James Braid’s Discovery of Hypnotism

This story, from the memoirs of Dr. Williamson, Professor of Natural History at Owns College, Manchester, is quoted by the hypnotist Dr. John Milne Bramwell.  Williamson was present on 13th November 1841 to observe the incident that inspired James Braid to develop his theory of hypnotism in opposition to the “animal magnetism” of Franz Anton Mesmer and his followers.

The Lafontaine Incident

During the fourth decade of this century the subject of clairvoyance had been much discussed in social circles, and in the early days of my professional life two men who lectured on the subjected visited Manchester.  The first of these was a Frenchman, who illustrated his lecture by experiments on a young woman.  [The Mesmerist, Charles Lafontaine, was actually Swiss.]  At one of his lectures the girl was declared to be in a state of sound [Mesmeric] sleep.  A considerable number of medical men were present, including our leading opthalmist, Mr. Wilson, and one Mr. Braid.  The latter gentleman was loud in his denunciation of the whole affair.  The audience then called upon Mr. Wilson for his opinion of the exhibition.  Of course the question was, ‘Is this exhibition an honest one or is it a sham?’  ‘Is the girl really asleep, or is she only pretending to be so?’  In reply to the call of the audience, Mr. Wilson stood up and said: ‘The whole affair is as complete a piece of humbug as I have ever witnessed.’  The indignant lecturer, not familiar with English slang phrases, excitedly replied: ‘The gentleman says it is all Bog; I say it is not Bog; there is no Bog in it at all.’  By this time several of us, including Mr. Wilson, had gone upon the platform to examine the girl.  I at once raised her eyelids, and found the pupils contracted to two small points.  I called Wilson’s attention to this evidence of sound sleep, and he at once gave me a look and a low whistle, conscious that he was in a mess.  Braid then tested the girl by forcing a pin between one of her nails and the end of her finger.  She did not exhibit the slightest indication of feeling pain, and Braid soon arrived at the conclusion that it was not all ‘Bog.’

He subsequently commenced a long series of elaborate experiments, which ended in his placing the subject on a more philosophical basis than had been done by any of his predecessors.  For the term ‘Animal Magnetism’ and other popular phrases, Braid substituted ‘Hypnotism’ and ‘Monoideism.’

The hypothesis which he adopted was that the subjects of these experiments required to have their mental faculties concentrated upon one idea; this accomplished, two effects will be produced in a few moments.  The first is a state of sound sleep, which he succeeded in obtaining through [monotonously stimulating] either of the several senses, sight, hearing, or touch; but his favourite plan was to seat the individual operated upon in an arm-chair, whilst he held a bright silver object, usually his lancet case, a few inches above the person’s eyebrows, and required him to raise his eyes upwards until he saw the shining metal, soon after doing which, the patient went off into a sound sleep. 

Reminiscences of a Yorkshire Naturalist (1896). 

Dr. William Crawford Williamson.