The mesmerist's manual of phenomena and practice : with directions for applying mesmerism to the cure of diseases, and the methods of producing mesmeric phenomena. Intended for domestic use and the instruction of beginners / by George H. Barth.

  • Barth, George H.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mesmerist's manual of phenomena and practice : with directions for applying mesmerism to the cure of diseases, and the methods of producing mesmeric phenomena. Intended for domestic use and the instruction of beginners / by George H. Barth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    continue to mesmerise. If you are tired wait until the patient becomes quiet, and then try to mesmerise him. You must not expect to produce any decided effects during the severity of the fit, but you may shorten its duration, and lessen the amount of distress which often follows the attack. If the fits occur periodically, remember the suggestions about periodic accessions. If the attacks are distant the patient should be mes- merised daily, and also immediately before the antici- pated attack. An experienced mesmeriser may often prevent a fit when he sees it approaching, but it is not considered judicious practice ;■ it is “putting off the evil day,”—it is better to let it come, and conquer it. One method is like the palliative system of the allopath —the other like the aggravation of the homoeopath. In some cases the fits become less frequent and less severe under the treatment until they finally cease; but when they are brought on by the mesmeric action we may calculate on a far more speedy cure of them. When patients pass into deep sleep and require long sleep, they may be mesmerised at night when they retire to bed. I often practise this in my own family. Servants and many others have not leisure to sleep long sleeps. We can accommodate them in this way, but must remember that in case of fire they could not aid in their own escape; nor is this plan safe for sleep- wakers, unless placed under the care of a prudent bed-companion whose contact and company does not distress them. I may as well hint that during mesmeric sleep the secretions are often stimulated to increased activity ; the kidneys become particularly active. When a gen- tleman mesmerises a lady he should not forget this ; and as ladies are very modest he should make an excuse to retire, and leave his patient with a friend or attendant of her own sex as soon as she is awakened. I have endeavoured to give in this and foregoing chapters all necessary instructions to guide a non-