Mackkchnie. — A My.slcrioKs Tlierajjeulie Agent. 121 



that inenibers uf several scientific societies, by order of the 

 French Goverument, examined into the matter very carefully, 

 and after a most lengthened investigation reported strong!) 

 against the system — in fact, Mesmer was branded as a quack. 

 Science so pronounced itself in those days— justified, no doubt, 

 by its then knowledge. But, as mesmerism was used not only 

 as a curative but as an antesthetic, under which surgical opera- 

 tions were performed without sense of pain to the person 

 •operated upon, it is equally clear that science erred in tlu; 

 conclusion arrived at. It certainly would have been more in 

 accordance witli the facts of the case and the spirit of 

 scientific inquii-y if those statements had been somewhat less 

 emphatic than they were. They had a most injurious effect 

 upon JNIesmer's practice : he disappeared, and died without 

 revealing his secret. Mesmerism then fell into the hands of 

 persons who were far from reputable, and its professors were 

 regarded as schemers and sharpers. 



Many years after Mesmer's death a new theory of the 

 morbid phenomena was enunciated, which was called animal 

 magnetism. Much was written about this new discovery, and 

 its extraordinary effects upon certain persons, and the cures 

 effected by its use. Successful operators were reported to 

 have a strong will, a superabundance of nervous energy, and 

 great power of concentrating it so as to affect persons pos- 

 sessing a weaker organization or a highly nervous tempera- 

 ment. The spell was cast over consciousness by the operator 

 making a variety of passes with his hands around the head 

 and neck of the patient. Some writers averred that, on the 

 passes being made, a stream of animal magnetism, odic or 

 vital force, or wdiatever else they chose to call it, was seen 

 to flow from the operator's fingers towards the patient ; and 

 this was implicitly believed. Not content with these marvels, 

 writers on the subject introduced to the public a great variety 

 of mediums and ethereally-constituted clairvoyants, who 

 could see with spirit-eyes, and give a detailed account of 

 events which happened in the past, or would happen in th(i 

 future. They read the smallest type or closest writing with 

 ease on having the paper placed on the pit of the stomach, or 

 the forehead, or the back of the neck. They claimed to possess 

 the remarkable power of not only leaving their own bodies, 

 but of entering that of any other person and giving a minute 

 account of the health or disease of the body so invaded. 

 Their spirits could roam over the entire earth, make known the 

 most secret things among mankind, confer with the spirits of 

 the dead, and bring back messages to the living. All this, and 

 more, was attempted to be established by the solemn declara- 

 tions of many well-known persons, made in due legal form, 

 and attested ])>' a notary public. I have read in wojidcr 



