Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-01-04
Mesmerism As a Pain Destroyer.

Inc dfJ OF science, III Sucn IL might De
called, of mesmerism, which has been
looked upon with such skeptical eyes by
a majority of people. was tested in a re-
markable manner in this city yesterday.
and all who witnessed the trial were as
tonished beyond measure. The test
consisted of q surgical operation per.
formed upon q man under the mesmeric
influence, and it proved of great practi-
cal value, and the Importance of the art
to surgery was beautifully illustrated.
The operation vas performed by DIR.
+. koehler. surgeon of the Louisville
Homeopathic ~Dispensary, at that insti-
tuition, in the presence of a number of
persons. A negro named William Tell
presented himself at the dispensary
some time ago to be treated for u large
tumor which was growing from the side
of his neck and face 1t was decided
that an operation must be performed,
n he was very anxious to get relief by
undergoing it. The time was fixed for
Wednesday, and all the arrangements
were made. At IL o'clock Tell was
placed on the operating-table, and an
attempt was made TO anesthetise him
with ether. He showed a strange toler-
ance for the agent, however, and al
though the best ether was administered
with a free hand, it seemed impossible
to get him under its influence.
SO much time was consumed in the
attempt to an9sthetise him that the op-
Grafton had to be postponed until yes
terday morning, when the patient APP
peared promptly at the d%ispensary. He
stated that he had been made very i'll
from the effects of the ether, and re-
quested that the operation be performed
without its aid. The propriety of the
suggestion was being discussed, when
DR.. A. G. Smith, one of the medical
staff of the d~ispensary, remarked that
he could probably mesmerize the pa
tient. This proposition was readily ac-
cepted, since all agreed that it could do
no harm.
Dir. Smith seated Tell on the table and
began the experiment in the usual way.
The patient was made to look him stead
lily in the face, and when the usual mo-
tons of rubbing tho hand over the face
and making passes around the head
were completed he seemed fully mes
merized.
DIR. Koehler, TO satisfy himself that
insensibility to pain really existed, stuck
a pin almost through the patients hand.
AS this excited no apparent pain, the
operation was commenced.
Owing to the large size of the tumor
the incision required for its removal
was very extensive, and, although the
face is remarkably sensitive to pain, the
patient showed no evidences of sensibii-
ity, and during the whole operation,
which lasted seventeen minutes, he lay
as if in natural sleep.
Very hot water was used as a styptic,
and once OF twice while this was applied
by means of a sponge he WINGED slightly,
but other than this gave not the slight
est evidence of pain.
When the operation proper had been
concluded the patient was still kept
hypnotised until oozing of blood had
been stopped and the dressing had been
applied. 1t was then IL O'Clock, and
the operation had been commenced at
$50 O'Clock. The patient had been in
a mesmeric state uninterruptedly for an
hour and a half. When everything had
been completed and properly arranged,
DR.. Smith snapped his fingers sharply
under the patients ear and commanded
him to sit up, which he Immediately did.
He vas questioned closely, and stated
that he had been perfectly conscious of
all that had been said and done, but had
felt no pain whatever.
The case has created much comment
and inquiry among physicians, and es-
pecially among the skeptical ones, and
but one conclusion has been arrived at
that the practice is a remarkable one,
and cannot be accounted for.-Louts-
Uille C0nrier-JourndI.