Subject 2 - Primitive Healing Rituals Flashcards
Describe the context preceding animal magnetism?
It happened during the Enlightenment period, when people pushed religion away in favour of scientific explanations
What was the zeitgeist and ortgeist surrounding the animal magnetism movement?
zeitgeist: move away from religion towards science
ortgeist: paris was the scientific capital
- Anton Mesmer needed both of these things for the success of animal magnetism
What is the basis of magnetic medicine?
Minerals and magnets were used to try to cure people of their illnesses
What is a BETTER explanation for what a zeitgeist is?
it is the dominant set of ideas particular to a period of time which then motivates behaviour
What is a BETTER explanation for what an ortgeist is?
The impact of the physical/social surroundings on the growth of culture and science in a specific place
What did Anton Mesmer practise by profession? What did he end up realizing?
He was a trained magnetic physician; he later realized that magnets were not necessary to elicit responses (he then falsely concluded that he himself was the magnet)
What was a hallmark of the healing process in magnetic therapy?
Convulsions; these were seen as curative and a sign of healing
- his magnetic subjects often convulsed, which caused him to gain popularity in Paris
What was the explanation of illness, according to the magnetic movement?
There was a blockage of a magnetic pole - unblocking the pole would allow the magnetic fluid to pass through the body once more
What kinds of processes did Mesmer use to magnetize patients?
- long passes - for people who had a general condition, Mesmer would stand about a metre away and wave his hands in front of the patient’s body
- short passes - for people who had specific ailments, Mesmer would sit between the patient’s legs (most of the time it was a woman) and he would move his hands much closer to the body
What effects did the long and short passes produce?
A salutary crisis (a hysterical convulsive fit that was so violent that they were placed in a convulsive chamber - a precursor to the padded room)
Explain Mesmer’s group therapy sessions
It was called the “baquet”
- many people would surround a tub filled with water, and then Mesmer would magnetize the water and spray people with it
- many people convulsing at a time led to a bad rap
In what two ways did Mesmer describe animal magnetism?
- it is a fluid that pervades the universe and influences all animal bodies; we don’t know how it works but it acts on the nervous system (medical approach)
- it creates poles in the body and the ability to be influenced by the fluid is called animal magnetism
Why did some people think that the animal magnetism movement was immoral?
Because many of the patients were women, and Mesmer would get very close to their bodies after which the women began to convulse
- insinuations were made as to how “proper” these women were
What did Mesmer correctly conclude about the healing properties of animal magnetism?
That it could cure nervous diseases immediately, and other diseases mediately (i.e. if used in conjunction with another treatment, the magnetism was much more effective)
Why was animal magnetism different from other treatment methods of the time?
Because it involved no side-effects
