Chapter 5: 'Science and Health with Key to The Scriptures' by Mary Baker Eddy

Chapter V

Animal Magnetism Unmasked

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, forni-

cations, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which

defile a man. – JESUS.

Earliest investigations

100:1
MESMERISM or animal magnetism was first brought

into notice by Mesmer in Germany in 1775. Ac-

cording to the American Cyclopaedia, he regarded this

so-called force, which he said could be ex-

erted by one living organism over another, as

a means of alleviating disease. His propositions were

as follows:

100:8
"There exists a mutual influence between the celestial

bodies, the earth, and animated things. Animal bodies

are susceptible to the influence of this agent, disseminat-

ing itself through the substance of the nerves."

In 1784, the French government ordered the medical

faculty of Paris to investigate Mesmer's theory and to

report upon it. Under this order a commission was

appointed, and Benjamin Franklin was one of the com-

missioners. This commission reported to the govern-

ment as follows:

100:18
"In regard to the existence and utility of animal mag-

netism, we have come to the unanimous conclusions that

there is no proof of the existence of the animal magnetic