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The middle of the 19th century marked the end of the theory of animal magnetism. The idea of a force that worked upon the patient from the outside became obsolete. Instead, physicians began to regard the work of an inner force, something that had previously been ridiculed by Ludwig XI’s commission on animal magnetism: the imagination. This marked a radical revision of the ideas used to explain the healing powers of magnetism. From now on, the magnetist’s powers would no longer be considered the force of healing, but rather the patient’s own ability to respond to magnetic therapy. In this period, the long trajectory of scientific development – from ancient Egyptian trance practices, Greek ‘temple sleep’, European exorcism, and animal magnetism – culminated in the idea of mental influence over bodily illness. Thus began the age of the science of hypnosis.
Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep
One of the first therapists to attribute the power of magnetic sleep to something ‘inside’ the patient was the Scottish doctor James Braid (1795-1860), who practiced in Manchester. His interest in magnetism was awoken by demonstrations led by the French magnetist Lafontaine, who came to Manchester in 1841. He believed that the magnetic trance could be effected by a tiring of the nervous system after deliberately focusing attention on one object or idea. For this reason, he used the term “nervous sleep” instead of “magnetic sleep” to describe the trance state he observed. He chose the term “Neuro-Hypnotism” (Neuro=nerve; Hypnos=sleep), which he shortened to Neurypnology 1).
Eventually he coined the term “hypnosis”, which became generally used thereafter. In his clinical practice, he used a “capability-oriented” approach, as the following description of his treatment for paralysis testifies:
"In such cases... by breaking down the previous idea and substituting a salutary idea of vigour and self-confidence... (which can be done by audible suggestions...) ...on being aroused... with such dominant ideas in their minds ... the patients are found to have acquired vigour and voluntary power over their hitherto paralysed limbs..." 2).
Book from Braid
(see excerpt in the Library)
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The Scottish doctor and surgeon James Braid (1795-1869) initially followed the concept of earlier magnetists, deciding that the magnetic state was a kind of sleep. In his book from 1843 1)
, he developed the term “hypnosis” to designate the state of “magnetic” sleep, an allusion to the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos. Although he later became convinced that hypnosis was quite a different state from sleep, the name Hypnosis remains in use today.
After his death in 1860, he was hardly regarded by his contemporaries in Great Britain. However, his ideas found a receptive audience throughout France. The therapist Paul Broca (later renowned for his work on aphasia) was introduced to the ideas of Braid by the Bordeaux University medicine professor Azam. Braid then successfully used hypnosis as an anaesthetic for the removal of a young woman’s particularly painful abscess. His report on this treatment was accepted by the Academy of Sciences. The favorable reception of his report (especially by the contemporary authority on surgery, Velpeau) encouraged other French doctors (e.g. Durand de Gros) to use hypnotism.
Paul Broca (1824-1880), renowned for his work on Aphasia, used hypnosis for analgesic applications.
Sources:
1) Braid, J. (1843). Neurypnology; or the rationale
of nervous sleep, considered in relation with animal magnetism.
Illustrated by numerous cases of its successful applications
in the relief and cure of disease. London: John Churchill.
2) Braid, J. (1853). Hypnotic therapeutics, illustrated by
cases. With an appendix on table-
moving and spirit-rapping Reprinted from The Monthly Journal
of Medical Science, July
1853), p.20. |
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