Mysteries of the vital element in connexion with dreams, somnambulism, trance, vital photography, faith and will, anaesthesia, nervous congestion and creative function : modern spiritualism explained / by Robert H. Collyer.

  • Collyer, Robert H.
Date:
1871
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mysteries of the vital element in connexion with dreams, somnambulism, trance, vital photography, faith and will, anaesthesia, nervous congestion and creative function : modern spiritualism explained / by Robert H. Collyer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    author (Dr. Collyer) tlie credit of having initiated modern anaesthesia in the United States of America. ]STo doubt, had not authentic official documents warranted this, he would never have compromised himself to the statement of facts which were susceptible of being challenged to direct proof. It will be seen with what independence and fearlessness these pages are penned. Nothing is asked as a favour, but the most impartial truth demanded. In the Liverpool Standard of October 14th, 1843 :— That the anaesthetic state, during which surgical operations could be performed, could be brought about or produced: 1st, by natural fatigue;* 2nd, the transmission of the nervous force from a second person; 3rd, by concentration of the mind on one subject accompanied by muscular action; 4th, by steadily gazing on an object (hypnotism); 5th, by the inhalation of narcotic and stimulating vapours. To these might have been added induced mental hallucination and hybernation. All these things must be taken into account by the reader, as it proves conclusively that no prejudice existed in the mind of the author as to any special mode of producing the anaesthetic state. There is another anaesthetic state, that induced by alcoholism. One case presented itself in ISTew York in the spring of 1841, of a sailor who, having returned from a long voyage, abandoned himself to the indul- gence of drinking whisky in large quantities. The consequence was an entire prostration of the nervous system. To the great majority of the medical profession he was a corpse. No perceptible respiration, no pulse, surface cold and clammy; in fine, when first seen by the author he was pronounced as having been dead some minutes. The first course indicated was a hot bath, and constant friction of the whole body, which was continued for over three hours, when the first indica- tions of returning consciousness were observed by the trembling of the eyelid. Some moments after, by the aid of the stethoscope, the heart's action became perceptible, and subsequently the respiratory organs resumed their functions. Xo doubt in great prostration of the nervous system, heat, elec- tricity, and the vital force of a second person are essential elements in the recovery, or restoration to the normal condition. The Soporific Cakes (celebrat et panis oblationem) used by the early Egyptians had also a powerful anaesthetic effect. The candidate for initiation was enabled to endure the terrible ordeal, which i.e., fatigue causing a loss of consciousness.