Curative Processes.
The mesmeric processes adopted in the cure of disease are those of sleep, and when it is necessary the application of remedies suggested by the sensitive in sleep, or by your clairvoyant, in the case of and for another patient.
In such cases, medicines may be ordered, baths prescribed, rules of diet pointed out, or certain processes of treatment ordered. And you will, if satisfied with the bona fides of your sensitive’s powers of diagnosis and general lucidity, faithfully carry them out.
The mesmeric treatment for the cure of disease may be purely local or general in character, exercised solely with the intention to alleviate and cure disease, without producing sleep, sleep not being necessary in the majority of cases. If necessary, you know how to bring it about.
Nothing is worth doing that is not worth doing well. If you want to cure disease set about it, and “whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might,” i. e., put your soul into it.
Avoid all experiments, and direct your attention, energies, and, in fact, all your powers, to the work—the most needed work—the cure of your patient.
Remember, Mesmerism is not a cure-all. There are diseases of such a character, arising from hereditary taint, constitutional defects, and organic causes, which can never be cured in this world, only you, as a mesmerist, should not say so.
Give help when and where you can, according to your strength. So that in these, medically and humanely speaking, utterly hopeless and intractable cases you are not to refuse aid, seeing there are few cases where the mesmeric influence will not soothe and relieve pain, quiet the nervous system, restore sleep and strength in a large measure and, what is not to be despised, impart a cheerful and hopeful spirit to the patient.
In chronic and acute diseases, especially when there is a periodicity in attack, sleep is recommended to break that periodicity, and to lengthen the intervals between attacks. In all mental, psychological and highly nervous troubles sleep is advised. When this is necessary, mesmerize by the long pass from head to feet, the patient being in bed, or lying upon the sofa, will materially facilitate your operations.
You will soon begin to see the effects of your attendance by the improvement in your patient. When the patient “looks for you,” is impatient for your visit and wearies for the next, it is not a bad sign; it indicates your influence and presence to be refreshing and restorative in character.
Good doctors and nurses have the same characteristics.
If your presence or influence is in any way disagreeable to your patient, and upon the third or fourth visit you are satisfied of this, give up the treatment. You can do no good, although another may. But do not give up a case simply because favorable results are tardy in making their appearance.
Where your influence is not disagreeable, it is your duty to persevere and hope for the best. You cannot do harm, and you may do great good.
When there is nervousness and great debility, operate from the head—back head—downward, long passes at first, and then short passes locally. If the action of the heart is weak, or palpitation is characteristic, breathe in upon it at the termination of each treatment.
You will be surprised at the warmth and generous feeling transferred throughout your patient’s organism in consequence.
You can subdue the most violent coughing fit by steady and gently breathing upon the spine, just between the shoulder blades of your patient—child or adult.
So long as the clothing, under or upper, is not made of silk, the breathing will be effectual.
The lungs should be fully expanded, the mouth placed close to the part, as near as the clothing will admit, and a strong, steady stream of breath thrown in upon the place. The moment the mouth is removed, the open hand should be placed over the place while filling the lungs to repeat the operation, which may be done several times.
In rheumatic and neuralgic derangements and ailments of that class, and in cuttings, bruises, and burns, the treatment is often purely local—the passes following the course of the nerves of sensation.
In mesmeric treatment it is just as well to remember there is no need to remove the clothing under any circumstances, unless it is composed of silk or other non-conducting material. For economical reasons old clothing is better than new.
Toothache is a common affliction. You will have many opportunities of immediately relieving it, if not effectually and ultimately curing it.
A very good and practical method of cure is to lay your hand upon the affected side of the face, and hold it there for a few minutes, and this prepares the face for the next movement. Then place a piece of flannel over the ear (on the same side of the head as the toothache); keep your hand still on the face, but now over the flannel, with the other hand over the head, holding the upper portion of the flannel (or four-fold ordinary pocket handkerchief) over the ear.
Now breathe strongly and steadily into the ear through the covering thus made. Do this two or three times, strongly willing the removal [of] the pain. A warm, soothing influence will reach the offending tooth, and peace will ensue. At the last breath remove the handkerchief quickly, and the pain will be gone.
A little success in this direction will enable you to try your hand at more serious business.
Violent headaches—even arising from bilious attacks—can be relieved in a remarkable way by passes. Stand behind the patient, who should be seated. Place your hands on the forehead.
Keep them there a little, and then make short passes in contact, gently and firmly, with slight pressure on the temples and backward over the side and top head to the crown; then draw out and shake your fingers as if you were throwing water off them, and proceed again to make passes as before.
In from five to fifteen minutes relief will be given, if the pain is not removed altogether.
In rheumatism and such diseases, in which pain is a marked characteristic, Mesmerism “works like a charm.”
The patient is always pleased to be relieved of pain, and as the pain subsides, his mental and physical conditions become more favorably receptive to your influence. If, in treating a rheumatic patient, a pain is moved—say from the shoulder to the middle of the arm above the elbow—continue your treatment, and, instead of drawing passes to the fingers, endeavor to draw the pain down to, and out of, the elbow joints.
If you are able to move the pain, if only an inch from its original position, you have control over it, and will be able, in due course, to remove it altogether.