CHAPTER I.

Aversion of the old Schools and the Public to new Ideas. –Some old Notions must be suspended in fairly considering Mesmerism. –Irrational Incredulity. –Mesmerism to be tried by the usual Laws of Evidence. –Medical men not entitled to decide the Matter for the Public. –The Public invited to judge of the Matter of Fact. –Medical Men in this Country favourably placed. –Personal Labour necessary. –All easy afterwards. –Qualifications of a Mesmeriser. –The Mesmeric Power very general. –The Sick the proper Subjects for Experiment. –The Natives of Bengal very susceptible of the Mesmeric Influence. –Nature the School of the true Physician. –Mesmerism a natural Power of Man. –Instincts of Animals. –Mesmerism known and practiced in India. –Trial of Skill with an Eastern Magician. –Dangers of Mesmerism no Reason for rejecting it. –No need to interfere with the mind in Bodily Disease. –My Patients bad subjects for the Mental Phenonema. –The Public invited to judge the Question practically and fairly

CHAPTER II.

The French Commission of 1779. –Both Right and Wrong –The Mesmerists properly punished. –Condition required in the Patient. –State of my mind before experimenting for myself. –Report of the Bishop of Lausanne to the Pope. –His Reply. –Accidental Nature of my First Experiment. –Accidental Nature of my Second Experiment. – First Mesmeric Surgical Operation. –Conclusion

CHAPTER III.

Mesmerism the same in India and in Europe. –Examples of Mesmeric Sleep. –Sealing of the Eyes. –Altered Sensibility. –Temporary Paralysis. –Muscular Rigidity. –Insensibility to Pain. –Exaltation of particular Organs. – Convulsions. –Delirium. –Injustice done to the Memory of the first Mesmerists. –Every available Evidence here given. –Imposture morally and physically impossible. –Mode of Proceeding. –Mesmeric and Non-Mesmeric Operations contrasted. –Physiological Demonstration of the Impossibility of Imposture.

CHAPTER IV.

Somnambulism. –Definition. –Singular Introduction to it. –Suspected Child-Stealing by its Means. –First Experiment in making a Somnambulist. –Trial of Mesmeric Skill in a Court of Justice. –Men stolen out of Court. – Truth of Mesmerism publicly proved. –Natural Sleep, and its Varieties, can be imitated by Artificial Means. – Mesmeric Sleep. –Mesmeric Day-mare. –Mesmeric Sleep-walking. –Mesmeric Sleep-waking. –Mesmeric Dreaming. –How to make Somnambulists. –Imitative Stage of Somnambulism. –Communicative Stage of Somnambulism. –Mesmeric Catalepsy. –Mesmeric Coma. –Natural Clairvoyance. –Mesmeric Clairvoyance. – Nature of the Mesmeric Power. –Illustrative Examples - - - - -

CHAPTER V.

The Mesmeric Processes. –Publicity the best Security to the Public. –Ignorance and Indifference the real Dangers. – Mesmeric Treatment of Disease a Field for the Philanthropist. –Puysegur and Deleuze, unprofessional Men. – Processes for producing Coma. –Tumour in Upper Jaw removed during Coma. –Hypertrophy of Scrotum, ditto. – Trance renewable at Pleasure. –Three consecutive Operations on one Person. –Mode of Mesmerising in Chronic Diseases. –Cure of Rheumatism and Nervousness. –Local Mesmerising. –Mesmerised Water. –Process for preparing it. –First Experiments with it. –The last. –Means of awaking Persons Mesmerised

CHAPTER VI.

Mesmerism as a remedy. –Coma as a Medical Agent. –Journal of Practical Mesmerism. –Chronic Inflammation of Eye cured. –Nervous Headache ditto. –Acute Inflammation of Eye ditto. –Return of Nervous Headache prevented. – Rev. Mr. Fisher’s Report. –How to make a Convert. –Tooth drawn in the Trance. –Convulsions cured by ditto. – Arms straightened in ditto. –Sense of Formication removed. –Lumbago, Sciatica, Pain in Crural Nerve, cured. – Palsy of an Arm Ditto. –Mesmerism as a Disease. –Resembles Hysteria. –Ignorant charges of Imposture. –The Public abused. –The Public disabused. –Folly and Unfairness of its would-be Guides. –Spontaneous Development of the Mesmeric Disease. –Mesmerising by doing nothing taught by the Mesmerists themselves. –A natural Consequence of frequent Mesmerising. –Examples of Mesmerising by doing nothing. –Hysteric Theory. –Hope to hear of Hysteria as a Remedy soon. –Rational Mode of studying Mesmerism

CHAPTER VII.

Mesmerism in Surgery. –Journal of Practical Mesmerism. –Mesmeric Trance: A Leg straightened in; Colic cured by; Penis amputated in; Arm straightened in; Arm amputated in; Breast cut off in; Abscess opened in; Heel flayed in; Tooth extracted in; End of Thumb cut off in; Arm laid open in; Three Abscesses opened in; Sinus laid open in; Gum cut away in. –Invasion of the waking by the Sleeping State. –Mesmeric Trance; hypertrophied Prepuce cut off in; Knee straightened in; Ulcer on Temple burned with Muriatic Acid in; Seton introduced, &c. in; Tumour in Groin removed in; Fungoid Sores off in; scirrhus Testes extirpated in; Cataract operated on in; Malignant Disease of Testes extirpated in; unhealthy Sore pared in; hypertrophied Prepuce cut off in; Pain extinguished by; Return on Awaking; Amputation of Penis in; unhealthy Sores pared in; Two Operations for Hydrocele in. –Mesmerism alike favourable to the Operator and the Patient.

CHAPTER VIII.

Hypertrophy of the Scrotum; different Causes of. –Elephantiasis endemic in Bengal and Lower Egypt; probable Causes of. –Example of Malarious Fever. –True Elephantiasis of the Scrotum. –Hypertrophy from Hydrocele; from Syphilis; Condition of the Organs involved; Mode of operating; Mismanagement by the Native Doctors; Number of Operations for six Years previous to April, 1845; in the Mesmeric Trance, for Eight Months. –First Case. –Some Cause for the late Increase of Cases. –Operations in the Mesmeric Trance

CHAPTER IX.

Curiosities of Mesmerism. –Unsatisfactory Nature of Public Exhibitions. –Apology for giving one. –Account of it by a Visiter. –The modes in which the Mesmeric Fluid can be transmitted. –It acts at great Distances. –Is absorbed by Water. –Can pass through a Wall. –Final Experiments