210 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



The purpose of presenting this paper is to call out facts 

 and experiences which may throw light on this perplexing sub- 

 ject. Mr. Cristy's paper has been abbreviated considerably and 

 may suffer from this treatment but affords a fair view of his ex- 

 perience. We hope it may serve the purpose for which it was 

 written as well as that for which it is especially germain to our 

 pages. 



[Editor.] 



ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 



BY REV. A. B. CRISTY, 



Late of Albuquerqtic, New Mexico. 



It seems strange to me that any one should doubt the fact 

 or value of what is called animal magnetism in its application to 

 the relief of pain, and the cure, or arrest of disease. This 

 power and its daily use has been so constant and familiar an 

 agent in my own life that it is a matter of surprise when men of 

 wide experience, and of trained powers, express both ignorance 

 and incredulity on this subject, especially when so many thou- 

 sands possess the power in a pronounced degree. Surely it has 

 been through ignorance that such are not daily using this power 

 to soothe the weary, relieve pain, or arrest the progress of in- 

 cipient disease. 



In attempting to call attention to this wide-spread gift I am 

 asked to give the simple facts which have been so often repeated 

 in my own life as to seem only natural, as well as such unusual 

 incidents of my own experience as have resulted in marked res- 

 toration, or arrest of disease that had been pronounced fatal by 

 reputable physicians. In the first place, allow me to disavow 

 any superior wisdom as to the source or true explanation of the 

 facts or power which are set forth. The name given may not 

 be the true one; the theories of the schools may not be appli- 

 cable to my experience, but whatever may be averred about the 

 explanation of the facts, let the record be clear as to the actual 

 statement that such facts have occurred constantly over a period 

 of twenty-five years in my personal life, without any attempt to 

 name them, or to explain them in anything like a scientific man- 

 ner. Permit the further statement that I am not affiliated with, 

 nor a believer in, so-called " Christian Science." 



I am not acquainted with the art, or device of mesmerism, 

 or hypnotism, in any degree as a personal experience. I pre- 



