Popular Superstitions, and the Truths Contained Therein: With an Account of MesmerismMayo, Herbert
History
Popular Superstitions, and the Truths Contained Therein: With an Account of Mesmerism
Mayo, Herbert
Mesmerism; Parapsychology and medicine; Superstition
3. For the most lucid persons in waking-trance (either of spontaneous
occurrence, as in catelepsy, or when induced by mesmerism) the
exoneural apprehension seems to extend to every object and person
round, and to be drawn into complete intelligence of or with them. Such
a patient is “en rapport,” or in trance-mental relation with any or
every thing around, in succession or simultaneously.
4. In persons slowly waking in the most measured course of things out
of artificial initiatory trance into somnambulism, the mind is at first
exoneurally attracted to the mesmeriser alone. As a next step, the
mesmeriser, by putting himself in Od-relation with a third person, can
make him participator in the same attraction.
I do not here discuss Mr. Braid’s views, which are more fully
considered in a subsequent Letter. I have analyzed trance in its
character of a spontaneous pathological phenomenon. I have examined
its principal features as they present themselves when it is induced
by mesmerism. But facts have been brought forward by Mr. Braid, which
seem to establish that, in some highly susceptible persons, trance may
be brought on at will in another way, by their own indirect efforts,
apart from external influences:—as, for instance, by straining the eyes
upwards, the attention being kept some time concentrated on the object
or the effort. Certainly, doing this makes the head feel uncomfortable
and giddy, and seems as if it would lead to some kind of fit if
indefinitely prolonged.
XIII. _Trance-Prevision_.—Instances of trance-prevision are referrible
to three different heads.
1. The simplest trance-prevision is that of epileptic patients
(artificially entranced) who name, at the distance of weeks beforehand,
the exact hour, nay, minute, at which the next fit will occur. The
case of Cazot, (mentioned by Dr. Foissac,) who was in the habit
of predicting the accession of his fits with unerring precision,
terminated, however, in the following manner: Cazot had predicted, as
usual, when he should be next attacked: before the time came round,
however, he was thrown from a horse and killed. But no doubt can be
entertained that, had he not met with this accident, the next fit
would have occurred at the hour predicted. This is the simplest and
narrowest form of prevision: the clairvoyante can tell, in reference to
himself, or to any one with whom he is placed in relation, what will be
the course of his health. He can see forward what the progress of his
living economy will be, _other things continuing the same_.
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