The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile.

Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    come cataleptic in addition. As the senseless unwinking stare of lier eyes alarmed her friends, I closed the eyelids, laid her back on the bed, let her sleep for half an hour, and then again awoke her instantaneously by demesmerising her. She said that she remembered nothing since seeing me arrive. My command over this lady's system was established from this moment, and I could entrance her at any time in a few mi- nutes. A man, blind from amaurosis^ having come to hospital, I placed him on a stool, without saying a word to him, and en- ti'anced him in ten minutes without touching him. This man became so sensitive after a few trials, that I could entrance him, in whatever occu]pation lie was employed^ by merely mak- ing him the object of my attention for ten minutes. On going to the hospital one day, I found a man being mesmerised without my orders. The native doctor explained that he was a madman, whom his friends had brought that morning, he having cut his throat, and that he had ordered him to be entranced, if possible, to have the wound sewn up. On examining the man, I found him deeply entranced, and fit to bear any operation. Next day, he was in the same state, and the edges of the wound having become callous, they were pared raw with a knife, and the wound was then brought to- gether with stitches and straps of plaster. He was not in the least disturbed, and on waking, was sm-prised to find himself no longer breathing through the hole in his neck. Many other madmen were entranced in the Lunatic Asy- lum of Calcutta, which was liberally placed at my disposal by the physician, Dr, Sti'ong. Dr. Kean of Berhampore has for many years employed mesmerism in the treatment of insanity in his extensive asy- lum, and with excellent effect; and I hope he will soon favour us with the results of his experience. Mr. Grant, one of the oldest and most respected members of the Bengal Civil Service, and now in England, has often seen me entrance patients from another room, while he was taking their portraits, and engaging their attention as much as possible. This was done, in fact, till we tired of it; and