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CHAP. V.

The Mesmeric Processes.- Publicity the best Security to the Public.-Ignorance and Indifference the real Dangers.— Mesmeric Treatment of Disease a Field for the Philanthropist.-Puysegur and Deleuze, unprofessional Men.— Processes for producing Coma. — Tumour in Upper Jaw removed during Coma.- Hypertrophy of Scrotum, ditto. Trance renewable at Pleasure. Three consecutive Operations on one Person.- Mode of Mesmerising in Chronic Diseases.— Cure of Rheumatism and Nervousness.- Local Mesmerising.— Mesmerised Water.- Process for preparing it. — First Experiments with it. — The last.-Means of awaking Persons Mesmerised.

AT the commencement of my mesmeric experiments, I had resolved to communicate only to professional men the modes which I had found most effectual in educing the influences of Mesmerism. I was, at first, alarmed at the possible dangers to the public, were the most effectual means of producing the extreme degrees of Mesmerism generally known; but I am now of opinion that the greatest danger to a community is a contemptuous disregard of an unseen and unknown enemy, and, therefore, all I know on

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this important subject shall be revealed. best means of avoiding danger is to know its full extent, and, sometimes, the best policy is to meet it half way, fully prepared to repel it. While the public remain in a listless indifferent humour about Mesmerism, the dangers from an abuse of it are very likely,—I may say are very certain to occur. But when, by attending to the following directions, proofs of its truth shall pour in from every quarter, then Mesmerism will come home to men's minds as a reality, and become an object of personal interest to all; and the instinct of self-preservation will rouse people to take the necessary steps for deriving all the benefit, and avoiding all the danger attending its practice. If evil arises, let the blame rest on the culpable negligence of the public, and the punishment fall on those who pervert good to evil.

The utmost publicity is most consonant to my taste, and, upon the whole, the best security to the public.

Many benevolent and honourable unprofessional persons may also be induced to exercise their natural gifts, in the alleviation of human suffering, under the superintendence of the physician, who cannot spare the time, and waste of body, which are required before his patients can

be benefited by the processes of Mesmerism. The persons to whom Europe owes its knowledge of Mesmerism, uncontaminated by self-interest and the devices of quackery, were unprofessional men, the Baron Puysegur and M. Deleuze; the one a wealthy French nobleman, who consecrated his life to relieving the sufferings of the poor, and who said it was his mission to lodge Mesmerism in the hands of the doctors (a trust they have been very neglectful of, unfortunately); and the other, a truthful and benevolent man of letters, long keeper of the " Jardin des Plantes,” at Paris, who practised the art for thirty-five years, and whose works are most honest and true guides; errors of judgment, to which all are subject, being their only defects; as I have tested by experience, before reading them.

Coma- I usually procure in the following manner, and am inclined to think that its comparative rarity in Europe is owing to the mesmeric influence not being at once sufficiently concentrated on the patient, by transmitting it to his brain from all the organs of the operator, and through every channel by which it can be communicated. With the necessary degree of patience, and sustained attention, the following process is so effectual in producing coma, that in

a large enough field, and with properly instructed assistants, it may here be obtained daily, for the purpose of procuring insensibility to surgical operations. No trial under an hour should be reckoned a fair one: two hours are better; and the most perfect success will often follow frequent failures, but insensibility is sometimes induced in a few minutes.

Desire the patient to lie down, and compose himself to sleep, taking care, if you wish to operate, that he does not know your intention: this object may be gained by saying it is only a trial; for fear and expectation are destructive to the physical impression required. Bring the crown of the patient's head to the end of the bed, and seat yourself so as to be able to bring your face into contact with his, and extend your hands to the pit of the stomach, when it is wished; make the room dark, enjoin quiet, and then shutting your patient's eyes, begin to pass both your hands, in the shape of claws, slowly, within an inch of the surface, from the back of the head to the pit of the stomach; dwelling for several minutes over the eyes, nose, and mouth, and then passing down each side of the neck, go downwards to the pit of the stomach, keeping your hands suspended there for some time. Repeat this process steadily for

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a quarter of an hour, breathing gently on the head and eyes all the time. The longitudinal passes may then be advantageously terminated, by placing both hands gently, but firmly, on the pit of the stomach and sides;- the perspiration and saliva seem also to aid the effect on the system.

It is better not to test the patient's condition by speaking to him, but by gently trying if the cataleptic tendency exists in the arms. If the arms remain fixed in any position they are left in, and require some force to move them out of every new position, the process has been successful; the patient may soon after be called upon by name, and pricked, and if he does not awake, the operation may be proceeded with. It is impossible to say to what precise extent the insensibility will befriend us: the trance is sometimes completely broken by the knife, but it can occasionally be reproduced by continuing the process, and then the sleeper remembers nothing; he has only been disturbed by a night-mare, of which on waking he retains no recollection. Here is an instance of this.

July 29th. In the presence of some sixty gentlemen, who came from Calcutta and the vicinity, I to-day cut off an enlarged and ulcerated