The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-02-13

suddenly caught sight Of the candle end
in his hand. He gave it an involuntary
toss from him, sending it plump into the
reporters lap, and then spit out mouth
full of the half-chewed wax.
The candle end was genuine, and was
never designed for edible purposes, as
the Seventeenth street physician acknowl-
edged, after taking a bite out of it.
To more subjects were presently put
to sleep and the professor proceeded to
plunge q needle in the check of the one
on the right, drawing it out at perhaps
half an inch from its entrance and leaving
thread behind it, precisely as though
the stitch had been taken in so much
dead cloth. The threaded needle was
passed through the cheek of the other
sleeper, and the ends Of the thread were
tied, leaving the subjects united. While
the needles were entering their flesh the
victims sat perfectly still, not motion
or twitch Of the eyelid giving evidence
of pain.
" Is that sham ~
"Well, I-I-really, this is most as
founding. If tho men were feigning
sleep they would certainly finch when
the needle pricked them, and yet can
not believe otherwise"
1t was evident that the physicians
faith in Ben Franklin's report to the
king of France was in danger of giving
way before the evidence of his own eyes,
and the reporter left him deeply inter
ested in the experiments which followed.
One Of the students of the Miami
medical college has given this subject
particular attention and study since the
exhibitions in this city last season, and
was found perfectly ready to tell the
Enquirer something about the mysterious
science.
at is neither sham nor delusion,"
said he, fitting back his chair until the
center of gravity was in danger of being
overcome, and placing his thumbs in the
arm-holes of his vest, while his boots
went up and rested on the table,
top. Franklin and his associates had
settled on their verdict before they saw
Mesmer. Common sense told them that
he was o charlatan and they reported
accordingly, although for once common
sense was wrong, But, cut and dried as
the whole business was, they could not
help saying in their report: In truth
great power or agency which held the
patients under its dominion, and of
which the magnetism appeared to
be the sole depository This was in
1878, and, although the world has had a
hundred years and over in which to
accept simple truth, there are reput-
able physicians to-day in this city who
laugh at the science. 1t is very simple.
Almost anyone can acquire it,"
'Can acquire whatl"
"The art of mesmerizing."
''Do l understand you to say that
almost any reader of the Enquirer can
learn to put persons to sleep at will2"
"Yes, and after that can make them
perform whatever antics he may desire.
This was bold statement, and was
taken with grain of salt
''In his book entitled Mesmerism in
India Mr.. James Esdaile, NJ. D., tells
how he taught his. assistants to exercise
the power, so that they all became as
expert as himself in the art 1t only
requires that q person shall be healthy,
tractable and patient, with a firm faith in
himself, and blessed with q strong will
and concentration of mind. DR.. Esdaile
discovered his own power by accident,
and as some of your readers may wish to
try their own hand at the art | don't
mind telling you just how he went about
it the first time. One of his patients was
in the most intense agony, which nothing
would relieve, and turning to his servant,
DR.. Esdaile said; Il have read of mesmer-
ism as a relief of pain, and have a great
mind TO try it on this man; but, as have
never seen it practiced, probably l will
not succeed"
" He then placed the patients knees
between his own and began to pass his
hands slowly over the mans face, at the
distance of an inch, and carried them
down to the pit of his stomach. This
was continued for half an hour before a
word was spoken, but at the end of that
time the man was found perfectly sensi-
Bile and coherent. The passes were con-
tinued for fifteen minutes longer, and
then, when about to give up in despair,
the patient said that there was smoke in
the room This smoke was really mag,
netic haze which always precedes the
sleep of the magnetized. The doctor
now breathed on the mans head, and
continued passing his hands over his face
and in the region of the pain until the
patient drew long breath of relief and
said, sleepily: You are my father and
my mother, and have given me life
again. After half an hour the sick
mans face was in perfect repose. He
paid no attention when his name was
called loudly, and pin driven to
its head in the feshy part of his leg
produced no effect upon him whatever.
Fire was then applied to his
knees, without his shrinking in the
least, and liquor ammonial that would
bring tears to your eyes was inhaled by
him for some minutes without causing an
eyelid to quiver. DR.. Esdaile then con-
cluded that his first experiment was
success. This story is strictly true, and
when you tell your readers about it be