Magic, witchcraft, animal magnetism, hypnotism and electro-biology : being a digest of the latest views of the author on these subjects / by James Braid.

Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Magic, witchcraft, animal magnetism, hypnotism and electro-biology : being a digest of the latest views of the author on these subjects / by James Braid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    any of the organs of special sense—for the mind is naturally drawn to the part signified or impressed, and thus ideas are excited connected with, or corresponding to, the function of that organ or part; and the aj)peal being made to the mind at the very summit of its abstraction, every sensation is met by the “ diamond glare” of this “ brilliant attention,” and consequently is “ perceived with a force of leisure of which our distracted life aifords only the rudiments. External in- fluences are sensated, sympathized with to an extniordinary deg ree.” In this stage of the sleep the power of suggestion on the patient is excessive. Whatever idea is suggested to his mind, whether by the natural import of the words spoken, or modified by the tone of-voice in which they are uttered, is instantly seized upon by the subject, and inter])reted in a manner to surprise many, and lead them to believe it has been accomplished by a soil of intuition or inspii'atiun. In this way you may vary or modify the ideas suggested in the most remarkable manner, and the patient sees, and feels, and speaks of all as real, without the slightest desire to impose upon others. Thus, if you say,— “ ‘ What animal is it ?’ the patient will tell you it is a lamb, or a rabbit, or any other animal or thing. Does he see it? ‘Yes.’ ‘What animal is it noniV—putting depth and gloom into the tone now, and thereby suggesting a difference. * Oh !’ with a shudder, ‘it is a wolf.’ ‘ What ■colour is it?'—still glooming the phrase. ‘ l^lack.’ ‘What colour is it now?'—giving tlie now a cheerful air. ‘Oh! a beautiful blue,’ spoken with the utmost delight. And so you lead (he subject through any dreams you please, by variation of questions and of inflections of voice, mnd lie sees and feels all as real. “Another curious study is ithe influence of the patient’s postures on his mind in this state. Whatever posture of any passion is induced, the 'lassion comes into it at once, us well as into the mind, and dramatizes tho whole body. “ Moreover, the patient’s mind, directed to bis own body, does phy* eical liiarvels.: ho cau do, in a manner, what he thinks he cau. Place a
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