The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-11
Wooden Magnets to Cure Disease

a curious example of the force of i'm
agination is reported from Philadelphia.
DR.. George G. Hardin, surgeon to the
Wills OphthaImic Hospital in that city,
in the current number of the Medical
Nt7cS reports a curious case, showing
the great influence Of the mind upon the
body and the beneficial effects of a wood
en- magnet upon both. A young Phila-
delphia woman, Lizzie d. by name, ap-
Piled at the Polytechnic, Thirteenth and
Locust Streets, for relief from disease
of the tonsils. She was treated by DR..
Soils Cohen. Her disorder was attend
ed with hysteria, and, like all hysterical
people the idea of being doctered filled
her with delight. Shortly after her
imitation, the nervous symptoms became
more and more marked, and was
transferred to the care of DIR. Mills, the
well known neurologist. Five or six
weeks previously she had had plauro-
pneumonia, and after that paralysis
attacked her arms. This was cured,
but the disease manifested itself in the
legs and feet. Besides this there was
numb feeling in the lower part of the
body, and twitching on the right side of
the face, similar to that seen in St
Nitus dance.
DR. Cohen applied a Charcot magnet
in front of the ear. To his amazement
the spasms on the side of the face
touched by the magnet were greatly
le>sened IN frequency and extent. 1t
was evident that the cure was the result
OF Imagination. After that she was at
tackled " til eye troubles. At first there
was no defect other than headache, after
the prolonged use of the eyes, and
some shortsightedness, but at length the
right eye became, apparently, entirely
blind. and muscular spasms of the most
violent character disturbed not only the
eve, but the face and neck. She was
sent to the Eye Hospital and treated by
Dr. Hansell After several examina-
tiOns,the Charcot magnet that had proved
50 etiicacious in the hands of DR.. Cohen
was applied to the defective vision, and
with the most astonishing result. After
many applications, it occurred to Dr.
Harlan that it would be good idea to
try the effect of unmagnetized iron. A
wooden magnet was. procured, with
iron tips, to give the metallic impression
to the skin. 1t was placed in the drawer
where the original Charcot instrument
had been kept, and the patient WAS
thoroughly ignorant of its character
Before it was applied it was noted that
the pupil of the right eye was widely
diated, as in disease, and perfectly rigid
when exposed to bright light. There
was twitching of the muscles of the right
side of the face.
The application of the wooden mag
net had a wonderful effect. Shortly
after the painted wood was applied with
much seriousness to her head the twitch
ing of the muscles stopped, and the face
assumed its normal appearance. Grad
ually the pupil of the right eye became
of the same size as the other, and freely
responsive tolight. The wooden magnet
had triumphed.
DIR. Cohen a short time ago had case
where the wooden magnet proved its
efficacy. A patient of his fell down aud
thought she dislocated her elbow joint.
She was treated for that by practition
er called in the emergency, and he dis
charged her with stiff arm, which he
said he was unable to straighten. DR..
Cohen examined the arm. and found no
disiocation at ALL He asked her to re-
port at the surgical department of the
Polytechnic for veri6cation OF his opinion.
She called and DIR. Steinbatch noted
extreme spasm of the biceps, the tendons
being like whip cords. DR.. Cohen ap-
piled a wooden magnet, and the spasm
relaxed at once.