Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-27
THE INVESTIGATION OF mEsMERIsM.

Professor Barrett, of the Royal College
of Science for Ireland, has been speaking
to the public upon the work of the Society
for Physical Research. Among other topics
alluded TO was that OF mesmerism, and
some account of his report in that regard
will be interesting. Concerning it and the
researches of the society into it during the
past three years, the distinguished scientist
declares that while the mesmeric state,
with accompanying phenomena, may be
simulated, just as coma or epilepsy may be
simulated. we can no more doubt the eX-
iStence OF genuine mesmeric trance than
we can doubt the commences of epilepsy.
The experiments of the society We're con-
Quoted mainly BY q. a. Smith, of Brighton,
and in the presence of men fitted bv cult
are and experience to investigate, and not
likely to be deceived These three points
were given especial attention. The domi-
nance in the subject or mesmeI lied person
of an idea suggested by the mesmerizer.
the transference of sensations, independ-
emily of the senses and without suggestion
from the operator to the subject; the Undue
ton of general or local anesthesia.
Mr.. Smith operated upon the patients
according to the usual formula the subject
looking intently at a bright disc held in the
hand, while Smith would make the usual
slow downward passes, concluding with
thumb pressure between the eyes and a
command TO open the eyes, which, if not
possible, is taken to be evidence Of a mes
merle state In this state he would
control the muscles and will of the
subject, precisely as in America au-
diences in nearly every town have
seen done by travelling lecturers. One
of the investigators was placed in the state,
and the company, believing him uncon-
sciouS, began to talk about him freely. On
being restored he related all that had been
said but declared he had found himself
unable to speak 4 word of interruption.
The subjects were found TO be easily in
huenced as the operator might desire, and
made to act under the most absurd hallu-
cinations, and in such a way as to utterly
disabuse the mind of any suspicion OF
cheat or collision between the subject and
operator, As, for instance, one subject
was made 10 eat part Of candle, under
the belief that it was sponge-cake, to &c
cept salt for sugar, to lose the sense Of sight
rs to one object and retain itas to all others,
TO mimic animals pieces of machinery,
,a4g. 70 i,arr,
and to 90 TO ends involving personal in
jury. In many cases the assumptions of
strange parts were maryelously fine, and
beyond the possibility of the powers Of the
subject in his normal condition. The
society became convinced by its expert
ments-not one of which is unfamiliar to
the public, as all have been given in this
country during forty years past-tha. in
this abnormal state there is n community
of sensation between operator and subject,
or, as the scientists Of the Commission put
it. "a transfereuce Of sensation from the
operator TO the subject "a phenomenon
closely allied to thought transference."
They add says Professor Barrett, that " it
WILLIS, hOhNFS4f III N4i.At tI4C IlIttl IletlL IS
here in the mesmeric sleep, and not, there.
fore, in his normal state" A subject in
the mesmeric sleep was made to suffer pain
by the inAiction of pain upon the person of
the operator, and in every case the sub
ject indicated the correct member or
part of the body manipulated by pinch
ing and pricking with needles, treading upon
the toes, ETC., and in most cases a large
screen separated the operator and the sub
iect at the time, and in some instances they
were put into different rooms, so that codes
of signals could not be used. In the ex-
periments on anasthesia the society, says
Professor Barrett, satisfied itself that it is
possible to induce either a general insus.
ceptibility to pain inflicted on any part OF
the person-and this state generally existed
even while he was acutely sensitive to
pains inflicted on the operator; or an an
sesthesia of some specified part of the sub
jeet's body, chosen by ourselves. Thus
limb or a part of a limb, after being
stroled two or three times by the opera
tors hands, would assume a condition of