A History of Hypnotism

A detailed and scholarly history of the phenomena, practice and theory of mesmerism, hypnotism and multiple personality disorder.

Alan Gauld (Author)

9780521483292, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 31 March 1995

760 pages, 12 b/w illus.
24.4 x 17.4 x 3.4 cm, 0.818 kg

'…massive, authoritative and erudite … will surely remain the standard history of hypnotism for a long time to come.' Society for Psychical Research

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.

Prologue: Franz Anton Mesmer
Part I. The Successors of Mesmer: 1. The Royal Commissions and the pamphlet war
2. Puységur
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.

Subject Areas: Psychiatry [MMH]