MEDICINE 191 



The Magnet 



Paracelsus was better acquainted than our modern 

 physicians with the therapeutic powers of the magnet, 

 and used it in various diseases. He knew the powers 

 of mineral, human, and astral magnetism, and his doc- 

 trines in regard to human magnetism have been con- 

 firmed to a great extent since the time of his death. 

 More than a hundred years ago Mesmer created a sen- 

 sation in the medical world by his discovery of animal 

 magnetism and by his magnetic cures. His discovery 

 was then believed to refer to something new and un- 

 heard of, but Lessing proved already in 1769 that the 

 real discoverer of animal magnetism was Paracelsus. 



In regard to the powers of the magnetism Paracelsus 

 says : — 



" That which constitutes a magnet is an attractive 

 power, which is beyond our understanding, but which, 

 nevertheless, causes the attraction of iron and other 

 things. Our physicians have always had magnets at 

 their disposal, but they did not pay much attention to 

 them, because they did not know that they may be used 

 for any other thing than to attract nails. Our doctors 

 have ceased to learn anything from experience, and they 

 make use of idle talk ; and it is a pity and a shame that 

 the representatives of our science should know so little. 

 They have every day occasion to see magnets publicly 

 and privately, and yet they continue to act as if no 

 magnets were in existence." ^ 



" They complain of me because I do not follow the 

 methods prescribed by the ancients ; but why should I 

 follow the ancients in things in which I know they were 

 wrong ? They could not know things of which they had 



* The knowledge of the therapeutic use of the magnet has not advanced 

 much since the days of Paracelsus. Baron Reichenbach investigated the 

 subject in a scientific manner, but the result of his experiments is still 

 ignored by the medical profession as a whole. 



