ards the close
of the last century, _in ignorance of mesmerism_, described these
phenomena _as they came before him spontaneously in catalepsy_.

The method of inducing trance that is found to be most successful, is to
sit immediately fronting, and close to the patient, holding his hands or
thumbs, or pointing the extended hands towards his forehead, and slowly
moving them in passes down his face, shoulders, and arms. It is now
clear that the force brought into operation on this occasion, is the Od
force of Von Reichenbach. So the patients sometimes speak of seeing the
luminous aura proceeding from the finger-points of the operator, which
Von Reichenbach's performers described. There are many who are utterly
insensible to this agency. Others are sensible of it in slight, and in
various ways. A small proportion, three in ten perhaps, are susceptible
to the extent of being thrown into trance.

In some, a common fit of hysterics is produced. In others, slight
headach, and a sense of weight on the eyebrows, and difficulty of
raising the eyelids supervene.

In one young woman, whom I saw mesmerized for the first time by Dupotel,
nothing resulted but a sense of pricking and tingling wherever he
pointed with his hand; and her arm on one or two occasions jumped in the
most natural and conclusive manner, when, her eyes being covered, he
directed his outstretched finger to it.

A gentleman, about thirty years of age, when the mesmerizer held his
outstretched hands pointed to his head, experienced no disposition to
sleep; but in two or three minutes, he began to shake his head and twist
his features about; at last, his head was jerked from side to side, and
forwards and backwards, with a violence that looked alarming. But he
said, when it was over, that the motion had not been unpleasant; that he
had moved in a sort voluntarily; although he could not refrain from it.
If the hands of the operator were pointed to his arm instead of his
head, the same violent jerks came in it, and gradually extended to the
whole body. I asked him to try to resist the influence, by holding his
arm out in strong muscular tension. This had the effect of retarding the
attack of the jerks, but, when it came on, it was more violent than
usual.

A servant of mine, aged about twenty-five, was mesmerized by Lafontaine,
for a full half hour, and, no effect appearing to be produced, I told
him he might rise from the chair, and leave us. On getting up, he l