Cristy, Animal Magnetism. 219 



cough did. This experience has been repeated a dozen times 

 with her during the past two years. 



As to my methods of operation, they are very simple. I 

 have in this narative indicated them. At first I simply obeyed 

 the directions of my mother and let my hands rest quietly on 

 the spot that was in pain. Then, I rubbed the parts slightly 

 and gently, never in such a way as to produce friction. Then I 

 learned that simply holding the wrists produced the effect, and 

 while I treat a cold, or sore throat, or bruise locally I am not 

 sure that it is necessary. 



I am conscious that there are two distinct classes of people, 

 those who are of the same temperament as myself, and those 

 who are my opposites; the latter I can help. The former I 

 seem to make nervous, or only partly help, or utterly fail to 

 affect. 



When taking the hand of any of opposite temperament I 

 am conscious of a gentle flow of what I call, for want of a 

 better name, " Animal Magnetism" and which I can only de- 

 scribe as a feeling of a current of air or the tingling of the vi- 

 bration of a telegraph wire in the arm and fingers. I am so 

 accustomed to this that in the majority of cases I am indifferent 

 to it, and might be said to be unconscious of it. When, how- 

 ever, I am trying to help one, I can, by the concentration of my 

 will power, increase the positive consciousness of the flow an 

 hundredfold, until my arms fairly tremble with the force of the 

 apparent current. I have found that violent exercise will also 

 enable me to greatly increase the flow, and that by washing my 

 hands and arms in very hot water and dashing with very cold 

 water also quickens it. In short the power seems dependent 

 more on the circulation than the weariness or vigor of my ner- 

 vous system. 



Those who have been treated by me describe the sensa- 

 tions differerently. My wife says the sensation is like a multi- 

 tude of red hot needles flashing through her, and at times has 

 begged me to move my hands for I was blistering her, and in 

 one case there was the appearance of a blister behind her ear 

 when I was treating her for neuralgia. 



Others have not perceived anything, though the marked 

 improvement in their condition was evidence that there was 

 "something" passing from me to them. Others describe the sen- 

 sation as though a gentle pricking, and still others as if a gentle 

 current or vibration like electricity was passing. The sensation 

 is always the same for me, no matter whom I have treated, dif- 



