Benjamin Dann¹ to Faraday²   5 April 1846

Maidstone Apr 5 / 46.

Dear Sir,

Having been informed by a friend that you were pursuing a series of experiments to ascertain if Animal Magnetism and Terrestrial magnetism were in any manner connected and that Mr Lowe³ Gas Engineer had mentioned to you some experiments of mine bearing upon the subject that you expressed a wish to be informed if I should make any others connected with the subject - I can only say Sir that if [I] can throw any light upon the subject so interesting and curious, I shall be most happy to do so but as I do not understand precisely, the kind of experiment required, I will briefly relate two or three, and if acceptable, I will endeavour to furnish you with more.

About two years ago I were daily engaged in Mesmeric experiment many of which are published in Rationale of Magnetism⁴ by S. Spurrell⁵ but many that I made then were not, on one evening I made arr[an]gement to perform some amusing experiments with an Electrical * machine before my Patient while in the mesmeric sleep, as soon as I began to turn the cylinder of the machine he burst forth into expressions of delight and astonishment saying "Oh! there Mr. Dann! that is beautiful I never saw anything so curious before! - when you turn it round that blue fire flies off all over the room, and looks very beautiful". I said that I could see the blue fire run round the cylinder, but my Patient said "So can I, but I mean all over the room - it creates an atmosphere when you turn it round, spreading all around, and you are in it, and so am I - It looks like that blue fire that streams from your fingers when you pass them down before me".

March 15th / 46. Having put Edward Wisenden⁶, about 22 years of age into the Mesmeric sleep for some internal complaint the following dialogue ensued. Well, Edward, how are you EW. "I think that I am about the same, - many of those little bladders on my lungs are gone down, and as many more are come up - there is about as many of them as there was before - I can see that I shall never get well - I may get better for a time, but I cannot get well" - BD - how are your eyes? - EW - oh, they are all right - you have quite cured them, they are as strong as before."

While this conversation was going on I took two Horseshoe Magnets (about 9 inches in length) from a cupboard and placed them quietly on the table, at a few feet distant from my Patient, with their Poles about one Inch apart with their N opposite S. I then asked him if he observed anything upon the table? he replyed - "Yes, I can see many books, but I dont know what they are all about BD. do you observe anything beside the books? when he exclaimed "I say Mr Dann! do you keep a Donkey". BD. why? - EW. because I can see a Donkey-shoe laying on the table - ah! but, there are two! - I say, Mr. Dann what are you going to do with them?". BD. can you tell me what colour they are? (now, one was covered with red-wax the other was black, and I thought he would notice the difference in them, but, to my surprise he did not, but, knitting his brows, as if looking intently at them he said) EW. "I can hardly tell what colour - but you have seen Mr. Dann, boys in the street, holding things in their hand, burning, of a bluish colour, I dont know what they are called - well - they donkey-shoes look something of that colour, but not exactly - one of them is much stronger than the other" - BD - what do you mean? - EW. "I mean, that one is brighter than the other; that blue colour spreads out farther from one than the other - but most is rounds the ends, much more than at the sides, there is but little along the sides". - BD. is the colour like that, that you saw flow from the electrical machine - EW. "I remember what you mean, - it is of the same colour but not so bright, but I dont think there is much difference". BD. be I to understand that the colour you speak of is on them? - EW. "You may say on them for it is along the edges, and so shoots out some distance round, the colour is like that that streams from the ends of your fingers - and like what is left on anything when you draw your hand over it." -

I then moved one of the magnets so as to make it touch the other, upon doing w[h]ich he exclaimed "There! there! that was very curious, - when they came together it splash'd out, from between the ends some distance - all about - well - I should like to see more about this, for it is new to me -" I then took the Magnets into my hands, joining and separating them several times, upon which he remarked - "When you put them together, it is always the same - the blue colour shoots out from between them". I then reversed the poles of the Magnets (without speaking) upon doing so EW. said "There! - that is different - the blue-colour continues to shoot out from between the ends, but before it only snapped out, like a firework and was done, but now it dont stop". I then held a large pocket knife before one of the Magnets about an inch distant my Patient observing what I were doing, said "Ah! there is nothing coming out of that knife, but it goes from the other to the knife". I then put the knife in contact with the magnet, rubbing it a few times across the poles; and when I had separated the knife from it, my Patient said "Stop - I can see a little of the blue coming from the knife now, but not much". I then held the knife about 2 1/2 feet distant from the magnet, upon doing which he said "It reaches across to it". BD. where? EW. "the blue fire fills up all the space between that donkey-shoe and the knife" - I then present’d the poles of one of the magnets to him, and requested that he would touch it with his finger, but he shrunk back, and said "Stop - I dont think that will do me any good - no - no it wont - I shall not touch it, for it affects me so much". BD. where?- EW. all up my arms and about here (passing his hand across his chest) it seems to draw my inside to it - and to be tearing something away - no, I shall not touch it it is quite near enough to me". - (The Magnet was about 15 inches from him.) BD. I am sorry that I cannot detain you longer. EW. "It want a quarter to three, nearly, not quite." - I immediately looked at a small time-piece, it wanted 14 minutes and 1/2 to three.

March 22nd / 46. While EW. was in the mesmeric-sleep I secretly introduced two Magnets under the covering of the table, and asked him if he remembered what he saw, when here before? he said "Oh yes, I recollect they donkey-shoes, that were all covered with blue-fire - and I can see that the table is now covered with that blue colour, where they lay." BD. what can be the cause of that?- (I then put my hand over the table, near the place where the magnets lay)- EW. "Yes, - it is just where your hand is, it spreads about - there is as much of it as there was before - I goes round so." [sic] (passing hand in a arch-like manner) I then took from my pocket a small compass, inclosed in a box, and placed it upon the table. my Patient observing it, said "Mr Dann, is that thing in the box, such as they have on board ship, it is all in motion - look at it."

I forbear making any remark upon these experiments, as I do not know if they are of the description required - many more relating to a current of some invisible fluid have fallen under my observation, I mean invisible to persons in the normal condition but visible to some in the Mesmeric-sleep - it possesses an attractive power, and is the medium of communication between the operator and patient; by placing the end of a string in the hand of a patient, walking backwards and drawing my hand along the string, I have gone into another room, closed the door and conversed with him as long as I held the other end in my hand.

I daily Mesmerise a Young female by the request, or direction of Dr. Elliottson⁷ who says that when I pass my hands down the face and neck, that she can feel something like unto a gentle breeze, but when I place my finger on the nose between her eyes there is a succession of spurts as long as my finger remains. also down her arms, at times she has described it to be quite violent, scarcely bearable.

Hoping that these few experiment[s] will be serviceable, I beg leave to subscribe myself

Yours to command | Benjamin Dann

7 East Street

* I performed these experiments in the dark

PS The little work by Mr Spurrell * contains many short experiments relating to the visible appearance of the Mesmeric influence, but I have been fearful of relating many things that have falling under my notice, the generality of persons being so sceptical upon this curious phenomena, but I are [sic] very much inclined to believe, that from the great similarity, that Mesmerism, Magnetism, Electricity, & Galvanism, may be the same[.]

* Richardson⁸ Cornhill (Publisher)