400 MAGNETISM. 



easy movement of the bowels was obtained, a condition of things 

 which the patient had not before experienced for several years. My 

 method of magnetizing the water was as follows: I held the glass 

 containing the water (as much as the patient desired to drink at one 

 time) in the palm of the left hand, and placing my right hand over 

 and a little above it, with the lingers converged and pointing down, 

 maintained this position from three to five minutes, when the water 

 was sufficiently charged to be administered. 



"And still another instance I can give you from my own exper- 

 ience, clearly demonstrating the existence of some peculiar force 

 capable of exerting a powerful influence upon the human body 

 without the intervention of active manipulation. 



" A gentleman who was visiting at my house, and who had 

 himself experimented considerably with the animal magnetic force, 

 at my request permitted me to try an experiment upon him, which 

 I will here relate. Desiring to ascertain to what extent the nerves 

 could be affected by this force alone and if it were possible by this 

 means to produce local anaesthesia, I placed him in as easy a posi- 

 tion as possible in one chair, with his leg upon another directly in 

 front, and in such a position that there would be no under pressure 

 at any one point. I then made a few passes over the boot and 

 clothing, without touching, from the foot toward the body, and then 

 with my hands encircling as nearly as possible the limb above the 

 knee but without contact, I concentrated my will upon this point 

 with the intent to cut off if possible the nerve supply from below 

 this point. After holding the hands thus for a few minutes, he 

 complained of a prickling sensation which continued for a short 

 time and then ceased. I continued holding the hands in the same 

 position for about fifteen minutes at the end of which time, the leg 

 was completely anaesthetized. There was neither feeling nor mo- 

 tion in it; and it remained in this condition until I made a few 

 passes downward, when the tingling process was gone through with 

 again and the leg was gradually restored to its normal condition. 



" Is there nothing in all this, then, to prove the action of some 

 force independent of mechanical effect? It certainly seems so to 

 me and I could give many more instances within my own exper- 

 ience all tending to demonstrate this fact, and enough evidence of 

 this kind could oe obtained from others, if needed, to fill a volume. 

 But the strongest and clearest evidence in support of the existence 

 of animal magnetism and that the phenomena resulting from its 

 application are due to a fluid or imponderable power (or influence), 

 is to be found in the researches of Baron von Reichenbach on Mag- 

 netism, etc. The testimony of this author upon this point, from his 

 name and standing as a scientist, cannot fail to carry with it great 

 weight. He says: 



" 'And now our investigation has brought us to the portal of 

 what is called animal magnetism. This noli me tangere we shall 

 now be able to seize. When I made a few passes down (with a 



