of his magnetized steel poles (Baker, 1990, p. 53). Given all of this information, it is a mystery tome that the history of hypnosis is often associated with Mesmer, and that it is he who is often considered when the beginning of hypnosis is reflected. However, Mesmer did contribute to the further developments and understanding of hypnosis.In the late 1700’s, Mesmer began using a new kind of medical treatment in Vienna, Austria. “With it, Dr. Franz Mesmer was said to be curing patients doctors called ‘incurable’. Using no medicine, Franz Mesmer was curing these people with magnets” (Kennedy, 1979, p. 25). It is true that Mesmer was thought to have cured numerous patients through “mesmerism” and “animal magnetism”, but the validity of these claims were uncertain.Mesmer developed the theory “animal magnetism”, and surmised that a universal magnetic fluid existed in all “objects that produced disease when it was out of balance in the human body” (Baker, 1990, p. 53). As a result of this theory and the belief Mesmer had in it, he began to cultivate techniques that he thought would re-establish the equilibrium of the magnetic fluid, and as a result, diseases would be cured. Mesmer based his theories and prospects on his belief that perfect health was dependent upon an individual maintaining a right relationship with the heavenly bodies.Mesmer became convinced that the same powers that held the sun and moon and planets in place regulated human health. When a magnet was brought into contact with a patient, the subtle and mysterious fluid exuded by the magnet entered the body of the patient and healed him of his complaint. “Animal magnetism” was the name Mesmer gave this fluid (Baker, 1990).The execution of Mesmer’s “animal magnetism” made him famous. He called his way of curing people with this method “mesmerism” (...
