EDITOR'S PREFACE.

...if this book does no more than alert the public to a sense of danger, it will not have been written in vain. Although my personal experience with Mesmerism A 19th-century practice, a precursor to hypnosis, involving the supposed transfer of "animal magnetism" to heal patients is limited, I have practiced it enough myself to be deeply convinced that, while it provides many benefits, it must be used with care. In the hands of the ignorant or the immoral original: "unprincipled", it can be a significant source of harm.

In a note within the main body of this work, you will find an account of the influence I exerted over a young gentleman in London. I can now share an even more remarkable case. When I recently invited a lady to visit me, I wrote to her: "Even though you do not believe in Mesmerism, I hope to prove it is real by putting you to sleep." In her reply, she remarked, "You will certainly find me difficult to convince; however, if you can give me refreshing sleep, it would be a wonderful blessing, as I have not slept soundly for eighteen months."

Knowing the grief original: "anguish" she had suffered from the deaths of family members original: "family bereavements" and that her health was quite poor, my desire to relieve her suffering made me resolve to see if she could be brought under the influence of Mesmerism. An opportunity arose shortly after she arrived here. On the evening of June 9th, the stifling heat made her feel weak and sluggish original: "languid"; her voice was very hoarse, and she was clearly suffering from a mild case of bronchitis.

Believing that the inflammation might be reduced through Mesmerism, I asked for her permission to try its effectiveness. She kindly agreed, and I performed the standard movements original: "manipulation"; the hand gestures used by a mesmerist to induce a trance for half an hour. She became completely calm but did not fall asleep; she was merely drowsy and did not want to get up. Because there were no obvious signs of success, I concluded that the experiment had failed; however, the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised to...