er subject an cannot be PIT under
the influence, but granting that only
one in i've is successful, it seems to
be possible 10 perform operations in
this way very frequently.-Louisoi!le
Courier Journal.
For the brain and nerve Is what We need