Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 370, August 1846Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 370, August 1846
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
A grand chorus by the patients, of "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled," under
the influence of some bump corresponding to Patriotism, terminated this
portion of the evening's entertainments. But all was not yet over. The
lecturer informed us that he would now exhibit the power of mesmerism over
the body, apart from the enchainment of the mental faculties--that is,
that he would produce paralysis in the limbs of a thinking and a sentient
being. We are ashamed to say that a cry of "Gammon!" arose from different
parts of the hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said the undaunted sorcerer, "some incredulous
persons seem to doubt my power. You shall see it with your own eyes. I
shall now proceed to waken these boys, and submit them to the new
experiment."
In the twinkling of a handkerchief they were awake and lively, and beyond
a slight complaint from the pugilists of pain in the region of the
abdomen, and a very reasonable demand on the part of the musician for
lozenges, they did not seem at all the worse in consequence of their
recent exercise. One of them was now desired to stretch out his arm. He
did so. A few passes were made along it, and he remained in the attitude
of a fakeer.
"That lad's arm," said he of the mysterious art, "is now as fixed as
marble. He cannot take it down. Can you, O'Shaughnessy?"
"The divil a bit!" replied the Hibernian, a stout and brawny villain of
some two and twenty.
"Would any gentleman like to try it?" inquired the operator.
"It's myself has no manner of objections at all!" exclaimed a stalwart
medical student, springing upon the platform, amidst a shout of general
exultation. "Hould yerself tight, Pat, my boy; for, by the powers, I'll
twist ye like an ounce of pig-tail!"
"Tear and owns!"--replied O'Shaughnessy, looking somewhat dismayed, for
the volunteer was about as stout a Connaughter as it ever was our fortune
to behold. "Tear and owns! it isn't after breaking my arm you'd be at? Och
wirra! Would ye take a dirty advantage of a decent lad, and him as stiff
as a poker?"
"I protest against this exhibition!" said the benevolent gentleman, in
whom we now recognised a Vice-President of the Fogie Club. "The shoulder
of the man may be dislocated--or there may be a fracture of the ulna--or
some other horrid catastrophe may happen, and we shall all be prosecuted
for murder!"
"And am I not here to set the bone!" demanded the student indignantly
"Give us a hould of ye, Pat, and stand firm on your pins, for I'll work ye
like a pump-handle."
So saying, he closed with O'Shaughnessy. But that wary individual, whilst
he abandoned his arm to the student, evidently considered himself under no
obligation to forego the use of his legs. He spun round and round like a
teetotum, and stooped whenever an attempt was made to draw him down, but
still the arm remained extended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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