A History of Hypnotism [Paperback]

Alan Gauld (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0521483298 | ISBN-13: 978-0521483292 | Edition: 1

Dr. Gauld has written a detailed and scholarly history of the phenomena, practice, and theory of mesmerism, hypnotism, and multiple personality disorders. The book traces the development of mesmerism and hypnotism and those who were influential in its use and acceptance as a scientific method.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...the most important history of mesmerism and hypnotism available....The writing style makes the book very readable and comprehensible. The book should be on the reading list of anyone who is interested in the history of the treatment of physical and mental ailments and the evolution of our concept of the mind." Nathan Schecter, Canadian Medical Association Journal

"...never ceases to interest the reader, perhaps because it is evident that the author was never uninterested in his subject....In this large volume is incorporated an analysis of nearly all the writings that are even remotely related to hypnosis, animal magnetism, or mesmerism, regardless of designation....presents us with a history of psychiatry and sociology from the middle of the 18th century until the 20th. It is a rich source of information...the volume is a joy to read." Ilza Veith, The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

"If you are a serious student of hypnosis, Gauld's A History of Hypnotism is a must read....Gauld puts the period 1778 to circa 1900 under a microscope and provides the reader with a detailed and insightful account of hypnotism's early development and theoretical underpinning. The history is enriched by accounts of the social settings in which events unfolded, glimpses of the personalities of the leading characters, and good doses of citations from source documents....This title is well suited as a college or graduate-level text, as well as for the truly earnest professional who remains uninspired and unsated by the obligatory historical chapter in clinical texts on hypnotherapy." Science Books and Films

"...a significant contribution to the field, which will stand as a hallmark of scholarship for many years....for the serious scholar, A History of Hypnotism now represents the highest standard of excellence. It is no hyperbole to say that this volume belongs on the bookshelf of every interested student of the field." Melvin A. Gravitz, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis

"This is a splendid book, impressive in its scope, in the depth of its research, and the elegant, seemingly effortless style in which it is written...Gauld's work will undoubtedly become one of the most important source books, and one of the most enjoyable reads, on this fascinating subject." Alison Winter, Times Education Supplement

"...a very scholarly, exhaustive and cumulative history bound to become a chief source of data for other investigators. Gauld writes in a clear and nontechnical manner that should interest any student of the history of that period....The most thorough treatment of hypnosis in one volume, it should interest not only serious students of hypnotism but also curious general readers." Choice

"...an absorbing account of hypnotism's colorful history....for those who know and value the work of the early and more recent pioneers of hypnosis the book may be indispensable." Hypnotherapy Today

"A long book written with clarity, intelligence, and touches of wit." Advances

"Gauld's history is thus bound to appeal more to those narrowly interested in past theories and practices of hypnotism than to those seeking fuller historical understanding of the construction of such theories and practices....a useful reference tool." Roger Cooter, The British Medical Journal

"Of special interest is his concluding discussions of the pros and cons of the social psychological as opposed to the special state approaches to hypnosis." R.A.W., Exceptional Human Experience

Book Description

A detailed and scholarly history of the practice and theory of mesmerism, hypnotism and multiple personality disorders traces the development of the phenomena as well as those who were influential in promoting its use and acceptance as a scientific method.

Product Details

• Paperback: 760 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (March 31, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521483298
• ISBN-13: 978-0521483292
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,114,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Academic work, superb for getting historical perspective, February 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A History of Hypnotism (Paperback)

A long book, 700 pages, dense, not for the light reader... yet what a treasure trove of information.

The book is an academic work, and written as such.

In this context it deserves five stars as a superb historical overview and reference work. The bibliography is very thorough.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable, detailed, and often fascinating history of a neglected subject, April 3, 2011

By 

Frontiersman (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Hypnotism (Paperback)

Often it's helpful to obtain an historical overview of a topic in order to better understand it. This is certainly true of hypnotism, the mechanisms and nature of which are still not understood. Its body of knowledge is sustained more by practitioners than by scientists or academics.

Gauld's history, which covers the period from Franz Anton Mesmer to about 1910, is a thorough review of the subject.

The author is retired senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Nottingham, England. He joined the Society for Psychical Research in London in 1954, served on the Council, edited the Journal and Proceedings from 1965-1970, and was President from 1989-1992. He is the author of The Founders of Psychical Research (1968) and books about poltergeists (1979) and mediumship (1982).

This book is divided into two parts, the first covering mesmerism (also known as animal magnetism) and the other hypnotism.

Mesmerism, typically portrayed as early hypnotism, is in fact not identical with it. However, precisely what mesmerists did has been lost with time. And what many thought they were doing--manipulating magnetic "fluid" or force--is, we now know, not scientifically tenable.

Since the time of Mesmer (a physician), mesmerism and hypnotism have been strongly associated with healing. Successful hypnotic and mesmeric healings, contrary to popular belief, have not been restricted to psychosomatic or mental disorders--as Gauld carefully emphasizes. Indeed, most successful cures involved physical ailments.

One of the most remarkable revelations in the book is the use of mesmerism for surgical analgesia prior to the discovery of chemical anesthetics. Mesmerized patients underwent tooth extractions, childbirth (analogous to today's "hypnobirthing"), mastectomies, amputations, and other forms of major surgery painlessly. One of the foremost mesmeric practitioners was a Scottish surgeon in India, Dr. James Esdaile.

After ether and chloroform came into use, the utilization of mesmerism for medical analgesia dropped off precipitously. However, a few cases of surgery under hypnosis late in the century are recounted in the book.

Spiritualism turns out to be an outgrowth of mesmerism, and one of the causes of its demise. The book also highlights the surprising relationship between the phenomenon of multiple personalities and hypnotism.

On the downside, the author's prose is unengaging, although it conveys the facts clearly enough. An effort to define hypnosis at the outset would have been useful. As it is, the reader is tossed directly into bewildering factual minutiae, related in the context of the past, without contrasting modern perspective. Finally, some coverage of stage hypnotism would have been welcome, but is barely mentioned.

A History of Hypnotism contains a helpful and extensive 92-page bibliography (like the book separately covering mesmerism and hypnotism) listing hundreds of works by past practitioners and investigators as well as some contemporary titles. Gauld consulted books in English, French, and German, providing a wide overview of the topic. The history of hypnotism and mesmerism in England, the U.S., and on the Continent is covered.

The book provides a valuable, detailed, and often fascinating history of a neglected subject.