Part 21

M. LAENNEC, agreed with M. DOUBLE, because after studying the subject for twenty years, he is satisfied, that it is almost nothing but deception and juggling; although, when he commenced the study, he was prejudiced in its favour. According to M. LAENNEC, among the magnetic influences, there are several, attributable to the impressions, which one individual naturally makes on another in correlation with him; and he cited a mistake, which he saw committed by a somnambulist woman. She was magnetised by two persons, one of whom was handsome, but anaphrodisiac, the other ugly, yet possessing in integrity, the genital faculties. She received no impression, except from the first individual; so that the impression which this female had received by the organs of vision, before the experiment, superseded that, which the pretended magnetic sense ought to have made on her. He thinks, the academy ought to _observe_ the magnetisers, but what he has seen, has convinced him, that nine-tenths of the facts in magnetism are supposititious. The phenomena effected by magnetism, and the oracles uttered by the somnambulist, vary with every magnetiser. MESMER excited convulsions; DESLIN effected crises, such as are seen in diseases. The somnambulists of Mr. DELEUZE, a learned man, are much better taught than those of PUYSEGUR, who is ignorant of the sciences, and finally, Mr. LAENNEC has seen a somnambulist under the direction of a pharmacien, who was quite distinguished, by the art with which she compounded the medicines, she recommended. The discussion was now adjourned to the next sitting.

On the 24th of January, it was resumed.

M. CHARDEL, bears witness to a reality of the magnetic phenomena, as he has witnessed them himself, in a case of what is called somnambulism. He dares not pronounce on the question of magnetism, as a therapeutical agent; but is disposed to think it ought, if ever, to be used with great reserve. Whether it consist of nervous phenomena of a particular order, or whether it be a product of the imagination, in either case, it deserves to be studied, &c. &c.

M. RONCHOUX, thought the proposed examination would be impossible; for the magnetisers assert, that if one of the parties have a will opposed to that of the magnetiser, no phenomena can be produced. Their confessed inability to surmount any opposite will, seems to Mr. RONCHOUX, an invincible obstacle to any exploration to be attempted by a commission.

M. MARC, gave some explanation of the labours undertaken in Germany. According to the opposition, nothing conclusive can be derived from these labours; because Germany is the native soil of sects and of thaumaturgæ but, Mr. M. proved by citations, that they are not to be attributed to excited imaginations, as has been urged, but to the most celebrated Savans of that country, as for example, OERSTDT, KLAPROTH, and HUFELAND, to learned bodies, and to governments. The Royal Academy of Berlin, offered in 1818, a prize of 3300 francs, for an essay on this topic.

The governments of Prussia, Russia, and Denmark, have founded medical commissions for the examination of it, and subjected its therapeutical application to certain regulations. He thought, therefore, that the Academy could follow without compromising its dignity, such good examples. He added, that the examination was absolutely necessary, unless they desired that every French practitioner should hereafter reject the whole subject, and for ever abandon its employment to jugglers and credulous fools.

M. NACQUART thought, that as magnetic somnambulism is something wholly independent of organical, physical, or physiological laws; that as the senses here have no need of organs; as time, space, and intermediate bodies, wholly disappear; we can avail ourselves of no method of appreciating magnetical facts, and consequently, the Academy ought not to trouble their heads about it--a very good joke truly: but M. ITARD said, that jokes had nothing to do with the question, because they are meant only for the abuses and extravagancies of magnetism; but we want to get at the truth, and to eschew the folly. Magnetism, says he, is either a real or imaginary agent; it ought to be examined. To refuse this, is to despise the path of experiment, which can alone lead to truth, &c. &c.

M. RECAMIER, could add nothing to the observations of MM. DESGENETTES, BALLY, and DOUBLE; but he wished the section to know, that he been a witness to the magnetic phenomena--he had been present at the oracles of the marichale of M. DE PUYSEGUR, who was represented as the most lucid of all possible somnambulists. He had reason to suspect a cheat in this case, as he was denied the means of dissipating his doubts; and heard this woman repeat what he had before said to the patient himself. How ridiculous, moreover, is it, to hear one drachm of glauber's salt prescribed as a transcendental remedy for phthisis pulmonalis! He also attended at the Hotel Dieu, at experiments made on one woman and two men. He saw the woman go to sleep (as was asserted,) at the simple will of the magnetiser, who for that purpose was concealed in a closet of the apartment. The only mode adopted, to prove that she was really asleep, consisted in some slight pinching of her ears, and some noises; yet, in the recital, these slight impressions have been transformed into most painful tortures. In the experiments made on the men, he employed a more powerful proof, which was the application of moxa; and that he did, because it was indicated by a coxalgia, with which the patient was affected: it is _a fact_, says he, that the man did not awake, or show _the slightest sensibility_. Mr. R. believes, therefore, in magnetical action; but does not think it can ever be available in the practice of physic. In Germany, said he, where magnetism is so much employed, do they cure better than elsewhere? And has magnetism been the occasion of any therapeutical discovery any where? In somnambulism there is only a disordered sensibility, and not an increase of it; and the pretended clairvoyance of the somnambulists, has no real existence, &c. &c.

M. GEORGET, cited in proof of the existence of magnetic power, the names of many physicians, members of the Academy, as MM. ROSTAN and FOUQUIER--he cited the experiments made at the Hotel Dieu, by Dr. DUPORTET, in the presence of many members, who had signed the results, as MM. HUSSON, GEOFFROY, RECAMIER, DELENS, PATISSIER, MARTIN, SOLON, BRICHETEAU and KERGARADEC. If there be any analogy between magnetic and natural somnambulism, ought we to be astonished at the production of the former by certain practices? The magnetisers conceal nothing, but publish all their proceedings, and do you call these the tactics of jugglers and charlatans?

M. MAGENDIE thought the examination expedient, and wished commissioners to be appointed to examine the somnambulist, offered by Dr. FOISSAC.

M. GUERSENT was in the affirmative: he himself had magnetised, and witnessed several phenomena, &c.

The discussion was then adjourned to the next setting, and on the 14th February, after hearing M. GASC against, and M. LHERMINER for the report, M. HUSSON the reporter was heard. The section then closed the discussion, and it was decided by a majority of ten, (35 to 25,) that a commission should be appointed to examine animal magnetism.

We are indebted for the above account to the Revue Medicale for March--the No. for February, also contains a review of M. DUPAU'S Lettres Physiologiques et Morales sur le Magnetisme Animal, 8vo. Paris, 1826. In order to show our readers how they manage these matters, we shall translate the following from p. 269.

"Here, says M. ROSTAN, is an experiment that I have often repeated, but which I was finally obliged to interrupt, because it fatigued my somnambulist prodigiously, who assured me, that if I continued, it would make her go mad. This experiment was made in presence of my colleague and friend, M. FERRUS. I took my watch, which I placed three or four inches from her occiput. I asked my somnambulist, if she saw any thing: "certainly, I see something that shines; it hurts me." Her countenance was expressive of pain, and ours expressed astonishment. We looked at each other, and M. FERRUS breaking silence, said, if she sees something shine, she can doubtless tell what it is. "What do you see that shines?--Oh! I don't know, I can't tell. Look at it well--Stop, it fatigues me, wait--(and after a moment of great attention) _It's a watch_." More astonishment. But, if she sees the watch, said M. FERRUS, she will doubtless see what o'clock it is. "Could you tell me what o'clock it is?--Oh! no, it is too difficult." "Look at it, try." "Wait then, I'll try; may be I can tell the hour, but I never shall be able to see the minutes;" and after the greatest attention--"It wants ten minutes of eight o'clock:" which was exact. M. FERRUS now desired to make the experiment himself, and repeated it with the same success. He made me turn the hands of his watch several times, and when presented to her (occiput we suppose,) without her having seen it, she never made any mistake."

These statements we have thought fit to lay before our readers, who will observe the respectable names which are connected with them. We shall seize the first opportunity to give the report of the new commission, and if they confirm the miracles, we can still say, credat Judaeus apella. If it will make no cure, it will probably make much pay; since MESMER got upwards of 340,000 francs for his mumming exhibitions, to the _spectacle_ loving quidnuncs of Paris. The commission consists of 11 members, viz. LEROUX, BOURDOIS, DOUBLE, MAGENDIE, GUERSENT, LAENNEC, THILLAYE, MARC, ITARD, FOUQUIER and GUENEAU DE MUSSY.

36. _Sketch of the Medical Literature of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway--by_ Dr. C. OTTO, _of Copenhagen, apud Bulletin des Sci. Med. Feb. and March._--"Denmark is richer in medical literature, than the other countries which in conjunction with it, composed the ancient Scandinavia. Although it does not in this respect, bear a comparison with France, Germany, England, and Italy, nevertheless, medicine, of all the sciences, seems to be that which is most successfully cultivated, and Copenhagen contains a great number of learned, and able physicians." In proof of what Denmark has done, Dr. O. refers us to the great names of the two BARTHOLINS, of STENO, of WINSLOW, of CALLISEN, &c.

"In the 16th century, Denmark possessed the anatomical works of the two BARTHOLINS: (_Instit. Anatomicæ de vasis lymphaticis, &c._) and other works of the same kind, which have been translated into all the languages of Europe. STENO, the disciple of THOMAS BARTHOLIN, followed the career of his master, with an equal success. HALLER never spoke of this anatomist, without the highest admiration. RODE enriched the literature of Germany and Denmark, with works which have made his name illustrious, wherever science is cultivated. Among these, we may chiefly distinguish his Bibliotheca, and Materia Medica." The Danes are indebted to him for several popular works on medicine, which are in the judgment of Dr. OTTO, chef d'oeuvres of this sort of writing. He published more than 13 volumes on these topics. "To the celebrated CALLISEN, who is recently deceased, we are indebted for 1st, a _Systema Chirurgiæ Hodiernæ_, a work of the highest merit, and which has reached a fourth edition. 2nd, a Medical Topography of Copenhagen, published in Danish. (2 _vols._ _8vo. Copen._ 1807.) 3d, the Director of the Academy of Surgery. He is also the author of several important memoirs, inserted in those of the _Roy. Soc. of Sciences_, of Denmark, and in some other collections. The late professor MATH. SAXTORPH, composed an excellent _manual of labours_, for the use of midwives. A second edition with plates, appeared in 1804. T. L. BANG, has given a _Praxis Medica_, an excellent guide to young physicians in their first outset in practice. HERHOLDT has shed some lustre on Danish Physiology: his dissertations on the life of the foetus, and on the question, whether vision is performed with both eyes, or with on