CHAPTER III.

Mesmerism the same in India and in Europe.-Examples of Mesmeric Sleep.-Sealing of the Eyes. Altered Sensibility-Temporary Paralysis.-Muscular Rigidity.-Insensibility to Pain.-Exaltation of particular Organs.Convulsions.-Delirium.-Injustice done to the Memory of the first Mesmerists.-Every available Evidence here given.-Imposture morally and physically impossible.Mode of Proceeding.-Mesmeric and Non-Mesmeric Operations contrasted.-Physiological Demonstration of the Impossibility of Imposture.

HAVING, by the experiments described in the last chapter, satisfied myself of the existence of the Mesmeric power, I lost no time in applying it to practical purposes. The effects produced were nearly as various as the different persons acted upon, and corresponded perfectly with the appearances observed in Europe; and when the public see the same effects following like causes on the banks of the Thames, and the Seine, the Rhine, and the Hooghly; I presume it will conclude, that the same agent is at work, provided the same evidence, in support of matters of fact, is received for hot and cold climates, and it is not supposed that the truth is affected by degrees of latitude. In a late No. of the "British and Foreign

Medical Review," the reviewer gives a summary of the Mesmeric symptoms as known to himself, and recorded by various writers on Mesmerism, and acknowledges a perfect accord in all the accounts of the bodily phenomena. The following extract will place these appearances succinctly before my readers, and I beg them to compare my account of Mesmerism in Bengal with this statement of its effects in Europe, and then say whether the identity of the thing in the east and west is not established :

"Sometimes, however, there is said to supervene a state of coma; at others, exaltation, depression, or some anomalous modification of sensibility; and occasionally, a state somewhat approaching to that of reverie, wherein the individual, although conscious, feels incapable of independent exertion, and spellbound, as it were, to a particular train of thought or feeling. The occurrence of convulsive action, and of muscular rigidity, is described as taking place in some cases to a greater or less extent. These results are said to constitute the simpler phenomena of Mesmerism. We shall illustrate them by some extracts from accredited writers upon the subject.

"In this peculiar state of sleep, the surface of the body is sometimes acutely sensible, but more frequently the sense of feeling is absolutely annihilated. The jaws are firmly locked, and resist every effort to wrench them open: the joints are often rigid, and the limbs inflexible; and not only is the sense of feeling, but the senses of smell, hearing, and sight also, are so deadened to all external impressions, that no pungent

odour, loud report, or glare of light, can excite them in the slightest degree. The body may be pricked, pinched, lacerated, or burnt; fumes of concentrated liquid ammonia may be passed up the nostrils; the loudest reports suddenly made close upon the ear; dazzling and intense light may be thrown upon the pupil of the eye; yet so profound is the physical state of lethargy, that the sleeper will remain undisturbed and insensible to tortures, which in the waking state, would be intolerable."-(Dupotet, p. 36.)

The above concise sketch corresponds very closely with what is laid down in other works of Mesmeric repute. A few brief quotations, exhibiting this correspondence, we subjoin. The first we take from Deleuze's Practical Instructions, wherein he states. that "the magnetised feels the necessity of closing the eyes; his eyes are so sealed that he cannot open them: he experiences a calm, a feeling of comfort; he becomes drowsy; he is put to sleep."Teste, another writer of distinction, speaking of the physical insensibility, says, "it exists, not only in the skin, but in the subcutaneous tissues, in the muscles, and even in the nervous ramifications." Dr. Passavant of Frankfort, an author often referred to, avers as follows: "As an especial effect of the power of animal magnetism, results the magnetic sleep. This is mostly deeper than ordinary sleep, the mediation of the senses is yet more decidedly suspended. The sensibility can so have vanished in a moment, that the loudest sound, the brightest light, even bodily injuries, are not perceived in this sleep." Indeed, all the

authorities seem to coincide very much in their accounts, and, this we say, after referring to Chenevix, Elliotson, Townshend, Gauthier, Foissac, and others."

I shall now present to the reader illustrations of all the singular states of the system described above, and drawn from my practice here.

Mesmeric sleep.-This simulates, perfectly, sound natural sleep, and is more refreshing, even if it has been resorted to for soothing pain, or disturbance of the system, and can be had recourse to when it would be improper or useless to administer common narcotics;-over which it has the advantage of not inducing a disagreeable constitutional derangement, after the specific influence has ceased. The restorative powers of mesmeric sleep seem to depend upon an actual infusion of nervous vigour into the body, and, when induced as a remedial agent, this may account for its superiority over common sleep.

April 7th.-Janokee-Sing, a hardy looking peon; the whole of the scrotum is sloughing, from the application of some acrid leaves, and the pain is most intense.

April 15.-The whole scrotum has sloughed off; has not slept since coming to hospital. The compounder, a healthy, intelligent Hindoo, succeeded in putting him to sleep to-day, in half an hour. He awoke when pinched, or called upon by name, but instantly fell asleep again.

April 16th.-Has slept, almost without interrup

tion, from 11 o'clock A. M. yesterday, till 7 o'clock this morning, the only sleep he has had since he was burned.

April 19th. He has been mesmerised daily, and sleeps the greater part of his time; to mesmerise him, becomes more easy every day;-and a few minutes now suffice to overcome him.

woman.

April 20th.-Kowsoalla; aged forty, a peasant I subdued her to-day, for the first time, in ten minutes: she awoke when called upon, but, in a second, fell asleep again. The limbs are quite loose, but when I let them remain for a moment in any new position, they become rigid, and require to be dragged into a new attitude: the muscles yield precisely like lead, without a vestige of re-action, when the bending force is removed.

April 25th. She can now be mesmerised in a minute.

May 3rd.-Bissumber Chowdry: has had retention of urine for three days; the bladder is prominent at the navel, and no instrument can be introduced. Ordered to lie in the easiest posture, and to be put to sleep, if possible.

May 4th. He slept for two hours yesterday, and voided his urine freely, when he awoke.

May 4th.-Deenoo, a prisoner; convalescent from cholera, is tormented with incessant hiccough for the last twenty-four hours.

Opii Grs. ii.

Confect. Arom. Grs. x.