Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-02-07
Mesmerism and Hypnotism.
Some points from History and from
the Results of Scientific InvestIga-

Some points from History and from
the Results of Scientific InvestIga-
tiOn.
In view of the interest which Mr.. New
ellis appearance as a healer has aroused it
will be both entertaining and Illuminating,
we are sure, to glance at the history of the
phenomena which pass under the general
name of mesmerism and hypnotism. If
one were to get at the beginning of this
history it would be necessary to go so far
back as to consider the early Egyptian re-
ligions with the ceremonies of crystal gaZ-
ing and reported cures by laying on of
hands, TO analyZe the utterances and the
surrounding conditions of the great Greek
oracles, to penetrate some of the most sacred
of Oriental mysteries, and to trace through
the middle ages the confusion of the alb
normal with the miraculous. Early in the
18th century Van Helmont gave the great
authority of his name to stamp some of
the vague influences of man on man as
magnetic, and that association has not TO
this day been thoroughly got rid of or
thoroughly established. Valentine Great
raks in Charles Ills reign, was famous for
curing various diseases and distempers by
a stroke of the hand only. His power he
thought was special gift from heaven.
In some cases wonders were wrought by
touching the affected parts of the patient
with a magnet.
Maxwell, who in 1879 published a short
treatise on magnetic medicine, attributed
| the cures brought about by this and by
some other unusual forms of medical prac-
tice, to the accumulation of a subtle fluid
in the body of the patient. This subtle
fluid was diffused through all things in ma
ture. A fortunate few among men had an
Unborn power of controlling its distribution.
Such men could cure all diseases; they
could, indeed, he says, by adding to their
own proper quantum of fluid, make them
selves live forever, were not the influence
of the stars adverse.
In 1775 the theory of animal magnetism
was put forward in Vienna by Friedrich
Anton Mesmer. Neither his theories nor
his facts differ very greatly from those of
some of his predecessors. Mesmer was a
man of strong personality, and for time
his success was enormous, but the belief in
his power to cure disease soon shared the
fate of all similar healers.
Mesmerism under the name of hypno
tism (from Greek word signifying sleep)
was again revived in 1S41 by DIR. Braid OF
Manchester, England, who enjoys the roy.
utation of extricating it from magic anu Of
placing it on a more or less scientific foun-
dation. From that time the art enjoyed
more or less popularity as an amusement
and to astonish the credulous, up to about
ten years ago, when the phenomenon wa
more generally taken under consideration
and practiced by medical men of acknowl
edged reputation.
DIR. Dana on HyPnOtism.
DIR. Charles Louis Dana of New York
the celebrated neurologst, who is nativ,
of Vermont, with Woodstock as his birth
place, says;
Hypnotism is a morbid mental state ar
tificially produced and characterized b.
perversion or suspension of consciousness
allegiance of volition; condition of sug
gestibility leading the patient to yield read
lily to commands or external sense impres
sions; an intense concentration of tn
mental faculties upon some idea or feeling
Twenty per cent of the population can b