History of Hypnosis

Franz Anton Mesmer {1734-1815}

Was a physician from Vienna who used his techniques to treat psychiatric patients.
He practiced a form of suggestion therapy which he said used the natural qualities of animal
magnetism.

Mesmer said that he got the results due to this animal magnetism being transferred to his patients.
He defined animal magnetism as the cause of universal gravitation and the force which strains ,
relaxes, and agitates cohesion, magnetics & electricity in the smallest fluid and solid particles of the
human machine.

He believed that magnetism and electricity had similar properties which distributed the fluid in the
body and illness was due to disharmony in the nervous system.

Mesmer placed magnets on various body points of his patients and by doing so claimed to cure:
Blindness
Convulsions
Hysterical Irregularities
& Paralysis

Mesmer came to the conclusion that all people have magnetic properties and a human body that was
sick due to weakened fluids could be rejuvenated by the transfer of magnetism from one person to
another.that was sick due to weakened fluids could be rejuvenated by the transfer of magnetism
from one person to another.

Marquis Chastenet de Puységur (1751-1825)

John Elliotson (1791-1868)

James Esdaile {1808-1859)

James Braid {1795-1860}

Jean martin Charcot {1835- 1893}& Hippolyte Bernheim {1837-1919}

Pierre Janet {1859-1947}

Milton Hyland Erickson, {December 1901 – 25 March 1980}