What is mesmerism? An attempt to explain its phenomena on the admitted principles of physiological and psychical science. / by Alexander Wood.

  • Alexander Wood
Date:
1851
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: What is mesmerism? An attempt to explain its phenomena on the admitted principles of physiological and psychical science. / by Alexander Wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    or stammers, or falters in his gait, will, fall into similar habits, not- withstanding there may be a variety of inducements for attempting to avoid them.”1 The well-known account of Boerhaave’s cases at the orphan hos- pital at Haerlem, is illustrative, as are also those cases of epidemic convulsions, which, too often associated with religious excitement, have manifested themselves in various quarters of the world. Of this nature was the malady which appeared in 1796, in the Island of Anglesey, attacking females between the ages of ten and twenty- five, of which Dr Haygarth has left us an account. The Shetland epidemic, of which the minister of Unst contributed an interesting narrative (Ed. Med. and Surg. Journal, vol. iii.) or the Tenessee epidemic in 1803 (Inaugural Essay on Chorea, by Felix Robert- son, Philadelphia)—as well as many others, reports of which have been handed down to us from remoter times. There is one fact regarding imagination, which may perhaps ex- plain the readiness with which the mesmeric state can be reproduced in one who has repeatedly been in it—the excessive or often-repeated imitation of mental emotions may in the end bring on similar ones. After Grarrick had acted his Lear or Othello, he passed some hours in convulsions in bed. Y. Influence of the Will of Another.—This must chiefly affect us through the emotions, and therefore might have been considered under that head. The power of the mind of one man to sway that of another, and even of whole bodies of men, is of a complex character, and need not now be analysed. Those who thus acquire power to guide the understandings of others, display themselves a volition which overmasters all opposition. The instinctive propensities in them give place to the strong volitional power by which their every action is guided,—that power, however, acts under the direction of reason. How willingly does the weak mind surrender itself to the guid- ance of the strong ! or how instinctively does it render homage to that determination of character which claims universal obedience ! How often does the physician recognise the mastery which this con- fers, when, at some moment of unforeseen and sudden danger, all around are yielding to the instinctive propensities, and acting by im- pulse rather than reason, his self-possession restores composure, and irresistibly compels the necessary obedience ! The poet, too, has taken advantage of this, and thus beautifully expresses it:— “ Ac veluti magno in populo cum ssepe coorta est Seditio ssevitque animis ignobile vulgus; Jamque faces et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat: Turn pietate gravem ac mentis si forte virum quern Conspexere, silent, arrectisque auribus astant: Ille regit dictis animos, et pectora mulcet.”—( Virg. JEn. i.) 1 On the Relations between Mind and Muscle.—West of England Journal. Vol. ii. p. 169.
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