Hypnotism: Its History, Practice and Theory |
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that both are called forth by the influence of one man on another; but nowadays
this influence is held to be psychical, and in no way connected either with
a magnetic fluid or the mineral magnetism. Braid now set to work to investigate the symptomatology of hypnosis, and in 1843 published his Neurypnology, a treatise on the subject. He was acquainted with the cataleptic phenomena and certain suggestions, and used hypnotism therapeutically; in particular, he used it to perform painless surgical operations, just as mesmerism had been made use of in former times. Compared with his earlier works, Braid's later writings show great progress; in them he lays far greater emphasis on the psychical significance of hypnosis than had been his wont. In this connection I may mention his work entitled Magic, Witchcraft, Animal Magnetism, Hypnotism, and Electro-Biology, a third edition of which appeared in 1852. In the result we see Braidism, as the state investigated by him. is sometimes called, occasionally used for therapeutic purposes, but more particularly for the performance of painless surgical operations. Among those who used hypnotism in surgery, the following deserve to be mentioned:—Loysel, Fontan, and Toswel in London; Joly, Ribaud, Kiaro (according to Max Dessoir), Varges, and Herzog. The last-named had acquired his knowledge of animal magnetism from Colonel Bruce-Bey, of Stockholm, who had long resided in the East. Yet in spite of these individual efforts, and although distinguished men of science like the well-known physiologist Carpenter, as well as Laycodk, James Simpson, Mayo, and others, confirmed the facts, hypnotism found no general acceptance either in medicine or in any other branch of science. It remained an isolated phenomenon. The doctrine of animal magnetism was not, however, entirely forgotten : in lay circles, at least, it retained many permanent adherents. This was particularly the case in England, for Carl Scholl tells us that, somewhere about 1852, his attention was drawn to the meeting-places of mesmerists by bills and notices posted at the street corners. One Haddock, by name, acquired a certain amount of distinction among English mesmerists by reason of a book which he wrote on the phenomena of vital magnetism. This work was translated into German by Merkel, who, in a preface, advised his readers to send either their autograph or a lock of their hair to Haddock, |
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