THE COMPELLING EYE
MESMERISM, by Doctor Mesmer (1779). Introductory monograph by Gilbtrt Frankau. McDonald. Price, 6/-. [N approximately 60 pages we have Mesmer’s original pamphlet, Frankau’s monograph and an appendix. The introductory monograph purports to link Mesmer with modern psychotherapy, but the memoir which follows scarcely bears this out. Mésmer’s "propositions," indeed, must be scanned with the eye of faith to reach such a conclusion. The reality of hypnotism is not now doubted. Experiments have given us some quantitive data on it. A hypnotised subject has tolerated over 120 volts when, normally, his tolerance was of the order of 15-20 volts. Moreover, major operations have been performed under hypnotism. Modern neurophysical theories give an adequate explanation of these occurrences, but it is doubtful if Mesmer’s pamphlet does. The chief use made of hypnotism in medicine today, however, is in the treatment of neurotic states, and Mesmer’s practice, if not his explanations of it, does appear to be linked with present usage.
J.D.
McD.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 543, 18 November 1949, Page 19
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163THE COMPELLING EYE New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 543, 18 November 1949, Page 19
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