mitive therapeutic
methods, and the success of charlatanry, are to be attributed to mental
influence. The use of spells and incantations, the practice of laying-on
of hands, the cult of relics, mesmerism, and metallo-therapy, have been
important factors in the evolution of modern mental healing. The method
of their operation, a mystery for ages, is revealed by the word
suggestion. Thus may be traced some of the steps in the development of
psycho-therapy. One ruling force, namely, the power of the imagination,
has always been the potent therapeutic agent, whether in the word of
command, in medical scripts, or in the methods of quackery.
R. M. L.

177 BAY STATE ROAD, BOSTON, MASS.
May 20, 1910.

CONTENTS

I. MEDICAL AMULETS 3

II. TALISMANS 19

III. PHYLACTERIES 24

IV. THE POWER OF WORDS 30

V. THE CURATIVE INFLUENCE OF THE IMAGINATION 53

VI. THE ROYAL TOUCH 73

VII. THE BLUE-GLASS MANIA 93

VIII. THE TEMPLES OF ESCULAPIUS 97

IX. STYPTIC CHARMS 105

X. HEALING-SPELLS IN ANCIENT TIMES 111

XI. MEDICINAL RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS 135

XII. METALLO-THERAPY 139

XIII. ANIMAL MAGNETISM 143

XIV. ANCIENT MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS 155

XV. REMEDIAL VIRTUES ASCRIBED TO RELICS 165

XVI. THE HEALING INFLUENCE OF MUSIC 172

XVII. THE HEALING INFLUENCE OF MUSIC (_continued_) 185

XVIII. QUACKS AND QUACKERY 201

XIX. QUACKS AND QUACKERY (_continued_) 223

APPENDIX: SOME NOTED IRREGULAR PRACTITIONERS:

PARACELSUS 243

HEINRICH CORNELIUS AGRIPPA VON NETTESHEIM 249

JEROME CARDAN 251

GIUSEPPE BALSAMO 253

VALENTINE GREATRAKES 255

JOHANN BAPTIST VAN HELMONT 260

ROBERT FLUDD 263

MICHEL DE NOTREDAME