Recent bio-magnetic experiments in Germany : -by Herr Carl Hansen / written by Edmund Sheridan Purcell.

  • Purcell, Edmund Sheridan, 1824?-1899.
Date:
[1882?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Recent bio-magnetic experiments in Germany : -by Herr Carl Hansen / written by Edmund Sheridan Purcell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    by the action of his will, with or without external manifestations, to exercise over others his belief that it is latent in every one more or less, and, like the art of writing or the gif oratory, is capable by prolonged and resolute practice, as in his own case, of an abno’ developement The recent experiments in Germany afford an ample mass of well-attested facts for the scientific inquirer; it is his business now to discover the laws under which the bio-magnetic influence acts and to distinguish between what is essential and what accidental in producing the influence both in the magnetiser and the magnetised. One difficulty, especially in Germany, I fear, in the way of a thorough scientific investigation into bio-magnetism, lies in the fact that Herr Hansen himself is not reputed as a man of science. He is a mere outsider who presumes to discover facts hitherto unknown, or disregarded, or denied by two many of the pompous bespectacled professors of science in a land where they arrogate to themselves the exclusive right of scieutific discovery. In a word they are jealous of the thoughtful Dane, who has not graduated in their school, but whose field of observation has been the world. A brief sketch of Herr Hansen’s career will help the reader who knows anything of the learned world, or more properly coteries, of Germany, to understand the difficulties he had to overcome, in the first instance, to obtain a fair consideration of the experiments he presented to German science. Born at Odense, in Denmark, in the year 1833, Carl Hansen witnessed as a boy experiments in animal magnetism performed by the physician, to whom he was related, once or twice a week on a girl for the benefit of her health. Like all children he imitated the experiments he witnessed, and succeeded in producing the magnetic trance. In his eighteenth year he wa« sent to pursue his studies at Copenhagen, where he passed his examination with some distin _tion. During the year he was at Copenhagen Carl Hansen often magnetised his fellow-students; he used frequently to enter their rooms at night when they were asleep, and, laying his liar \s on their heads, endeavoured to inspire their minds with all kinds of thoughts and ideas which were passing through his own brain. In the morning he would beg them to relate their dreams, and in every instance they corresponded with the ideas which were in his own mind at the time he had magnetised them. In 1858 Herr Hansen went to Australia, where he spent between five and six years in commercial pursuits, but in his leisure hours he carried on his bio-magnetic experiments, or studied mechanics and electricity, to which he was much addicted. He was in the habit of delivering lectures on electricity and animal magnetism. He then went to Mauritius, where he founded a school of mesmerism, and was elected honorary member of the Societe 3jagnetologique of Port Louis. From Mauritius he went to the Cape of Good Hope, and carried on his experiments in the various colonies, and founded a mesmeric society. At the desire of Colonel Maclean, the then Governor of Caff re Land, he magnetised several of the different chiefs. In 1863 Herr Hansen left Africa and returned to Denmark, where, as well as in Norway and Sweden, he carried on public experiments m bio-magnetism with great success. This unsettled kind of life, however, was not pleasing to Herr Hansen’s friends; he was therefore, induced to give it up and embark again in commercial pursuits, which brought him to London and Paris. At last the ruling passion, being strong in life as well as in death, induced Herr Hansen to resume the occupation of his early years; he accordingly gave up business, and in the beginning of the year 1879 went to Holland with the intention of devoting all his mind and time to the study and practice of bio-magnetism. In some of the Dutch cities which he visited he was listened to with great attention; in others, on the contrary, he was met with a doggedly hostile opposition, which induced him to leave Holland for Germany in the hope that among a more enlightened and cultured people he might be enabled ts carry on his bio-magnetic experiments with greater success. “ In this hope,” he writes himself to a distinguished German Professor « l am glad to be able to declare that I have not been mistaken.” It is however, but fair to our Dutch neighbours to confess that in Germany, in the first instance, Herr Hansen was met with a noisy and violent opposition; he was denounced in the public Press as a cheat and swindler; he was sneered at by learned professors, and too often refused a desent hearing. But he faced interruptions of the most violent character with a cool, indomitable, almost British pluck ; and often compelled his loudest opponents to confess to his ^°Herr Hansen, before leaving Dresden, had, in vindication of his character, to prosecute two men_one a Jew and one a soiry Christian—for attempting to extort money on the false pretence that they had, to h:s knowledge, aided him in his experiments by pretending to be lraonetised. They were sentenced respectively to six and nine months’ imprisonment. The trial excited great sensation in that somewhat sleepy German city, and fully established the mao-netiser’s credibility. Leaving, towards the close of the year, North Germany, Herr Hansen i assed to Munich, the seat of the fine arts and the city of palaces, which arose almost like magie ir the reign of King Louis, famous alike for his love of the arts, of poetry and of Lola Montes. Here Herr Hansen was received with open arms, not only by the learned Faculties, but by fair daines and damsels of liiyh degree, and was publicly crowned, after the German fashson, with a wreath of flowers, and presented, more in accordance with Russian than German practice, with a valuable diamond’ ring in recognition of his successful exj ermients. ' Herr Hansen is next heard of as filling nightly a large theatre at Vienna with crowds of enthusiastic witnesses to h:s performances in bio-magnetisrn. For all practical purposes, however, the experiments of Herr Hansen have already more than sufficed By'the force of his will he has called public attention to bio-magnetism; oy his earnestness of purpose he has inspired others with his own enthusiasm ; he has accumulated Lets well attested and examined over and over again; and, lastly, the gods be praised, lie has j 0 pet theorv of his own. He is but what he claims to be, a simple pioneer in the field of scientific investigation. Englishmen, as a rule, are too deeply occupied in practical affairs, too keenly interested in higher politics, too often distracted by the noble war of parties, to give early attention to alleged or uncertain discoveries in matters of a scientific character. It is our habit to wait until the stamp of authority has been set on a discovery, and then our anxiety to know all about it is as lively as it is impatient. .... ... . . , . What lends their special psychological interest to these so-called bio-magnetic experiments is the fact if fact it be, of the supreme domination of the will of one man over that of another. This strange and subtile power is new to our philosphy. How it is obtained, and how conveyed, unler what law of nature it is to be placed, we must leave to science to determine; but its presence opens up a large question with issues vaster than can be fitly discussed within the limits of the present paper. It seems to me, however, that I am not doing amiss now in bringing before the English public experiments which they ought to know something of, even if only because they touch upon one of the unsolved riddles of life.