AxMMAL MAGNETISM. 
G85 
ijideed have carried their views back to the crucifixion, which took 
place on this day ; and hence, until lately, ships were rarely put to 
sea on this day, except on some particular emergency. 
Animal Magnetism. 
This was a sympathy supposed by some persons to exist between 
the magnet and the human body ; by means of which, the former 
became capable of curing many diseases in an unknown way, some- 
thing resembling the performances of the old magicians. The fanciful 
system, to call it by no w'orse name, of animal magnetism, appears 
to have originated, in 1774, from a German philosopher named 
Father Kehl, who greatly recommended the use of the magnet in 
medicine. M. Mesmer, a physician of the same country, by adopting 
the principles of Kehl, became the direct founder of the system ; but 
afterwards deviating from the tenets of his instructor, he lost his 
patronage, as well as that of Dr. Ingenhouz, which he had formerly 
enjoyed. 
Mesmer had already distinguished himself by A Dissertation on 
the Influence of the Stars upon the Human Body,” which he publicly 
defended in a thesis before the university of Vienna; but he was so 
unable to stand before the opposition of Kehl and Ingenhouz, that 
his system fell almost instantly into disrepute. Mesmer appealed to 
the academy of sciences at Berlin ; but they rejected his principles 
as destitute of foundation, and unworthy of the smallest attention. 
He then made a tour through Germany, publishing the great cures he 
performed by means of his animal magnetism, while his opponents 
every where pursued him with detections of the falsehood of his asser- 
tions. Mesmer, still undaunted by so many defeats, returned to 
Vienna; but meeting therewith no better success than before, he retired 
to Paris in the beginning of 1778. 
Here he met with a very different reception. He was first patro- 
nized by the author of the Dictionnaire des Merveilles de la Nature, 
in which work a great number of his cures were published, Mesmer him- 
self receiving likewise an ample testimony of his candour and solid 
reasoning. He soon collected patients, and in April, 1778, retired 
with them to Cretail, whence he in a short time returned with them 
perfectly cured. His success was now as great as his misfortunes had 
been before. Patients increased so rapidly, that he was soon obliged 
to take in pupils, to assist him in his operations. These pupils 
succeeded as well as Mesmer himself and so well did they take care 
of'their owm emolument, that one of them, named M. Deslon, realized 
upwards of 100,0001. sterling. 
n 1779 Mesmer published a Memoir on Animal Magnetism, pro- 
mising afterwards a complete work upon the subject, which should 
make as great a revolution in philosophy, as it had already done in 
medicine. The new system now gained ground daily, and soon 
became so fashionable, that the jealousy of the faculty was thoroughly 
aw^akened, and an application concerning it was made to government. 
In consequence of this, a committee w'as appointed to inquire into the 
matter, composed partly of members of the royal academy of sciences. 
