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AN
INTRODUCTION
TO
THE STUDY
OK
ANIMAL MAGNETISM
THE BARON DUPOTET DE SENNEVOY.
WITH AN APPENDIX,
CONTAINING
REPORTS OF BRITISH PRACTITIONERS IN FAVOUR OF THE SCIENCE.
" History would be earthy were it not
For spiritual deductions ; but where facts Could be authenticated, I have ever Given faithful record and fair inference, Rearing a superstructure on just grounds."
Cosmo de Medici.
LONDON SAUNDERS & OTLEY, CONDUIT STREET. 1838.
university
LIBRARY, LEEDS.
T. C. Savill, Printer, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross.
A MONSIEUR LE COMTE DE STANHOPE.
MONSIEUR LE COMTE,
Plusieurs mois s'etaient deja ecoules en tentatives vaines pour amener les savants de votre pays a etudier les phenomenes du Magnetisme Animal ; mes nombreux appels a l'examen des fails nouveaux etaient restes sans reponse, et la presse et Topinion que mes experiences du " North London Hospital," auraient du eclairer, s'etaient au contraire dechainees contre moi. Ces obstacles si puissants me paraissaient insurmontables, car alors une seule voix s'etait elevee pour prendre ma defense. Le coeur attriste j'allais renoncer au dessein que j'avais forme de repandre le magnetisme en Angleterre, et porter a un autre peuple la decouverte si im- portante du Magnetisme Animal.
Vous m'encourageates alors, Mr. le Comte ; vous me fites esperer un changement favorable dans
iv
l'esprit de vos concitoyens, et pour la verite dont je me suis fait le defenseur, un meilleur avenir. Conflant dans vos paroles, je restai ; et bientot le concours de medecins distingues, et le votre, Mr. le Comte, vint rendre ma mission plus facile, et applanir quelques-unes des nombreuses dimcultes qui s'etaient opposees a l'execution de mes projets.
Si done la science que je professe s'etablit en Angleterre vingt annees plus tot qu'elle ne l'eut fait peut-etre, si le bien qui doit en resulter pour Fhumanite a deja commence, une partie du tribut de reconnaissance vous appartient sans doute ; et en vous dediant cet ouvrage, j'ai voulu que ce fait ne fut pas ignore.
Veuillez, Monsieur le Comte, recevoir lf assurance de mon profond respect,
Le Baron Dupotet de Sennevoy.
20, Wigmore-street, Cavendish- square, le 7 Mai, 1838.
CONTENTS.
Chapter Page I. History of Animal Magnetism 1
II. Physical Phenomena of Animal Magnetism 29
III. Psychical Phenomena of Animal Magnetism .. . ... 58
IV. Method of Conducting the Magnetic Operation ... 137
V. Precautions to be Observed, and Dangers to be Ap-
prehended, during the Magnetic Operation ... 160
VI. Curative Effects of Animal Magnetism 183
VII. Power of Animal Magnetism. — Magnetism of In-
animate Objects 208
VIII. Testimony of the Ancients 222
IX. Sorcery and Witchcraft 262
X. Royal Touch. — Cures of Greatrak's. — Physiogno-
mical Superstitions 289
XI. Early Writers on Magnetism. — Animal Mag-
netism in England 307
XII. Explication of the Phenomena of Animal Mag-
netism.— Tendency of the Doctrine 329
APPENDIX.
I. Report of Cases treated Magnetically, at the North
London Hospital, by Dr. Elliotson 349
II. Further Report of Cases treated Magnetically at
the North London Hospital 355
Vlll
Page
III. Further Report of Cases treated Magnetically at
the North London Hospital 362
IV. Case of Hysteria treated Magnetically, in Private
Practice, by S. Sandys, Esq., Surgeon, Francis- terrace, Camden-town 367
V. Case of Rheumatism, with Periodical Fits of Deli-
rium, treated Magnetically, in Private Practice, by Thomas Chandler, Paradise-st. , Rotherhithe 372 VI. Case of Epilepsy treated Magnetically, in Private Practice, by J. N. Bainbridge, Esq., Surgeon, 86, St. Martin 's-lane, London 377
VII. Report in favour of Animal Magnetism, by Herbert
Mayo, Esq 379
VIII. Report of the Case of Lucy Clark, treated by Baron
Dupotet de Sennevoy, at No. 20, Wigmore- street, Cavendish -square. Communicated by George Denton, Esq., Surgeon, Tottenham ... 387
PREFACE.
The object of the present volume is to lay before the British public a compendious view of the ele- mentary facts and principles of Animal Magnetism. Hitherto there has been in this country a disincli- nation to entertain this investigation ; but I trust the evidence now adduced will tend to dispel this prejudice, which can only have arisen from the science not having been yet fairly represented.
It is evident that our belief in the facts of any newly-announced doctrine must be derived either from authority, or from direct personal observation. In respect to authority, the most eminent scientific men in Europe have acknowledged the facts of animal magnetism. Among others, Cuvier, La Place, Ampere, Hufeland, Treviranus, Humboldt, Sprengel, Reil, Autenreith,Brandis, Kieser, Gmelin, Georget, Cloquet, Rostan, Andral, Dugald Stewart, Coleridge, &c. ; and by referring to the Appendix of this Volume it will be observed that two of the
X
most distinguished medical professors in this city — Professors Elliotson and Mayo — have also recently convinced themselves of the reality of the mag- netic influence. In addition to these authorities, I may also appeal to the Report of the Commission of the French Academy, which, after a very formal and deliberate investigation, recorded facts in sup- port of animal magnetism, the details of which cannot, I apprehend, be in any way impugned. Hence, if reference to authority fail to command conviction in its favour, at least it should induce those who have not yet studied the science to suspend their judgment until they have investi- gated it.
Again: The appeal to personal observation is open to every inquirer, and can, it is obvious, be obtained only by attending the seances of any pro- fessor of animal magnetism, whether at the North London Hospital, or at my own apartments, where I shall always be happy to afford men of science and literature every facility for the examination of magnetical phenomena. Here, however, I would caution those who attend such demonstrations, not to form an opinion too hastily ; — let them, in parti- cular, beware how they attach importance to negative evidence. It is not pretended by magnetisers that all individuals are equally susceptible of the mag- netic influence ; the best magnetisers will occasion-
xi
ally fail to induce any ostensible effects ; further- more, from my own experience I do not think the phenomenon of somnambulism occurs in more than three out of ten cases, yet the positive evidence is hereby not rendered the less interesting, much less is it in the slightest degree invalidated.
It remains for me to add, that this volume is intended only as an introduction to the study of animal magnetism ; it being my intention to publish, speedily, a more comprehensive and systematic work on the subject.
20, Wigmore-street,
Cavendish-square,
AN
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
OF
ANIMAL MAGNETISM.
CHAP. I.
HISTORY OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM.
In commencing a course of demonstrations in London on Animal Magnetism, I am aware of the many diffi- culties that surround me, and I rely on overcoming them, only upon the truth of the cause I advocate. In Paris, when this new discovery first became the theme of discussion, it was assailed by every species of hostility ; learned professors denounced it from their chairs ; unlearned journalists made it the subject of their flippant pleasantries ; it was turned into ridi- cule on the stage ; and every satirist who could pen an epigram, directed the energies of his wit against it. But animal magnetism could not thus be put down. In the same city, only a few years afterwards, when the shock of political convulsions had subsided, and science and literature again resumed their dominion, the same facts again challenged attention. In vain were they denied ; they were over and over again de- monstrated in the public hospitals, in the presence of a numerous auditory, to the conviction of the most sceptical ; and the force of the evidence alone bore down those official barriers of pre-judgment which so
B
2
often obstruct the path of knowledge. Hence, the Academie Royale de Medecine was in a manner forced, by the cogent remonstrances of its own members, to appoint a new commission to investigate the subject ; and after a most elaborate and scrupulous inquiry, during which every possible source of "fallacy which suspicion could suggest was narrowly scrutinised, the commissioners, many of whom were previously unbelievers, not only attested the truth of animal mag- netism generally, but cited, in their report, facts the most unequivocal, proving the existence of the higher order of the phenomena which its influence induces. In France, this was an important epoch in its his- tory ; but in the meantime, in Germany, Holland, Sweden, Russia, the new science spread rapidly ; so that, at present, public establishments for the practice of animal magnetism exist in many of the most enlightened cities of Europe. Journals report- ing its progress are periodically published ; theses in its favour, by the candidates for medical degrees, are admitted and defended in the schools of medicine ; and among those who, from personal observation, have attested its phenomena, may be enumerated the names of some of the most eminent scientific men of the age. On the continent, such is the present state of animal magnetism ; but in England it is otherwise ; here the subject has not been fairly inves- tigated ; here it is yet only imperfectly understood ; and here, therefore, I expect to encounter the same obstacles, the same prejudices, even the same personal hostility which I had to contend against twenty years ago in Paris ; but so firmly do I believe in the steady and immutable progression of truth, that I enter cheerfully on the task, satisfied that if the most in-
3
credulous of my antagonists will only witness and investigate the phenomena, they will become convinced of their reality.
On my arrival in this city, it was my intention to demonstrate the influence of animal magnetism before the students and medical professors in the public hos- pitals, and for some time, through the kindness of Dr. Elliotson, I was permitted to do so at the North Lon- don Hospital ;* but the managing committee having, in his absence, objected to my continuing my operations at this Institution, I was obliged to seek another arena ; and the apartments I have now selected are sufficiently spacious for the purpose. f This circumstance I do not mention with the intention of imputing blame to any of the parties concerned, but simply from the de- sire of its being clearly understood that I have never evaded confronting the most sceptical members of the medical profession, and have always courted, if temper- ately conducted, the most direct and rigid investigation.
Here, therefore, in the presence of many highly-dis- tinguished visitors, I daily pursue my demonstrations — here I have convinced many of the real existence of the magnetic influence, nay, on several occasions, have magnetised the sceptics themselves, — and here I have succeeded (which is to me a more gratifying reflection) in alleviating the sufferings of many persons afflicted with chronic nervous complaints, which had resisted every ordinary method of medical treatment.
The curative effects of animal magnetism, at an early period, excited the jealousy of the medical faculty in
* Similar experiments are now conducted at the same hospital under Dr. Elliotson's own directions.
t At No. 20, Wigmore -street, Cavendish-square.
4
Paris ; hence, the Academie Royale de Medecine, in the exercise of its royal prerogative of intolerance, issued the following law against it : — " No physician shall declare himself a partisan of animal magnetism, either by his practice or by his writings, under the penalty of being struck off the list of docteurs- regents."* This intolerant decree was dated 27th August, 1784 ; but it was some consolation to the professors of the new science to remember that only a few years previously, in 1745, the same august body had proscribed the practice of inoculation as " murderous," " criminal," and " magical ;" that in 1636, after lengthened debates and expostulations, it prohibited the use of antimony ; and shortly afterwards issued another of its royal mandates against the in- troduction of quinquina, or the Peruvian bark, which the sagacious ecclesiastical authorities alleged could possess no virtues, save what it derived from a com- pact which the Indian who had discovered it must have made with the devil. Hence it would appear, that if learned incorporate associations of science have the advantage of enjoying the collective wisdom of their members, they have also the disadvantage of being encumbered with the aggregate weight of their prejudices ; and accordingly, few discoveries have ever emanated from the bosom of Royal Societies, which, in their anxiety to maintain the retrospective dignity of science, forget the intuitive progress of the human mind. It may be true that the terrors of the inquisition have been abolished, and that the stake is
* Docteur-regent was a dignity, or title, belonging to those dis- tinguished physicians who at that time constituted the Academy of Medicine; they had the right of summoning other physicians before them, and passing judgment on their conduct.
5
no longer the symbol of their tyrannical power ; but such decrees as the above are calculated to perplex, harass, and torment the individuals against whom they are directed. It is clear that the above anathema of the Academie Royale de Medecine against inocula- tion, antimony, Peruvian bark, and animal magnetism, could no more arrest the progress of science, so far as either of these discoveries was concerned, than could the voice of Canute the Great restrain the influx of the tide before him.
The influence of corporeal apposition, either by the touch, the breath, or the saliva, in the cure of diseases, has in all ages been recognised ; but it is to Mesmer* we are indebted for the discovery of animal magnetism ; he systematised its principles — he reduced
* M. Thouret published, in 1784, a work, entitled "Recherches et Doutes sur le Magnetisme Animal," in which he exhausts much useless erudition in endeavouring to prove that the system of Mesmer was altogether borrowed from the ancients. The prin- cipal authorities he appeals to are, Paracelsus, Van Helmont, Goclenius, Burgravius, Libavius, Wirdig, Maxwel, Santanelli, Teutzel, Kircher, and Borel, from whose works he has extracted, entire passages, to prove the identity of Mesmer's and their ideas. A committee of the Royal Society of Medicine was appointed to examine this work, and highly complimented the " industry,'' " depth," and " sagacity," of the learned author ; but, as M. Col- quhoun justly observes, on the same principle, the discovery of the circulation of the blood may be referred from Harvey to Servetus, Cesalpinus, Fabricius, — the discovery of the laws of gravitation from Newton to Lucretius, Democritus, Aristotle, &c. There is scarcely a modern discovery concerning which we may not find some vague sentences in ancient authors which will bear a transla- tion by which it may appear to have been more or less anticipated. But supposing it established that any particular series of facts, in- stead of being a recent discovery, had been noticed by the ancients, the circumstance of the same observations being reiterated only affords a strong presumptive argument in favour of their reality. B 2
6
them to practical application. This eminent indivi- dual was born at Mersburg, in Swabia, on the 23rd of May, 1734, and studied medicine at Vienna, where he attended the lectures of Van Swieten and De Haen, and took his degree of doctor in medicine in 1766. He was a man of quick perception, vivid imagination, and persevering disposition. His inau- gural dissertation, which he published and publicly defended, was on the influence of the planets on the human body,* wherein he maintained that the sun, moon, and fixed stars, mutually affect each other in their orbits ; that they cause and direct on our earth a flux and reflux, not only in the sea, but in the atmosphere ;
* The circumstance of Mesmer having chosen so astrological a subject as that of the influence of the planets on the human body for his inaugural dissertation, exposed him to considerable derision ; but it should not be forgotten that many men of high medical re- putation have not disdained the same inquiry. In 1704, the emi- nent Mead published his Latin treatise " On the Power and Influence of the Sun and Moon on the Human Body, and the Diseases which arise from them." In 1747, Richter published, at Gottingen, an essay " De Potestate Solis Humanum Corpus." In 1795, Balfour put forth a treatise on " Sol-lunar Influence in Fevers ;" and in 1806, Murat another, " De l'lnfluence de la "Nuit sur les Maladies.'' A host of authorities, ancient and mo- dern, to the same effect, might be cited ; in fact, many physicians of the present day believe that sol-lunar influence does affect the course of certain diseases, especially nervous and mental affections ; and even supposing their views concerning the direct nature of this influence to be erroneous, this much is certain, that the human body, in health and in disease, is materially influenced by the vicissitudes of the atmosphere ; and how far the relative positions of the heavenly bodies may disturb its equilibrium, or other- wise affect its conditions, remains yet a curious problem for the study of those interested in meteorology. In selecting, therefore, this subject for his thesis, Mesmer was not guilty of the extrava- gance which many, who are ignorant of the evidence which exists upon it, have attributed to him.
7
and affect in a similar manner all organised bodies, through the medium of a subtile and mobile fluid, which he conceived pervaded the universe, and associated all things together in mutual intercourse and harmony. About this time the mineral magnet was held in much repute as a therapeutical agent, and Father Hell, a Jesuit, and professor of as.ronomy at Vienna, invented steel plates of a peculiar form, which he applied with much success in the treatment of various diseases. The medicinal efficacy of these mineral plates he ima- gined depended on their form ; but Mesmer soon discovered that although their application apparently produced certain manifest effects, yet that he could, without using them at all, by passing his hands from the head downwards towards the feet of the patient, even at a certain distance from the body, induce the same effects. He therefore came to the conclusion that the magnetic property, which he termed animal magnetism, originated in himself, and that he could at pleasure communicate it to organized or un- organized bodies. In 1773 — 1774, he undertook the treatment, on this principle, of a girl named ^sterline, wrho had been several years afflicted with severe con- vulsive fits ; and in this case he thought he observed the flux and refiux of this fluid, and he also noticed that after every crisis she was relieved. He communicated his discovery without reserve, and his method of con- ducting the operation, to Baron de Stoerck, president of the faculty of medicine at Vienna, and first phy- sician to his Majesty. His advice to Mesmer was, on no account to publish his discovery, as such an inno- vation in medical practice would not fail to expose him to the censure and hostility of the faculty. But notwithstanding this admonition, Mesmer adopted, in
8
a variety of cases, the new magnetic mode of treat- ment ; and among the number of his patients was M. Bauer, the celebrated professor of mathematics, at Vienna, who put himself under his care, and publicly- attested the cure he effected.
The erroneous reports which were soon circulated abroad concerning the method he adopted, induced Mesmer to address a letter to the different scientific academies in Europe, wherein he gave an account of his discovery, and solicited their attention to the subject. The Academie des Sciences de Berlin was the only one which deigned an answer to his epistle, and in so doing passed on him the laconic sentence, " Qu'il n'etait qu'un visionnaire." It appears that Mesmer himself could not understand the apathy with which his discovery was treated. " The system," said he, " which led me to the discovery of animal magnetism was not the work of a single day. Long trains of reflection had successively accumulated in my mind. Nothing but my own perseverance gave me the necessary courage to encounter the prejudices of reason and philosophy, without considering myself guilty of great temerity. The cold manner in which the first notions I ventured to publish were received, surprised me ; it was alto- gether so unexpected. More especially did derision appear to me misplaced, proceeding as it did from the learned, and especially the medical, world, — since my system, even had it been entirely destitute of truth, would at least have been as reasonable as any of the systems which are adorned with the name of universal principles. This failure of success induced me to revise my former opinions, and so far from losing by this scrutiny, they reappeared to me clad in the brightest colours of evidence. Indeed, everything
9
convinced me, that in addition to those principles which are admitted in the sciences, others existed which had been neglected ; and I repeatedly said to myself, So long as the principles of the sciences are uncertain or false, the efforts of the greatest geniuses for the happiness and instruction of their fellow-crea- tures can be of no avail. I then compared medical men to travellers who have lost their way, and go further and further out of the right road, instead of turning back to find out their mistake."
In 1775, desirous of further prosecuting his re- searches, Mesmer travelled into Swabia and Switzer- land, and at the public hospitals at Berne and Zurich, in the presence of numerous physicians, performed many remarkable cures. On his return to Vienna, he passed through Munich, where his highness the elector of Bavaria consulted him, and sought an explanation of his reported wonders. Accordingly, he performed the magnetic operation on several patients in his presence, and convinced him of the truth of the doctrine. The Academie des Sciences of Bavaria shortly afterwards elected him a member, an honour which Mesmer, in the present probationary state of the science, could not fail to have appreciated. He therefore, in 1776, made a second journey into Ba- varia, and was equally successful, curing, among many other interesting cases, M. D'Osterwald, di- recteur de lf Academie de Munich, who had been suf- fering under partial amaurosis (loss of sight) and paralysis. He then returned again to Vienna, where he continued treating magnetically a variety of cases, some account of which was published in an anony- mous pamphlet, entitled, " Kecueil des Cures Operees
10
par le Magnetisme. Imprime a Leipsic, 1778." At length, having in the most frank and unreserved man- ner communicated his views and mode of treatment to all in Vienna who cared to be instructed in them, and deeply interested in the success of his discovery, he determined on proceeding to Paris. His reputation had already preceded him, and on his arrival in the French capital, February, 1778, he became the object of general interest and attraction. His doctrines, however, were violently assailed ; the members of the Academie Royale de Medecine summarily repudiated them, and threatened to excommunicate all who adopted or promulgated them ; but in the midst of every description of abuse, satire, and contumely, he maintained a quiet self-possession, which could only have sprung from an inward conviction of the truth of the principles he maintained.
Surrounded as Mesmer was by enemies, both public and private, his unassuming manners, his manifest sincerity, his earnest yet silent enthusiasm, and above all, his benevolent disposition, conciliated for him the esteem of persons of almost all ranks and pretensions. Men of high birth, learning, and scientific eminence, crowded round him, and listened to him with delight ; and many not only became proselytes to his doctrines, but set about advo- cating them with the most unbounded enthusiasm. Among the number of his converts was Dr. Deslon, first physician to the Comte D'Artois, and a member of the Academie Royale de Medecine, who soon threw off the mantle of his allegiance to the tyrannous authority of the Academy, and became one of his most zealous disciples. It is impossible, indeed, to conceive
11
the sensation which the discovery of animal magnetism excited in Paris. No theological controversy in the earlier ages of the catholic church was ever conducted with greater bitterness. On the one side, the adver- saries of Mesmer, closing their eyes to the facts before them, and hurried away by an impetuous party spirit, endeavoured to proscribe the discovery as mischie- vous, false, and heretical ; on the other side, his advocates vindicated his cause with an impatient zeal and sincerity which was equally intolerant of all doubts or explications. One party denied altogether the effects of animal magnetism, or ascribed them to the operation of some very common-place natural causes, while the other, equally indignant, exaggerated the pretensions of the new science, and carried their theories in its defence to an absurd extent. In less than eighteen months, Paris was inundated with up- wards of five hundred controversial pamphlets, — erudi- tion, sarcasm, and wit, alternately assailing and vin- dicating the doctrine. The prohibitory decree above cited of the Academie Royale de Medecine, against those who ventured to practise animal magnetism, was in many cases altogether disregarded, and several of the docteurs-regents who refused to tamper with their consciences, or submit to such a verdict, were deprived of the honours and emoluments of their profession. Among these were Dr. Deslon and M. Varnier, who opposed, in a very able memoir, the decision of the medical faculty against him. This memoir was drawn up by M. Fournel, and accom- panied by the joint opinion of seventeen advocates, who severely and justly deprecated the arbitrary conduct of the medical faculty especially, for exacting an oath from individuals that they never should believe
12
in magnetism, and never become disciples of the sys- tem. Upwards of thirty physicians were so denounced, and among them, M. Dongle, docteur-regent, who has given the following account of his interview with these scientific autocrats : —
" Each of the magnetising physicians received a special summons ; and almost all appeared, and were sent into a separate chamber from the judges. Each waited with impatience his summons, and walked up and down, wondering what was going to happen. At length the usher appeared, and I was first summoned, having that honour, as the eldest of the company. I entered, much surprised at not finding myself followed by any of my companions. I was requested to be seated, and the dean began by inquiring if I had paid anything for the instruction I had received in mag- netism. Surprised at this question, I answered that M. Deslon did not receive money ; that he only admitted medical men to observe and assist him ; that he was in the highest degree respectable, modest, and obliging ; and that of this the faculty were not ignorant. I was interrogated like a criminal, and fancied myself transported to the Great Hall of La Tournelle. They at length concluded by presenting me with a paper which I did not consider myself at liberty to sub- scribe. I declined signing it, and assured the faculty, as a proof of my zeal and deference, that I had not yet discovered in this method a sufficient degree of utility to induce me to make any report on it."* This inquisitorial interview between the physician, already pre-judged, and his court of accusers, was pre-
* From a pamphlet entitled, " Rapport au publique de quelques abus auxquels le Magnetisme a donne lieu. Par M. Dongle, Docteur- Regent. Paris, 1785."
13
cisely analogous to the arraignment of Galileo before the unrighteous judges who condemned him.*
But notwithstanding all this, the practice of animal magnetism soon prevailed to such an extent, that Louis XVI. appointed numerous scientific commis- sions to examine and report on the subject. One of these included Lavoisier, Bori, Bailly, Franklin, Jus- sieu, and many other not less illustrious individuals. The public expected much from such an areopagus ; but these learned commissioners, instead of proceeding on what in this country is called the Baconian method of induction, — instead of restricting their attention to the facts which were laid before them, set about inquiring into the cause by which they were produced. They proceeded to inquire into the existence of the fluid which Mesmer had described, but it escaped their researches. They could not discover it by the sense of sight, touch, or taste ; they could not collect it in masses, nor subject it to any test of mea- surement or weight ; they therefore made a leap in the dark, and came to the conclusion, that animal magnetism did not exist, and that the facts which they had witnessed were occasioned only by imagination, imitation, and manual contact. " L'imagination," said they, " fait tout, le magnetisme animal est nul : imagi- nation, imitation, attouchement, telles sont les vraies causes des effets attribues au magnetisme animal." f
* An anecdote is somewhere told of Galileo, that when he was condemned by the inquisitorial tribunal for demonstrating the revolution of the earth on its axis, in the presence of his judges, he stamped the ground with his foot, and exclaimed, with an air of triumph, " It moves, notwithstanding!"
f Rapport des Commissaires de la Societe Royale de Medecine. Paris, 1784.
C
14
This judgment pronounced by the commissioners was attacked from all quarters. They had, it was evi- dent, substantiated the facts of animal magnetism, and in endeavouring to overthrow the theory of Mesmer had only hazarded another infinitely more untenable. A society existed at Strasburg, which published annals, wherein immediately appeared facts of mag- netisation which the explanation of the Academy could not account for ; and reports to the same effect, from Nantes, Bordeaux, and Lyons, also appeared.
But that which contributed to give the system of Mesmer more stability, and which shook the respect which many might have entertained for the decision of these royal commissioners, was, that M. Jussieu dissented from his brother commissioners, refused to sign the report drawn up by Mauduyt, Audry, and Caille, and drew up a counter-report of his own, wherein he also attested the facts of animal magnetism, and only proposes another theory in explanation of them. Instead, therefore, of these commissioners settling the disputed point as to the existence or non- existence of animal magnetism ; their reports only gave the subject an additional interest. Societies for the investigation and propagation of the doctrine, under the name of " Societes de l'Harmonie," were formed throughout France, Germany, and Switzerland, and many distinguished persons were initiated into its secrets. The Societe de l'Harmonie, at Strasburg alone, was composed of one hundred and eighty mem- bers, and proces-verbaux,* or affidavits attesting the treatment and cure of various cases, were deposited
* With these proces-verbaux, sums of money were also left with the notary a3 a reward for any persons who could detect any fraud or deception in the statements they contained.
15
with public notaries, and printed copies of them dis- tributed in all directions. In the meantime, Mesmer, for the benefit of his health, withdrew to Spa, whither he was followed by numerous persons of rank and fortune, who were still desirous of placing themselves under his treatment. I regret I have not space to enter into further details concerning his personal history ; suffice it to add, that, after receiving a sub- scription, which was raised in compensation for his having devoted his life to the promulgation of so im- portant a discovery, he retired to his native place, where he died, much beloved and honoured, on the 5th of March, 1815, at the advanced age of eighty- one.
While animal magnetism was thus making a steady and rapid progress in France, political events, which shook the foundations of society, absorbed every con- sideration. The French revolution broke out, and threw a temporary cloud over science, literature, and the arts. The Societes de 1'Harmonie were many of them dissolved, and the patrons and disciples of Mesmer, for personal safety, expatriated themselves, carrying with them the discovery of animal magnetism back to its native land, and diffusing its principles through Germany and Holland, Sweden and Russia. Some, too, of the pupils of Mesmer carried the doctrine as far as America : thus do all great truths, in spite of every opposition, gradually become diffused over the face of the civilized globe. When the terrors of the French revolution had subsided, and society in some measure recovered its equilibrium, animal magnetism participated in the advancement of the other sciences. In almost all the university towns of Germany, public lectures on the subject were given ; the Academie des
16
Sciences de Berlin, which had denounced Mesmer as a visionary, now offered a premium of 3,300 francs — 750 dollars — for the best explanatory thesis on the science ; and a public hospital, in that city, for the treatment of patients by animal magnetism, was opened.*
In Prussia, Austria, Bavaria, Russia, laws were passed by the respective governments, prohibiting its prac- tice by all persons, excepting by physicians regularly educated. In France, the discovery by the Marquis de Puysegur of magnetic somnambulism had already thrown an additional charm over its study, and en- riched physiology and psychology with a newly-de- veloped class of facts in the highest degree curious and interesting. Next to Puysegur appeared the Abbe Faria, who opened in Paris an institution for magnetism which attracted the attention of many scientific men. He was himself endued with the magnetic power to a degree which would have appeared incredible, were it not a notorious fact that its intensity augments with exercise. The daily increasing converts to mag- netism attached themselves to this man of wonders ; they listened with interest to his lectures, and learned by his instructions how themselves to conduct the opera- tion. It is impossible to conceive a more direct and conclusive experimentum cruris than this. The mag-
* I am sensible that I ought not to pass over in silence the names of Wienholt, Gmelin, Scherf, Bockman, Kluge, Ennemoser, Lichtenstad, Stieglitz, Wolfahrt, and many other eminent men, to whom the science has been, in Germany, indebted ; but in this little volume I can only give a very brief outline of its history, besides which, I wish to induce conviction by appealing to pre- sent facts, — the phenomena I daily demonstrate, — rather than by reference to any retrospective or collateral evidence, however satisfactory or conclusive.
17
netiser assumed not to himself any exclusive privilege, nor did he pretend to be initiated in any mysterious or incommunicable cabalistic art ; on the contrary, he assured his auditors that they had only to investigate the phenomena to be convinced of their reality, and invited them in their turn to try the operation them- selves, assuring them that they would be as successful as himself, if they only complied with the elementary principles of the science, which are in themselves simple and explicit, and equally intelligible to all. The instructions of the Abbe Faria were by many followed, — his predictions verified : and who that has thus practically studied animal magnetism has ever turned away sceptical from it ?
The foundation of the science having been thus established on evidence the most indisputable, three separate schools of magnetism arose : — 1st, the original school of Mesmer. This prevailed principally in Paris. Its doctrines were very similar to those of the Epicurean philosophy, as described in the poem of Lucretius. Its disciples believed in the existence of the universal fluid above described, and conducted the operation physically, — that is, by passing the hands im- mediately over, or at a short distance from, the body of the patient. 2nd, the school of the Chevalier de Barbarin. This was founded at Lyons, and, although it had many partisans in France, prevailed principally in Sweden and Germany. Its principles remind us of the Platonic philosophy ; its disciples maintained that the magnetic operation depended entirely upon a pure " effort of the soul/' and was to be conducted only upon psychical principles. They were there- fore termed spiritualists. Lastly, the school of the Marquis de Puysegur, founded at Strasburg, the c 2
18
disciples of which, professing to be guided only by observation, called themselves experimentalists. The characteristic feature of this school is, that it com- bines the physical treatment of the school of Mesmer with the psychical treatment of that of Barbarin. That which I consider the best method of conducting the magnetical operation will hereafter be described ; but in the meantime I may observe, that notwithstand- ing the magnetisers divided themselves into these different sects, they all maintained the same funda- mental principles : they differed in theory, but each school agreed in producing the same practical results.
While animal magnetism was thus spreading rapidly in all directions, numerous detached pamphlets and treatises appeared in its defence ; but it was obvious that a good elementary, systematic work on the subject was still wanted. This desideratum was not supplied until 1813, when Deleuze* published his " Histoire Critique du Magnetisme iVnimal." The Author, who held the situation of librarian, and enjoyed the rank of Pro- fessor of Natural History at the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris, was highly esteemed in all classes of society. His scientific knowledge was well known ; his moral integrity unimpeachable ; the book, too, was written in a tone of candour and moderation which carried conviction along with it. No one ventured to chal- lenge the truth of the facts which he described ; but he was forced to pay the penalty of his veracity, inas- much as, on account of his having published this criti- cal history, he was refused admitance as a member
* In the last number of Silliman's American Journal, [October, 1837,] a translation of Deleuze's " Histoire Critique du Mag- netisme," is announced, by Thomas E. Hartshorn, of Providence, Rhode Island, " with notes, referring to cases in America."
19
of the Institute, although he had every qualification which entitled him to the honour. It is really me- lancholy— nay, it is difficult to suppress our indigna- tion— when we see the generous advocates of truth thus assailed by every species of paltry persecution. Ye men of science and literature, who boast of the ad- vancement of the human intellect, and arrogate to yourselves the superior advantage of living in the nineteenth century, be not deceived ; but examine well whether the same desolating spirit of intolerance be not yet abroad, which so long obstructed the pro- gress of science, and cast a withering blight over the fields of knowledge.
But to return. After the appearance of the Histoire Critique du Magnetisme, by Deleuze, many men of the highest scientific eminence felt compelled, by the cogency of the evidence in its favour, to examine the facts ; and the opinions expressed in favour of animal magnetism by Ampere, Laplace, Cuvier, and other men of equal eminence, any one of whose names ought to have silenced the voice of factious scepticism, induced many who were previously indifferent to investigate the subject. This was in 1819; I was then young, and a medical student, a stranger to all the prejudices of another age. I was yet ignorant that physical facts were to be rejected because they were inexplicable, or because they were contrary to received doctrines. On animal magnetism I had already thought and read much ; and, never doubting but that truth would eventually be triumphant, I solicited permission to make experiments at the Hotel-Dieu. My request was granted, and the results published in a little bro- chure, entitled (i Expose des Experiences de l'Hotel- Dieu," which was translated into German and Italian,
20
and passed through three French editions. It may be sufficient to state here that my success was complete. Among other cases which I treated was that of a girl who had been thirteen months in the hospital, suffering from hcematemesis, (vomiting of blood from the stomach,) which had resisted the ordinary methods of medical treatment. In the presence of forty phy- sicians I magnetised this patient, who received such decided and manifest benefit from the operation, that in twenty-seven days she left the Hotel-Dieu perfectly cured. In this case, the vomiting of blood, which had immediately subsided on the first magnetisation, re- turned on its being suspended ; and on the second operation again ceased, and did not afterwards recur. It may be added, that the magnetic treatment induced in this patient all the extraordinary phenomena of somnambulism ; and every trial which incredulity and ingenuity could suggest was had recourse to with the view of ascertaining whether there could be any possible collusion. An account of the phenomena, as they had presented themselves, was afterwards drawn up and signed by MM. Husson, Geoffroy, Rccamier, Briche- teau, Delens, &c, in fact, by all the medical men who were present, and the document was deposited with a notary in Paris. At the Hospice de la Pitie I afterwards performed other magnetic operations, which led to still further trials ; after which, MM. Georget and Rostan, both eminent pathologists, published their observa- tions,— the former in his work on the physiology of the brain, the latter in the article Magnetisme, pub- lished in a medical dictionary, in 1823. Both were prepared for the consequences of their avowal in favour of animal magnetism. They knew that the spirit of the age would be strongly opposed to their
21
assertions, but confided in futurity for the justifica- tion of their opinions.
At the Salpetriere, also, M. Esquirol authorized experiments on the epileptic patients, of whom there were many in the hospital ; and there, also, the mag- netic phenomena were produced in the midst of a crowd of medical men, all anxious to verify, per- sonally, facts of so extraordinary a nature. At the Bicetre a similar scientific investigation was con- ducted ; but it was at the Hospice de la Charite that animal magnetism was most extensively pursued. Here, in the presence of about three hundred medical men, experiments were conducted by Dr. Foissac, which were demonstratively conclusive as to the production of all the higher order of the phenomena. Nearly at the same time other experiments were made at Val-de- Grace. I magnetised there, in the presence of many students and medical men, an epileptic soldier, who experienced very marked effects. A young physician attached to the hospital, M. Desruelles, submitted himself to magnetisation, and the action was so violent that after a few minutes I was obliged to desist operat- ing. Other experiments, equally convincing, were performed in the presence of M. Broussais, and seven or eight other physicians. Dr. Frappart threw into somnambulism a soldier affected with a nervous com- plaint ; and the trials made upon him left no doubt re- specting the power of magnetism. So convinced was M. Broussais on the subject, that he authorized the publication of the facts.
A distinguished young physician, Dr. Bertrand, whose premature death was an irreparable loss to science, established, about this period, conferences on magnetism at his own residence, which were
22
attended by many scientific men. Many members of the chamber of deputies also interested themselves in the progress of the science. M. Chardel, the Comte de Gestas, M. de Lascases, &c, opened their saloons to those who were desirous of being instructed in magnetism ; and the corps medical of Paris were in a manner compelled to give the sub- ject more serious attention. The report of Lavoisier, Franklin, Bailly, &c, in 1784, was no more appealed to as the death warrant of the system ; it was no longer alleged that there was no truth in Animal M.agnetism because these learned academicians had ascribed all its effects to imagination, imitation, contact, &c. The con- stant accumulation of facts which were incontrovertible succeeded in overturning so effectually this long-dis- puted academical verdict, that one of the members of the Academy felt it his duty to propose that a new special commission should be appointed to investigate the subject. This was a perplexing proposition ; the Academy knew not which side to take. It was com- posed of many members who were convinced of the truth of animal magnetism, and many who were un- decided, and desirous of receiving further information. The older members were unwilling that the magnetisers should derive any importance from their decision ; they were even apprehensive that the bare nomination of a committee of inquiry would lead to an impression that they were favourably disposed towards the doctrine ; and several were naturally enough disinclined to disturb, much less to rescind, the decision against it contained in the old report. But the case was urgent ; they there- fore adopted an intermediate course. They appointed a committee, MM. Adelon, Burdin, Marc, Pariset, and Husson, to make a preliminary investigation, and
23
report whether the Academy, without compromising itself, could appoint a new commission. This was surely proceeding with all due precaution, — and what was the result ? The committee convinced itself that the evidence was sufficiently strong in favour of animal magnetism to warrant the Academy in authorising another official investigation; and on the 13th of De- cember, 1825, some months after their appointment, the commissioners, faithful to their duty, presented themselves to deliver their report. There was on that day an excitement among the members in the council room which did not terminate with the sitting. Three days were occupied by the debate, when at length the Academy decided, by a majority of ten, in favour of the appointment of a new commission. Eleven members were therefore nominated — viz., Bourdois de la Motte (the President), Fouquier, Gueneau de Mussy, Guer- sent, Husson, Itard, Marc, J. J. Leroux, Thillay, Double, and Magendie ; and they immediately began their labours by an address to all magnetisers, inviting them to exhibit, in their presence, the effects they professed to induce ; and some hospitals even were placed at their disposal. Very few replied to this ami- cable appeal, because this inquiry gave publicity to those who took part in it ; and many who believed in magnetism, and practised it, were not willing to come forward, as a failure would have exposed them to ridicule.
The chair of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris now resounded for the first time with the language of mag- netism. Professor Rostan pronounced an apologetic discourse on Mesmerism, and described its wonderful effects, in the presence of more than four hundred of his pupils.
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Lhullier Vinslow, in a treatise on Materia Medica, acknowledged the existence of magnetism, without any restriction. Professor Segalas, in his private lectures, also undertook its defence, frankly acknow- ledging that he had been incredulous, but that, having magnetised, he had produced extraordinary phenomena. Marjorlin recommended its employment in certain nervous complaints ; Fouquier did the same ; and magnetising physicians were now seen for the first time since 1784. At this period it occurred to me to give public lectures on the subject, and more than eight' hundred young men received instructions from me — ■ very imperfect, it may be, but nevertheless, they learned what was meant by animal magnetism.
But to return to the proceedings of the newly-ap- pointed commission. Five years having elapsed, and it not having yet accomplished its task, some anxiety was felt as to the motives for so long a delay, and fears were entertained lest there should be any evasion of their duty on the part of the commissioners. Seve- ral magnetisers had presented facts to their notice, and I had also placed myself at their disposal. They had met at my residence several times to witness ex- periments, and I had received their promise that the effects produced before them should be acknowledged. At length, the commissioners announced that they would read their report to the Academy on the 20th of June, 1831. The hall in which the Academy assembled, so empty on ordinary occasions, was crowded that day ; even the passages were obstructed by the curious. It might have been supposed that one of those decrees on which the weal or woe of a nation depends was in agitation. All the members of the Academy, even those enfeebled by age, were at their posts. The
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meeting was then opened, and M. Husson, the reporter of the committee, appeared at the bar with a volu- minous roll of paper in his hand. He spoke in a grave and somewhat measured tone, and began by- reviewing the events which had preceded the nomina- tion of the commission ; he then invoked the memory of the ancient friendship borne by the elder practi- tioners present, to its members ; — he at length came to the point, and related, first, all that had appeared doubtful to the commissioners ; then he cited the facts which could be explained by causes foreign to mag- netism ; and lastly, the positive facts which could only be referred to magnetism itself.- But as the forms of oratory, and the cases already cited, had absorbed much time, the conclusion of the report was deferred until the next meeting.
This was the day of the grand battle ; — I say, battle, for on this occasion there was a general affray among the members of the Academy. While the report was being read, they listened with uneasiness to the facts detailed ; but when the higher phenomena of lucidity were described, a general murmur, not very flat- tering to the commissioners, prevailed, which gra- dually increased, until several Academicians started from their seats, and apostrophised, in unmeasured terms of indignation and contumely, the men who had conscientiously related the facts which they had seen • and attested. An outcry was raised on all sides against the commissioners ; but, without being disconcerted, many members of the Academy, who believed in mag- netism because they had themselves examined it, vindicated them, and retorted : — « You do not believe in magnetism — be it so ; but in this very place the circulation of the blood was denied ; yet
D
26
the blood does circulate ! Here they who practised inoculation were denounced as impostors, and the inoculated as dupes and idiots ; yet was inoculation no imposition or idiotcy ; — here, also, the physicians who first employed tartar emetic were put on their trial, and expelled the Academy ; yet we have now for col- leagues men who employ it in enormous doses !"* Another exclaimed, with stentorian voice, " This Insti- tution ridiculed those who affirmed they had seen stones fall from the sky ; yet meteoric stones do fall !" Thus the sanctuary of science was on a sudden con- verted into an arena of Babel-like confusion, because a few of the learned members of the Academy were not prepared to accredit the facts which the commissioners, whom they had themselves delegated with the inquiry, reported to them. But it was ne- cessary to terminate so turbulent a discussion ; and then came the question whether the report should be published or not, which, after another stormy conten- tion, was decided in the negative. As most of the members, however, wished a copy of it for themselves, it was agreed that a limited number of copies should be lithographed.f
* At that period Ricamier administered tartar emetic in doses of twenty, forty, eighty, and one hundred and sixty grains.
f This report, in 1833, was translated into English by M. Col- quhoun, — an advocate at the Scottish bar, — to whom animal mag- netism in this country is much indebted. He afterwards, in 1836, published the " Isis Revelata/' in two volumes, which pre- sents us with an admirable account of the origin, progress, and present state of the science. This latter work contains a mass of interesting information on the subject ; besides which, it is written in a philosophical tone, and pervaded throughout by a spirit of persuasive eloquence which is as creditable to the feelings as to the judgment of the learned author. It is impossible to conceive any impartial mind rising sceptical after its perusal.
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The Academie Royale de Medeeine thus put on re- cord clear and authenticated evidence in favour of animal magnetism. We have first, be it observed, the favourable opinion, founded on experimental inquiry, of the preliminary committee, appointed to investigate whether the evidence were sufficiently strong to warrant the Academy in appointing a new commis- sion ; we have next the report of the new commission, detailing circumstantially the facts which its members witnessed, and the methods they adopted to detect every possible source of deception. It should also be remembered that many of the commissioners, when they entered on the investigation, were not only un- favourable to magnetism, but avowedly unbelievers,* so that their evidence in any court of justice would be esteemed the most unexceptionable that could possibly be desired. They were inquiring, too, not into any speculative or occult theory, upon which there might reasonably be a chance of their being led away by sophistical representations ; but they were inquiring into the existence of facts only — plain, demonstrable facts — which were in their own nature palpable to every observer. Here there was no ground for evasion ; but I do not seek to convince any persons in this country by appealing to the evidence, satisfactory as it may be, contained in this report, nor do I solicit their belief on the faith of any existing scientific authorities, however high or estimable, — I invite the men of science and letters in this enlightened city to witness
* One of the incredulous members, M. Itard, subjected himself, as will be hereafter seen, to the magnetic action. I operated. The effect was decisive, and convinced all who were present of the reality of the magnetic influence. What further or more conclu- sive evidence could be desired ?
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the phenomena themselves, and critically examine them* If animal magnetism be a fraud or a delusion, let them openly unmask the imposition ; if, on the con- trary, its principles be, as I believe, founded on truth, let them not shrink back on the threshold of a science which opens a new field for investigation, and which promises to confer the most signal blessings on suffer- ing humanity.
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CHAPTER II.
PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM.
The effects of animal magnetism have been described as marvellous, incredible, contrary to the course of nature : this is exaggeration. It is true that many of them are very remarkable, but they are not more extraordinary, nor are they more inexplicable, than many other physiological and psychological pheno- mena which frequently occur in normal and abnormal conditions of the human body. He who would study the philosophy of organisation must expect to meet with marvels ; his path will be infallibly beset by mystery. " The greatest wonder of all wonders," ob- served Lessing, " is, that we are insensible of the wonders that daily surround us." The phenomena of animal magnetism are extremely various, the rea- son of which may be satisfactorily explained. Thus, in the physical sciences, chemistry, electricity, gal- vanism, the conditions being always the same under which certain experiments are performed, the effects may with tolerable certainty be predicated ; but in animal magnetism this is not the case, because the conditions under which the operation is performed can never be precisely similar. The power of the magnetiser, the energy of his volition, and the sensi- d2
bility or constitution of the person operated upon, must in every case vary ; and hence the effect pro- duced must be very much diversified ; yet an intelli- gent eye will not fail to perceive that these varied effects are in reality modifications of the same phe- nomena, resulting from the operation of the same cause, the laws of which may, it is true, be at present only imperfectly understood ; but I am nevertheless persuaded that animal magnetism — that active prin- ciple which we possess, within us, and which, under the energy of our volition, manifests itself by the effects it visibly induces — does possess fixed and con- stant laws, which the progress of knowledge will even- tually reveal to us. Let us not, therefore, in the meantime, indulge in hypothetical conjectures, and fly, as fancy may suggest, from one uncertain theory to another ; but let us restrict our attention to facts which are attested by men who are worthy of credit and competent observers — facts which I profess myself " capable of reproducing whenever the occasion may re- quire it.
The variety of the phenomena which are produced, as above stated, by the magnetic operation, renders it difficult to classify them. I shall, however, adopt the course usually observed in explaining the physical sciences. I shall proceed gradually from the effects which are most simple to those which are more and more complex ; but even this can only be done in an arbitrary manner, because the higher phenomena are often developed in conjunction with those which are much less so ; and on this account, many persons in the commencement of the study are startled, and their incredulity is excited by the appearance of facts which they are not prepared to receive. Such,
31
too, is the disposition of the human mind to theorise, that many set about explaining facts before they are assured of their existence, or can appreciate their specific character, so that many of the higher mag- netic phenomena seem to carry such persons back at once into those remote fabulous ages when every un- usual occurrence was pregnant with mystery, and conjured up phantoms of superstition, which, when the mind is darkened by ignorance, constantly impose on human credulity. But it is well known, that as science advances the light of truth gradually dispels these imaginary prodigies, and those appearances which were once deemed supernatural, lose entirely the character of the marvellous, and become associated with the ordinary phenomena of daily observation. Let those, therefore, who are about to enter on this investigation, not prematurely exclaim, " Extraor- dinary !" " Impossible !" I shall cite no fact that is not well, nay, incontrovertibly established ; not one that I am not myself prepared to demonstrate.
When an individual subjects himself to the mag- netic operation, the change which is thereby produced in his habitual mode of being, is often very sudden and manifest ; but more frequently it is necessary for the magnetiser to persevere for awhile before any ostensible effect is induced. This will depend, it is obvious, on the power of the magnetiser and the sus- ceptibility of the person magnetised ; but although in some cases no effect be externally manifested, it will in the sequel be found that no individual can mag- netise another without producing some change in his organisation ; nay, sometimes the effect of the mag- netic action is not felt until some time after the opera- tion. The symptoms most commonly induced are
32
the following : — slight pricking and winking of the eyelids — an increase, or perhaps diminution, in the pulsations of the heart — a sensible alteration in the temperature of the body — the cheeks sometimes are flushed, or become extremely pale — the expression of the countenance, indeed, undergoes a remarkable change — stretchings of the limbs and deep y awnings succeed — a gurgling noise (borborygmus) is often heard in the throat — the patient is, perhaps, disposed to move, yet feels unable to do so, or experiences an un- usual sense of composure, which is to him a peculiar, an undefined delight — the breathing frequently becomes much affected, and by a singular anomaly, occasionally the circulation increases in rapidity, while the respiratory movements of the chest become less and less frequent. In one case, particularly, which fell under my obser- vation, the pulse previous to the operation was sixty- five, the inspirations twenty-four per minute ; after the operation, however, the pulse rose to one hundred and fifteen, and one hundred and twenty, while the inspi- rations fell to twelve. These are the primary and most simple effects of animal magnetism ; but often, under circumstances which it is previously impossible to determine, phenomena of a more remarkable cha- racter are developed. The eyelids of the magnetisee appear spasmodically affected, and close against his will ; in vain does he attempt to open them, or change his attitude, in order to keep himself awake ; for if the magnetiser persevere, he yields gradually to his influence, and sleep, more or less profound, super- venes. His head, by its own weight, inclines forward upon the chest, or more rarely, is thrown backwards ; his eye-lids are generally half open, and the eye-ball moves slowly in the socket ; its motions may be fol-
33
lowed by the observer, who will perceive it gradually become fixed ; drops of mucus fall from the lips, the limbs become cold, and the respiration audible. If spoken to, the magnetic sleeper may perhaps attempt an answer, and appear manifestly unable to speak, or he will suddenly awake, rub, his eyes, stare round him with astonishment, and recollect what has passed, as we may recal a dream. To disturb any one in this state is highly improper, for convulsive fits may be thereby occasioned ; indeed, the curiosity of the idle, and their wanton interference with persons in a mag- netic state, may, when they are least aware of it, lead to dangerous consequences.
In many instances the magnetic action induces much agitation, and partial or general convulsions, pheno- mena, which are so striking that they naturally at- tracted the principal attention of Mesmer and his immediate disciples. He termed these convulsions crises, because he presumed that during them the disease, thus magnetically treated, underwent a specific alleviation or cure. That these remarkable conditions are induced by animal magnetism, I prove daily, — but, lest my authority should be impugned as ex parte evi- dence, I shall here adduce testimony which may defy the suspicion of the most sceptical, inasmuch as it is the evidence of the commissioners who, in 1784, repudi- ated the theory of Mesmer ; men who were notoriously so hostile to the science that they grasped at every shadow which could throw a doubt upon it.
It is from their memorable report, which was, some years ago, so often cited against animal magnetism, that I extract the following graphic account of the effects which its influence often induces. w The patients," observe the commissioners, " present a spectacle ex- tremely varied, in proportion to their different habits
34
of body ; some of them are calm, tranquil, and un- conscious to any sensation ; others cough, expectorate, are affected with a slight degree of pain, a partial or general heat, and increased perspiration ; others are agitated and tormented with convulsions. These con- vulsions are of extraordinary violence and duration ; as soon as one person is convulsed, several others are affected by the same symptoms. The commissioners saw crises of this kind which lasted upwards of three hours, and which were accompanied by a thick and viscid fluid brought away by the violence of the effort. * * * Nothing can be more astonishing than these convulsions ; he that has not witnessed the scene can have no idea of it, and on beholding it, the spectator is no less struck with the profound repose of one class of patients than with the violence which agitates another. He observes with admiration the various incidents that are repeated, and the sympa- thies that are developed. He sees some patients seek each other with eagerness, and in approaching, smile, converse with all the demonstrations of attachment, and soothe their mutual crises. They are entirely under the government of the person who distributes the magnetic virtue. In vain may they appear to be in a state of extreme drowsiness, his voice, his look, a motion made by him, arouses them. It is impossible not to recognise in these uniform and constant effects an extraordinary influence acting upon the patients, making itself master of them ; and the magnetiser, he who superintends the process, appears to be the common centre whence this extraordinary power diverges."*
* Rapport des Commissaires charges par le Roi de l'examen du Magnetisme Animal. Imprime par ordre du JRoit a l'imprimerie Royale. Paris, 1784. This Report had a very wide circulation ; upwards of 20,000 copies were issued.
35
This, be it remembered, is the concurrent testimony of Lavoisier, Bori, Bailly, Franklin, &c. ; but it is superfluous to dwell on facts which were established in a former age ; I revert to them only because I am anxious that the reality of their existence shall be placed beyond the possibility of a doubt.
It has been already stated that the magnetic operation induces sleep ; it is a state of sleep, however, very dif- ferent from natural sleep ; its phenomena were first des- cribed by the Marquis de Puyscgur, but, in conformity with the plan already laid down, I shall detail its phy- sical conditions before proceeding to those phenomena, which are of a purely psychical nature, and in the highest degree interesting, inasmuch as they reveal to us the manifestations of a spiritual existence, independent of the ordinary instruments of corporeal organisation. In contradistinction to the natural, this has been termed the magnetic sleep, or somnam- bulism, which may be more or less complete, — that is to say, its phenomema may be more or less perfectly developed. In this peculiar state of sleep, the surface of the body is sometimes acutely sensible, — but more frequently the sense of feeling is absolutely anni- hilated. The jaws are firmly locked, and resist every effort to wrench them open ; the joints are often rigid, and the limbs inflexible ; and not only is the sense of feeling, but the senses of smell, hearing, and sight, also, are so deadened to all external impressions, that no pungent odour, loud report, or glare of light, can excite them in the slightest degree. The body may be pricked, pinched, lacerated, or burnt; fumes of concentrated liquid ammonia may be passed up the nostrils ; the loudest reports suddenly made close upon the ear ; dazzling and intense light may be thrown
36
upon the pupil of the eye ; yet so profound is the physical state of lethargy, that the sleeper will remain undisturbed, and insensible to tortures, which, in the waking state, would be intolerable. These may ap- pear startling assertions, and it should be conceded, that in proportion as any alleged facts may appear ex- traordinary, do they demand additional weight of evi- dence to establish them. This state of insensibility, now described, therefore requires to be proved by the most direct positive evidence; it must be evidence, at once clear, unequivocal, and above all suspicion ; it must be evidence, too, that is tangible to those who will entertain the investigation, and this I am prepared to adduce. Can more in reason be desired ? I cite authorities, I refer to scenes which occurred in public hospitals, in the presence of living witnesses, conscientious and competent observers, only because I cannot bring the experiments under the eye of the reader while perusing this page ; but if he choose to visit any of my public seances, he may convince him- self, by personal observation, of the truth of the facts which are here stated ; and I make this appeal, fully sensible how difficult it is to disturb that apathy which scepticism usually engenders, or to excite even the desire of inquiry in minds which have already come prematurely to a conclusion.
Accordingly, I now proceed with the evidence. In 1820, numerous experiments were performed by me in Paris, at the Hotel-Dieu, and many incredulous phy- sicians, attracted by the novelty, witnessed them, and wished to satisfy themselves that there was no decep- tion. To this I assented, and accordingly they pro- ceeded to prove the insensibility of the patients by a variety of tests, many of which were very cruel ; but
37
these experiments were not performed by me ; it was a sort of sacrifice of humanity which incredulity insisted upon, and in the infancy of the science I had no alter- native excepting to permit them, or allow truth itself to be compromised by the refusal. Hence the uncon- scious patients were subjected to the following trials : — their lips and nostrils were tickled with feathers ; their skin was pinched until ecchymoses (bruises) were pro- duced ; smoke was introduced into the nasal passages, and the feet of one female were plunged into a strong infusion of mustard-seed at a high temperature. But not the slightest sign of pain did they evince. The expres- sion of the countenance remained unchanged, nor was the pulse in any degree affected. On being awakened, however, out of the magnetic sleep, they all experi- enced the pain usually attendant on such applications, and were exceedingly angry at the treatment they had received. Many of the physicians who had witnessed this scene, and who were convinced of the reality of the magnetic influence, applied to me to teach them how to conduct the operation, and several very soon acquired the method, upon which they proceeded to convince themselves, by their own personal experi- ments, of the absolute extinction of sensibility in such cases. The means they adopted were on many occa- sions revolting, but the result removed every shade of doubt from their minds. I now, therefore, proceed to adduce their evidence. It is no longer I who attest the facts ; and praise or blame, should either be be- stowed, will be alike inapplicable to me. Here, there- fore, I subjoin the following proces-verbal by Dr. Ko- bouam, who was then attached to the Hotel-Dieu. " I, the undersigned, certify, that on the 6th of
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January, 1821, M. Recamier, on visiting the hospital, requested me to put into magnetic sleep a man named Starin, whose bed was No. 8 of the ward Sainte-Madelaine. M. Recamier first threatened him with the application of moxa,* if he allowed himself to fall asleep, and I caused the patient, much against his will, to pass into the magnetic sleep, during which M. Recamier applied the moxa on the fore-part of the right thigh, which moxa produced an eschar seven- teen lines in length and eleven in breadth ; that Starin did not manifest the least sign of pain, either by crying out, gesture, or variation of the pulse ; that he did not feel the application of the moxa until I had roused him out of the magnetic sleep. Madame Sainte- Monique, the matron of the ward, MM. Gibert, La Peyre, Bergeret, Carquet, Truche, &c, &c, were pre- sent during this seance" Here, also, is another proces- verbal by the same physician. " I, the undersigned, certify, that on the 8th of January, 1821, at the re- quest of M. Recamier, I put into magnetic sleep the woman Leroy (Lise), lying in the bed No. 22 in the ward Sainte-Agnes. M. Recamier had previously threatened that he would apply a moxa to her person if she allowed herself to fall asleep. I, Robouam, then, much against her will, caused the patient to fall into magnetic sleep, during which M. Gibert burned agaric under her nostrils, and this nauseous smell pro-
* The unprofessional reader should be apprised that by moxa is meant the direct application of fire to the body, as a counter- irritant. The down of the mugwort (artimisia chinensis), hemp, flax, any combustible substance, being rolled into a cylindrical form, is lighted, and the point of the flame, by means of a small canula, or blow-pipe, directed on the part.
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duced no perceptible effect ; that afterwards M. Reca- mier himself applied moxa on the epigastric region (pit of the stomach), which produced an eschar of fifteen lines in length and nine in breadth ; that dur- ing the operation, the patient did not shew the least symptoms of suffering, either by cries, gestures, or variation of the pulse ; that she remained in a state of perfect insensibility, and that on awakening from the magnetic sleep, she shewed signs of suffering great pain. MM. Gibert, Crequi, &c, were present at this seance? (Signed,) Robouam, Docteur-Medecin.
The next proces-verbal I shall cite was deposited at the office of JVL Dubois, a well-known notary, at Paris, and refers to a case which was witnessed by MM. Husson, Bricheteau, Delens, and other eminent phy- sicians. But before proceeding, it may be necessary so far to anticipate the psychical details as to observe that the individual in this somnambulic state will often exclaim aloud, converse, sing, and perform a variety of actions, as persons addicted to spontaneous or natural' somnambulism often do, only in a much more perfect or lucid manner. There is also a peculiar relation established between the magnetiser and the magnetisee ; they are said to be en rapport with each other ; in other words, the magnetic sleeper, while absolutely insensible to all other external impressions? is mentally conscious of every act of the magnetiser ; he will hear, even at a distance, the slightest modula- tion of his voice, however inaudible it may be to those around ; but the power of the magnetiser over the magnetisee will be hereafter more fully described. To return, therefore, to the proces-verbal now cited : " Catherine Samson (a young girl of much natural
40
timidity) was put to sleep in about fifteen minutes. Many persons present endeavoured to rouse her by individually, and then altogether, screaming suddenly in her ears. They also struck violently with their clenched fists various pieces of furniture, but could not obtain any symptom of her hearing the loudest noise. 7th September, 1820. She fell asleep in three minutes ; M. Recamier opened her eyelids, shook her violently, grasped her hands violently, struck the table with all his might, pinched her repeatedly, raised her from her seat and suddenly let her fall, — still no change was per- ceptible, nothing which could convey an idea that the patient either heard or felt. When the magnetiser, how- ever, spoke, c;he heard him distinctly. M. Recamier then alternated his voice with that of the magnetiser, but to his voice she was insensible. 10th of November. The patient fell asleep in one minute. Her lips and nos- trils were tickled with feathers, yet she felt nothing. They cried out that she was an impostor, that her conduct was scandalous, and thaf^they would kick her out of the room. Some counterfeited the voice of the magnetiser, but could obtain no answer, nor was any alteration visible in the expression of her countenance. 10th November ; evening. She was magnetised in her bed ; in a few minutes fell asleep, and remained all night in a somnambulic state. The persons ap- pointed to watch her observed that she never moved ; they pulled and plucked out the hair of her head by the roots, but could detect no sign of sensation."
On the 29th December, 1826, in the presence of the commissioners appointed by the x\cademy of Medicine, I was again called upon to magnetise this subject, and her case now attracted considerable at-
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tention, inasmuch as during the discussions which took place in the Academy, in consequence of the proposal to submit magnetism to a new investigation, M. Reca- mier alleged that this girl, whom the magnetisers had professed to have cured, had applied for re-admission into the hospital, where she died. This was not the fact. Six years after her pretended death, she re- appeared, and from the report drawn up by the com- missioners, I subjoin the following particulars : —
" We were first of all desirous of ascertaining whe- ther the individual presented to us by M. Dupotet, whose good faith was perfectly well known to us, was the identical person who, nine years before, had been magnetised at the Hotel-Dieu. MM. Bricheteau and Patissier, who had been present at those experiments, had the goodness to comply with the request of the committee, and, conjointly with the reporter, certified by a document which they signed, that it was the same person who had been the subject of the experiments made in the Hotel-Dieu in 1820, and that they perceived no change in her beyond that which indicated a sensible amelioration of her health. The identity having been thus verified, Mademoiselle Samson was magnetised by M. Dupotet, in presence of the committee. The ma- nipulations had scarcely commenced, when Mademoi- selle Samson became restless, rubbed her eyes, expressed impatience, complained, coughed with a hoarse voice, which recalled to the recollection of MM. Bricheteau, Patissier, and the reporter, the same sound of voice which had struck them in 1820, and which then, as upon the present occasion, pointed out to them the commencement of the magnetic action. Soon after, she stamped with her foot, supported her head upon e 2
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her right hand, which rested upon the elbow-chair, and appeared to fall asleep. We raised her eyelids, and perceived, as in 1820, the ball of the eye turned convulsively upwards. Several questions were ad- dressed to her, and remained unanswered ; then, when new ones were put, she exhibited signs of impatience, and said with ill humour that we ought not to annoy her. At length, without having intimated his inten- tion to any one, the reporter threw down upon the floor a table and a billet of wood which he had placed upon it. Some of those present uttered a cry of terror, — Mademoiselle Samson, alone, heard nothing, made no sort of motion, and continued to sleep after as before the sudden and violent noise. She was awakened, four minutes afterwards, by rubbing her eyes in a circular manner with the thumbs. The same billet was then suddenly thrown upon the floor ; the noise made her start now that she was awake, and she complained bitterly of the fright that had been given her, although six minutes before she had been insen- sible to a much greater noise."
The evidence I shall next adduce is that of M. Bouillet, the Professor of Philosophy at the College of Sainte-Barbe, whose knowledge of the metaphysical, as well as the physical sciences, is well known, and whose moral integrity is above all suspicion. In his letter, dated September, 1823, which was published and widely circulated, he gives the following details : — " Several persons having expressed a desire to witness some magnetic phenomena, after having collected about twenty witnesses, I brought the somnambulist into their presence. This seance was nearly a repeti- tion of the same boisterous scenes which had before
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occurred at the Hdtel-Dieu ; and every possible means was had recourse to for the purpose of making the patient hear others, and preventing her hearing me. She was tormented in a thousand ways without effect, when a young man who was present, having provided himself, unknown to me, with a pocket pistol, with the view of making a decisive experiment, suddenly and unexpectedly fired it off close to her ear. Every person present started, and several ladies, taken by surprise, screamed out violently ; but the somnambu- list was not interrupted in quietly continuing a sen- tence which at the moment she was addressing to me. It should be added that the pistol was fired off so close to her ear that the bonnet and cap of the poor girl were scorched, and some of the powder lodged under the contused cuticle, yet did she remain perfectly insen- sible, although, on being awakened, the sensibility which had been temporarily suspended returning, she felt the most acute pain in the neck, and then disco- vered, with indignation, the state into which, to my deep regret, she had been thrown, and from which, for upwards of a fortnight, she suffered severely."
To this testimony of M. Bouillet, may be added that of M. Husson, President of the Academy of Medicine, who, in his address to that learned Society, observes, — " The operator has succeeded, during this singular state (somnambulism), in producing paralysis, or so entirely closing the senses against all external impressions, that a bottle containing several ounces of concentrated ammonia was held immediately under the nostrils, for five, ten, fifteen minutes, or more, without producing the slightest effect; without im- peding respiration, or provoking sternutation. The skin was perfectly insensible, even when pinched so as
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to leave black marks ; nay, it was absolutely insensible to the burning of moxa, and to the acute irritation of hot water strongly impregnated with mustard, al- though when the skin recovered its normal state, the pain thereby caused was intensely felt." The authority of Dr. Bertrand may be cited to the same effect. " I saw," he observes, " insensibility so decidedly mani- fested in certain magnetic somnambules, that it could be proved by the most conclusive tests. I saw a mag- netiser who used to put his somnambules to sleep before a numerous assembly, and entreat every person present to provide himself with a pin, and thrust them all unexpectedly, at the same moment, into different parts of the body. Accordingly, while the somnam- bulist was on one occasion singing, forty or fifty pins were thus thrust simultaneously into his flesh without causing the least appreciable alteration in his voice."
In the Memoirs of the Academie des Sciences, page 409, we find a dissertation from M. Sauvage-de-la- Croix, on the somnambulism of a girl of Montpellier, wherein the same phenomenon of insensibility is also attested. " I was visiting the ward of the hospital, as usual, at ten o'clock in the morning, and found the patient in bed. She was talking with more vivacity and spirit than she was ever known to possess in her waking state, passing from one subject to another, and seeming to address several of her friends who stood round the bed. What she said seemed to have some connexion with that which she had repeated in her paroxysm the previous day, in which she recited word for word, an instruction, in the form of a catechism, which she had heard the evening before, and in which she made malicious allusions to the moral conduct of some of the inmates, whom she designated by fictitious
45
names, accompanying the whole with the same ges- tures and motions of her eyes, which were open, which she would have done in her waking state, yet was she all the while in a profound sleep. This fact was well attested — nobody entertained any doubt of it ; but considering that I could never venture to affirm it, unless I applied myself to some experimental test, I made repeated trials on all the organs of the senses while she was talking uninterruptedly. First. As this girl had her eyes open, I thought that simulation, if there were any, could not withstand a violent blow in the face ; but this experiment, and a repetition of it, did not make her move a single muscle of the face, it did not even interrupt the thread of her discourse. I tried another experiment, which was, to dart my finger right against her eyeballs, and to hold a lighted candle so close against her eyelids as to burn the eye- lashes, but she did not so much as wink. Secondly. A person who was concealed, suddenly uttered a loud shriek close upon her ear, and made a noise by knocking a stone against her bed ; but this girl, who at any other time would have trembled with fear, shewed not the slightest sign of hearing. Lastly. I put into her eyes and mouth some brandy and spirit of sal ammoniac ; I applied to the eye — the cornea itself — first the tip of a feather, then my own finger, but without any re- sult ; snuff blown into her nostrils, pins thrust into her flesh, the forcible contortion of her fingers, had no more effect on her than upon a machine ; — she never gave the slightest sign of sensation."
The tenth volume of the Bibliotheque de Medecine contains the memoir of a female somnambulist, who was insensible to the lashes of a whip inflicted on her bare shoulders ; and once she had her back well besmeared
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with honey, and in this state was exposed to the sting- ing of bees, under a scorching sun, yet although se- verely blistered, she did not manifest any sign of pain until she was awakened, when she suffered acute agony, and complained grievously of the cruel treat- ment she had experienced.
This state of complete insensibility is also attested by the Report of the French Academy in 1831, from which I subjoin the following extract : —
" M. Foissac magnetised Cazot, who fell asleep in eight minutes. At three different times, a phial full of am- monia was applied to his nose, but he did not awake. M. Fouquier thrust a pin, an inch deep, into the fore-arm ; another was introduced obliquely under the sternum, to the depth of two lines ; a third, also obliquely, into the epigastrium ; a fourth perpendicularly into the sole of his foot. M. Guersent pinched his fore-arm so as to leave an ecchymosis. M. Itard leaned upon his thigh with the whole weight of his body. They endeavoured to excite a tickling sensation by passing a small piece of paper under his nose, on the lips, the eyebrows, the eyelids, the neck, and the sole of the foot ; nothing could awaken him."
It is impossible to conceive any fact more clearly established by human evidence than this perfect insensibility during the magnetic sleep ; but it remains for me to add that painful surgical operations have been performed on patients in this state, who during the whole time never manifestid the slightest sign of consciousness.
In the " Journal de Toulouse," April 5, 1830, the following case is reported : — " We have already witnessed the curious experiments performed at Toulouse, by the Comte de Brivazac ; the document
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which has now reached us, gives an account of a case which occurred in the department of the Gers, at the house of the justice of peace for the canton of Condom, in the presence of several persons, among whom were some of our own acquaintance. Jean
, aged twenty-three years, farmer to M. de la
Bordere, in the before-mentioned canton, was suf- fering from an abscess from congestion on the fore part of the thigh. His medical attendants declared that it was necessary to lance it freely, but that the operation should be conducted with much skill and prudence, because the crural artery ran through the tumour, which was very much enlarged. The Comte de Brivazac, whose power as a magnetiser is remarkable, proposed to throw the patient into a magnetic sleep, whereby insensibility might be super- induced, in order that the pain of the operation, inevitable in a waking state, might be spared the sufferer. His proposition was accepted. At the end of two minutes the patient was thrown into the mag- netic state. His lucidity was not remarkable. He answered the magnetiser that it was in vain for him to try, as he could not perceive his complaint. At that moment, Dr. Larieu began, with great dexterity, the operation. He repeatedly plunged the probe into the opening made by the bistoury, in order to let out the purulent matter, the flow of which was occasion- ally impeded by albuminous flakes. A dressing was immediately afterwards ; applied. During the opera- tion, the patient remained motionless as a statue ; his magnetic sleep was in nowise disturbed, and on the proposal being mooted that he should be brought out of the magnetic "state, M. de Brivazac spontaneously awakened him. M. Roc then drawing near, asked him
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whether he would submit to the operation, to which he replied, " I suppose I must, since it is necessary." M. Roc then informed him that it was unnecessary to recommence, as the operation had already been per- formed. The astonishment of the patient was at its height, when he saw the proofs of it ; for he had seen nothing, felt nothing, and remembered nothing, ex- cepting the act of M. de Brivazac laying the palm of his hand upon his forehead to induce sleep."
On the 16th of April, 1829, the following interest- ing case was reported to the surgical section of the French Academy, by M. Jules Cloquet, the eminent surgeon in Paris, who himself performed the operation. The commissioners of the French Academy, finding, from personal investigation, that the case was fully au- thenticated, considered it their duty to embody it in their Report. " Madame Plantin, a lady sixty-four years of age, residing at No. 151, Rue St. -Denis, con- sulted M. Cloquet, on the 8th of April, 1829, for an ulcerated cancer in the right breast, which she had for several years been afflicted with, and which was com- plicated with a considerable enlargement of the cor- responding axillary glands. M. Chapelain, her ordi- nary physician, who had been in the practice of mag- netising her for some months, with the view, as he said, of dispersing the swelling of the breast, had not been able to obtain any other result than that of producing a very profound sleep ; during which, sensibility ap- peared to be annihilated, while her ideas still retained all their clearness. He proposed to M. Cloquet to operate upon her during this state, and as the latter considered the operation indispensable, he consented, and it was fixed for the following Sunday, the 12th of April. During the two days preceding that of the
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operation, the lady was magnetised several times by M. Chapelain, who, whilst she was in a state of som- nambulism, prepared her to submit without fear to the operation, and even brought her to converse upon it with confidence, although, when awake, she rejected the idea with horror.
" On the day appointed for the operation, M. Clo- quet, on his arrival at half-past ten in the morning, found the patient dressed, and seated in an arm-chair, in the attitude of a person in a tranquil natural sleep. She had returned, nearly an hour previously, from mass, which she was accustomed to attend at that time. M. Chapelain had thrown her into the mag- netic sleep after her return and she then spoke with much composure of the operation she was about to undergo. All the arrangements being made, she un- dressed herself, and seated herself in a chair. M. Chapelain supported the right arm : the left was allowed to hang down.
" M. Pailloux, Sieve interne of the Hospital St. Louis, was employed to present the instruments, and to tie the vessels. The first incision, commencing at the axilla (armpit), was carried round the upper part of the tumour as far as the inner border of the breast ; the second, beginning at the same point, was carried round the lower part of the tumour till it met the first. The enlarged glands were then dissected with precau- tion, on account of their vicinity to the axillary artery, and the tumour was extirpated. The operation lasted from ten to twelve minutes, and during the whole time, the patient continued conversing tranquilly with the operator, and did not give the slightest indication of sensibility ; no motion of the limbs, or of the features ; no change in the respiration, or the voice ; no altera-
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tion even in the pulse could be perceived : the patient never ceased to be in that state of automatic abandon and passiveness in which she had been for some minutes before the operation. It was not requisite even to hold, they only supported her. A ligature was then applied to the lateral thoracic artery, which was opened during the extraction of the glands, and the wound being closed by adhesive plasters and dressed, the patient was put to bed, still in a state of somnam- bulism, in which she was allowed to remain forty-eight hours. An hour after the operation, a slight haemor- rhage appeared, which, however, proved of no conse- quence. The first dressings were removed on the fol- lowing Tuesday (the 14th) ; the wound was cleansed and again dressed, the patient not testifying any sensi- bility or pain : the pulse preserved its ordinary cha- racter. After this dressing, M. Chapelain awakened her, the somnambulic sleep having lasted from an hour before the operation — that is, during two days."
In this case it may be observed that the somnam- bulic state was maintained for an extraordinary length of time ; and then when the patient was awakened, she was again thrown into a similar state. How long this second sleep lasted we are not informed ; but this practice I do not hesitate to deprecate. The mag- netic sleep, accompanied by insensibility, is restorative to the system, if continued for about two hours ; but when it lasts longer, it becomes the source of great excitement, and destroys, rather than restores, nervous energy. From the facts above detailed, it is evident that surgical science should avail itself of this peculiar state to mitigate, or rather supersede, the necessity of inflicting pain during operations ; and thus practically applied, magnetism would be of the most essential
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utility. What is to be the use of this new science? — what good is it to effect ? are questions daily asked ; but we may rest assured, that however ignorant we may be, at the moment of a discovery, of its ultimate utility, yet every new truth will not fail eventually to admit of some practical application, which will con- tribute to the benefit, and the happiness, of mankind. It may have been exclaimed against Franklin — What good purpose can be achieved by drawing down the lightning from Heaven by a paper kite ? Has not one philosopher been already killed by his presump- tuous folly ? What advantage can possibly be derived from these Promethean exploits ? Yet did this disco- very of the electric fluid not only enlarge our views of the constitution of the physical universe, but led to the construction of instruments whereby it admitted of a direct practical application in the treatment of disease which all medical men now appreciate. It is the same with animal magnetism ; its direct utility in causing— what might indeed be esteemed a blessing, — an absolute suspension of physical suffering, during otherwise painful surgical operations is, by the preced- ing cases, distinctly manifest ; its curative power in alle- viating and removing distressing chronic affections which had resisted every other mode of treatment, has been also clearly established ; but it is not possible for us, at present, to raise the veil of futurity, and trace out all the advantages which may hereafter be derived from it.
Hitherto, my attention has been principally confined to the phenomena of insensibility ; but the magnetic action induces other physical phenomena, which are many of them very remarkable. One of these I shall here notice. It is this : — The magnetiser in throwing
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out the magnetic influence, often causes a sort of electrical shock to pass through the body of the pa- tient, who will start as it were convulsively, or a spas- modic contraction of certain muscles will be visible to all the by-standers. A young girl, or rather a child, for she is not twelve years of age, at this moment attends my demonstrations, who is so susceptible of the magnetic influence, that she almost instantly falls asleep, and the approximation of my fingers towards her, causes a short and quick convulsive start, which seems to pervade her whole frame. In another case, a young lady subjected to fits, experiences under the magnetic action, convulsive motions of the shoulders and chest, which are, however, unattended with pain. A gentleman also, who is to me a stranger, has re- cently attended at my rooms to be magnetised for a paralysis of the left side of the face, which was caused by an abscess which he suffered from five years ago. Under the magnetical action, the muscles of the face, especially those of the paralysed side, over which he has no command, are visibly contracted ; the angles of his lips are drawn upwards, and his face assumes almost the character of a mask, and this effect is pro- duced when the magnetic passes are made at a distance of ten or twelve feet from him, even though a screen during the operation be interposed between us.* The
* A medical gentleman, who takes considerable interest in animal magnetism, knowing that Mr. Wright, the patient referred to, was an highly -educated and intelligent gentleman, submitted to him a number of questions, which he succinctly an- swered, concerning the effects produced, the sensations he experi- enced, &c. With a copy of these he has favoured me, and I here subjoin them, premising only that I was not at the time acquainted with the parties, and that none of the questions or answers in any
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same magnetic effect was produced by me in the pre- sence of the French commissioners, who attested it in their report in the following terms : — " It is chiefly on M. Petit, thirty-two years of age, school-master at Athis, that the convulsive movements have been exhi- bited with the most precision by the approach of the magnetiser's fingers. M. Dupotet, in introducing him to the commissioners on the 18th August, 1836, an- nounced that he was easily thrown into magnetic sleep, during which state M. Dupotet could at will, without expressing his intention, by the mere approximation of his fingers towards those parts which the commis- sioners would be pleased to name in writing, bring on
way emanated from me. They were, in fact, only communicated to me while the present sheet was passing through the press.
Q. Are you, independent of the paralysis of the face, in sound health ? Have you ever been affected with dyspepsia, palpitations of the heart, or any nervous affection ?
A. At present I am enjoying a very sound state of health. When my face was paralysed, about five years ago, I had considerable mental anxiety, and great confinement, with a very high pulse, beating often 125 to 130 a minute.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet magnetised you for the first time were you sensible of any immediate effect during the operation?
A. Immediately upon the Baron Dupotet's commencing his manipulations, I felt physically affected by a stream of coldness.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet commences magnetising you, do you feel nervous, or possessed of any vague apprehension that some mysterious or unknown effect is likely to be produced?
A. Having seen the effects produced on other patients, I was fully prepared to experience the same results, to which I attached notions of pleasure rather than of apprehension. The real effect was completely different from what I had expected.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet passes his hands to and fro be- fore your face, does the monotonous movement before you induce any feeling of ennui or mental fatigue ?
A. No. The first marked physical sensation is an irritation of F 2
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the same convulsive movements. The patient was in a short time put asleep, after which, in order to remove every suspicion of any previous understanding between him and the operator, the commissioners handed to M. Dupotet a note, written at the moment, wherein they had specified the parts they wished to be convulsed. Possessed of this instruction, M. Dupotet first directed his hand towards the right wrist, which immediately became convulsed ; he then stood behind the patient and directed his finger first towards the left thigh, then towards the left elbow, and lastly, towards the head. Each of these parts were almost immediately seized with convulsive movements. M. Dupotet then
the diseased muscles of the face, and, almost at the same time, a convulsive closing of the eyes. Nearly the same results are ex- perienced when I am magnetised upon the feet.
Q. During the operation do you appear under an influence, which, independent of all such manipulations, sensibly affects you ?
A. Yes, entirely so.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet communicates this influence what effect has it on your physical sensations? Do you appear to acquire any new element or principle from without?
A. I appear, as I have before said, to receive a coldness, which quickly operates to the expulsion of heat from the interior ; being magnetised for some time, and all things being quiet, this heat is accompanied by great perspiration at all the extremities; for instance, the hands and the feet.
Q. During the operation, and while the paralysed muscles of your face are contracting, are you perfectly conscious of every, thing which surrounds you ?
A. I am nearly as conscious as a man ordinarily is with his eyes closed. I cannot speak. Once or twice my consciousness has been much confined to myself and the magnetiser, having forgotten — I do not mean forgotten, but rather being abstracted from — all other objects.
Q. Do the objects and persons about you appear just the same
55
directed his left leg against that of the patient, which became immediately so much agitated that he nearly fell off his seat. He then directed his foot towards the right elbow of M. Petit, which became violently agitated ; he then stretched his foot towards the left hand and elbow, and violent convulsive movements de- veloped themselves in the upper limbs. One of the commissioners, M. Marc, with the intention of obviat- ing more effectually every possibility of deception, blindfolded the patient, and the preceding experiments were repeated, with a slight difference in the result. MM. Thillay and Marc directed their fingers toward different parts of the body, and provoked some con- as when you are not under the magnetic influence, or do they appear as if seen through some different or new medium?
A. I cannot answer this question experimentally. All I have to remark upon it is, that I can for the most part see, although dimly, the magnetiser's hand ; this sight being rather that of feeling, than what we ordinarily term sight.
Q. During the operation, while under the magnetic influence, are you sensible of any exaltation of your mental faculties, either in respect to your perceptions or apprehensions of pleasure or pain ?
A. I know of no intellectual exaltation. I am quieted, and the longer the influence is continued, the more calm I become.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet magnetizes you at a distance of six, eight, or twelve feet, or through a screen, is the effect which he produces equal in intensity to that which you experience when he is immediately before you ?
A. Yes. There seems to be no difference in the effects result- « ing either from distance or from interposed objects.
Q. When the Baron Dupotet has established the magnetic in- fluence, are you sensible of any loss of self-command ? do you feel in a manner subdued and passive under his control ?
A. Partially so. As I have said, I cannot speak, nor when very powerfully influenced, have I been able to move. This is the physical influence. Intellectually I do not feel the magne-
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vulsive movements ; so that M. Petit always experi- enced, on the approach of their fingers, some convul- sive movements, which were, however, less promptly developed, and more feeble. This occurred whether his eyes were bandaged or not, and these convulsive movements were more marked when the parts ope- rated upon were submitted to the action of a metallic rod, whether in the shape of a key or the branch of a pair of spectacles."
Such are some of the more manifest, or outwardly visible, eifects of the magnetic action ; others of a more occult nature may also be produced ; but these
tiser more powerful than myself. Morally, or feelingly, I am con- scious of a sympathetic peacefulness being controlled, but not forcefully.
Q. Can you describe the kind of power he exerts over you? Does he in the magnetic state appear to you endowed with any preternatural influence, which exalts him visibly in your imagina- tion ?
A. I think I can, though I fear hardly intelligibly. An involun- tary assent to the propriety of a suggestion, if transferred from the intellectual to the physical or to the moral, will describe it. There is a physical and moral passivity to a physical and moral actor.
Q. You have heard of fascination, in the ordinary sense of the word ? Does he rivet your attention so that you cannot escape from the influence ? or do you intentionally yield yourself to it ?
A. The word fascination aptly describes the influence which the magnetiser exerts. With me it is not an intellectual fascina- tion, but only physical and moral.
Q. Have you ever tried by a determined effort of will to resist the operation ? and if so, what has been the result ?
A. Yes; and the result has been very painful ; great exhaus- tion being produced, and prostration of the energies. The breathing was painfully affected, and a cold clammy sweat ejected from the extremities, very different from the glowing perspiration that I am ordinarily sensible of. I felt considerable agitation and
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are so evident to every observer, that, when duly authenticated, their existence cannot reasonably be disputed. It is, after all, be it again observed, only a simple appeal to facts, and that, too, a description of fact so distinct and tangible, that their validity may be tested by every conscientious mind. Finally, it is desirable that these physical manifestations should be thoroughly sifted and determined before proceeding further in this investigation, because they are initia- tory to phenomena of a much higher order, which cer- tainly cannot be appreciated if the more subordinate steps of the induction be left imperfect.
loss of self-control, without finding a'ny peaceful influence in its stead.
Q. How many times have you submitted to the operation ? Do you think the effect of the magnetic influence increases with every successive sitting ?
A. Sixteen times, I think. The influence perceptibly increases, affecting me now more radically, while in the first instance my face was really pained by external contortions. The muscles are now more moved, but less apparently on the surface.
Q. Has the magnetic treatment at all affected your general health ? Does it invigorate the system, or induce lassitude ?
A. I am not sensible of any difference in my general health. I have not slept very well for a few nights, but that might per- haps be attributable to other causes. My friends have remarked a degree of nervous irritation which is not altogether natural to me.
Q. Do you think the paralytic affection of your face better for the magnetic treatment you have undergone?
A. Apparently there is but little difference. I seem to think there is a little more vitality in it.
Q. Has the operation of animal magnetism ever given rise to any unpleasant or disagreeable sensations ? How do you feel after it has terminated ? *
A. I am generally affected with a most comfortable perspira- tion. I am pleased to be magnetised rather than otherwise.
5b
CHAPTER III.
" THE PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM.
In all ages, the human mind has been a perplexing problem for the study of philosophers, who have nar- rowly watched its development in health, its aberra- tions in sickness, and its occasional unclouding in the hour of approaching death.* Still, its laws are only imperfectly appreciated, because the phases through which it passes are constantly obscured by implica- tion with mere physical effects, inasmuch as the im- material is so intimately blended with the material portion of human existence, that the most discrimina- ting observer can scarcely distinguish between phe- nomena that are in themselves purely mental, and phenomena which result from organic action. In other words, man is a being partly physical and partly psychical, — that is to say, an admirably-adjusted phy- sical structure is imbued with a fine spiritual power,
* The unclouding of the mind previous to death, or the prevision of the dying, is a phenomenon manifestly identical with the clair- voyance, or lucidity, of the magnetic somnambulist. Thus does the study of animal magnetism, as we go deeper and deeper into its apparent mysteries, assume a peculiarly sacred interest ; it is the unveiling to us of our spiritual nature, and leads us onward even to the verge of that future state of existence, which all men, as they approach, even the most shallow Pyrrhonists, contemplate with a feeling of awe, not unmingled with apprehension.
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which controls all its movements ; sustainsan exquisite harmony between its different parts ; and establishes, through the media of the senses, an almost infinite va- riety of relations with the surrounding world. The mere automatic mechanism of human existence is thus ani- mated by a spirit-breathing intelligence within, which is necessarily embarrassed and restricted in all its manifestations by the obstruction of those physical Conditions under which it is constrained to develop itself. Hence the conflict or antagonism so continu- ally observed between mind and matter. Such is man in the ordinary or waking state. But during sleep he is presented to us under another aspect. His athletic limbs are thrown into repose, the organs of his senses are closed against all external impressions, and in pro- portion as his physical being sinks into deeper and deeper unconsciousness, the psychical power appears to awaken and energise itself within ; dreams, which memory fails to register, now crowd upon his brain — he becomes restless, speaks, moves, and performs a variety of actions, with a precision and even intelli- gence which he could not in his waking state have commanded.
Such is the natural somnambulist. It may be a mysterious state of being, but it often occurs, nav, all persons are more or less somnambulists ; we all during sleep occasionally shift our positions, carefully adjust the pillow or bed-clothes to make ourselves comfort- able, and perform a variety of trifling actions, of which, at the time, we are perfectly unconscious ; yet these are, in reality, only incipient degrees of somnam- bulism. Again, many of us talk in our sleep, suddenly start up, hold long discourses, and converse familiarly with those who are supposed to be present, and as the
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somnambulic state becomes more perfect, phenomena of a more remarkable character appear.
Hence sleep, the repose of our physical being, is always a state bordering on somnambulism, and as it gradually developes itself, the organs of the senses be- come insensible to all external impressions ; the eyelids are generally closed, or if open, which often happens, the pupil is insensible to light ; the ear, too, may admit the undulations of air, yet it remains deaf to every sound excepting to the voice of the persons with whom the somnambulist may be en rapport, or in direct mental communication ; but notwithstanding all this, the mind, independent of the instrumentality of its physical organs, takes a clear and direct cognizance of the relations of surrounding objects. Hence, such persons will in profound darkness, rise, dress themselves, sit down to study, and perform a variety of actions requiring much dexterity and skill, with unerring precision.
A somnambulist mentioned by Gassendi used to rise, dress himself in his sleep, go down to the cellar, and draw wine from a cask. He appeared to see as well in the dark as in daylight ; but if he awoke in the cellar, or elsewhere, he had to grope his way back again. One night he carried on his head a table covered with decanters, up a very narrow staircase, threading his way along to the intended spot without coming in contact with surrounding obstacles ; and this he did with more dexterity than he could have done when awake. In the Bibliotheque de Medecine we meet with the case of a natural somnambulist, who got out of bed in the middle of the night, and went into a house in the neighbourhood, which was in ruins, and of which the bare walls, with a few insecure rafters running be- tween them, alone remained. He, however, climbed
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to the top of the house, and clambered about from one beam to another, without once missing his hold. In the same work, another somnambulist is described, who dressed himself during the night, put on his boots, fastened his spurs, sprung astride the ledge of a window five stories high, and, fancying himself on horseback, exerted all the energies, motions, and gestures, of a postilion. In this state, persons have been observed to expose themselves in the most pe- rilous positions with impunity ; for when the somnam- bulic state is perfect, there is no apprehension of danger, the gravitation of the body is maintained on the most slender basis, and every motion is determined by a precision so exact and unerring that no unhappy consequences may be apprehended ; but if the som- nambulist be suddenly awakened this self-possession is entirely lost, and the result proves fatal.
Only recently, at Dresden, a young lady was observed walking in a somnambulic state on the roof of a house, and an alarm being given, crowds of people assembled in the street, and beds, mattrasses, &c, were laid in the street in the hope of saving her life, in case of her anticipated fall. The poor girl, unconscious of danger, repeatedly came forward to the very edge of the roof, smiling, and bowing to the multitude below, and occa- sionally arranging her hair and dress. The spectators watched her movements with intense interest and painful anxiety, and after thus moving along uncon- cernedly for some time, she proceeded towards the window from which she had made her exit ; but as she approached it, a light, which had been placed there by her distressed family, startled, and suddenly awak- ened her ; upon which, losing all self-command, she fell instantly into the street, and was killed on the spot.
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The psychical phenomena manifested during natural somnambulism may be all of them curious ; but one, which has been already adverted to, and which is perhaps more remarkable than any other, is that of the transference of the functions of the organs of sense ; thus the faculty of vision is proved most dis- tinctly to exist independent of the eye itself, — that is to say, while the eyes are closed, nay, through intervening opaque substances the mind of the somnambulist still perceives the most minute relations of material objects. In the thirty-eighth volume of the encyclopedia edited by Diderot d'Alembert, &c, an interesting case, in illustration of this fact, is reported, on the authority of the Archbishop of Bordeaux. It is that of a young ecclesiastic who was in the habit of rising during the night, in a state of somnambulism, and writing his sermons. When he had finished one page of his manuscript, he would read what he had written aloud, and revise it. In so doing he made use of the expression " Ce divin enfant" and in reading over the passage he changed the word divin for adorable, and then observing that the pronoun ce could not correctly stand before adorable, he added to it the letter t. In order to ascertain whether he made any use of his eyes, the archbishop held a piece of pasteboard under his chin to prevent his seeing the paper before him ; but he continued to write on without being at all incom- moded. He copied pieces of music while in this state, during which his eyes were observed to be perfectly closed. It also happened that the words were written in too large a character, and did not stand over the corresponding notes ; he soon perceived the error, blotted them out, and wrote them over again with great exactness. Another somnambulist was
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observed by his physician, Francesco Soave, during sleep, in the act of translating from Italian into French ; he looked out for the words, of which he required the meaning, in a dictionary, with as much attention as if awake. On one occasion, his candle was blown out by some of those who watched him, upon which, although other lights were in the room, he im- mediately rose and went into the kitchen to light it again, for he could not see excepting with the candle he had himself lighted. This is a curious fact, shew- ing that he was insensible to every other light ex- cepting that upon which his attention was engaged.
The sense of hearing in natural somnambulism undergoes a similar abolition ; or rather, is equally abnormal. Such persons are insensible to the loudest noises, and yet hear at a considerable distance the voices of those with whom they are in communication. It is related by Soave, that the somnambulist just re- ferred to, heard the conversation, which appeared to be in conformity with the train of his ideas ; but he heard nothing of the discourse which even the same persons held on other subjects. In the transactions of the medical society, at Breslau, the case of a som- nambulist is reported, who, during the paroxysm, could not see when his eyes were forced open — could not smell the most volatile spirit, nor even hear the report of a pistol fired close to him. The sense of feeling would also appear to undergo a similar modi- fication. It is stated by Muratori, that Negretti, a remarkable somnambulist, when struck a blow with a stick on the leg, fancied a dog had touched him, and scolded the animal. On being again struck, he threw a bit of bread to the supposed hound, and called to him by his name. It is further reported of Signor
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Augustin, an Italian nobleman, who was given to som- nambulism, that his servants could not arouse him from his paroxysm by tickling the soles of his feet, or blowing a trumpet in his ear.
Hence, during natural somnambulism, it would ap- pear that the ordinary channels of sensation are en- tirely closed ; the somnambulists see not with their eyes, they hear not with their ears ; but a peculiar and new mode of perception exists. It is also well known that such persons, during their somnambulism, often manifest a knowledge and an intellectual acti- vity which they do not at other times possess. Operas have been composed, and poems written, during this state,* and it is a matter of common ob- servation that school-boys will often rise in their sleep, proceed to the school-room, and succeed in making translations and solving problems which they could not in their waking state accomplish. Henricus ab Heer relates the case of a student, at one of the universities in Germany, who having been very intent on the composition of some verses which he could not complete to his satisfaction, rose in his sleep, and
* " In one of my dreams, (says Voltaire,) I was supping with M. Touron, who composed both the words and music of a piece of poetry, which he was singing to us. In my dream I made these four lines for him.
" Mon cher Touron, que tu m'enchantes, Par la douceur de tes accents ! Que tes vers sont doux et coulants ! Tu les fais comme tu les chantes.
" In another dream, I rehearsed the first canto of the Henriade quite different from what it is ; I dreamed that verses were being sung to us at supper. Somebody said that he had too much wit, I answered that verses are a festival given to the soul, and that ornaments are required at festivals."
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opening his desk, sat down to renew the attempt. He succeeded, and after repeating them aloud, returned to his bed. The faculties, says Richeraud, brought into action by dreams, can lead to a certain series of ideas which we never could have reached in our waking state, and hence mathematicians have, during their sleep, worked out the most intricate calculations, and solved the most difficult problems.
An English physician, Dr. Sibley, relates the follow- ing case : — " It lately happened," says he, " that a young gentleman, about fifteen years of age, from one of the public schools, slept in the same room with me. He chose to go to bed early, and when I came into the same apartment about two hours after, he appeared remarkably intent upon his studies though fast locked in the arms of sleep. I stood some time at his bed side and heard him repeat several lines from Homel- and Virgil, after this, he repeated, with a bold and nervous accent, the whole of the Hebrew alphabet, then turning, seemed to fall into a more composed sleep. The next morning, at breakfast, I related this circum- stance to the company in the presence of the young gentleman, and all were instantly commending the great progress he had made in his studies. The young man instantly declared, that however conver- sant he might be with Virgil and Homer, he had never heard the Hebrew alphabet repeated, nor did he ever know the name of any one of its characters."* " It is very remarkable," says Stelling, in his Pneuma- tology, " that somnambulists who have often been in this state at length attain great clearness of vision ; arise, perform all sorts of work, play on an instrument, if
* A Key to Physic and the Occult Sciences, by E. Sibley? M.D., F.ll.H.S. London.
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they have been taught music, go out to walk, &c., without their bodily senses having the smallest percep- tion of the visible world ; they are then in the state of common sleep-walkers. Thus it happened that while I was at Bremen, in the autumn of 1798, a young woman came to ask advice of me respecting her eyes ; she was a somnambulist, and had herself decided upon consulting me in the crisis ; her mother accompanied her, but she awoke in my presence, and I was there- fore obliged to prescribe the appropriate medicines without her assistance."
" We are," observes Sir Thomas Brown, " somewhat more than ourselves during our sleep, and the slumber of the body seems but to be the waking of the soul. It is the ligation of sense, but the liberty of reason and our waking conceptions do not match the fancies of our sleep. I am no way facetious, nor disposed for the mirth and galliardize of company, yet in one dream, I can compose a whole comedy, apprehend the jests, and laugh myself awake at the conceits thereof. Were my memory as faithful as my reason is then fruitful, T should never study but in my dreams, and this time also would I choose for my devotions. But our grosser memories have then so little hold of our abstracted understandings, that they forget the story, and can only relate to our awakened souls a confused and broken tale of that which hath passed. Aristotle, who hath written a singular tract on sleep, hath not, methinks, thoroughly defined it ; nor yet Galen, though he seems to have corrected it, for those noctambules, or night-walkers, in their sleep do yet enjoy the action of their senses ; we must therefore say that there is something in us that is not under the jurisdiction of Morpheus, and these abstracted and ecstatic souls do
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walk about in their own corpse, as spirits with the bodies they assume, wherein they seem to hear, see, and feel, though, indeed, the organs are destitute of those faculties which should inform them. Thus it is observed, that men sometimes before the hour of their departure do speak and reason above themselves, for then the soul begins to be freed from the ligaments of the body, and to reason like herself, and discourse in a strain above mortality. They term sleep a death, yet it is waking that kills us. It is that death by which we may be said to literally die daily ; a death, which Adam died before his mortality ; a death, whereby we live a middle and moderating point between life and death ; in fine, so like death that I dare not trust it without my prayers."*
When natural somnambulists are awakened from this state, it is a curious fact, that they remember nothing which has taken place during their somnam- bulism ; but when they again fall into the same state, they then recollect everything which occurred in their former fits. The links of the chain are, as it were, re-united, and the memory of one somnambulic state is as continuous with that of the next as if no interval had elapsed between them. In Moritz' Psychological Magazine, Ritter relates the case of a boy ten years of age, who became subject to fits of drowsiness, and fell suddenly asleep whether standing or sitting. In this state he would converse with persons around him, and although his eyes were completely closed, he was able to see and discriminate all objects presented to him. When awakened, he would recollect nothing that had occurred during his sleep, but would talk of
Religio Medici, 2nd part, sect. ii. 12. London, 1656.
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other matters. On his again falling asleep, he would resume the thread of his discourse where it had been previously interrupted ; and again, when he awoke, remembered nothing of the conversation which had taken place during his sleep, although he recollected what had been last said to him when awake. The rule indeed, is, that if somnambulists remember, either dis- tinctly or indistinctly, anything which occurred during their somnambulic state, their somnambulism has been imperfect; and so also in ordinary sleep, the non-recollection or the recollection of our dreams may be esteemed a criterion of our sleep having been more or less profound.
It would be easy to adduce many other interesting and well-attested cases of natural somnambulism; but it is superfluous to accumulate further evidence. From the facts which have been already detailed, it will appear that the following are some of the more obvious psychical phenomena which natural somnambulists exhibit : —
1st. They converse clearly and intelligently with all those persons with whom they are en rapport, or in mental relation.
2nd. They perceive the relations of external objects through some other channel than the organs of sense, through which such impressions are usually conveyed.
3rd. Their perceptions in regard to the objects of their attention are more than ordinarily acute ; but the organs of the senses are closed against other im- pressions.
4th. They manifest a clearness or lucidity of ideas, and a temporary knowledge and intellectual activity, beyond that which they possess in their ordinary waking state.
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5th. They forget when they are awakened every thing which may have taken place during their som- nambulism ; but on returning into the same state, they recollect everything which occurred during their former fits.
These, be it observed, are the characteristic pheno- mena of natural somnambulism, deduced from cases which are thoroughly well authenticated : true, they may be startling, but it should be remembered that such are not to be repudiated because they appear extraordi- nary, nor are they to be disputed because they cannot at once be satisfactorily explained. It is essentially necessary to distinguish between facts and the expla- nation of facts ; the one is purely a matter of evi- dence, the other is an affair of theory. Yet are persons generally inclined — nay, some conceive it an intellectual virtue, to deny the existence of the facts which they do not comprehend. This is a manifest absurdity. We believe in our own existence, yet how little do we in reality understand about it. We speak learnedly of the organs which compose the structure of the ani- mal economy, yet how little is known of the mode in which any one of them performs its functions. Fur- thermore, we discourse in a lofty, philosophical tone, about the attraction of the heavenly bodies, and the laws of gravitation ; yet if the astronomer, in his pride of science, will only bend his eye from heaven to earth, he will find himself unable to explain the simple fact, that one piece of inert matter shall affect another. He may observe accurately enough the conditions under which the phenomenon may appear, but in what the attraction itself consists, he cannot explain. In truth, almost the whole amount of human knowledge rests on the existence of facts which are not understood :
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we may arrange them with admirable precision, in the order of their development, but the intrinsic relation that subsists between them ; the connecting link be- tween cause and effect, cannot be demonstrated. Here our researches end. The inquiring mind, in endea- vouring to ascertain a something beyond the sphere of its comprehension, becomes embarrassed ; — a finite being cannot understand that which is infinite, but must recoil on the brink of that gulf which appears to divide the Creator from the created.
But to return. It was the Marquis de Puysegur, who first induced, or rather, observed particularly, that peculiar state of being which, in contradistinction to natural, is termed magnetic somnambulism. He had been a pupil of Mesmer, and having retired to his estate at Busancy, near Soissons, practically adopted the instructions of his preceptor, and treated mag- netically the sick persons who applied to him. He was a man universally esteemed for his integrity and phi- lanthropy ; he was also a powerful and efficient mag- netiser, and the cures which he wrought were so marked, and so numerous, that the peasantry thronged from all parts of the neighbouring country to consult him. On one of these occasions, he discovered the psychical phenomena referred to ; and so marvellous did they appear, even to him, that in transmitting his memoir to the secretary of the Harmonic Society, at Strasburg, he could not refrain from observing, " The time is not yet ripe for the publication of the facts I have witnessed ; they are difficult to believe, notwith- standing the mass of evidence which attests them ; I therefore beg you will not lend this memoir to any one, for I confide my account of these cases to you only, in order that they may assist you in your reflections, and
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facilitate you in the means of curing, even more success- fully than I have done, during your magnetic trials." It appears, that while magnetising his gardener, he ob- served him fall into a deep and tranquil sleep ; and it then occurred to him, that he would address some questions to him, as he might have done to a natural somnambulist. He did so ; and the man immediately answered him with much intelligence and clearness, upon which he persevered in the magnetic operation, and soon found that he possessed an extraordinary psychical influence over him ; that all further manual movements were unnecessary ; and that without speak- ing he could mentally communicate with, and control, his ideas. " It is from this simple man," says he, " this tall and stout rustic, twenty-three years of age, enfeebled by disease, or rather, by sorrow, and, there- fore, the more pre-disposed to be affected by any great natural agent, — it is from this man, I repeat, that I derive instruction and knowledge. He is no longer, when in the magnetic state, a peasant, who can hardly utter a single sentence, — he is a being, to describe whom I cannot find a name. I need not speak, I have only to think before him, when he instantly hears, and answers me. Should anybody come into the room, he sees him, if I desire it, and addresses him, and says what I wish him to say ; not, indeed, exactly as I dictate to him, but as truth requires. When he wants to add more than I deem it prudent stran- gers should hear, I stop the flow of his ideas, and of his conversation, in the middle of a word, and give his thoughts quite a different turn." He then adds : " I know of no subject more profound, more lucid, than this peasant in his crisis. I have several patients ap- proaching his state of lucidity, but none equal him."
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His delight and enthusiasm on making this discovery were indescribable ; " J'etois exalte au dernier point," says he, and he adds, that he might have fancied himself almost favoured of Heaven, had he not recollected the ungenerous opposition which all the scientific academies in Europe had urged against Mesmer and those who had embraced his doctrine. In a letter to his brother, dated May 17, 1784, he observes — " If you do not come, my dear friend, you will not see my extraordinary man ; for his health is almost quite restored. He has, however, told me, when in a crisis, that he should still need to be touched, and pointed out to me the days, Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, for the last time, &c. I continue to make use of the happy power which I owe to M. Mesmer ; and every day I bless him, for I am very useful, and produce many salutary effects on all the sick in the neighbourhood. They flock round my tree ; there were more than one hundred and thirty of them this morning. There is a continual procession in the country. I pass two hours at my tree every morning. It is the best baquet possible ; not a leaf of it but communicates health ; all feel more or less good effects from it. You will be delighted to see the picture of humanity which this presents. I have only one regret ; it is, that I cannot touch all who come. But my man, or rather my intelligence, sets me at ease. He teaches me what conduct I should adopt. According to him, it is not necessary for me to touch every one ; a look, a gesture, a wish, is sufficient ; and it is one of the most limited peasants of the country that teaches me this. When he is in a crisis, I know nothing more profound, more prudent, and more clearsighted (clairvoyant) than he."
The Marquis de Puysegur was now anxious to com-
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municate his discovery to all those who were interested in the science ; and among others, M. Cloquet, the receiver of finance, attended to witness his experi- ments. (i Attracted, like others," says he, " to this spec- tacle, I went, prepared to be a calm and impartial ob- server, determined to be on my guard against the illusions of novelty and wonder, and firmly resolved both to look and to listen well."
He then describes the proceedings employed by M. de Puysegur for acting upon the patients ; and having related various scenes of magnetisation, adds — " The consummation of this state (the magnetic state) is an appearance of sleep, during which the physical faculties seem to be suspended, but to the advantage of the intellectual faculties. The eyes of the subject are closed ; his sense of hearing is abolished ; he wakes only at the sight of the master {du mattre.) No one should touch the patient during a crisis, not even the chair on which he is seated ; it would cause him much suffering and convulsions, which the master only can calm."
" These patients, during the crisis, possess an ex- traordinary {surnaturel) power, by which, on touching a patient presented to them, on passing their hand even over the clothes, they feel which is the affected viscus — the suffering part ; they point it out, and indi- cate pretty nearly the suitable remedies."
" I was touched by a woman of about fifty. I had certainly informed nobody of my particular complaint. When she had looked attentively at my head for some time, she told me that I had frequent head-aches and a buzzing noise in my ears, which is perfectly true. A young man, one of the incredulous spectators of this experiment, submitted to it, and he was told that his
H
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complaint was pains in the stomach, and obstructions in the abdomen, that this was in consequence of a dis- ease which he had some years previously, which he con- fessed to be in accordance with truth. Not satisfied with this divination, he went to another sleeping phy- sician, about twenty yards from the first, and here he was told the very same thing. I never saw any per- son so completely confounded, for he had evidently come for the purpose of scoffing and contradicting, and not with a view of being convinced/'
" Another singularity, not less remarkable than all that I have just disclosed, is, that these sleepers, who during four hours have touched patients, have rea- soned with them, remember nothing — absolutely no- thing, after the magnetiser has thought proper to disenchant them — to restore them to their natural state. The time that has elapsed between their en- tering into the crisis and that of their coming out of it, is, as it were, obliterated. Not only has the mag- netiser the power, as I have already said, of making himself heard by these somnambulists, but I have fre- quently seen him point his finger from a distance to individuals while in the crisis, and in a state of spas- modic sleep, and make them follow him wherever he chose ; or send them from him, either to their own homes, or to different places which he designed, with- out telling them, — the somnambulists, it should be remembered, having their eyes the whole time com- pletely closed. I have forgotten to mention, that the intelligence of these patients is singularly susceptible. If, at distances by no means inconsiderable, conversa- tion be held offensive to propriety, they hear it, as it were, internally, their minds are disagreeably affected
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by it, and complain of the circumstance ; and this has several times occasioned scenes of confusion to ill- witted jesters (jpour les mauvais plaisants), who in- dulged, at M. de Puysegur's residence, in inconsiderate and misplaced sarcasms."
The discovery of magnetic somnambulism, instead of advancing, rather retarded than otherwise the pro- gress of the science, inasmuch as the facts above stated appeared so startling and incredible, that many held it superfluous even to entertain any consideration of them ; and dismissed them, at once, as idle fictions and knavish impositions. The concurrent testimony, however, of so many individuals, who had no interest whatever in the matter, and whose integrity and powers of judgment could not be impugned, induced many who were incredulous to examine the facts ; and hence observations on this phenomenon have, during the last fifty years, been accumulated in all parts of Europe, even by those very individuals who were originally the most determined and perverse sceptics. I now, there- fore, proceed to describe the phenomena which mag- netic somnambulists exhibit ; but it is proper to observe, that no criterion of comparison can be established be- tween different cases, because men differ as much from one another in somnambulism as they do in their ha- bitual waking state. The Count de Redern, a distin- guished savant, who devoted much attention to animal magnetism, observes, —
" The body is more erect than in the waking state ; there is a marked acceleration of the pulse, and an augmentation of irritability in the nervous system ; the touch, taste, and smell, have become more delicate ; the sense of hearing is affected only by sounds pro-
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ceeding from the bodies with which the somnambulist happens to be in direct or indirect relation, — that is to say, which are in communication through the vital fluid, from having been touched by him and his mag- netiser. His eyes are closed, and have no longer the power of vision ; but he has a kind of sight, which may be called internal, — that of the organisation of his own body, of that of his magnetiser, and of the persons with whom he is placed in relation ; he perceives the dif- ferent parts of them, but in succession only, and ac- cording as he directs his attention to them ; he distin- guishes their structure, form, and colour. He has sometimes the faculty of perceiving external objects by a peculiar kind of sight : they appear to him more luminous, more brilliant, than in the waking state. He experiences a painful reaction of the sufferings of the persons with whom he is in relation ; he perceives their diseases, foresees their crises, has a perception of the suitable remedies, and not unfrequently that of the medicinal properties of substances presented to him. His imagination has a tendency to exaltation ; he is jealous, full of vanity and self-love, and disposed to make use of little artifices to give himself importance. His will is not inactive, but it is easily influenced by the magnetiser. Very striking contradictions are ob- servable between his ordinary opinions and those in his state of somnambulism ; he condemns his own ac- tions, and sometimes speaks of himself as he would of a third person quite a stranger to him. He expresses himself better, has more intelligence, greater powers of combinations, possesses more reason, more morality, than in his waking condition, all the ideas of which are present to him. When the somnambulist returns to
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the waking state, he has entirely forgotten all that he had said, done, and heard, during the fit of somnam- bulism," &c.
" When magnetism produces somnambulism (says M. Husson,) the individual in that state acquires a prodigious extension of the power of sensation. Se- veral of his exterior organs are, so to speak, put to sleep, especially those of sight and hearing, and all the operations dependent on them are performed inter- nally."
<c The somnambulist has his eyes closed ; he neither sees with his eyes, nor hears with his ears : yet he sees and hears better than a waking person. He sees and hears only those with whom he is in relation. He sees only that at which he looks ; and he usually looks at those objects only to which his attention is directed. He is submissive to the will of his magnetiser in all things which cannot injure himself, and in all that does not oppose his own ideas of justice and truth. He feels the will of his magnetiser. He sees, or rather he has a perception of, the interior of his own body, and of that of others ; but he usually remarks those parts only which are not in the natural state, and which dis- turb the harmony of it. He recals to his memory things which he had forgotten in his waking state. He has previsions and presentiments, which may be erroneous in several circumstances, and which are limited in their extent. He expresses himself with surprising facility. He is not free from vanity ; his self-improvement is progressive (il se perfectionne de lui-meme) for a certain time, if guided with discretion ; but if ill directed, he goes astray. When returned to his natural condition, he entirely loses the recollection h 2
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of all the sensations and ideas he had during his state of somnambulism ; so that these two states are as en- tirely strangers to one another as if the somnambulist and the waking man were two different persons."
M. Deleuze, whose important Critical History of Animal Magnetism has been already noticed, gives the following summary of the phenomena of magnetic somnambulism : —
" When magnetism produces somnambulism, the being who is in this condition acquires a prodigious extension in the faculty of sensation ; several of his external organs, generally those of sight and hearing, are inactive, and all the sensations which depend upon them take place internally. Of this state there is an infinite number of shades and varieties ; but in order to form a right judgment of it, we must ex- amine it in its greatest difference from the state of waking, passing over in silence all that has not been confirmed by experience.
" The somnambulist has his eyes shut, and does not see with his eyes ; he does not hear with his ears ; but he sees and hears better than one who is awake.
" He sees and hears only those with whom he is in communication, (en rapport). He sees nothing but what he looks at, (ce quil regarde), and he generally looks only at the objects to which his attention is directed.
" He is under the will of his magnetiser in regard to everything that cannot hurt him, and that he does not feel contrary to his ideas of justice and truth.
" He feels the will of his magnetiser.
" He perceives the magnetic fluid.
" He sees, or rather he feels, the interior of his
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body, and that of others ; but he commonly observes only those parts of it which are not in their natural state, and disturb the harmony of the whole.
" He recovers the recollection of things he had forgot when awake.
" He has prophetic visions and sensations, which may be erroneous in some circumstances, and which are limited in their extent.
" He expresses himself with astonishing facility.
" He is not free from vanity.
" He becomes more perfect of his own accord for a certain time, if guided wisely. He wanders when he is ill directed.
" When he returns to the natural state, he entirely loses the recollection of all the sensations, and all the ideas which he has had in the state of somnambulism, so that these two conditions are as foreign to one an- other as if the somnambulist and the waking man were two different beings.
" Generally speaking," adds M. Deleuze, " the magnetic somnambule perceives innumerable relations in all objects ; he perceives them with an extreme rapidity, and in one minute runs through a train of ideas which to us would require many hours. Time seems to vanish before him ; he himself wonders at the variety and rapidity of his perceptions ; he is in- clined to ascribe them to the inspiration of another intelligence. He now sees this new being within him- self; he considers himself, while in somnambulism, as a different being from himself when awake ; he speaks of himself in the third person, as of somebody whom he knows, submits to his remarks, — to whom he gives advice, and for whom he feels more or less sym-
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pathy. He now hears an intelligence, a soul speaking to him, and revealing what he wishes to know."*
In the Cours de Matiere Medicale, by Desbois de Rochefort, published by M. Lullier Winslow, we find a chapter containing sufficient evidence to enable us to form an opinion on magnetism. The following are some few of the author's observations : —
* Virgil represents the Sybil speaking to iEneas, in the same state in which we now see certain somnambules.
" ' Deus, ecce Deus !' cui talia fanti
Ante fores, subito non vultus, non color unus, Non comptEe mansere comas, sed pectus anhelum Et rabie fera corda tument, majorque videri, Nec mortale sonans afflata est numine quando Jam propiore Dei,'' &c. — .ZEneidos, lib. vi., v. 47.
" ' He comes ! behold the god !' Thus while she said, (And shivering at the entry staid,) Her colour changed ; her face was not the same ; And hollow groans from her deep spirit came. Her hair stood up ; convulsing rage possessed Her trembling limbs, and heaved her lab'ring breast. Greater than human kind she seemed to look ; And with an accent more than mortal, spoke. Her staring eyes with sparkling fury roll ; When all the god came rushing on her soul." — Dryden.
The spirit, it is said, moved with so much force those who slept in ancient temples, that they were ravished out of themselves ; so that they had divine visions of the most extraordinary nature, and could understand various mysteries. When the spirit began to move them, their countenances gradually altered ; their limbs were convulsed; they dropped down as if they had been seized with some falling fit. When lying on the ground, they remained in death-like stillness : sometimes their whole bodies shook in a dreadful manner, at other times they lay still, as if their bodies had lost all power of motion. On awaking from this ecstatic sleep, they related the astounding visions which the spirit had unfolded to them.
" When the Laplanders wish to know what occurs in places
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" It is proved," says he, " that magnetism is a principle entirely unknown in its essence, but demon- strated by its astonishing effects ; that this impal- pable, imponderable principle, the nature of which is unknown to us, though it appears to have some affinity with electricity, is so extremely subtile, that it seems to be transmitted from one individual to an- other by the mere act of volition ; and that, when it
remote from their habitations, they send out their familiar spirit in search of intelligence ; and when they have sufficiently excited their own imaginations by the sound of drums and other musical instruments, they feel a kind of intoxication, during which certain things are revealed to them, which they never could have known in their natural state."
Many similar instances may be found in profane history. Among others, the following, taken from a Treatise on the Rites, Ceremonies, and Mysteries, in use among the Brahmins, written long before the expedition of Alexander in Hindostan. Therein it is recorded that, by a common custom of the country, called matricha machow, they acquire a new life. They consider the epigastric region as the habitual seat of the soul. They move their hands from this part of the body up to the head ; they squeeze and rub certain nerves which, they imagine, correspond with those parts, and pretend that, by such manipulations, the soul is transferred to the brain. As soon as the Brahmin thinks he has reached this state, he believes that his body and soul are reunited to the Deity, and that he has become part of the divine essence.
" Whenever I wish it," says Cardan, f< I come out of my body so as to feel no sensation whatever, as if I were in ecstacy. When I enter this state, or, more properly speaking, when I plunge myself into ecstacy, I feel my soui issuing out of my heart, and, as it were, quitting it as well as the rest of my body through a small aperture formed at first in the head, and particularly in the cerebellum. This aperture, which runs down the spinal column, can only be kept open by very great efforts. In this situation, I feel nothing but the bare consciousness of existing out of my own body, from which I am distinctly separated. But I cannot remain in this state more than a very few moments.
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does operate, it gives rise to a great variety of phe- nomena, the chief of which are, — release from cough- ing, yawnings, a kind of stupor or giddiness, sleep more or less profound, a semi-cataleptic state, con- vulsions, and, finally, a real state of somnambulism, often attended by a kind of transfer of the senses towards the epigastrium, and by an incredible extent sion of sensibility.
" It is this somnambulism, an extreme result of animal magnetism, which allows of, and promises suc- cess, through its known efficacy in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. It is by means of this incom- prehensible, undefinable development of the general sensibility, that magnetic somnambules acquire, without the help of the senses, not only a knowledge of the surrounding objects on which their attention is directed, either spontaneously or by the will of an- other, but also the faculty of distinguishing objects removed at a distance, or placed, with regard to the somnambule, beyond opaque bodies ; and, by conse- quence, to know the economy and functions of their own system, or the systems of the individuals pre- sented to them. The most positive, the most au- thentic, and incontrovertible facts, justify, establish, and guarantee all these phenomena of magnetic som- nambulism, and prove that, under certain circum- stances, the lucidity of somnambules may be of great succour to determine the seat and the nature of diseases, particularly those which come under the denomination of organic diseases." He then gives the nomenclature of those affections in which it has been applied with success.
Here, also, I may cite a passage from the speech of
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M. Chardel, a member of the Academie de Medecine, who, in addressing the Academie during the discussion on magnetism, made the following remarks : —
" Among the phenomena most frequently elicited by the magnetic agency, we reckon, — 1. A profound and protracted sleep, constantly preceding and fol- lowing the production of somnambulism. — 2. The exaltation of the intellectual faculties. — 3. A perfec- tion of the sight, which enables the somnambule to perceive the magnetic fluid. — 4. The faculty of acquiring information on the state of the internal organs," &c. &c.
In a memoir addressed to the Academie de Mede- cine, with the view of inducing that body to take an interest in magnetism, a physician observes, — "By laying the hand successively on the chest and abdomen of a stranger, my somnambulists immediately discover his or her malady ; they moreover indicate whether the cure be possible, easy, or very remote, and what means are to be used, in order to obtain this result by the safest and readiest method, in doing which they never deviate from the established rules of sound medical doctrine. Notwithstanding the apparent mag- nitude of the promise, I am confident that there is no disease, whether of an acute or chronic character, of a simple or compound nature, not one of those the seat of which lies in one of the three splanchnic ca- vities, which cannot be detected, and properly treated by lucid somnambules. I have already made a suc- cessful application of animal magnetism in the treat- ment of many diseases which had hitherto been en- tirely misunderstood, or considered as incurable. I applied it with equal success in ordinary diseases, usually known by their symptoms, progress, and ter-
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mination j and I invariably found that the information supplied by the somnambules bore the stamp of great sagacity, precision, and unerring judgment."
The most extraordinary phenomenon of magnetic, as well as of natural somnambulism, is clairvoyance, or vision without the use of the eyes ; yet no fact has ever been more clearly and indisputably established. It has been already seen, nay, it is a notorious fact, that natural somnambulists enjoy this faculty. It is inexplicable in them — it is equally so in the magnetic somnambulist; but, as I have before stated, we must abide by the evidence of the fact being conclusive, and not wander Out of the path of positive observation to pursue any ignis fatuus theory which imagination may suggest to ex- plain the mystery. It may, indeed, appear tiresome, my adducing so many authorities, and citing so many facts of the same description ; but I have no alter- native ; I am anxious to show clearly that the weight of evidence in proof of their existence is irresistible ; and when I reiterate that I am myself prepared to reproduce the same phenomena, the conditions of the operation being, ceteris paribus, similar, surely the most perverse of my antagonists will allow that no fairer appeal can be made to the common sense and judg- ment of mankind. The cases of vision during mag- netic somnambulism without the instrumentality of the eyes are very numerous, and those which I shall here adduce are selected principally on account of their being attested by living authorities — men who hold a distinguished rank in the faculty of medicine, at Paris, and in other enlightened cities.
The first fact I shall adduce is taken from the Gazette de Sante, and recorded in the Journal de Paris of the 24th Brumaire, an. xiv.
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" The public journals," says the editor, " are now re-echoing the prodigies of a female somnambule of Lyons, who with her eyes shut can read a sealed letter, tell the thoughts, and give an account of the sensa- tions, &c, of another person. The most singular cir- cumstance is, that this woman is of genteel extraction, and that on account of her superior education and independent fortune, she is far above the suspicion of simulating those extraordinary scenes; in addition to which, the most eminent personages, the most learned physicians and scientific men of Lyons, ap- pear perfectly convinced of the reality of these pro- digies."
M. Deleuze, in his memoir on the Lucidity of Som- nambules, gives the following relation : —
" A young patient had read to me, with great fluency, seven or eight lines, notwithstanding her eyes were so covered as to be of no use to her, after which she was obliged to stop, saying she felt much fatigued. Some days after, wishing to convince a few sceptics, whom he could not take with him to the somnambule's residence, he pre- sented to her a box of pasteboard, perfectly shut,, and in which were written these words — amitie sante, bonheur. She held the box in her hand for a long time, experienced much fatigue, and said that the first word was amitie ; but that she could not read the others. On being urged to make fresh at- tempts, she consented, and said, as she returned the box, I cannot see it plainly ; however, I think that the next two words are bonte, douceur. She made a mis- take in these two words ; but, as we see, these words had a very great resemblance with those that were
i
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written, so striking a coincidence could not be at- tributed to mere chance the three written words being, amitie, sante, bonheur, — and those mentioned by the patient — amitie, bonte, douceur."
The next are more recent, and perhaps, therefore, more conclusive attestations.
M. Rostan, professor of the faculty of medicine, well known by his various writings, which have satisfied public opinion as to his merit, might have apprehended a partial loss of the esteem he enjoyed^ by acknowledging the phenomena of somnambulic lucidity. He, however, did not hesitate to do so ; and the article Magnetisine, in the Dictionnaire des Sciences Medicales, contains several extremely curious facts, similar to those I have now adduced. He quotes the observations made upon a somnambule, who told him accurately and repeatedly, the exact hour, by a watch held at the back of her head. The following is an ac- count of this experiment. After having treated of the somnambulic faculties in general, M. Rostan thus proceeds : —
" But if sight be obliterated in its natural organ, it is satisfactorily demonstrated by me that it may exist in various parts of the body. The following is an experiment I have often repeated. It was performed in the presence of M. Ferrus. I took my watch and held it at the back of the head, at a distance of three or four inches from the occiput. I asked the som- nambule whether she saw anything. 4 Certainly,' said she, ' I see something shining ; it gives me pain.' Her countenance was expressive of pain ; and ours bespoke our astonishment. We stared at each other, and M. Ferrus at last broke silence, by observing to
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me, that if she could see something shine she could probably tell what it was.
" What do you see shining ? ' Oh, I do not know I cannot tell.' Look well. 6 Why, it fatigues me so... Why, it is a watch.' Fresh surprise on our part. But if she can see that it is a watch, again said M. Ferrus, she will probably tell us the time. Can you tell what time it is ? i Oh, no, that is too difficult.' Pay attention, and look well. ' Why, I will try...I can, perhaps, tell the hour, but I can never see the minutes.' When she had looked with the utmost attention, she said, < It is ten minutes to eight,' which was then the exact time. M. Ferrus wished to repeat the experiment himself, which he did, with similar success. He altered several times the direction of the hands on his watch ; and when it was presented to her, without our having looked at it, she was right every time."*
M. Georget, another colleague of M. Rostan, af- firms that he observed a somnambulist who exhibited very astonishing phenomena of prevision and lucidity ; " so much so," says he, " that in no work on mag- netism, not even in Petetin's, nor among all the phe- nomena that occurred to my observation, have I ever met with anything more extraordinary."
" All the facts," says Dr. Rostan, " that M. Georget published, I have seen with my own eyes ; many of those experiments were performed at my own house ; we had both no other end in view beyond that of ob- taining information. We were both inclined to doubt."
M. Chardel, also, whom I have already quoted, has recorded, in a work on magnetism published by him four years ago, several instances of the function of sight without the assistance of the eyes.
* Dictionnaire de Medecine. Paris, 1827, Article, Magnetisms
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The following is one of the facts he adduces : — " The somnambule having recovered her senses (for she had just been seized by syncope), called for some water ; I went to take a decanter from the mantle- piece, but it was empty. I took it, for the purpose of filling it, into the dining-room, where I had observed a filtering tank ; I turned the cock, but no water came ; and yet the tank was full. I thought that the cock should first be unstopped, and I did it with a piece of wood which I split off ; but still the water did not come out. I then supposed that the air-hole of the reservoir was obstructed, and as it was very narrow, it was necessary again to split the piece of wood in order to introduce it : but I was not more successful than before. At last I resolved upon filling my decanter with unfiltered water. My somnambule was still in the same attitude in which I left her. She had seen me all the time, had followed all my movements, and detailed them to me without omitting a single circumstance, notwithstand- ing there was between her and me two walls and a parlour, — and my actions included a number of minute details which nobody could have imagined."* M. Chardel proceeds : — " I might adduce many more in- stances of similar sight, and even at considerably greater distances ; but the circumstances would not be more conclusive."
Here also I shall subjoin additional attestations by men no less worthy of credit. — M. Francceur, a distin- guished mathematician, read in 1826 to the Societe Phi-
* " Illi viva acies, nee popula parva, sed ignis
Trajector nebulas, vasti et penetrator operti est."
Aurelius Prudentius. No, the sight of the soul is not confined to a narrow retina ; it is a living fire, a lightning which rends the clouds, and darts into the unfathomable depths of unknown worlds.
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lomatique a memoir, wherein he stated that " He had been at Aix in company with respectable phy- sicians,— namely, with Dr. Despine, chief physician of the watering establishment, who informed him that he (Dr. Despine) had witnessed, for months to- gether, the singular phenomenon of the transference of the senses, and he thought he would serve the cause of truth by making it known to the Society."
In the first observation of this memoir, we read that the patient had the power of seeing, hearing, and smelling, with her fingers. The second is much more curious ; it was made on the daughter of a certain gentleman, who enjoys the esteem of the whole town of Grenoble, where he lives in retirement. He did all in his power to conceal the malady of his daughter, which gave him great pain, and constantly refused to admit visitors inquiring after her.
Among the various states presented by this malady and minutely described by Dr. Despine, he insists, in particular, on somnambulism ; and I shall here trans- cribe, verbatim, the most positive passage on the trans- position of the function of sight.
" Not only did our patient hear with the palm of her hands, but we saw her read, without the help of her eyes, and with the extremities of her fingers, which she rapidly agitated over the page which she intended to read, and without touching it, as if to multiply the feeling surfaces ; she thus read a whole page of a novel by Montholieu.
6\ At other times we saw her single out of a parcel containing upwards of thirty letters, one which had been pointed out to her, and read on the dial, and through the glass of a watch the hour indicated by the hands ; she also wrote several letters, corrected i 2
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them by a second reading, marking the mistakes as she went on, and recopied one of them, word for word. During all these operations, a thick pasteboard screen intercepted in the most effectual manner every visual ray that might have reached the eye.
u The same phenomenon took place at the sole of the feet, and at the epigastrium ; and the patient seemed to experience a painful sensation when simply touched."
Other minutely detailed accounts of sight without the assistance of the eyes, will be found in a memoir by Dr. Delpit, on two nervous affections.* " One of the patients read," says the author, " and that very dis- tinctly, when her eyes were hermetically closed, and by running her fingers over the letters. I made her read printed characters in this manner, both in the open day -light or in the most profound darkness, on opening the first book that came into my hand ; and oftentimes written characters, by giving her sundry notes, which I had prepared previous to my coming. Whether the sense of sight was in her case supplied by that of touch, I cannot tell ; but I affirm that she read fluently by running her fingers over the letters."
Here is assuredly conclusive evidence, given by a man under whose observation the facts unexpectedly fell, without his seeking them, or even suspecting the possibility of their existence, and who, being struck by their inconceivable singularity, took up his pen to re- cord what he had seen.
In the very short remarks affixed to the preceding observations of M. Delpit, he refers the reader to the authority of many well known writers, and particularly to M. Dumas. " Five years ago," says this celebrated
* Bibliotheque MSdicale, t. 56, p. 308.
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author, " a young female, who came from the de- partment of Ardeche to Montpellier to consult the physician about an hysterical affection, accompanied by catalepsy, exhibited a most extraordinary pheno- menon. She experienced, during the whole period of her attacks, so great a concentration of sensibility to- wards the precordial region, that her organs of sense seemed as if they had been transported to that part.' She referred to the stomach all the sensations of sight, hearing, and smelling, which were then no longer pro- duced through the usual organs." This rare pheno- menon, observed in a subject highly interesting in every respect, was a matter of serious attention for the medical profession, and of intense curiosity for the public at large.
" I am fully aware," says M. Delpit, " that facts of this nature, in direct opposition to all the known laws of physical science, could not obtain, without much difficulty and restriction, the sanction of prudent men, who apprehend being led into error. But if we mul- tiply observations on this subject, if we ascertain with scrupulous exactness the least circumstances of each observation, we must finally acknowledge, not only the possibility, but the existence, of a phenomenon which appears so marvellous merely from our not having seen many facts with which it could bear comparison."
These are recent facts, and of such a nature as to preclude the possibility of our being deceived ; they are testimonials furnished by living writers, men far above every suspicion of imposture.
It would be difficult, indeed, to discover any mo- tives which could lead to such assertions, had not the facts stated been quite evident. Besides, they are of
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daily occurrence. The following is an observation published in the Gazette de Sante, of September 1829 : " There is now, in M. Fouquier's wards, a patient in whose case animal magnetism has developed the most curious and, in some points, incredible pheno- mena. Without siding with the lovers of the mar- vellous, it is incumbent upon us to record individual facts when duly authenticated. Now, the facts which we are about to relate having been witnessed by a large number of spectators, we presume we may pre- sent them to our readers as being entitled to their confidence.
" Petronille Leclerc, twenty-six years of age, seam- stress, entered the Charite to be treated for a spas- modic cerebral affection bordering on epilepsy. She was of an exceedingly nervous temperament, very pale, exhausted by former sufferings, and extremely irritable. She had been seized, after a violent fit of anger, with a turning upwards of the eyeballs, in which position they remained fixed, and resisted all sorts of remedies. The idea occurred to M. Sbire, her medical attendant, of trying the application of magnetism. He made the first trial on the 29th of August last, and subsequently repeated it many times. The most remarkable circumstances of this treatment were noted down, and some of them oc- curred in our own presence. The following is an account of them : —
" At the first sitting, the somnambule gave several proofs of lucidity. The gentleman who had mag- netised her presented to her various objects, such as a flask, some sugar, and bread, which she perfectly dis- criminated without seeing them, for her eyes were bandaged ; and, moreover, in order to answer the ques-
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tions put to her, she generally turned her head on the opposite side, and buried her face in her pillow. Once, without being questioned, she said to the same person, who was holding her hand, 4 You have a head-ache,' which was really the fact ; but, with the view of per- plexing her, the student told her she had made a mis- take. 4 That is very singular,' said she, 4 then I must have touched somebody who has a head-ache, for I felt it well.' She also distinguished several individuals pre- sent by certain peculiarities in their dress. One of the most remarkable circumstances is this : — The mag- netiser, on retiring, had promised that he would return at about half-past five to wake her. He came before the appointed time, and the somnambule observed to him, that it was not yet half-past five ; but he replied, that a letter which he had just received obliged him to return to her. 4 O yes,' said she immediately, 4 it is the letter now in your pocket-book, between a blue and yellow card ;' which fact proved to be perfectly correct.
44 A watch was placed at the back of her head, and on being requested to tell the time, she said, 4 Six minutes past four;' it was then seven minutes past four."
The 17th number of the same journal contains a note, stating that the same patient had, according to her own prediction, a rather intense inflammation of the mouth and fauces, with ptyalism. It was accom- panied by constipation, as she had previously fore- told.
These assertions should have some weight, when it is added, that the editors of this paper had long been opposed to magnetism. In their eyes, magnetisers were little better than poisoners.
Here, also, is another extract from the Gazette Me-
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dicale de Paris, dated October 2, 1832 : — " There is now observed, at the Hospital Delia Vitta, in Bo- logna, a very extraordinary phenomenon of animal magnetism. In this hospital is a patient, who is seized every third day, precisely at eleven in the morning, with a convulsion so violent that he loses entirely the faculty of perceiving sensations. Sight, hearing, and smelling, totally disappear ; the organs of the senses cease their functions ; both his hands are so firmly clenched that it is impossible to open them, and by using more force the fingers would certainly break. But Dr. Cini, son of the artist of that name, under whose care he was placed, discovered, after long and attentive observations, that the epigastrium,* at about one inch above the umbilicus, received, during the convulsive fit, all the perceptions of the senses, so as to replace them to a certain extent. If we speak to the patient, touching the epigastrium with the finger, he answers immediately ; and if requested to do so, he will of his own accord open his hands ; if a body be placed upon the epigastrium the patient de- scribes its shape, smell, quality, and colour. During the contact of the finger the convulsion gradually diminishes, and seems to die away ; but if the finger be placed upon the heart, the convulsion revives, and lasts as long as the finger remains in this position. If a flute be played upon while touching the epigastrium, the patient hears the music, and when, without inter- rupting the performance on the instrument, the finger leaves the epigastrium to touch the precordial region, and then returns to the epigastrium, the patient in-
* By epigastrium the unprofessional reader should understand the pit of the stomach.
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quires why the musical performance is now and then interrupted. These experiments were performed in the beginning of September, in the presence of both professors and students ; and they excited the greatest surprise."
In a curious work, printed in Germany some years ago, another interesting case of the same description is related. The author was an eye-witness himself of the facts, and in addition he brings forward the experi- ments of three eminent physicians, whose accounts of the effects they produced agree in every respect with his own. In the case he treated, the somnambu- list saw a paper written by the Baron de Strombeck ; and stated that the writing consisted of two paragraphs, containing a certain number of lines. (i I went for the paper," says he, " and counted the lines, and I shud- dered as if I had seen a supernatural being." The same ecstatic patient saw in a room, in an upper story, a proof sheet from the printer laid on M. Strombeck's bureau, when he himself was not aware of its having been brought. She pointed out the particular situation of objects placed behind her, although they had been purposely deranged from their usual position. She told to a minute the hour indicated by Dr. Schmidt's watch, which differed from every other in the room. She said that Dr. Marcard had some money about him in a long green purse, such as were then quite out of fashion, upon which it appeared that he had been wearing this purse a very few days, and he affirmed that he had never taken it out of his pocket, excepting when at home.
The clairvoyance of magnetic somnambulists was also unequivocally attested by the conjoint evidence of the commissioners of the French Academy. They
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carefully examined the fact, and in their report give the following details. I was, it will be observed, in the first case, myself the operator. On the 18th of March, 1826, at half -past eight in the evening, M. Petit was set asleep in one minute.
" The president of the committee, M. Bourdois, ascertained that the number of pulsations diminished at the rate of twenty-two in a minute, and that there was even some irregularity in the pulse. M. Dupotet after having put a bandage upon the eyes of the som- nambulist, repeatedly directed towards him the points of his fingers, at the distance of about two feet. Im- mediately a violent contraction was perceived in the hands and arms towards which the action was directed. M. Dupotet having, in a similar manner, approxi- mated his feet to those of M. Petit, always without contact, the latter quickly withdrew his. He com- plained of great pain and a burning heat in the limbs, towards which the action had been directed. M. Bourdois endeavoured to produce the same effects ; and he succeeded, but less promptly, and in a more feeble degree. This point being established, we pro- ceeded to ascertain the lucidity (clairvoyance) of the somnambulist. He having declared that he could not see with the bandage, it was taken off ; but then we determined to assure ourselves that the eyelids were exactly closed. For this purpose, a candle was almost constantly held, during the experiments, before the eyes of M. Petit, at a distance of one or two inches ; and several persons had their eyes continually fixed upon his. None of us could perceive the slightest separation of the eyelids. Mr. Ribes, indeed, re- marked that their edges were super-imposed, so that the eye-lashes crossed each other.
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cc We also examined the state of the eyes, which were forcibly opened without awakening the somnam- bulist ; and we remarked that the pupil was turned downwards, and directed towards the great angle of the eye. After these preliminary observations, we proceeded to verify the phenomena of vision with the eyes closed.
" Mr. Ribes, member of the Academy, presented a catalogue, which he took from his pocket. The som- nambulist, after some efforts which seemed to fatigue him, read very distinctly the words, Lavater. II est Men difficile de connaitre les hommes. The last words were printed in very small characters. A passport was placed under his eyes ; he recognised it, and called it a passe-homme. Some moments afterwards, a port-d'armes was substituted, which we all know to be in almost all respects similar to a passport, and the blank side of it was presented to him. M. Petit, at first, could only recognise that it was of a particular figure, and very like the former. A few moments afterwards, he told us what it was, and read distinctly the words, De par le roi, and on the left, Port-d'armes. Again, he was shewn an open letter ; he declared that he could not read it, as he did not understand English. In fact, it was an English letter.
" M. Bourdois took from his pocket a snuff-box, upon which there was a cameo set in gold. At first the somnambulist could not see it distinctly ; he said that the gold setting dazzled him. When the setting was covered with the fingers, he said that he saw the emblem of fidelity. When pressed to tell what this emblem was, he added, < I see a dog, he is as if on his hind legs before an altar.' This, in fact, was what was represented. A closed letter was presented to
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him. He could not discover any of its contents. He only followed the direction of the lines with his finger ; but he easily read the address, although it contained a pretty difficult name : A. M. de Kockenstroh.
" All these experiments were exceedingly fatiguing to M. Petit. He was allowed to repose for an instant. Then, as he was very fond of play, a game at cards was proposed for his relaxation. As much as the experiments of pure curiosity seemed to annoy him, with so much the more ease and dexterity did he per- form whatever gave him pleasure, and this he entered into of his own accord. One of the gentlemen present, M. Raynal, formerly inspector of the uni- versity, played a game at piquet with M. Petit and lost it. The latter handled his cards with the greatest dexterity, and without making any mistake. We attempted several times in vain to set him at fault, by taking away or changing some of his cards. He counted with surprising facility the points marked upon his adversary's marking card.
" During all this time, we never ceased to examine the eyes, and to hold a candle near them ; and we always found them exactly closed. We remarked, however, that the ball of the eye seemed to move under the eyelids, and to follow the different motions of the hands. Finally, M. Bourdois declared, that, according to all human probability, and as far as it was possible to judge by the senses, the eyelids were exactly closed.
" While M. Petit was engaged in a second game at piquet, M. Dupotet, upon the suggestion of M. Ribes, directed his hand, from behind, towards the patient's elbow, and the contraction previously observed again took place. Afterwards, upon the suggestion of M.
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Bourdois, he magnetised him from behind, and always at the distance of more than a foot, with the intention of awakening him. The keenness with which the somnambulist was engaged in play, resisted this ac- tion, which, without awakening, seemed to annoy and disconcert him. He carried his hand several times to the back of his head, as if he suffered pain in that part. At length he fell into a state of somnolency, which seemed like a slight natural sleep ; and some one having spoken to him when in this state> he awoke as if with a start. A few moments afterwards, M. Dupotet, always placed near him, but at a certain dis- tance, set him again asleep, and we recommenced our experiments. M. Dupotet being desirous that not the slightest shadow of doubt should remain with regard to the nature of the physical influence exerted at will upon the somnambulist, proposed to place upon M. Petit as many bandages as we might think proper, and to operate upon him while in this state. In fact, we covered his face down to the nostrils with several neckcloths ; we stopped up with gloves the cavities formed by the prominence of the nose, and we covered the whole with a black handkerchief, which descended, in the form of a veil, as far as the neck. The attempts to excite the magnetic susceptibility, by operating at a distance in every way, were then renewed; and, invariably, the same motions were perceived in the parts towards which the hand or the foot were di- rected.
" After these new experiments, M. Dupotet having taken the bandages off, M. Petit played a game at ecarte with him, in order to divert him. He played with the same facility as before, and continued suc- cessful. He became so eager at his game, that he
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remained insensible to the influence of M. Bourdois, who, while he was engaged in play, vainly attempted to operate upon him from behind, and to make him perform a command intimated merely by the will.
" After his game, the somnambulist rose, walked across the room, putting aside the chairs, which he found in his way, and went to sit down apart, in order to take some repose at a distance from the inquisitive experimentalists, who had fatigued him. There M. Dupotet awakened him at the distance of several feet ; but it seemed that he was not completely awake, for some moments afterwards he again fell asleep, and it was necessary to make fresh efforts in order to rouse him effectually. When awake, he said he had no recollection of anything that took place during his sleep."
The commissioners also attest other cases of the same kind. I quote, as before, the words of the re- port.*
" Upon the 12th of January, your committee met again at the house of M. Foissac, where there were present M. E. Lascase, deputy, M. De ■ , aide-de- camp to the king, and M. Segalas, member of the Academy. M. Foissac told us that he was going to set Paul asleep, that, in this state of somnambulism, a finger should be applied to each of his closed eyes, and that, in spite of this complete occlusion of the eyelids, he should distinguish the colour of cards, that he should read the title of a work, and even some words or lines pointed out at random in the body of
* This Report of the French Academicians will be found trans- lated at the end of the Isis Revelata, by M. Colquhoun, which I earnestly recommend the English reader to consult.
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the work. At the end of two minutes of magnetic manipulations, Paul fell asleep. The eyelids being kept closed, constantly and alternately by MM. Fou- quier, Itard, Marc, and the Reporter, there was pre- sented to him a pack of new cards,, from which the paper covering bearing the government stamp was torn off. The cards were shuffled, and Paul easily and successively recognised the king of spades, the ace of clubs, the queen of spades, the nine of clubs, the seven of diamonds, the queen of diamonds, and the eight of diamonds.
" While his eyelids were kept closed by M. Segalas, there was presented to him a volume which the Re- porter had brought along with him. He read upon the title-page : Histoire de France.* He could not read the two intermediate lines, and upon the fifth he read only the name, Anquetil, which is preceded by the preposition par. The book was opened at the 89th page, and he read in the first line — le nornhre de ses — he passed over the word troupes, and continued : au moment ou on le croyait occupe des plaisirs du car- naval. He also read the running title Louis, but could not read the Roman cypher which follows it. A piece of paper was presented to him, upon which were written the words, Agglutination and Magnetisme Animal. He spelt the first, and pronounced the two others. Finally, the proces-verbal of this sitting was presented to him, and he read very distinctly the date, and some words which were more legibly written than the others. In all these experiments, the fingers were
* Histoire de France depuis les Gaulois jusques, a, la mort de Louis XVI., par Anquetil. 13 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1817.
The passage read by Paul is to be found upon the 89th page of the 7th volume.
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applied to the whole of the commissure of both eyes, by pressing down the upper upon the under eyelid ; and we remarked that the ball of the eye was in a constant rotatory motion, and seemed directed towards the object presented to his vision.
" Upon the 2nd of February, Paul was placed in a state of somnambulism in the house of Messrs. Scribe and Bremard, merchants, Rue St.-Honore. The Re- porter of the committee was the only member present at this experiment. The eyelids were closed as before, and Paul read, in the work entitled Les mille-et- une nuits, the title-page, the word preface, and the first line of the preface, with the exception of the word pen. There was also presented to him a volume entitled, Lettres de deux amies, par Madame Campan. He distinguished on a print the figure of Napoleon ; he pointed out the boots, and said that he also saw two female figures. He then read currently the four first lines of the third page, with the exception of the word raviver. Finally, he recognised, without touching them, four cards, which were successively presented to him two and two, — these were, the king of spades and the eight of hearts, the king and queen of clubs.
" At another sitting, which took place upon the 13th of March following, Paul attempted in vain to distinguish different cards which were applied to the pit of the stomach ; but he read, with his eyes still closed, in a book opened at random ; and at this time it was M. Jules Cloquet who kept his eyes shut. The reporter also wrote upon a slip of paper the words, Maximilien Robespierre, which he read equally well."
Hitherto I have preferred adducing evidence which does not rest altogether on my own authority ;
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cases operated upon by other physicians, and witnessed by careful and competent observers. It remains for me, however, to state, that I have repeatedly produced the same phenomena. Only a few years ago, I magnetised a young woman who had been, for a distressing complaint, under the treatment of almost all the physicians in Paris. She was attended more particularly by M. Fouquier, but after all was only cured by magnetism in the somnambulic state. Any- thing intended for her to read was applied to her sto- mach, taking care to cover the paper with the hand, upon which she told first one letter, then another, and so on throughout the reading. But by an unaccount- able bizarrerie, she always began to read a word by its termination, and it was necessary to recompose every word in order to understand it ; but, notwithstanding, all the letters and words she named were perfectly correct. She said that she felt during the operation the presence of a weight at her stomach, which fatigued her very much. Being questioned how she could see, she could not distinctly state ; it seemed to her neither like seeing nor feeling, but like something between the two. One day a snuff-box, perfectly closed, was put into her hands ; after having examined it with much attention, she said that it contained in its interior a very small bit of paper. Nobody pre- sent was aware of the circumstance ; for the box had not been opened since it had been bought, and the gentleman to whom it belonged was by no means pre- pared for this experiment. But the somnambule, con- tinuing her observations, said that she saw something written on the paper, and she then drew with her finger the figures, of 2 and 5. On opening the box the paper was found, in size one line and a half,
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and upon it the two small figures which she had de- scribed.
A host of additional facts of the same description are in my possession, but the evidence already brought for- ward will be considered conclusive to every impartial mind. Not only does the magnetic somnambulist enjoy, in this state of clairvoyance, a lucidity respecting sur- rounding objects and passing events, but it extends still further, inasmuch as they foresee, and distinctly foretell, the day, the hour, even the minute, when certain events will happen. This is termed the faculty of prevision, and occurs only in the very highest degree of mag- netic exaltation. It may appear incredible ; but let us look to the facts. In the treatise on somnambulism by Dr. Bertrand, we find that this physician witnessed upwards of sixty convulsive fits of the most aggravated nature, which it was absolutely impossible the patient could have simulated, all of which, and their duration to a minute, had been foretold during the magnetic sleep. The same physician assures us that a somnam- bulist told him a fortnight previously, that she should be seized with a delirium which would last forty-three hours, which happened according to her prediction ; and he further satisfied himself that this somnambule when awake had not the slightest recollection of what she had said in her sleep. This prevision was also noticed by Drs. Rostan and Georget, one of whom observes : — " I have seen, positively seen, and repeat- edly, somnambulists foretell, several hours or days — even twenty days in advance, the precise hour and minute of the accession of epileptic or hysterical fits, and describe what would be their duration and in- tensity, which came to pass in exact accordance with the prediction." I have myself witnessed innumerable
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instances of this faculty of prevision being developed during the magnetic somnambulism, but, as my autho- rity would doubtless be impugned as ex parte evidence, I prefer again appealing to the report of the French Academicians, the validity of whose testimony cannot reasonably be challenged.
In the case of Paul, already cited, the commissioners attest — " 1st, that he was cured, after every ordinary medicinal resource had failed, of a paralysis, by the treatment being adopted which he himself pre- scribed during his somnambulism ; 2nd, that his strength in the somnambulic state was remarkably in- creased ; 3rd, that he gave us the most undoubted proofs that he read with his eyes closed ; 4th, he pre- dicted the period of his cure, and this cure took place.
" In the following case, we shall see this foresight still more fully developed in a man belonging to the lower class, quite ignorant, and who, assuredly, had never heard of animal magnetism.
" Pierre Cazot, aged twenty years, by trade a hatter, born of an epileptic mother, had been subject for ten years to attacks of epilepsy, which occurred five or six times a week, when he was admitted into the Hopital de la Charite, about the beginning of the month of August, 1827. He was immediately subjected to the magnetic treatment, was set asleep at the third sitting, and became somnambulist at the tenth, which took place upon the 19th of August. It was then, at nine o'clock in the morning, that he announced to us that at four o'clock of the afternoon of that day he should have an attack of epilepsy, but that it might be prevented by magnetising him a little previously. We preferred verifying the exactness of his prediction, and no precaution was taken to prevent its fulfilment. We contented ourselves with observing him, without
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exciting in him any suspicion. At one o'clock, he was seized with a violent head-ache. At three, he was obliged to go to bed, and precisely at four the fit came on. It lasted five minutes."
On many other occasions Cazot also foretold the time, even to the minute, when his next fit would occur. He was narrowly watched ; the Academicians tried to deceive, and prevaricated with him, but in vain, his prediction was always verified. Hence, in the summary of the facts they witnessed, the commissioners observe, towards the conclusion of their report : —
" In two somnambulists we found the faculty of foreseeing the acts of the organism more or less re- mote, more or less complicated. One of them an- nounced, repeatedly, several months previously, the day, the hour, the minute, of the access, and of the return of epileptic fits. The other announced the period of his cure. Their previsions were realised with remarkable exactness. They appeared to us to apply only to acts or injuries of their organism."
The phenomena of magnetic somnambulism, it will be observed, are thus very similar to those which occur during natural somnambulism. Both states of being arc equally mysterious and perplexing. — The Baron Massias draws between them the following diagnosis : —
" Artificial or magnetic somnambulism," says he, " is the result of certain processes, consisting in ges- tures, manipulations, and acts of volition, operating on persons susceptible of exhibiting its phenomena ; it is, as it were, inoculated by the magnetiser. The natural state of the patient submitted to his action when sus- ceptible of receiving it, is generally separated from the subsequent magnetic state by a somnolence of a
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few minutes. In the crisis a great number of faculties lie dormant, which has caused animal magnetism to retain the name of somnambulism, although magnet- ism may sometimes be induced without sleep.
" Whereas natural somnambulism is exclusively organic and personal, and places the somnambule in connexion with no one but himself ; artificial som- nambulism brings the somnambule in magnetic report with the magnetiser, as well as those persons with whom the latter establishes the communication.
" A part only of the intellectual faculties of the somnambule remain awake ; they are all so in the magnetic somnambule with regard to those with whom he is in contact en rapport. The natural som- nambule is impelled by his own imagination, and cer- tain corporeal impressions ; the magnetic somnambule wholly depends on the will and faculties of his mag- netiser. The organisation of the magnetic somnam- bule, that of his magnetiser, and of those persons whom the latter brings in report with him by means of a slight contact, are all, as it were, identified as one and the same being ; so that the somnambule knows inwardly what takes place in the system of another person ; feels diseases which are not his own, and has an intuitive instinct of the remedies applicable to them. This it is which, to the unspeakable scandal and indignation of classic medicine, gave birth to her rival sister, under the name of magnetic medicine. The magnetic somnambule is conscious of the state and organisation of an absent person on merely touching a vestment which has been worn, or an object which has been touched, by the same person. He can either recal or forget, at the will of his magnetiser, what he has felt during the fit of somnambulism. His sensa-
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tions and perceptions may, at the will of the magnet- iser, be changed ; or, in other words, he will find sweet that which is bitter, and vice versa. He may also change his predilections and habitual dispositions.
" Sometimes, when the action of magnetism over- powers the strength of the somnambule, or through a certain predisposition of his own organs, he collapses into a profound lethargy, bordering upon death.
" It might be thought that the intellectual faculties of the somnambule, plunged in this state of complete lethargy, are as inert and void as his bodily powers : no such thing. There are thoughts, dreams, and somnambulism, in somnambulism. On recovering from his lethargy, and being replaced into his pre- vious state of somnambulism, the crisiac relates all the delightful and marvellous thoughts and sensations lie has had during his apparent state of absolute insen- sibility. What to the spectator was a scene of death, to him was a new life, a hundredfold more intense and spiritual than his ordinary mode of existence. A reiteration of the same fit brings on a recurrence of the same visions. When restored to the state of sim- ple somnambulism, its individual memory returns with it, to be only obliterated by a restoration to the perfect waking state," &c*
But notwithstanding these observations of the learned Baron, the psychical phenomena exhibited by natural somnambulists are often of so high and lucid a character, that the two states appear almost identi- cal with each other ; in illustration of which I shall here quote the case of a girl named Arron, a remark-
* See his Traite de Philosophic Psycho-physiologique. F. Didot. 1830.
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able natural somnambulist, which will be found in the Journal de laMeuse for the 20th of September, 1835.
tt we readily grant," says the account, « that most of the statements circulated on the subject of natural somnambulism are generally exaggerated. With the view of ministering to the public taste for the mar- vellous, truth has too often been clothed with most absurd fables, exceeding by far the utmost boundary of our belief. "But notwithstanding this, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction ; and if the limits of our intelligence do not allow us to comprehend what to us appears supernatural, we should not on that account reject as a mere fabrication any series of facts supported by the testimony of grave and conscien- tious observers coming forward and vouching for their truth."
" Therefore, however wonderful the details respect- ing the somnambulism of Arron, we cannot entertain the least doubt of its authenticity, for we ourselves derived it from a source entitled to our utmost and most unlimited confidence."
" This girl, when plunged in a state of somnambulism, answers with precision the questions put to her. Though she be asleep, she perceives not only such external objects as are around her, but also those which are concealed ; and, what is still more surprising, objects removed to a very great distance. Nay, she does more, she can divine the thoughts of those who put questions to her. Many physicians in this de- partment went to pay her a visit, and they were all amazed on witnessing a phenomenon which all their science cannot explain."
<£ A physician from Chartres saw her some time ago. On being introduced to her, in company with several
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other gentlemen, he questioned her, without being able to obtain an answer. Thinking that if he was alone with her, she might perhaps be induced to speak, he requested the spectators to withdraw. When they were both in private, the following con- versation took place : —
" Marie," said he, " do you know me ? " — " Yes, sir." "Who am I?" — "You are a physician." " Whence do I come ? " — " From Chartres." " Where is my house at Chartres ?" — "In a small street run- ning down a declivity." " Can you see my house?" — " Yes, sir." " Is there any company in it ? " — " Yes, sir ; four ladies, one old, two middle-aged, and one young lady." " For what purpose have I come in this part of the country ? " — " To see a female patient." "Where is her complaint?" — (Here she pointed to the part affected, which we cannot just now recollect.) " Where did I dine ? " — " At M.'s." " Was there a good dinner ? " — " Yes, sir." " Could you tell me what dishes we had?" — "Certainly." (She names every dish and its particular place on the table.) " What do I hold in my hand ? " — " A small wooden box." " What does it contain ?" — " Sharp little iron tools." " Now what have I in my hand ? " — "Some money." "How much?" — (She names the sum.) "In what coins?" — (She specifies the various coins.) " Can you tell me my thought at this moment ?"—-" Yes, sir." "Say it." — " I dare not ; I must not tell you." " Well, I will tell you : I think of giving you this money." — " So you do, sir ; but I could not say so." All these answers were per- fectly correct. Other answers no less surprising than the preceding have been reported to us, but we shall confine ourselves to these.
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" Sceptics (and less would suffice to provoke scepti- cism) will, no doubt, exclaim that it is impossible to credit such assertions ; but let them inquire into the evidence, and they will then come to the conviction that we state nothing but the truth."
Hence from the facts above adduced, which I hold to be incontrovertibly established, it will appear that the following are some of the more ostensible psychical phenomena which magnetic somnambulists exhibit.
1st. While the organs of the senses are in a state of complete insensibility, unexcitable by any external stimuli, they mentally take cognizance of the condi- tions and relations of surrounding objects, through some other channel than the organs through which such impressions are usually conveyed.
2nd. There is in many cases an obvious vicarious transference of the senses from their appropriate or- gans to other parts of the nervous system, as to the tips of the fingers, epigastrium, and other parts of the body.
3rd. The lucidity of their vision penetrates through intervening opaque objects, and even takes cognizance of events passing at a distance.
4th. They possess the faculty of self-intuition, that is to say, a clear insight into the normal or abnormal condition of their own organisation, and they perceive and describe with exactness the internal condition also of those with v/hom they may be en rapport.
5th. They appear endowed with a knowledge be- yond that which they ordinarily possess, and prescribe for themselves, as well as for those with whom they are en rapport, remedies for such complaints as they
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may be afflicted with ; and these are generally found successful.
6th. Their lucid vision often extends beyond the present existence, and they foretell, with circumstantial minuteness, events which will happen in connexion with their own organisation ; even the day and hour — the very moment — when such predictions will be veri- fied is accurately specified.
Lastly. On recovering from their somnambulism, they remember nothing which occurred during the magnetic state ; but when again thrown into somnam- bulism, the memory between the two magnetic states is continuous.
These may appear extraordinary assertions, but the apparent incredibility of the facts will be very much diminished when it is found that analogous, if not identical, phenomena are often developed in abnormal conditions of the human body. To these states I can only briefly advert.
I. Physical insensibility. — In many diseases, in cata- lepsy, epilepsy, apoplexy, paralysis, syncope, &c, a complete state of insensibility is observed ; but whether persons in such apparent states of insensibility may not possess some internal consciousness, can- not possibly be determined. As a general principle, in proportion as the mind energises itself within, the sensibility of the body becomes diminished. The soldier, on the field of battle, feels not his wounds ; the exulting martyr, in the hour of execution, knows not the death-pang that rends his heart ; the excited mother saves her child by rushing herself through the flames unhurt. There is a mastery here, a triumph of mind over matter which bears down and annihilates
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the very apprehension of physical suffering. Even the poor maniac, whom madness is supposed to torture in proportion as his mind is excited, manifests insen- sibility to pain ; he may be flagellated while he raves, but feels not the stripes which are inflicted until the paroxysm is over. He then complains of soreness, and is often at a loss to explain how it has occurred. The ordeal of torture to which religious enthusiasts volun- tarily subject themselves, without manifesting the slightest sign of pain, proves the insensibility which may be superinduced by the sustained energy of the will. This state is finely described by Schlegel, in his admirable work on the Philosophy of History. He there presents us with a graphic picture of the Indian Yogi, or penitent, who, absorbed in mystic contem- plation, remains for years often fixed immovably to a single spot. (i In order," says he, "to give a lively representation of a phenomenon so strange to us, which appears totally incredible, and almost impossible, although it has been repeatedly attested by eye-wit- nesses, and is a well-ascertained historical fact, I shall extract from the Drama of Sacontala, by the Poet Calidas, a description of a Yogi, remarkable for its vivid accuracy, or, to use the expression of the Ger- man Commentator, its ' fearful beauty.' King Dush- manta inquires of Indras Charioteer the sacred abode of him whom he seeks, and to this the charioteer re- plies— < A little beyond the grove you see a pious Yogi, motionless as a pollard, holding his thick bushy hair, and fixing his eyes on the solar orb. Mark ! His body is half covered with white ant's edifices, made of raised clay ; the skin of a snake supplies the place of the sacerdotal thread, and part of it girds his loins ; a l 2
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number of knotty plants encircle and wound his neck, and surrounding birds' nests conceal his shoulders.' " " We must not," continues Schlegel, " take this for the invention of fancy, or the exaggeration of the poet ; the accuracy of this testimony is confirmed by innumerable eye-witnesses, who recount the same fact, and in precisely the same colours. In the Indian forests and deserts there are many hundreds of these hermits, — these strange human phenomena of the highest intellectual abstraction and delusion. For- merly such accounts would have been regarded as in- credible, and beyond the bounds of possibility ; but such conjectures can be of no avail against historical facts, repeatedly attested, and undeniably proved. Now that men are better acquainted with the won- derful flexibility of the human organisation, and with those marvellous powers which slumber concealed within it, they are less disposed to form light and hasty decisions on phenomena of this description. The whole is indeed a magical, intellectual, self-exaltation, accomplished by the energy of the will ; and this con- centration of the mind, when carried to excess, may lead, not merely to a figurative, but to a real self- annihilation."*
The state of intellectual exstase, accompanied by an absolute extinction of physical sensibility, induced by animal magnetism, is precisely analogous to this mysterious state of being. Here also I may observe that the criteria of this profound insensibility de- mand attention, inasmuch as it is quite true that needles may, as in the operation of acupuncturation,
* Philosophy of History, by Frederick Von Schlegel. Trans- lated by James Burton Robertson. 2 vols. London, 1837.
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be plunged into the muscles of a limb without exciting pain ; that the sensibility of some persons with a slow circulation, or leuco-phlegmatic habit, may be often remarkably obtuse ; that some may be sensible of pain, and yet command sufficient energy of mind to suppress any outward manifestation of it. Yet, notwithstanding all this, when we find that a glare of light thrown suddenly upon the eye excites no contraction of the pupil ; that fuming ammonia introduced into the nasal passages does not excite sneezing ; that the report of a pistol unexpectedly fired close upon the ear does not induce even a shud- der, or any appearance of sensation ; it is impossible to resist the evidence of there being in these organs a complete extinction of all physical sensibility.
This state of insensibility, accompanied by som- nambulic phenomena, sometimes arises spontaneously, and without any ostensible magnetic intervention. " I lately," says Dr. Abercrombie, the present emi- nent physician in Edinburgh, had u under my care a lady who is liable to an affection of this kind (somnam- bulism), which comes on repeatedly during the day, and continues from ten minutes to an hour at a time. Without any warning, her body becomes motionless, her eyes open, fixed, and entirely insensible, and she becomes totally unconscious of any external impres- sion. She has been frequently seized while playing on the piano, and has continued to play over and over a part of a tune with perfect correctness, but without advancing beyond a certain point. On one occasion she was seized after she had begun to play from the book a piece of music which was new to her. During the paroxysm she continued the part she had played, and repeated it five or six times with perfect correct-
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ness ; but on coming out of the attack, she could not play it without her book.*
II. Clairvoyance, or vision without the eyes. — In the most simple cases of natural somnambulism this phenomenon occurs. The person who rises in the night, dresses himself, moves from room to room, and performs with nicety and precision a variety of minute actions, presents us with this anomaly in its most familiar form. There are few sceptics who do not acknowledge cases of this kind ; for after all, somnam- bulism is a very common occurrence, and is observed to be hereditary in many families. Yet when this faculty becomes more perfectly developed, manifest- ing itself by finer discriminations, the very same phi- losophers, forgetting the fact which is universally accredited in domestic life, open their eyes with as- tonishment, and declare the whole thing utterly in- credible. This is unreasonable. It is a notorious fact, that all sleep-walkers are clairvoyants.
It has been said, however, that this mode of per- ception cannot exactly be called seeing, inasmuch as when such somnambulists are closely examined how it is that they perceive the relations of external ob- jects, they all agree in answering that it is by a kind of inward feeling which they are unable to explain. A somnambulist of Fischer assured him that he saw his internal organs, not as with the eyes, but he could not describe the manner in which he perceived them. A patient of Hufeland's said, " I see" when she was in the highest degree of lucidity only, at other times she generally used the expression " I feel," this or that
* Inquiries concerning the Intellectual Powers and the Inves- tigation of Truth, by John Abercrombie, M.D. Edinburgh, 1832.
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part, or this or that change, &c. A patient of Gmelin's said she did not see, but feel, and with great delicacy, both internally and externally. In the magnetic sleep, Scherb's patient also declared that her sensations were rather those of feeling than of sight, and that this peculiar feeling during that state was much more acute and delicate than when awake. A cataleptic patient of Despine's said to those who were en rapport with her, " You think that I do not know what passes around me, but you are mistaken ; I see nothing, yet I feel something which makes an impression upon me, but which I cannot explain."* These are curious facts. How far the sense of feeling may, under a peculiar state of exaltation, take cognizance of the outward forms and conditions of material objects remains yet to be determined ; certain it is, that in well-authen- ticated cases, both of natural and magnetic somnam- bulism, individuals, through some other channel than the eye itself, perceive, discriminate, and perform a variety of actions which could not be accomplished without vision being in some way or other engaged. In the animal economy it is a physiological law
* Vide Isis Revelata, loc cit. Her words were, f< On croit que je ne sais pas ce qui se passe autour de moi tous les soirs j mais on se trompe bien. Je ne vois rien, je n'entends rien, mais je sens quelque chose que je ne puis m'expliquer, qui me maitrise."
The fact of the sense of feeling substituting itself, under certain conditions, for that of sight, has not altogether escaped the atten- tion of poets as well as men of science. Thus the philosophical author of the Cosmo de Medici, R. H. Home, in his tragedy, the Death of Marlowe, makes one of his heroes observe —
Oh, subtle Nature ! who hath so confounded Our senses, playing into each other's wheels, That feeling oft acts substitute for sight, * * * J feel— I see.
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that one organ shall assume a preternatural activity in order to supply the function of another whose structure may be deranged ; thus it is clearly proved that the liver acts vicariously with the lungs ; the skin with the kidneys. It is the office of the lungs to throw out of the system, during expiration, carbon- aceous matter ; and when, therefore, this organ is dis- eased, the liver assumes, in a manner, its function, and throws off the surplus carbon with the biliary secretion. Hence the frequency of diseases of the liver in those persons who have resided in tropical countries, where, owing to the climate, the lungs may have become affected. In like manner the vessels of the skin, acting vicariously with those of the kidneys, throw off the watery parts of the blood when the secretion of this organ has, from any cause, been ob- structed. Here there is an unquestionable trans- ference of function between the grosser organs of organic life — and why should not the higher organs of sense, under certain abnormal conditions, act on a similar principle, vicariously with each other ? It is well known that persons who unhappily are blind and deaf acquire a preternaturally acute sense of touch, so that they are able to discriminate by feel- ing, properties of bodies which could not be so appre- ciated by other persons. This, however, is only a very subordinate physical manifestation of that law of derivation to which I here allude ; it may, neverthe- less, be the initiatory condition