DIVISION NINTH. 



MAGNETISM. 



THE SCIENCE APPLIED TO DISEASE. 



Since the reality of the phenomena of magnetism is nov 

 ceded, even by those members of the medical profession who 

 formerly the most skeptical on this point, we think our book would , 

 be incomplete without a fair statement of its powers and meth-ods, 

 and therefore submit the following: 



In the first place, and by way of a general introduction of the 

 subject, we extract from the " Cincinnati Medical Advance," some 

 parts of an address by "W. L. Fleming, M. D., which was read 

 oefore the Homoepathic Medical Society of the county of New 

 York: 



"The term animal magnetism has been applied to a subtle 

 force existing in man, which, it was discovered during the last 

 century, was capable of producing upon certain persons, especially 

 somnambulists, effects similar to those produced by the magnet; 

 hence the name, animal magnetism. 



" I have myself treated many cases of an inflammatory charac- 

 ter, including acute rheumatism, where ordinary manipulation was 

 at first impossible, owing to extreme sensitiveness; but where, by 

 holding the hands lightly over the inflamed part, the sensitiveness 

 has been gradually diminished until full manipulatory action could 

 be carried on with but little or no suffering, and I am happy to add, 

 in nearly every such case so far as my memory serves me, the relief 

 has been prompt and permanent. I have frequently dispersed boils, 

 and in one case a large carbuncle situated in the popliteal space and 

 which had progressed well toward suppuration, by holding the 

 hands upon them and using very gentle manipulation. In one 

 instance, where a patient had submitted to a surgical operation for 

 the removal of a duplicate thumb and was suffering intense pain, I 

 succeeded in entirely relieving the pain for six or eight hours, by 

 slowly passing my hand without contact two or three times from 

 the thumb toward the elbow; when at the end of this time the pain 

 returned, I repeated the operation and the patient suffered no more 

 during the healing process. Again, in the case of a phthisical 

 (consumptive) patient who had long suffered from an obstinate con- 

 stipation and had been in the habit of using enormous doses of pur- 

 gatives to obtain even temporary relief, I simply administered once 

 a day magnetized water; and in two or three days a natural and 



