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22 July 16th, 1843

the shocks might be which to Mr. [[A?]] [[induced.?]] [[Next?]] the door between the two rooms was shut and the boy placed close up to it so that Mr. A and himself were separated by only the thickness of the door, but in this case, as in the last, no effect could be observed, although shocks of great intensity were given to the operator.
     I forgot to mention in its proper place that the boy was brought near a large and powerful electro magnet when in full activity, and also when the contact with the galvanic battery was broken but no effect could be observed, although the [[Mesmerizer?]] had informed me, and probably believed what he said, that a magnet powerfully affected his subject.   
     After this, Mr. A attempted to restore the boy to his natural state by a [[?]] of [[underlined]] [["passes?"]] [[/underlined]], motions with their hands upwards, while the boy was in the outer room, and the operator in the inner, but he appeared to make no progress - He next came in to the outer room, and commenced making the [[passes?]], but still the boy remained in the same state. At length by coming in contact with him he restored him to his natural state, the pulse was then at 75, but this acceleration was probably due to a violent fit of [[coughing?]] with which the boy was seized, just before waking.
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July 16th 1843 | 23
The result of these experiments prove nothing in favor of [[animal?]] magnetism, and do not even establish the fact that a person can be thrown into an unnatural state by the [[manipulations?]] of the [[Mesmerizer?]], although from the testimony of many respectable persons, I am inclined to believe that the [[immagination?]]can be so operated on as to induce a state resembling calulepsy or hysteria in case the subject is of a [[proper?]] temperament or of sufficient [[credulity?]].
     The subject is just now attracting great attention in our country and in England, and although it would require a considerable amount of positive and definitive experimental evidence to induce me to believe in the sympathy of [[mind?]]or [[?]], such as is [[contended for?]] by the magnetizer, yet I do not think it philosophical to disclaim that the whole matter is too ridiculous to merit the least attention, since in this case, we assume that nothing can exist but what is already known to us. The probability in favor of the fallacy of the whole is certainly very great, but there [[may?]] be notwithstanding this, something in it, and at least it is a curious cycological [[phenomenon?]] that so many intelligent persons are at this time firm believers in the truth of the principles of this most improbable of all [[science?]], if it can be so called.
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