"All evidence respecting the moral improvement and good conduct of the prisoners should be given on oath; and no prisoner should be discharged, except by the unanimous vote of all the members of the Court present at his examination. Nor should any one be discharged, whatever may be his age, or however comparatively trivial his crime, in less than twelve months from the time of his conviction. And, by the Court of examination, the period of confinement and reform may be indefinitely extended.

"Such is the outline of a system of penitentiary discipline and moral reform, which I venture to propose."

Doctor C. next shows the practicability of cultivating the different organs of the brain, and commends, eloquently, a study of the great Book of Nature-the "elder revelation "--and, with an appropriate allusion to his advanced years, expresses his anticipations as follows:

"That capital punishment is destined to be abolished from the policy of our country, I do not entertain the shadow of a doubt. And it would cordially gratify me to be able to anticipate that some of you, whom I have this day had the honor to address on that subject, may take a lead in the legislature, that shall effect in the penal code of our Commonwealth the salutary change.

"Be this anticipation, however, realized or not, I cannot but avail myself of the present moment, most cordially to congratulate you, as sons of the West, on the important boon of the first legislative Act of the Abolition of Capital Punishment being the issue of A DAUGHTER of the West. The Legislature of Michigan, one of the youngest of our sister States, immortalized itself, at its late session, by the enactment of a law to that effect.

"Nor do I deem it more than possible, that the Legislature of Kentucky, the eldest and most experienced of the Western sisterhood of States, will be dilatory in following an example at once so fraught with humanity, benevolence and wisdom."

The experiment, thus far, appears to be satisfactory in Michigan. At any rate, the Legislature of that State refused, during last winter's session, to repeal the law abolishing capital punishment. If the law should produce any important evil results there, its opponents will doubtless succeed in procuring a repeal. The continued existence of the law may be regarded as a continual triumph of the principle of mercy.

In all such legislative innovations and experiments, the new States of the West are the most hopeful field for the philanthropist. The time must come, when the mighty West, with its bold and liberal population, shall exhibit the power of new thoughts and high aspirations (too daring for the old world) reduced to practice in the

new.

ART. IV. -ANIMAL MAGNETISM.— (CONTINUED.)

ACCORDING to Deleuze, the processes of Animal Magnetism require the co-operation of the will, confidence and benevolent sympathy. We have already seen that these things are not indispensable, although they greatly favor the production of striking effects. The error of Deleuze arose from his supposition, that the effects were produced entirely by the power of the mind of the operator. If this were true, the necessity of will, confidence and sympathy, would be an obvious conclusion; but, as we have seen the magnetic phenomena arise from the general law of sympathy and reaction between the parties, the exercise of the will, of confidence and of sympathy, must be regarded merely as co-operative, not as essential. A kindly sympathy between the parties is desirable; because, in the sympathetic state, the constitution is more impressible to all physical and mental influences. It is necessary to tranquilize the muscular system, to remove the evil passions, and to bring into exercise the most pleasing sentiments, in order to place the constitution in the most susceptible condition.

Confidence, on the part of the patient, is desirable, merely because it produces a more amiable and submissive state, and renders him more willing to submit passively to the process. Confidence, on the part of the operator, is desirable, because it will enable him to act with more boldness and precision than he could, were his mind in a hesitating condition. Confidence is desirable, for the same reason that good health, good spirits and physical strength are desirable in the operator: they render his constitution more capable of impressing another, and of producing a beneficial influence. The good intentions, of which Deleuze so often speaks, are far from being so necessary as he considers them. The following is his language (p. 13): "The action of the magnetic fluid, being relative to the direction given by the will, is always salutary only so far as it is accompanied with a good intention." This proposition is not scientifically true. The operator may go through the appropriate process, producing the appropriate effects, even if he is totally unacquainted with their nature, and unconcerned as to the results.

He who manipulates an inflamed surface, or an aching limb, for the purpose of dissipating its morbid conditions, will succeed just as well, if he has never heard of animal magnetism, and has no suspicion of the object for which he is operating. A knowledge of the nature of the operation, and a desire to benefit, become necessary only in those operations which are purely mental. When the magnetizer has brought his subject entirely under his control, and established such a mental sympathy that he can produce striking re

sults, merely by the exertion of his will, then it is important that his will should be rightly directed. But, in a large number of the operations which come under the denomination of "animal magnetism," this mental sympathy does not occur. There are many persons who cannot be exalted to this state of high susceptibility, yet who may be materially benefited by the "magnetic passes." It is absurd to speak of the operation, in such cases, as depending on the power of the will, when that power is really incapable of producing any such distinct effect.

It is, indeed, a pleasing and splendid triumph of science, to place a human being in so calm and spiritual a state, and so effectually reduce matter beneath the control of mind, that, by the mere unuttered will, we may communicate with his mind; and, through his mind, produce powerful effects upon his body-thus rendering mental power predominant over physical disease. But we must not suppose, because these things are practicable, they constitute the general rule. We must not suppose, in the world, as it is now constituted, with the evil passions often in such incessant and predominant activity, that the body can be generally made to yield to the mind, as a passive instrument; or, that mind can communicate with mind, without the usual physical agencies.

It would be absurd to deduce from these transcendent phenomena, sympathetic laws applicable only to peculiar constitutions, and to suppose these laws generally applicable to the human race. The time may come, when the higher forms of mental sympathy shall be the universal, and not the exceptional rule-when the power of mind over matter shall be dominant throughout the world-and when the highest magnetic phenomena shall be familiar occurrences. But, in the present social condition of the world, this is impossible; and the universal law, as proclaimed by Deleuze, is but limited in its application. Errors so great and palpable as this, arise from the unscientific method in which the subject of Animal Magnetism has been cultivated by its most ardent votaries.

The nature of the power which one individual exercises over another, and which all persons possess, is not explained by Deleuze. He ascribes the exertion to energy of will-to concentrated attention--benevolence-strength of mind--patience and disinterestedness: to which qualities he adds good health, and a certain power (which he does not understand), which can only be determined by its trial. The qualifications of which he speaks are serviceable, and the more so in proportion as the sympathy of the operator and subject is increased. Health is desirable, if you wish to benefit the subject; but is not necessary to the production of striking results. The magnetic power of any given constitution corresponds to the sum total of physical and mental energy the individual possesses. Every vital power of his constitution contributes to the sum total of the effects which it may produce upon others. A Napoleon, a Whitfield, or a Peter the Hermit, would have been a powerful operator. The influence which every great man exerts over his cotemporaries, and that

by which every orator moves assembled multitudes, is, in many respects, the same which is concerned in the ordinary processes of magnetism. If any particular faculty in the operator is predominant, he can play on the corresponding faculty of his subjects with corresponding success. The intellectual man can produce more extraordinary intellectual phenomena; the man of great physical powers can operate more successfully upon the muscular system; the man of vigorous health can more successfully invigorate the constitution, and relieve the diseases of his patients.

There is, then, nothing mysterious in what is called "The Magnetic Power," as this power is nothing but a mode of exhibiting the vital force. But, it may be remarked, that certain constitutions generate a much greater amount of blood and nervous energy than others; and such constitutions are capable of imparting, more forcibly, their own organic influence. In these individuals, the head is generally well developed along the median line. The lower part of the face and chin are prominent, and the occiput not deficient in depth. The respiration and circulation are active-temperature high-and the nervous energy superabundant. In contact with an impressible person they impart, immediately, a glowing excitement and life, since they operate much more promptly and powerfully than those of a colder temperament, from whom the nervous energy proceeds more slowly. They not only operate more efficiently, but are much less exhausted by their operations, and less liable to receive injurious influences from their patients. The qualifications, then, for a magnetic operator, are general constitutional vigor and an ardent temperament, which is indicated by the prominence of the chin and lower part of the face.

Thus far, I have retained the terms "Animal Magnetism," "magnetic passes," &c., from deference to the usage of the early cultivators of this branch of knowledge. These terms had their origin in the fact, that certain phenomena of attraction are displayed in the operations of one individual upon another. The hand of the operator exerts a sensibly attractive influence upon the subject, which may be compared to the attraction of mineral magnetism. But all parts of the brain and body emit their peculiar influences-and these are not all attractive. While the nervaura of the hand exerts "magnetic." or attractive properties, that of many other portions of the body is entirely destitute of attraction.

Hence it would be wrong to use the term "Animal Magnetism," in reference to all the nervauras of the human body, when it belongs especially to that of the hand. I therefore prefer the term Nervaura to Animal Magnetism, as a more comprehensive term, including all the nervous influences, either within, or emanating from, the human constitution. I propose, then, without entirely discarding the term Animal Magnetism, to introduce the more comprehensive term NERVAURA; and to designate as Nervauric experiments, those in which the radiated nervous influences of the brain and body are employed by one individual to affect others.

ART. V.-CHOLERA-ITS TREATMENT..

THE importance and immense fatality of this disease-the suddenness of its attacks, and the certainty that they may be controlled by a proper method of treatment-render it proper to notice the subject more fully than has yet been done in these pages. The disease is, at present, on the increase in the South-west, and bids fair to traverse the Western country the present season. If it should come among us in a malignant form, every man, woman and child, should be prepared to recognize and to repel its approaches. It will not do to rest in ignorance of medical science, and leave all such matters to physicians. Those who have pursued this course have, in thousands of instances, allowed the disease to fasten upon them so firmly as to insure a fatal result.

In the collapsed stage, few recover; in the preliminary stages, few or none would die if properly treated. The greatest mortality in the United States, during the present epidemic, has been among those who have not been sufficiently vigilant or intelligent to meet properly the first inroads of the disease. In New Orleans it was principally among the poor, ignorant and dissipated, that the mortality occurred. In England the mortality has been more than onehalf of all the cases attacked; and in Russia, from October, 1846, to July, 1848, out of 290,318 persons attacked, 116,658 died.

Such results it is difficult to account for, unless we suppose, either that the physicians still adhere to the unsuccessful methods of treatment which have so often failed, or, that the patients are deficient in stamina of constitution, and backward as to calling in medical assistance.

The following account by Dr. G. S. Hawthorne, of his method of treating the disease, shows how easily it is controlled, if proper and energetic measures are adopted. It will be observed, that Dr. H. claims great credit to himself, as author of the plan of curing by perspiration. He says: "But the grand distinguishing feature, in which it stands alone, is the employment of the powerful agency of perspiration as a means of cure. This agent has never been recommended, as such, by any other; it is, in fact, by perspiration that the disease is cured." Dr. Hawthorne, I presume, was not aware that the same principle had been acted upon in America, and is now the established method of practice among a considerable portion of the Profession.

Dr. Beach, who was appointed physician of the tenth ward of New York, during the prevalence of cholera in 1832, treated, with the assistance of several other physicians, about a thousand cases of cholera, with a remarkably small number of deaths. In his dissertation upon the disease, published in his American Practice of Medicine, Vol. 2, he lays down the principle upon which he acted,