STRANGE WORKS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4281, 22 September 1936, Page 2

STRANGE WORKS

MESMER THE WIZARD lii 1778 there, arrived in Paris an uncanny genius whose reputation tor ability to heal the sick by a new and very sensational process caused him to be received with considerable awe (says a writer in the ‘ Winnipeg Free Press ’). . This wizard, Frederic-Antoine Mesmer, was 44 years of age, tall, distinguished, and impressive—a personality who, because of his extraordinary calm and self-reliance, radiated a sense of health and hope to thousands who came in contact with him. Leaving his native town of Swabia, Germany, he had gone to Vienna, where lie had taken the degree of doctor of medicine, but had left the Austrian capital because of an alleged cabal against him, and before arriving in Paris had travelled throughout Europe. Mesmer took an apartment in the Hotel Bouret, in the centre of Paris, and immediately let it be known that he was ready to treat incurable diseases. Vanity Fair, ever upon the lookout for new fads, especially new cures, at once flocked to the new physician. He became the vogue. His picturesque personality fascinated his patients, especially the women. It became whispered about that he possessed “magic power.” He invented a remarkable piece of apparatus that soon had Paris by the ears. It was known as the “ magic tub,” and consisted of a covered cylinder, inside which patients were seated in tiers. Each held a tube, with the end of which he touched that part of his anatomy which he wished to be treated, inside the great tub stood Mesmer, an imposing figure, garbed in robes suggestive of a magician and bearing an alleged “ magic wand.” As the “ treatment ” continued the patients would become excited, some of them falling into convulsions. These the mysterious physician would calm. Individuals were treated at private seances. During such a treatment Mesmer would hold the subject s hand, touch his forehead, and make before his face passes with the open hand. These manipulations produced convulsions, hysteria 3a nd catalepsy. The western world had never witnessed phenomena of the kind, and Mesmer s clinic became the Mecca of invalids, hypochondrias, mystics, and savants from all parts of the world. Mesmer had discovered some force of whose origin he was quite as ignorant as the public at large. Confusing it with electricity, he called it magnetism—more often “ animal magnetism.” Following the experiments of physicists then studying magnetic forces he" later applied to his patients metal plates such as were used in electric batteries. He claimed that his magnetic force originated in the planets and was altered by their positions. According to his confused notion the heavenly bodies floated about in an infinite magnetic fluid which he could transmit to any objects, animate or inanimate. the Paris Faculty of Medicine appointed a commission to investigate and report upon his phenomena. This body included Benjamin Franklin, then sojourning in Paris. Mesmer avoided the investigators, although they appeared to regard him favourably. He later suggested that the French Government subsidise him by giving him a general annuity that would enable him to treat patients without charge, and to this end Queen Antoinette was petitioned to grant him an estate and chateau, also £20,000. The Queen referred the proposition to the Government, which suggested that the famous physician be given a pension of £BOO a year and that he be knighted with the Order of St. Michael, provided that he would report all of his discoveries to a medical board appointed by the King. But Mesmer scorned the Government’s offer. Going to Spa, he established there a magnetic clinic and repeated his Paris successes. Vainly petitioning Parliament to now conduct an impartial investigation into his methods, he became discouraged by that body’s refusal and sold his alleged secret to a federation of 24 societies which he organised as a soit of Masonic order under a grand master. Each member had to pay Mesmer an initiation fee of 100 louis and annua dues. To become a member one had to be 25 years of age and abstain from tobacco. Among the members of this strange brotherhood was America s friend, the Marquis de Lafayette. Becoming involved in bitter quarrels and stubborn controversies, Mesmer left France in disgust, taking with him a fortune of 300,000 francs. After sojourning for a time in England and Germany he finally returned to his native Swabia, where at the age ol 81 he died in 1815 He gave to the world mesmerism, that mysterious force now more generally called hypnotism, and which after more than a century of investigation by his successors still vexes the human understanding.

C'ia no—journalists, diplomats, literary men —have been impressed by Ins kindness. simplicity of manners, devotion to duty. Although still young, he looks o\en younger than bo really is due in part to the training lie received in the different branches of sport of which he is so fond —swimming, riding, fencing, motoring, and living. Of medium stature, upright carriage, with black hair, clean shaven, frank, good humoured, a ready and witty speaker, affable in bis manner, ho is a general favourite. There are many who see in the rapid political rise of Count Ciano a sign that the Ducc is preparing young Ciano for the final task of one day succeeding him. Will Galeazzo Ciano be the future Duce of Fascism and of Italy? In one of liis more famous speeches, delivered in 1927, Signor Mussolini stated that his successor was not yet born. In fact, at that time Count Ciano had not yet been born into political life. Everything to-day leads to the belief that the Duce is now “ forming ” his son-in-law, educating him up to his future task, putting him to the test beforehand, so that he may acquire experience and self-confidence. Better than any other, Galeazzo Ciano lends himself to such a possibility. He comes from a family which has always been strongly Fascist, and enjoys the full and absolute trust as well as the personal relationship of Signor Mussolini. The Italian people, which has placed unreservedly its blind trust in the Duce, might be expected to transer it more easily to Galeazzo Ciano than to anyone else.