Animal Magnetism

Alternative term for mesmerism. It appears to have been first used by Michel A. Thouret in his Recherches et doutes sur le magnétisme animal (1784) with the intention of disassociating the phenomena from the name of its popularizer Franz Anton Mesmer (1733-1815). Thouret reviewed similar phenomena throughout the ages, and the name "animal magnetism" was intended to disassociate it from ferro-magnetism, indicating that the mesmeric or magnetic fluid was associated with unusual phenomena in living organisms.

Animal magnetism became a preferred term for experimenters and writers like J. P. F. Deleuze (1753-1835), and William Gregory (1803-1858), translator of Baron von Reichenbach 's works on the " od, " or "odic force" (associated with animal magnetism). Animal magnetism embraced such paranormal phenomena as clairvoyance, transposition of the senses, and sympathy (rapport between operator and subject). A number of reputable scientists took a serious interest in animal magnetism and conducted numerous experiments, and for many years during the nineteenth century the subject formed a bridge between mesmerism, Spiritualism, and hypnotism. From time to time various alternative terms were proposed, largely in order to give the subject some scientific dignity. These included "psycodunamy" (Theodore Leger), "electro-psychology," and "electro-biology." Animal magnetism was eventually supplanted by hypnotism, which discarded many of the claimed paranormal aspects of the subject.