A History of Hypnotism

by Alan Gauld

• ISBN13: 9780521483292
• ISBN10: 0521483298
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-03-31
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

In 1778, Franz Anton Mesmer introduced to Paris his theory of 'animal magnetism' and so began a school of thought which gradually spread across Europe and America. This book traces the history of the phenomena, practice and theory of mesmerism, hypnotism and multiple personality disorder. It discusses the ideas and influences of leading figures in the movement and decribes the use of the techniques in medical practice. Case histories and anecdotal accounts are used throughout to provide a fascinating insight into this controversial subject. In his epilogue, Gauld discusses modern approaches to hypnotism and multiple personality disorder, the role of hypnotism in clinical practice, and offers some ideas for understanding these intriguing phenomena. This detailed and scholarly work will be of interest to psychiatrists, psychologists and medical historians, as well as to the interested general reader.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Franz Anton Mesmer

Part I. The Successors of Mesmer: 1. The Royal Commissions and the pamphlet war

2. Puysé

gur

3. Phenomena and speculations 1784-1789

4. Mesmerism in the German-speaking countries

5. Kluge

6. The revival of magnetism in France

7. Mesmerism and the medical profession in France 1820-1840

8. Mystical magnetism: Germany

9. Mystical magnetism: France

10. Mesmerism in the United States

11. Mesmerism in Britain

12. Topics from the Zoist

13. Animal magnetism: retrospect and reflections

Part II. The Heyday of Hypnotism: 14. Precursors of hypnotism

15. Hypnotism and scientific orthodoxy 1875-1885

16. The Nancy school

17. Pierre Janet and his influence

18. Dipsychists and polypsychists

19. Hypnotism and multiple personality in the United States

20. Hypnotism and suggestion at the turn of the century I: preliminary considerations

21. The turn of the century II: hypnotic phenomena

22. The turn of the century III: uses and applications of hypnotism

23. The turn of the century IV: states ostensibly related to hypnosis

24. The turn of the century V: theories of hypnosis

25. The decline of hypnotism

Epilogue: hypnotism today: Barber and beyond.