1 882. J Hypnotism in Animals. 717 



and like Mesmer applied his skill to the treatment of diseases ; 

 the diseases claimed to be influenced favorably being neuralgia, 

 hysteria, epilepsy and the like. Surgical operations were also 

 performed painlessly during the anaesthesia of the hypnotic state. 

 Teeth pulling, excision of mamma, and even amputations of the 

 thigh, are among the operations performed. Braid published a 

 voluminous book upon the subject, relating his views and expe- 



The third epoch of Mills we are now passing through. The 

 experiments and writings of Heidenhain of Germany, of Charcot 

 and Richer of France, and of Beard, Hammond and Mills in 

 this country, have revived the interest in the subject, and hypno- 

 tism is again being subjected to a rigid scrutiny. 



The subject is one of great interest in itself, not only from a 

 scientific standpoint, but also from the fact that more precise 

 knowledge of the laws governing the phenomena presented may 

 be of practical value. That hypnotism has been used with appa- 

 rent benefit in the treatment of certain diseases, appears in the 

 experience of many writers upon the subject, and it is certain 

 that the anaesthesia thus induced may be taken advantage of for 

 the performance of surgical operations. Recently in an exhibi- 

 tion by Dr. Hammond before a medical society in N. Y., a tooth 

 was extracted without pain, and a subject was burned with a red 

 hot iron without conscious sensation. If the application of hyp- 

 ties of the future that it might supercede the use of such agents 

 as chloroform and ether as anaesthetics. 



In the present' state of knowledge, however, this is impractica- 

 ble, as well also as its use as a therapeutic agent. Although the 

 subject has engaged the attention of investigators for centuries, 

 no acceptable explanation of the manifestations of mesmerism 

 has yet been offered. 



Undoubtedly a large proportio 

 can witness such an exhibition a 



n of the ac 



1 collusion 



, but I thin 



mtly given i 



n W. 



in gton, by Carpenter, without fee! 

 there is an influence at work 

 fathomed. 



ling that a 



which thu 



U is not de 

 3 far has 1 



ceit, t 



Mesmer called it animal mag 



netism, an< 



I claimed it 



lobe 



