Mesmerism 1
Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:34 pm
At 08:07 AM 7/30/2004 +0200, you wrote:
Hello All,
Hahnemann note only suggested Mesmerism - he was witnessed performing
magnetic passes on a patients. Hahnemann strongly supported this treatment
a gave a good review of it in the Organon. The phenomenon of now called
hypnosis is closely aligned with Mesmerism. Samuel Hahnemann had personally
witnessed several cures by Mesmerism in Germany and was greatly impressed
by their work. He began to study the phenomena of Mesmerism and became a
practitioner of magnetic healing. Franz Albrecht was a life long friend of
Hahnemann. He wrote a biography of Hahnemann called Life and Works of
Hahnemann. In this book he stated:
"Magnetism and mesmerism, both intimately connected with the study of
medicine, were making progress. Hahnemann paid special attention to them,
and he occasionally applied both, in attacks of sickness, with successful
results."
Life and Letters of Hahnemann; T. L. Bradford, page 449.
A patient named Captain Burroughs came to see Samuel and Melanie on
December 9th, 1837, for treatment of epileptic seizures with catalepsy,
stupor and somnambulism (Paris casebooks, DF-5, p. 294). The patient was
sensitive, sexually excitable and experienced amorous dreams and nocturnal
emissions. He had suffered from convulsions for twelve years and was
experiencing daily fits. On the 13th of November, 1838 the patient had a
seizure in Hahnemann’s office while the Founder was reviewing his case
notes. Hahnemann notes in his casebook that Melanie quickly magnetized the
patient with a single pass that immediately stopped the convulsions. On
November 21st, 1838, Hahnemann included a single slow magnetic pass in his
prescription for the patient (Paris casebooks, DF-5, p. 332).
"One slow magnetic pass. He was taking his medicine four times a day
and it is finished. Tinctura Sulph. 1 globule of C18 in 20 [tablespoons*]
and 2 [tablespoons*] of brandy. 1 tablespoon in one glass of water. 4 times
[daily*] one small spoon."
In a later entry on page 414-415 of the same casebook Hahnemann notes
that a mesmer named Chapelin was going to magnetize Captain Burroughs for
nine or ten days.
Mesmer and his disciples were well aware that their patients were
entering altered states of consciousness marked by trance. They also knew
the power of suggestion during these altered states. By Hahnemann’s time,
hypnosis and Mesmerism were an integrated science and the homœopaths in
Hahnemann’s circle were carrying out many experiments. Dr. Heinrich A. von
Gersdorff, who worked with Hahnemann on The Chronic Diseases, was involved
in one of the most extraordinary experiments. Doctor von Gersdorff wrote:
"The cure of a dangerous disease by idiosomnambulism and the
homœopathic remedies prescribed by the patient in his magnetically
clairvoyant condition, after the careful observation made personally and
described by Heinrich August Baron Gersdorff."
Esienach; Published by Johann Fr. Barecke, 1833.
Von Gersdorff used the patient’s heightened awareness during trance to
assist in the selection of a homœopathic remedy. This offers insights into
the advanced levels of Mesmerism cum hypnosis performed by the inner circle
of the first generation of homœopaths. Von Gersdorff stayed in contact with
Hahnemann by letter after he left Coethen for Paris. He later accompanied
his son, also a homœopathic physician, to Boston, USA, in 1849 where he
took a position at the university. He died in 1870 at the age of seventy-seven.
Dr. Melanie Hahnemann, the second wife of Samuel, also experimented
with Mesmerism cum hypnotism. She used this method to find out information
on the whereabouts of her long lost father. She used a young girl as a
surrogate whom she placed in a clairvoyant trance to find out the
information she sought!
"She had, she said, experimented with the former [mesmerism] herself
when she had magnetized or hypnotized a young girl to find out where her
father was. The subject discovered that he was in California, and this fact
had been verified."
A Homeopathic Love Story, The Story of Samuel and Melanie Hahnemann; R.
Handley, page 182.
Sometimes the conservative wing of homoeopathy acts as if Hahnemann and
the first generation only used their little white pills and were against
all other forms of healing. In truth they were experimenting with a wide
variety of healing arts. As we have seen in the above quotes they not only
used strange, rare and peculiar remedies but also strange, rare and
peculiar methods of healing! I would have loved to be present when Samuel
and Melanie centered their energy, focused their gazes, and raised their
hands to transmit the magnet current or induce trance when necessary!!!
What a moment.
Similia Minimus,
Sincerely, David
---------------
"It is the life-force which cures diseases because a dead man needs no more
medicines."
Samuel Hahnemann
Visit our website on Hahnemannian Homoeopathy and Cyberspace Homoeopathic
Academy at
http://www.simillimum.com
David Little © 2000
Hello All,
Hahnemann note only suggested Mesmerism - he was witnessed performing
magnetic passes on a patients. Hahnemann strongly supported this treatment
a gave a good review of it in the Organon. The phenomenon of now called
hypnosis is closely aligned with Mesmerism. Samuel Hahnemann had personally
witnessed several cures by Mesmerism in Germany and was greatly impressed
by their work. He began to study the phenomena of Mesmerism and became a
practitioner of magnetic healing. Franz Albrecht was a life long friend of
Hahnemann. He wrote a biography of Hahnemann called Life and Works of
Hahnemann. In this book he stated:
"Magnetism and mesmerism, both intimately connected with the study of
medicine, were making progress. Hahnemann paid special attention to them,
and he occasionally applied both, in attacks of sickness, with successful
results."
Life and Letters of Hahnemann; T. L. Bradford, page 449.
A patient named Captain Burroughs came to see Samuel and Melanie on
December 9th, 1837, for treatment of epileptic seizures with catalepsy,
stupor and somnambulism (Paris casebooks, DF-5, p. 294). The patient was
sensitive, sexually excitable and experienced amorous dreams and nocturnal
emissions. He had suffered from convulsions for twelve years and was
experiencing daily fits. On the 13th of November, 1838 the patient had a
seizure in Hahnemann’s office while the Founder was reviewing his case
notes. Hahnemann notes in his casebook that Melanie quickly magnetized the
patient with a single pass that immediately stopped the convulsions. On
November 21st, 1838, Hahnemann included a single slow magnetic pass in his
prescription for the patient (Paris casebooks, DF-5, p. 332).
"One slow magnetic pass. He was taking his medicine four times a day
and it is finished. Tinctura Sulph. 1 globule of C18 in 20 [tablespoons*]
and 2 [tablespoons*] of brandy. 1 tablespoon in one glass of water. 4 times
[daily*] one small spoon."
In a later entry on page 414-415 of the same casebook Hahnemann notes
that a mesmer named Chapelin was going to magnetize Captain Burroughs for
nine or ten days.
Mesmer and his disciples were well aware that their patients were
entering altered states of consciousness marked by trance. They also knew
the power of suggestion during these altered states. By Hahnemann’s time,
hypnosis and Mesmerism were an integrated science and the homœopaths in
Hahnemann’s circle were carrying out many experiments. Dr. Heinrich A. von
Gersdorff, who worked with Hahnemann on The Chronic Diseases, was involved
in one of the most extraordinary experiments. Doctor von Gersdorff wrote:
"The cure of a dangerous disease by idiosomnambulism and the
homœopathic remedies prescribed by the patient in his magnetically
clairvoyant condition, after the careful observation made personally and
described by Heinrich August Baron Gersdorff."
Esienach; Published by Johann Fr. Barecke, 1833.
Von Gersdorff used the patient’s heightened awareness during trance to
assist in the selection of a homœopathic remedy. This offers insights into
the advanced levels of Mesmerism cum hypnosis performed by the inner circle
of the first generation of homœopaths. Von Gersdorff stayed in contact with
Hahnemann by letter after he left Coethen for Paris. He later accompanied
his son, also a homœopathic physician, to Boston, USA, in 1849 where he
took a position at the university. He died in 1870 at the age of seventy-seven.
Dr. Melanie Hahnemann, the second wife of Samuel, also experimented
with Mesmerism cum hypnotism. She used this method to find out information
on the whereabouts of her long lost father. She used a young girl as a
surrogate whom she placed in a clairvoyant trance to find out the
information she sought!
"She had, she said, experimented with the former [mesmerism] herself
when she had magnetized or hypnotized a young girl to find out where her
father was. The subject discovered that he was in California, and this fact
had been verified."
A Homeopathic Love Story, The Story of Samuel and Melanie Hahnemann; R.
Handley, page 182.
Sometimes the conservative wing of homoeopathy acts as if Hahnemann and
the first generation only used their little white pills and were against
all other forms of healing. In truth they were experimenting with a wide
variety of healing arts. As we have seen in the above quotes they not only
used strange, rare and peculiar remedies but also strange, rare and
peculiar methods of healing! I would have loved to be present when Samuel
and Melanie centered their energy, focused their gazes, and raised their
hands to transmit the magnet current or induce trance when necessary!!!
What a moment.
Similia Minimus,
Sincerely, David
---------------
"It is the life-force which cures diseases because a dead man needs no more
medicines."
Samuel Hahnemann
Visit our website on Hahnemannian Homoeopathy and Cyberspace Homoeopathic
Academy at
http://www.simillimum.com
David Little © 2000