HUSSON, Henri Marie.
Report of the Experiments on Animal Magnetism, made by a committee of the medical section of the French Royal Academy of Sciences: read at the meetings of the 21st and 28th of June, 1831, translated, and now for the first time published; with an historical and explanatory introduction, and an appendix. By J.C. Colquhoun.
Edinburgh: Printed for Robert Cadell…1833
8vo, pp. xii, 252. Half-title. Original cloth-backed boards, printed paper label (worn) on spine, uncut. Boards somewhat soiled and a little worn at corners, slight wear to ends of spine. Inscribed on the front free endpaper “With the Author’s Compliments”; signature of W.P. Alison on half-title (William Pulteney Alison (1790–1859), social reformer and professor of medicine at Edinburgh; small stamp of Edinburgh University Library on title and shelf label at foot of spine.
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, and the first generally published edition of the findings of the commission set up by the Royal Academy of Medicine of Paris to look into animal magnetism. “The report was favourable, describing experiences of healing through animal magnetism and instances of paranormal phenomena connected with somnambulism… The translation is preceded by a long introduction by Colquhoun, who was one of animal magnetism’s staunchest supporters in England. Colquhoun states in the title that the report is ‘now for the first time published’ because the original French edition by Husson was very rare and never broadly distributed publicly” (Crabtree, Animal magnetism,... an annotated bibliography, 354). Norman Catalogue M96 has the 1836 translation published in Boston.
£360.00
In stock
Unsure of some of these terms? Click here to download a copy of Carter & Barker, ABC for Book Collectors (2006), which has full explanations.