The Law of Psychic Phenomena A working hypothesis for the systematic study of hypnotism, spiritism, mental therapeutics, etc.

CHAPTER VIII.

Chapter 8102 wordsPublic domain

HYPNOTISM AND MESMERISM.

Warfare of the Schools.--History of the Science.--Mesmer's Career.--The Academicians.--The Successors of Mesmer.--The Royal Academy of Medicine.--Its Idiotic Prejudices.--Dr. Braid's Discovery.--Re-baptism of the Science.--Effects of Braid's Discoveries.--Liébault's Theory of Suggestion.--The Nancy School and the Paris School compared.--The Fluidic Theory.--The Law of Suggestion the Greatest Discovery in Psychic Science.--The Significance of Braid's Discoveries not appreciated.--Hypnotism of Animals.--The Charcot School.--The Sources of its Errors.--Reform in Terminology suggested.--The Mesmeric Theory.--Braid's Processes not productive of Higher Phenomena.--Mesmerization of Animals.--Recapitulation of Points 81