Mesmerism

Mesmerism

Mesmerism, also known as animal magnetism, is a historical healing theory developed by Franz Anton Mesmer in the 18th century, positing an invisible magnetic fluid in living beings that could be manipulated for physical and psychological cures.​

Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician, introduced the concept in the 1770s after treating a patient with magnets, claiming to control a universal fluid akin to electricity that flowed through bodies and caused illness when blocked. He gained fame in Paris by using devices like the baquet—a tub with magnetized water and iron rods—for group treatments, inducing trance-like states, convulsions, and reported healings without touch.​

Mesmerism involved hand passes over patients, iron rods, or communal setups to redirect the fluid, often leading to altered consciousness resembling hypnosis. Practitioners believed innate magnetism varied by individual, and treatments provoked symptoms as part of recovery.​

Though debunked by a 1784 French Royal Commission as suggestion-based rather than magnetic, mesmerism influenced modern hypnotism via figures like Abbé Faria and shaped understandings of trance states in psychology. It inspired spiritual healing during the Romantic era despite medical discrediting.

Mesmerism: A Deep Exploration of Its Origins, Theory, Practice, and Legacy

Few topics in the history of science and psychology have been as controversial, mysterious, and influential as Mesmerism. Emerging in the late 18th century through the work of Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer, mesmerism straddles an unusual boundary between medicine, mysticism, psychology, and performance. Though largely discredited as a scientific medical practice, mesmerism played a crucial role in the development of hypnosis, psychosomatic medicine, psychotherapy, and even early neurology.

This article explores mesmerism in depth—its historical roots, theoretical foundations, methodologies, evolution into hypnosis, and its continued relevance in modern psychological science.

1. The Historical Origins of Mesmerism

1.1 Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815)

Mesmer was a physician trained in Vienna who believed that illness resulted from imbalances in a subtle natural force interacting with the human body. In 1778, he moved to Paris, where he developed his therapeutic system and achieved immense popularity—before facing scrutiny from scientists and governments.

1.2 Early Experiments

Mesmer claimed to cure patients of paralysis, blindness, convulsions, and various psychological conditions. His sessions often included:

• music

• dim lighting

• group rituals around a “baquet” (a tub filled with iron filings and magnetized rods)

• Mesmer touching or gesturing around patients to manipulate their energy

Patients routinely experienced dramatic reactions: fainting, shaking, crying, or entering trance-like states.

1.3 The Rise of “Animal Magnetism”

Mesmer called his theory animal magnetism. According to him, a universal magnetic fluid permeated the universe, and illness resulted when this fluid was blocked or disturbed in the human body. The mesmerist, possessing superior equilibrium in this fluid, could redistribute it to patients.

This theory mixed elements of:

• Hermetic philosophy

• Astrology

• Vitalism

• Early electromagnetic theory

• Folk healing traditions

Though later disproven, its popularity reflected the era’s fascination with unseen forces and natural laws.

2. The Theory of Animal Magnetism

2.1 The Magnetic Fluid

Mesmer believed in an invisible fluid analogous to gravitational fields or electromagnetism. He proposed:

• This fluid flows through all bodies.

• Humans can influence each other’s magnetic fields.

• Disease arises when the flow is obstructed.

• Healing restores harmony.

2.2 The Role of the Mesmerist

The mesmerist was not merely a doctor but a conductor of energy. His techniques included:

• Passes: sweeping gestures over the body

• Fixation: intense eye contact to induce trance

• Physical touch: to “unblock” magnetic channels

• Proximity: standing near patients to influence the “field”

2.3 Mesmeric Crises

Central to Mesmer’s therapy was inducing a crisis—convulsions, tears, laughter, trembling—believed to release obstructions. Patients often reported emotional catharsis afterward.

Today, such reactions resemble:

• dissociative states

• emotional release

• trance phenomena

• psychosomatic responses

3. The Spread and Popularity of Mesmerism

Mesmerism became a cultural phenomenon. Parisian high society attended mass mesmeric sessions. Writers, artists, and political figures were mesmerized—literally and figuratively. It spread rapidly across Europe and America.

3.1 Mesmeric Societies

Dozens of societies formed to study or practice mesmerism. Manuals and guides proliferated, each with unique interpretations.

3.2 Celebrity Mesmerists

Prominent mesmerists performed theatrically, blurring the line between therapy and spectacle. Some became early stage hypnotists.

3.3 Mesmerism in Medicine

Despite its popularity, the medical establishment remained skeptical. Yet many reported cures defied conventional explanation.

4. Scientific Investigations and the Discrediting of Mesmerism

4.1 The 1784 Royal Commission

King Louis XVI established a commission to investigate Mesmer’s claims. Members included:

• Benjamin Franklin

• Antoine Lavoisier

• Joseph-Ignace Guillotin

Their conclusion:

The effects of mesmerism were real, but were caused by imagination, imitation, and suggestion—not by magnetic fluids.

This was perhaps the earliest scientific study of placebo and psychological suggestion.

4.2 The Decline of Animal Magnetism

Though Mesmer’s theory was discredited, the phenomena he produced were harder to dismiss. Researchers continued studying trance and suggestion, laying groundwork for:

• hypnosis

• psychology

• psychosomatic medicine

Mesmerism died as a science but lived on as a practice and cultural force.

5. The Transformation of Mesmerism into Hypnosis

5.1 The Work of James Braid

In the 1840s, Scottish surgeon James Braid observed mesmeric sessions and concluded that the trance state was psychological, not magnetic. He coined the term hypnotism, drawing from the Greek hypnos (sleep).

Braid reframed the mesmeric trance as:

• a focused state of attention

• heightened suggestibility

• created through mental processes

This was the birth of modern hypnosis.

5.2 The Nancy and Paris Schools

Two major traditions emerged:

• Nancy School: Emphasized suggestion as the key mechanism.

• Paris School (Charcot): Linked hypnosis to hysteria and neurology.

Sigmund Freud studied hypnosis early in his career and used it in the development of psychoanalysis.

6. Mesmerism as Mind-Body Medicine

Modern research validates many phenomena Mesmer observed:

6.1 The Power of Suggestion

Placebo effects demonstrate that belief and expectation can dramatically alter physical symptoms.

6.2 Psychosomatic Illness

Emotional conflict and stress can produce real, measurable physical effects.

6.3 Altered States of Consciousness

Meditation, trance, and guided imagery mirror mesmeric states.

6.4 Hypnosis in Therapy

Hypnosis is used today for:

• pain management

• PTSD

• anxiety

• phobias

• habit control

• surgery and anesthesia

Though no magnetic fluid exists, the psychological mechanisms of mesmerism were powerful.

7. Mesmerism in Culture and Literature

Mesmerism influenced:

• Gothic literature

• spiritualism

• occult movements

• 19th-century American transcendentalism

• Victorian fascination with the mind

Writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, and Nathanael Hawthorne incorporated mesmerism into their works.

8. Criticisms and Controversies

8.1 Pseudoscience

Mesmer’s theory lacked empirical basis and was saturated with metaphysics.

8.2 Manipulation and Control

Mesmeric trances raised ethical concerns about:

• influence over vulnerable individuals

• stage performance exploitation

• exaggerated or fraudulent claims

8.3 Medical Opposition

Physicians feared mesmerism displaced legitimate treatments. Yet paradoxically, mesmerism often cured conditions medicine could not treat at the time.

9. The Legacy of Mesmerism

Despite its flaws, mesmerism profoundly shaped modern thought:

Contributions to Science and Medicine

• Inspired hypnotism and hypnotherapy

• Advanced early psychology

• Introduced systematic placebo studies

• Highlighted power of suggestion

• Stimulated research on consciousness

• Influenced psychosomatic medicine

Contributions to Culture

• Pioneered ideas of mind control

• Enriched literature and theater

• Inspired occult and esoteric movements

Mesmerism’s impact continues today in:

• hypnosis

• neurolinguistic programming (NLP)

• guided meditation

• somatic therapies

• mind-body medicine

Mesmerism remains a fascinating chapter in the history of science—an era when medicine, magic, psychology, and performance blended into a powerful cultural movement. Though Mesmer’s magnetic fluid was a myth, the psychological truths embedded within mesmerism were profound. He captured a fundamental insight:

the human mind is capable of influencing the body in remarkable ways.

Today, mesmerism is remembered not for its flawed theory but for its role in unlocking the study of suggestion, hypnosis, and the complex relationship between mind and body. It stands as a testament to the evolving journey of scientific discovery—where even mistaken ideas can pave the way to deeper understanding.