EXPOSURE OF MESMERIC MEDIUMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7173, 27 May 1885, Page 3

EXPOSURE OF MESMERIC MEDIUMS.

A sensation has been caused in medical circles, says the Boston Herald, by the exposure of the methods employed by a Dr Townsend, who hag been giving illustrations of his mesmeric powers in Chicago city. The subjects, acted aa mesmerised people generally do, and a number of physicians applied tests to them. The insensibility to pain displayed by the subjects was remarkable, and the dootors were puzzled. On Friday night one Robinson, actuated by an alleged failure on tho part of the management to pay his salary, walked out in front of the audience and shouted, " This thing is a ) fraud, and I can prove it. I've been a subject here, and can stand any kind of test." The exhibitions were given by Robinson, who was prodded with needles, burned with lighted cigars, had cayenne pepper tbrown in his eyes, swallowed the bitterest drugs, and submitted to all sorts of torture without the slightest perceptible tremor. Robinson explained thit the ability to endure pain was cultivated and that there were men who made it a business, and who were known among professional as " horses." Five or bix "horses" were discovered who said they wore performing with Dr Townsend. Some of their feats were almost incredible. For instance, they allowed needles to be inserted under the finger nails or through the tongue without wincing. All of these men with whom the doctors talked said they were in the employ of Dr Townsend, receiving so much, per night. As a result of the investigations of the medical men, a novel seance was held one night at the house of a prominent physician, in which the performers were half-a-dozen professional subjects who had trained themselves to the business. They stood without moving a muscle while the needles were- tnrust through their ears and arms and under the nails of the fingers. Cayenne pepper was swallowed by the spoonful without a wink. All the " horses " said they had been employed as subjects by professional mesmerists, and declared that the ability to endure pain is a simpld matter of pluck and training, and that all public exhibitions of so-called mesmerists were conducted by the aid of hired subjects.

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