EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF MESMERISM.

Evening Star, Issue 4098, 15 April 1876, Page 2 (Supplement)

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF MESMERISM.

Much excitement and not a little indignation, says a recent number of the | North British Mail,’ were occasioned in Go van on Wednesday afternoon by a mesmerist, and there is some talk of a civil action being raised against him for injuries inflicted on a respectable young married man residing in Bumdyke street, who was allowed to lie on the cold, damp ground in Napier street for about twenty minutes in a state of mesmerism, and had to be conveyed on. a barrow to the Police Office, and the services of a medical man obtained before he was brought to his senses. It appears that the mesmerist gave an entertainment in the burgh on the previous evenings and the young man, who is a fitter m one of the ship-building yards, was mesmerised along with several others, and while in that state the mesmerist commanded him to come to the comer of the street at a quarter before two o’clock on the following day, and share with him the half of his dinner. The fitter went to his work in the morning, but just as he was in the act of taking big dinner, he suddenly left the table, carrying a jug full of broth, and made his way down Govau road in an excited manner to the place where the “ Professor” was to meet him. A large crowd soon collected round the poor fellow, who was as if pinned to the wall, holding tenaciously to his little jug containing the broth. He eventually slid down upon the cold ground, however, and lay there for about twenty minutes. The excited crowd expected the mesmerist to keep his appointment and relieve the poor fellow from his position, but ho did not put in an appearance. The police arrived on the scene, and the man was conveyed to the office on a barrow. His limbs were by this time perfectly stiff, and with the exception of a slight movement of the heart and pulse the body showed very little signs of Me. Dr Barras was sent for, and after considerable difficulty, succeeded in brmging the young man out of his mesmeric sleep, after his wife and brothers, who had come to the office, had been greatly alarmed about his condition. The man’s health must have suffered considerably by the exposure, as he shivered like an aspen leaf on awakening, and had to be taken home in a cah,