Discourse By Mesmer On Magnetism
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Rare Original writings of Franz Anton Mesmer
For a long time I have supposed that a universal fluid exists
in nature, a fluid which penetrates all animate or inanimate bodies.
The phenomena of electricity, as well as those of magnetism, affected
this opinion of mine. Thus, I adopted the system of the noble Newton
regarding the motion of celestial bodies. As a consequence of this,
I obtained my degree on this theme at the University of Vienna in
1766, receiving the rank of doctor. However, I was not satisfied
with my own interpretations, and chance gave me the means of correcting
my notions.
One day, while in proximity to a person who was bleeding, I noticed
that in approaching me and in going away from me, the circulation
of this person's blood varied in a remarkable way; and having repeated
this maneuver in other circumstances with the same results, I concluded
that I possessed a magnetic quality that was not, perhaps, as impressive
as that of others, but a quality which others could possess to some
degree, more or less, such as one sees in certain irons or steels
which differ in magnetic properties although they have been formed
from the same ingot and have been tempered in the same way. I understand
very well that it is possible to make emanations of a subtle material,
such as magnetic material, in our bodies and in other substances,
as is done with the magnet or with magnetized iron. Spanish beeswax,
ambergris, and other similar materials, become magnetic when dried
out or made more harsh by rubbing.' Why couldn't we have this property?
Since time immemorial one has spoken of sympathy, antipathy, of
attraction, repulsion, of ethereal matter, of phlogiston, of subtle
matter, of animal spirits, of electrical matter, and of magnetic
matter. All these agents, whose action is as real as the existence
of light-do they not proclaim the widespread universal fluid, but
combined differently in accordance with the substances and their
manner of being or of action? This view has nothing, which opposes
reason. When one considers the promptness with which the will is
transmitted from the head to the extremities of our body in the
activity of our automatic or voluntary movements, one can easily
see that this rapidity is not owed to the lymphatic or serous fluid,
which is only destined to serve the maintenance of the suppleness
of the nerves but is owed to nervous fluid, to animal spirits, consequently
to the universal fluid which penetrates us and whose immense promptness
is known in electrical phenomena.
Moreover, the most electric parts of our bodies are dried nerves;
the membranes are less electric and very likely owe their electrical
property only to their interweaving with the many nerves which enter
them. The nerves seem, then, to be the organs or the immediate conductors
of the universal fluid in our bodies. In addition, the fluid is
susceptible to surprising emanations. Pigeons have been seen to
die between the hands of epileptics, and also rabbits when laid
against the epileptic's lower extremities at the moment of the epileptic
attack. There is all the reason to believe that this phenomenon
would not have occurred except for the electric discharge drawn
from the epileptic by the contact. Aside from mentioning the acuteness
and subtlety of a dog's sense of smell, recognizing a trail 30 or
40 leagues long by means of corpuscles which we scatter after its,
everyone knows of the characteristic found in healthy young people
of being able to rejuvenate old men and strengthen them by means
of their emanations; the Holy Scripture speaks of it.
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1. The difference between attraction caused by magnetism and attraction
caused by static electricity was not well understood at this time.
Thus Mesmer frequently quotes phenomena of static electricity as
being attributable to the magnet.
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Physics these days is too enlightened to attribute the beneficial
effects of such things to any cause other than to the elementary
discharge [fire, animation] of which youth is abundantly provided,
and whose emanations are sucked in by the jeopardized and lax pores
of old men. Could not one propose, without offending probability,
that sympathy-which is nothing other than an inclination, a pleasant
impulse we carry towards one another as two magnets are attracted
to each other reciprocally-consists of these reciprocal and mutual
attractions? Thus, just as a weak magnet is revived by a stronger
magnet, similarly the elemental matter which dies out in an old
man because of the debility of his organs, is revived by elemental
matter which is more vigorously launched by elastic, fresh, and
hearty vessels and nerves.
It is more than likely that all of the bodies and elements of Nature
are penetrated by this elemental matter. Created by the Supreme
Being and put into action by His omnipotence, the form, existence,
and exact and combined movement of the globes, which roll in the
ocean of space, result, without doubt, from this universal source.
I can easily conceive that several rounded sponges, rolling upon
each other in a basin filled with a highly agitated liquid, would
in the meantime instill this liquid with a specific direction [bearing]
towards the poles by the pressure of their [the sponges'] opposing
circumferences. The resistance resulting from this pressure would
clearly establish the flow of this liquid as running from one pole
to the other. Isn't it also conceivable that the particles that
would be present on the surface of the sponge, carried by the current
from the south, would have a greater similarity and tendency to
be attracted to another substance of somewhat similar nature swept
along by the current corning from the north and crossing the one
coming from the south?
This comparison, as common as it is, seems to give a concept that
one can form of the action of the universal principle in the magnet;
the curve that this fluid naturally describes towards the poles,
being exactly calculated, appears to explain the inclination and
declination of the needle. All the phenomena of magnetism offer
little difficulty in their explanation. It is no longer considered
to be the action of an incomprehensible attraction completely similar
to the occult faculties of Aristotle; it is a natural force, received
equally by the senses and by reason. Each body has its poles and
its surfaces; the universal fluid, composed of a two-fold stream,
penetrates this body by means of each pole. This fluid always keeps
the salve direction, as long as that direction is not altered by
another current, which is stronger than the first. This is what
constitutes the reinforcement of mineral magnetism as well as that
of animal magnetism. Take several magnetized needles; put them in
the same direction, one behind the other, with the north pole of
one towards the south pole of the other; they will all tend to approach
each other. Change the direction of these needles and arrange them
so that the south pole of one is towards the north pole of the other;
they will likewise tend to approach each other. Would one say that
this is done by an attractive property which has no sense of direction,
or wouldn't one rather attribute this to the impetus of the two-fold
magnetic stream, which, in its rapid course, carries along the needles
which it penetrates and which presses one against the other, one
by the north, the other by the south? As you know, the direction
of the poles can be changed by means of electricity.
If a magnetized bar of iron is struck in the middle, the effect
of the impact "destroys" the magnetism. If the same bar
of iron is struck on one of its ends by a hammer "seven"
times heavier, the magnetism is "restored." Everything
can be explained by the two-fold stream of electric material and
all of these phenomena can also become understandable. The twofold
stream of material, set into action by rubbing, flows through the
two extremities from one end of the conductor to the other with
the most surprising speed. As long as no obstacle stands in the
way of this two-fold flow, all remains in an apparent state of tranquility.
But, introduce the slightest obstacle to this two-fold stream so
as to not allow it to vary, by interposing whatever body, then these
two streams must, by their clash, produce the explosion and the
electric shock.
Everyone knows of the electric property of man: how, under the
electric influence his hair stands on end and deviates; [how] the
movement of the thickest blood is singularly accelerated, as the
blood can be caused to spurt out in degrees according to it being
more or less impregnated by electric material; how sparks can be
drawn from all parts of the electrified human body, etc. Therefore,
one can easily understand that man is likewise penetrated by the
twofold stream of universal fluid, and that he must have his poles
and his surfaces in the same way as do all other substances of nature
which are more or less penetrated, according to their own characteristics,
by this same universal fluid. The existence of the universal fluid
being real in the human body, its two-fold current, its reinforcement,
its activity, its emanation being so manifested, let us now look
at the mechanism of nervous sicknesses and the course of the magnetic
influence.
Is it not true that coarse, pasty, viscous moods, produced by bad
digestion, are occasioned by congestions and obstructions? The absence
of freedom in the flow of the universal fluid and in the activity
that it should impart to the nerves, and from these to the vessels,
must be attributed to these viscosities and to these obstructions.
Functions become sickly and the juices become spoiled, and the machine
is destroyed in full or in part, or it is visibly and greatly impaired.
Iron which rusts and which falls into efflorescence [crumbles]
through the passage of time no longer has magnetic properties; in
giving it its former structure through the use of magnetism, it
gets back its former properties. In the same way, the universal
fluid, destroyed or weakened in a sick body, must be strengthened
with additional fluid in order that the body be able to regain its
former vigor and have the obstacles removed.
From this one can infer to what extent copious bloodletting and
viscous medications lead to destruction of the machine, since in
debilitating the forces under the pretext of preventing or curing
imaginary inflammations, one often produces ailment where none existed.
Few nervous sicknesses are seen which do not produce a slackening
of the universal fluid and which cannot be dispelled by the reestablishment
of that fluid.
-------------- GLOSSARY
Ambergris-a waxy substance found floating in tropical seas.
A morbid secretion in the sperm whale.
League-4 kilometers or 2 1/2 miles.
Phlogiston-the hypothetical principle of fire, regarded
as a material substance.
Serous-relating to, containing, or producing serum (fluid
portion of the blood).
Michael Bennett is a master practitioner
and trainer of NLP and Hypnotherapy, licensed and certified through
the Society of NLP. He operates a school for teaching these disciplines
to health professionals and persons interested in improving the
quality of their lives.
