The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-19
rnDr1nnEN FRUIT.

The Cannon Council of Cincinnati has
nossed an ordinance making it misde-
meanor t. give lectures on hypnotiSm or eX-
hibitions OF its phenomena. Approximations
of similar interference have induced scien-
tific lecturer now in this city to decline to
address public audiences on the subject.
The study of the phenomena of animal
magnetism has generally been discouraged
by persons of judgment, through fear of its
effects on immature minds Young people
are generally fascinated by the contemPla-
ton of the curious phenomena when haNe
| been classed under the heading oil lnesiheI
| ism. electrobiology, clairvuvance ana hNpho-
| tisin. Int If has been observed that IN many
| cases disturbance of the mental functions
| epsued. and rnereiS no instance in this coun-
trv of any gain TO science having peeh
realized. Hence, a prudent teacher or par
| ent will dissuade those under his cOhIol
| from devoting time and thought to these IN.
! exnIained mysteries. And no scientist OF
character will make them the subject OF dis
courses intended for the general pubic
Whether 1t is wise TO prescribe lhVeSIis"
| tious If animal magnetism by law Is an
| other thing. Such n course Is more uheIS u
| stimulate secret study OF the phehouie""
| than to prevent 1t, and II d eues q"
| sort of mental cowardice to procla III '''.l'
| q community cOnnot be trusted to eAPoio
| the mysteries Of any branch o. 80 +bo+
| sort of intYleranJ ignorance "Niu 80
80 - calico under bonds not 10
!',-1-tt,,ate me rotation of the EARTH The
Creafor set no limits TO the human mind.
He clothed man with the power to observe
and 10 reason from his observations. For
mere common council now to set up bar
rier and to say 10 the student that he shall
not cross il for fear of undermining his IN
tellect, is on par with the law OF emma
which forbids the Chinaman from mention
| ing the name of the Emperor.
In this last quarter of the ninteenth cen
tury there Is nothing too lofty, too abstruse,
| too perious to be a proper object OF study
| in the right place. and among the right
| people. There are many studies which eau
not be commended TO The young, and which
| should not b. suffered in schools. But he
| who sets a limit to the wandering of the cul-
| tivated adult mind in the places which are
| still ozark and uuexplored must be a lineal
! descendant Of tie barbarian who had Glor-
| dano Bruno burned at the stake Tor ques-
tioning he soundness Of Aristot les philoSo-
ply.
1t is because the phenomena of animal
magnetism have not been sufficiently
| studied by men whose training fitted them
| to penetrate scientific mysteries that SO
many wild fances are atoat on the subject
| and such unwarranted appeals are made tC
| The supernatural. Au American who de
| sires information on the subject is referred
| TO the catch-pennY volume of Epes Sargent
| or perhaps, II he has got beyond the rudI
| ments, to the researches Of Reichenbdck
But Reichenback. with all his learning, wa:
man with a theory; lie bent his facts Il
| suig his theory. Heiuenhain Of Breslau
| really ala advance a step, and long step
! toward comprehension of the phenomena
hut he did NOT succeed in evolving n rmula
| That task, " hich is It'll unprrfurmed, viii
! probably be accomplished sooner or later
| by physicians devoted TO a study of nervous
diseases. DIR. Roseuthal, whose work on
nervous diseases is a textbook, and Dr..
McKendricE professor # medicine at Glas-
gov, are laboriug in the field with fair
promise. Others. less widely known, are
| following in their tread.
| II is quite on the cards that the popular
| disease of the day-neryous depression
I may be the cause IF Investigations which
! will lead to a better understanding of ami
mai magnetism. 1t is curious fac. that on
this disease, from which large proportion
Of our women are suffering, there are no
medical tTeatises eXtant; the best book in
print is a small tract written by physician
in this city and published here. The spread
| OF the disease is sure to lead 10 the publica-
! ton of exhaustive treatises, based on scien-
! tifc principles applied to the phenomena of
| the siek-room. When they appear, perhaps
one of the by-products of the Investigation
may be the discovery Of the key to the curl
| oSities Of mesmerism and hypnotism.