XXXIV. 



is /l&esmerfsm? 



THE air of late years has been full of discussions 

 respecting mesmerism and its use in medical practice 

 or, what is much the same thing, its applicability to 

 the wants of social life when that life has to be minis- 

 tered to for the relief of the ailments which beset it. 



In these latter days, mesmerism is no longer known 

 under that name. It is now designated " hypnotism," 

 and, as such, figures boldly both in the medical journals 

 and in lay newspapers. Some time ago, I became per- 

 sonally interested in the subject, and consented, at 

 the request of my friend Dr. Bramwell, of Goole, to 

 initiate a discussion on the question of mesmerism in 

 medicine in Health, the journal I have the honour to 

 conduct. 



That symposium has proved to be of great interest ; 

 because a large number of eminent medical men have 

 contributed to it, and because of the variation in 

 opinions which the symposium has been the means of 

 eliciting. A remark of mine has also been quoted in 

 the New Review, in an article by Dr. Bramwell and Mr. 

 Lloyd Best, his collaborateur, and has been criticised 

 adversely by these gentlemen. Now that Sir Andrew 

 Clark and others have delivered their opinions on 

 hypnotism, we are certainly free to discuss the matter 

 everywhere, for it is clear that the question whether, 



