Hypnotism: Its History, Practice and Theory |
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who would then be able to put them en rapport with Emma, the clairvoyante. Dr. George Barth, also, was a well-known London magnetizer. A similar state of affairs obtained on the Continent. In Paris the doctrine of animal magnetism continued to flourish extensively in lay circles. Scholl, whose writings have already been mentioned, describes the public sessions of one of the societies of mesmerists. In Germany also a few individual adherents of the old doctrine were always to be found, and from time to time some magnetizer appeared there in public—as, for example, the French magnetizer, Laurent, who, with Miss Prudence, the lady upon whom he operated, created a certain amount of excitement in Wiesbaden in I85o. In America, meanwhile, animal magnetism had gained adherents; New Orleans was, for a long time, its chief centre. Kiernan has collected a number of historical notes treating of the position of American psychiatry in respect to animal magnetism. In his book on the Treatment of Insanity, which appeared in 1846, Galt, of Virginia, expresses very sceptical views as to the value of animal magnetism in the treatment of mental disease; and Brigham states that in 1841 he experimented on five patients, but without success. Mitchell also, whose reports are more detailed, found only one-seventh of the persons experimented on responsive to mesmeric manipulation. No serious case was cured, though it was found that temporary improvement could be obtained in some nervous states. In 1843, Estes, of Columbus, Miss., and others made similar experiments. A few years later than Braid, Grimes appeared in North America, and, independently of Braid, obtained like results. The states produced by Grimes were called electro-biological. Among his adherents Dods and Stone must be mentioned. Electro-biology was introduced into Europe by Darling and a French physician named Durand de Gros. The latter had lived in America, where he wrote under the pseudonym Philips. He returned to Europe in 1853. Braid's discovery was first made known in Bordeaux by Azam, in 1859. Encouraged by Bazin and mocked at by others, Azam made some hypnotic experiments; he communicated the results to Broca, in Paris. The latter discussed hypnotism before the Academic des Sciences. It was soon made use of to perform painless operations; Velpeau, Follin, and Gu6rineau in particular made experiments. Other physicians, Demarquay HISTORY OF HYPNOTISM. I7 and Giraud-Teulon, as well as Berend in Berlin, Pincus in Glogau, and Heyfelder |
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