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The Mesmerist
Medicine, in the early 1800s, was a brutal business. Operations were performed without anaesthesia while conventional treatment relied on leeches, cupping and toxic potions. The most surgeons could offer by way of pain relief was a large swig of brandy. Onto this scene came John Elliotson, the dazzling new hope of the medical world. Charismatic and ambitious, Elliotson was determined to transform medicine from a hodge-podge of archaic remedies into a practice informed by the latest science. In this aim he was backed by Thomas Wakley, founder of the new magazine, the Lancet , and a campaigner against corruption and malpractice. Then, in the summer of 1837, a French visitor - the self-styled Baron Jules Denis Dupotet - arrived in London to promote an exotic new mesmerism. The mesmerism mania would take the nation by storm but would ultimately split the two friends, and the medical world, asunder - throwing into focus fundamental questions about the fine line between medicine and quackery, between science and superstition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2017
17 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Moore
34 books135 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Wendy Moore worked as a journalist and freelance writer for more than 25 years. She has always been interested in history, and as a result, began researching the history of medicine.
The Knife Man is her first book.
Wendy Moore worked as a journalist and freelance writer for more than 25 years. She has always been interested in history, and as a result, began researching the history of medicine.
The Knife Man is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 26, 2017
This book begins at University College Hospital in 1838, with the unveiling of a powerful new treatment, which was believed to be able to conquer pain and even disease. With such a notable scientist as Michael Faraday in the audience, you could imagine this breakthrough was a rigorously tested medical procedure. In fact, it was a demonstration of mesmerism. Author Wendy Moore deftly takes us back to a time when the world was changing due to the Industrial Revolution, but medicine was still very much in its infancy. There was still talk of ‘the balance of humors,’ and bleeding patients, as well as the use of leeches, were very much in evidence.
This is the story of Professor John Elliotson, who went to train as a doctor, but had to fight nepotism to gain a position. At that time, important medical positions were often given to the relatives of those who had previously held them, regardless of their ability to carry out the post they inherited. It was a very frustrating for an ambitious young man, who needed the prestige of a position in a teaching hospital in order to carry out research and earn enough money to support a family. Elliotson was desperate to tackle the old fashioned way that medicine was run and he had an ally in Thomas Wakley, who had started a publication, “The Lancet” to tackle corruption and malpractice in hospitals and medical schools.
Elliotson’s career, and life, was changed with the arrival in England of a Frenchman – Baron Dupotet, who gave a series of lectures, and demonstrations, on ‘Animal Magnetism.’ Although unknown in London, Elliotson was intrigued in the controversial practice of mesmerism; named after the German physicist Franz Anton Mesmer. Elliotson believed mesmerism could be harnessed, in order to perform operations without pain. This was obviously important in a time when patients had to suffer major operations, such as amputations, without anaesthetic.
In this book we read how Elliotson’s belief in mesmerism divided the medical profession and allowed his enemies to attack him; especially Robert Liston, UCL’s Professor of Clinical Surgery, who clashed with Elliotson. Indeed, Elliotson was criticised for giving the Baron permission to continue experiments with female patients at University College Hospital, while he was on holiday. However, he gained unexpected support from Charles Dickens, who was enthralled by the demonstrations of mesmerism. So much so that he made Elliotson the Dickens family doctor and introduced him to other writers, artists and actors. In fact, Elliotson became very much a ‘celebrity’ doctor, which undoubtedly caused jealousy and suspicion.
This is not only a story about Elliotson, but about the desperate search for a way to make medical operations safer and pain free, with mesmerism seeing a viable alternative before other methods became available. Meanwhile, there was charges of fraud, of scandal and demonstrations of mesmerism that seemed to belong more in a music hall than a medical school. Elliotson had his devoted disciples, but also plenty that poured scorn. Really though, it is a story of science versus superstition and a fascinating tale of medicine in Victorian London. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
This is the story of Professor John Elliotson, who went to train as a doctor, but had to fight nepotism to gain a position. At that time, important medical positions were often given to the relatives of those who had previously held them, regardless of their ability to carry out the post they inherited. It was a very frustrating for an ambitious young man, who needed the prestige of a position in a teaching hospital in order to carry out research and earn enough money to support a family. Elliotson was desperate to tackle the old fashioned way that medicine was run and he had an ally in Thomas Wakley, who had started a publication, “The Lancet” to tackle corruption and malpractice in hospitals and medical schools.
Elliotson’s career, and life, was changed with the arrival in England of a Frenchman – Baron Dupotet, who gave a series of lectures, and demonstrations, on ‘Animal Magnetism.’ Although unknown in London, Elliotson was intrigued in the controversial practice of mesmerism; named after the German physicist Franz Anton Mesmer. Elliotson believed mesmerism could be harnessed, in order to perform operations without pain. This was obviously important in a time when patients had to suffer major operations, such as amputations, without anaesthetic.
In this book we read how Elliotson’s belief in mesmerism divided the medical profession and allowed his enemies to attack him; especially Robert Liston, UCL’s Professor of Clinical Surgery, who clashed with Elliotson. Indeed, Elliotson was criticised for giving the Baron permission to continue experiments with female patients at University College Hospital, while he was on holiday. However, he gained unexpected support from Charles Dickens, who was enthralled by the demonstrations of mesmerism. So much so that he made Elliotson the Dickens family doctor and introduced him to other writers, artists and actors. In fact, Elliotson became very much a ‘celebrity’ doctor, which undoubtedly caused jealousy and suspicion.
This is not only a story about Elliotson, but about the desperate search for a way to make medical operations safer and pain free, with mesmerism seeing a viable alternative before other methods became available. Meanwhile, there was charges of fraud, of scandal and demonstrations of mesmerism that seemed to belong more in a music hall than a medical school. Elliotson had his devoted disciples, but also plenty that poured scorn. Really though, it is a story of science versus superstition and a fascinating tale of medicine in Victorian London. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
November 14, 2017
4.5 Stars.
Wendy Moore has a real knack for making a biography read like a rollicking good story, and this is no exception. John Elliotson is an eminent physician, a man with a social conscience and an enquiring mind who has taken on the medical Establishment and won them over to set up a new teaching university in London. He's best mates with Thomas Wakley (though he later denies this), a physician with a similar conscience, and the hugely influential founder and editor of the Lancet magazine, champion of tried and tested methods and disparager of quacks.
So what does Elliotson do? He's won over by mesmerism. Fair enough, because in a world without anaesthetic, mesmerism could be a boon. But Elliotson doesn't seem too bothered about this. He very quickly moves on from mesmerism (hypnosis) as a cure for psychosomatic illnesses and epilepsy to mesmerism as a means to foretell the future. His 'tools' are the Okey sisters who may or may not have been complete frauds. They quickly take over his wards, prescribe treatments, foretell deaths, and in the process destroy his career. Why, why, why, does Elliotson heed no warnings? Why does he continue to make a stand on the preposterous? Why doesn't he espouse the medical benefits of mesmerism but instead concentrate on proving it is some sort of physical force?
This is a fascinating study of a stubborn, gifted, arrogant, compassionate yet utterly bigoted man. It's a study of the medical Establishment and all its bigotry and prejudice and ignorance, at a time when it was also making incredible leaps forward. What I love about Moore is her ability to get you into the mindset, to make you understand the thought processes, so that what to our eyes could seem simply incredible, becomes explicable.
I loved this. As ever, it's given me tons of ideas for stories. It's informative without being in any way shape or form dull. It's beautifully written and very clearly argued. And at the end of the day - was Elliotson a dupe? I think so. Most of his contemporaries thought so. And the sad thing is, by broadcasting his more extreme views, he clouded the power of mesmerism, a force we're still trying to understand and utilise today.
Wendy Moore has a real knack for making a biography read like a rollicking good story, and this is no exception. John Elliotson is an eminent physician, a man with a social conscience and an enquiring mind who has taken on the medical Establishment and won them over to set up a new teaching university in London. He's best mates with Thomas Wakley (though he later denies this), a physician with a similar conscience, and the hugely influential founder and editor of the Lancet magazine, champion of tried and tested methods and disparager of quacks.
So what does Elliotson do? He's won over by mesmerism. Fair enough, because in a world without anaesthetic, mesmerism could be a boon. But Elliotson doesn't seem too bothered about this. He very quickly moves on from mesmerism (hypnosis) as a cure for psychosomatic illnesses and epilepsy to mesmerism as a means to foretell the future. His 'tools' are the Okey sisters who may or may not have been complete frauds. They quickly take over his wards, prescribe treatments, foretell deaths, and in the process destroy his career. Why, why, why, does Elliotson heed no warnings? Why does he continue to make a stand on the preposterous? Why doesn't he espouse the medical benefits of mesmerism but instead concentrate on proving it is some sort of physical force?
This is a fascinating study of a stubborn, gifted, arrogant, compassionate yet utterly bigoted man. It's a study of the medical Establishment and all its bigotry and prejudice and ignorance, at a time when it was also making incredible leaps forward. What I love about Moore is her ability to get you into the mindset, to make you understand the thought processes, so that what to our eyes could seem simply incredible, becomes explicable.
I loved this. As ever, it's given me tons of ideas for stories. It's informative without being in any way shape or form dull. It's beautifully written and very clearly argued. And at the end of the day - was Elliotson a dupe? I think so. Most of his contemporaries thought so. And the sad thing is, by broadcasting his more extreme views, he clouded the power of mesmerism, a force we're still trying to understand and utilise today.
July 3, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
This is the story of medicine in the early part of the nineteenth century when there was no anaesthesia and surgeons earned their reputations on the basis of how quickly they could operate. Into this brutal world came three men. Thomas Wakley - who founded the Lancet and who campaigned against quacks, bad practice and so-called cures which were worse than the illness they were meant to treat.
The second man was John Elliotson who wanted to make medicine the best it could be on the basis of the latest scientific discoveries. The third was a Frenchman who was taking France by storm with his mesmerism - self styled Baron Jules Dupotet.
Mesmerism seemed to be the answer to pain during medical treatment and many spectacular operations were performed successfully and without pain. The medical establishment were suspicious and sceptical. The book paints a picture of in-fighting, riots, feuds between hospitals and between surgeons. It shows how many were reluctant to look critically at their own work and examine ways of improving their treatment of patients. What came over to me very strongly from this book was that patients didn't really matter.
This isn't a book for the squeamish but if you can get over the horrific descriptions it does paint a very interesting picture of medicine in the first half of the nineteenth century. Mesmerism (hypnotism) never really caught on though it has provided pain relief for many over the years. Unfortunately ethical considerations prevent it being tested in the twenty first century. Perhaps fortunately for people living in the nineteenth century chloroform was discovered and was subsequently used for operations. Though mesmerism also continued to be used.
A well written book with plenty of notes on the text and further books to read if you want to delve deeper into what medicine was like in the nineteenth century. It also shows how medicine only really progressed because of the work of mavericks such as the three men who feature so largely in this book.
This is the story of medicine in the early part of the nineteenth century when there was no anaesthesia and surgeons earned their reputations on the basis of how quickly they could operate. Into this brutal world came three men. Thomas Wakley - who founded the Lancet and who campaigned against quacks, bad practice and so-called cures which were worse than the illness they were meant to treat.
The second man was John Elliotson who wanted to make medicine the best it could be on the basis of the latest scientific discoveries. The third was a Frenchman who was taking France by storm with his mesmerism - self styled Baron Jules Dupotet.
Mesmerism seemed to be the answer to pain during medical treatment and many spectacular operations were performed successfully and without pain. The medical establishment were suspicious and sceptical. The book paints a picture of in-fighting, riots, feuds between hospitals and between surgeons. It shows how many were reluctant to look critically at their own work and examine ways of improving their treatment of patients. What came over to me very strongly from this book was that patients didn't really matter.
This isn't a book for the squeamish but if you can get over the horrific descriptions it does paint a very interesting picture of medicine in the first half of the nineteenth century. Mesmerism (hypnotism) never really caught on though it has provided pain relief for many over the years. Unfortunately ethical considerations prevent it being tested in the twenty first century. Perhaps fortunately for people living in the nineteenth century chloroform was discovered and was subsequently used for operations. Though mesmerism also continued to be used.
A well written book with plenty of notes on the text and further books to read if you want to delve deeper into what medicine was like in the nineteenth century. It also shows how medicine only really progressed because of the work of mavericks such as the three men who feature so largely in this book.
January 5, 2020
Wendy Moore is quickly becoming a favourite author. After reading her engaging book on John Hunter, I was eager to begin this one. In this book Moore takes the reader through the doors of mid Victorian medicine in the footsteps of John Elliotson. Elliotson was at the top of his profession and was willing to risk everything, including strong friendships, for his belief in mesmerism. Elliotson was a stubborn man who refused to believe any disclaimer about his rather unorthodox procedures even when some (not all) were shown to be false. Early in his career he developed a strong and long term friendship with Thomas Wakley, founder of The Lancet. Like Elliotson, Wakley had a strong belief in his mission in scouring out quackery and mistreatment of patients. Wakley and Elliotson were on the verge of revolutionizing medicine. Even after the discovery of ether and chloroform, mesmerism still played a large part in surgery and was being performed in places as far away as India with high rates of success. Novelists like Dickens, Thackeray (both friends of Elliotson) and even the Brontes were adding mesmerism to their novels and poems. It's interesting to note both The Lancet and mesmerism aka hypnosis, are both still important parts of medicine. I found Moore's book fascinating, intriguing and highly readable. This book will definitely put you under a spell.
February 15, 2021
This was very good. I enjoyed its detailed telling of Elliotson's history and how he became so interested in mesmerism, and the focus on two patients - Elizabeth and Jane Okey - he introduced to every medical circles possible. It was very detailed and included a lot of direct sources - letters to and from friends, magazine articles, colleagues' notes and diaries, etc - but it was not boring. I wish Wendy Moore explored the patients a bit more - how come so many of them are girls, and very young girls? I feel that there is something else to explore, something magazines and newspapers hinted at, and while it doesn't look like Elliotson was ever inappropriate with any patient, I would have liked more insight about the fact we are talking about many, many young women being hypnotised in front of crowds of men.
April 22, 2023
The Mesmerist: The Society Doctor Who Held Victorian London Spellbound by Wendy Moore
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars
~~~~~
Medicine, in the early 1800s, was a brutal business. Operations were performed without anaesthesia while conventional treatment relied on leeches, bleedings and toxic potions. On the summer of 1837, a French visitor - the self-styled Baron Jules Denis Dupotet - arrived in London to promote an exotic new idea: mesmerism. It was a trend that would take the nation by storm and would throw into sharp focus fundamental questions about the line between medicine and quackery, between science and superstition.
~~~~~
This is an extremely well-researched book about John Elliotson, a charismatic and progressive doctor and teacher who was open to using new medicines and medical practices (for example, the use of iodine to treat goitre and quinine for malaria.) His enthusiasm - or should I say, obsession - about mesmerism (what we know now as hypnotism) put him at serious odds with his friend, Thomas Wakley, founder of the new Lancet magazine, who made it his mission to rid medicine from mesmerism, which he saw as nothing more than theatrics and fraud.
I like history and biographies and I found this book interesting, but my overall opinion of it was very much undermined by the author's xenophobic stereotypes about French people ("not a whiff of garlic lingered to suggest that Dupotet had ever been there") which - call me Frenchly biased and sensitive - were insulting and absolutely unnecessary in the context of a non-fiction book.
~~~~~
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars
~~~~~
Medicine, in the early 1800s, was a brutal business. Operations were performed without anaesthesia while conventional treatment relied on leeches, bleedings and toxic potions. On the summer of 1837, a French visitor - the self-styled Baron Jules Denis Dupotet - arrived in London to promote an exotic new idea: mesmerism. It was a trend that would take the nation by storm and would throw into sharp focus fundamental questions about the line between medicine and quackery, between science and superstition.
~~~~~
This is an extremely well-researched book about John Elliotson, a charismatic and progressive doctor and teacher who was open to using new medicines and medical practices (for example, the use of iodine to treat goitre and quinine for malaria.) His enthusiasm - or should I say, obsession - about mesmerism (what we know now as hypnotism) put him at serious odds with his friend, Thomas Wakley, founder of the new Lancet magazine, who made it his mission to rid medicine from mesmerism, which he saw as nothing more than theatrics and fraud.
I like history and biographies and I found this book interesting, but my overall opinion of it was very much undermined by the author's xenophobic stereotypes about French people ("not a whiff of garlic lingered to suggest that Dupotet had ever been there") which - call me Frenchly biased and sensitive - were insulting and absolutely unnecessary in the context of a non-fiction book.
~~~~~
April 16, 2020
Can I call it a mesmerising read without coming across as lame?
A well written book about an interesting man that managed not to become too heavy with facts and figures.
A well written book about an interesting man that managed not to become too heavy with facts and figures.
October 21, 2022
3.5 stars
October 19, 2022
I enjoy Moore’s books, she manages to write history which reads like fiction. This one has an interesting subject and the key players are just as interesting. The book is a bit repetitive but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
June 8, 2017
I won this in the giveaways in exchange for an honest review. In the 19th century medicine and healthcare in general was still rather primitive. Many doctors stuck to the old ways but there were some who wanted reform and to improve things for their patients. Dr John Elliotson was one such man. He wanted to try different things and when he heard of mesmerism he started experimenting with it on the patients in his London hospital. This was an interesting look at healthcare, new fads and crazes in society, and how the poor were treated by the upper classes. Moore is a very good writer and this brought the 19th century to life.
July 3, 2018
Although this is a history of mesmerism and its key advocate John Elliotson, it also showed how dogma, politics and personalities have played (and probably do still play) a big part in what is approved in medical procedures and processes. I'm not a big conspiracy theory kinda person but it did have me thinking why don't we use hypnosis more for surgery and dental procedures considering the results shown by the Drs in this book, after all an injection at the Dentists is one of the worse things about going (that taste...yuck!!!). It also made me question the use of and reliance on pills when mesmerism was able to produce such results-- perhaps because there's more money in pills. Maybe I've just been sucked in like John Ellitson was?
The accounts of mesmerism were fascinating to read and they had me questioning what was happening and what was real. There was a real affection for all the subjects displayed by the writer so it never felt gratuitous or as if we were laughing at these people.
An interesting fact that stayed with me and blew my mind a bit is how effective placebos can be (1 in 3 people can recover using them) for a variety of complaints, yet the placebo itself may need to be very specific (ie saltwater injections are better at easing pain than dummy sugar pills, and 'morphine' dummy pills are better than 'paracetamol' ones). 'Brain scans have shown placebo therapy produce physiological changes in the body, such as the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the brain, in much the same way that chemical drugs do' -- this fact blew my mind!
This book showed me that we still have so much to learn about the body, the mind and recovery from illness, as well as teaching me more about the mesmerist movement.
The accounts of mesmerism were fascinating to read and they had me questioning what was happening and what was real. There was a real affection for all the subjects displayed by the writer so it never felt gratuitous or as if we were laughing at these people.
An interesting fact that stayed with me and blew my mind a bit is how effective placebos can be (1 in 3 people can recover using them) for a variety of complaints, yet the placebo itself may need to be very specific (ie saltwater injections are better at easing pain than dummy sugar pills, and 'morphine' dummy pills are better than 'paracetamol' ones). 'Brain scans have shown placebo therapy produce physiological changes in the body, such as the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the brain, in much the same way that chemical drugs do' -- this fact blew my mind!
This book showed me that we still have so much to learn about the body, the mind and recovery from illness, as well as teaching me more about the mesmerist movement.
November 4, 2020
'The Mesmerist' is another random library pick of mine that I thought looked interesting. Mesmerism (or hypnotism as it's known as in modern terms) is an area of Psychological Science/Therapy I've never looked into it, and to be honest assumed there wasn't much to it. 'The Mesmerist' tells the story of mesmerism from it's discovery and medical use by the Victorian doctor John Elliotson, in a time before anaesthesia. Unfortunately, due to the unscientific methods and showmanship of the Doctor, mesmerism was never taken particularly seriously in society - despite it's clear benefits and ability to deactivate pain centers of the brain. The use of mesmerism as a form of entertainment led to negative connotations and assumptions of it all being a trick, a belief that definitely still prevails today. I was surprised to learn that hypnotherapy isn't regulated today - and very little is still understood about how hypnotherapy works. Yet it clearly does work, and has been shown to be highly effective in treating psychosomatic conditions and alleviating pain.
I did find the subject of this book interesting, but unfortunately the way it was written made for very dull reading. I really struggled to finish it.
I did find the subject of this book interesting, but unfortunately the way it was written made for very dull reading. I really struggled to finish it.
August 16, 2018
I am interested in all things medical. While this started off well and appeared to be the interesting story of Dr Elliotson, the doctor who pushed forward the hypnosis procedure during a time when medicine was obsessed with leeches, blood-letting and cupping; the story very quickly became ultra-repetitive. I don't know how many times I read about Elizabeth Okey (one of Elliotson's subjects who was suspected of being a prostitute and possibly paid to "perform") being put to sleep by a suggestive hand movement or a light blowing across the eyes, then being subjected to hair pulling, needles into the skin, snuff shoved up her nostrils, light slapping and pinching! So basically, doctors in those days either drained you of all your blood or slapped the shit out of you while you were hypnotized! Greatttt! This felt like it could have been a lot more engaging but it ended up being moronically boring and monotonous. I abandoned it just over half way through to concentrate my efforts on more engaging reads. Just glad I got it out the library and didn't buy it!
August 20, 2017
A disappointing read. I found myself re-reading sections of it over and over. Enjoyed wedlock but this is not one of her best.
January 26, 2020
Moore's pop-history exploration of the history of mesmerism is entertaining and informative, introducing the reader to the brutal world of Victorian medicine through the story of Dr. John Elliotson. Medicine in the nineteenth century was often one part wildly and recklessly innovative against three parts aggressively dogmatic, meaning that whether a new discovery was accepted or not was somewhat of a lottery. Elliotson's charm and passion helped propel mesmerism into the public eye, but his utter refusal to even consider that he could make errors was his downfall.
I found this book a bit slow to get into, but this may be because of my over-familiarity with the topic rather than writing style. Nevertheless, it was well worth persisting with in order to delve into the mysteries of mesmerism and the lives of the Victorians who swore both by it and against it.
I found this book a bit slow to get into, but this may be because of my over-familiarity with the topic rather than writing style. Nevertheless, it was well worth persisting with in order to delve into the mysteries of mesmerism and the lives of the Victorians who swore both by it and against it.
June 28, 2017
A fascinating history of the medical world in 1800s London, based around the concept of mesmerism and the life and times of its chief practitioner and champion, John Elliotson. The book also examines the fine lines between scientific fact and fantasy, medical advancement and charlatanism.
While for me the book spends a little too much time on the specific antics of the experiments (and the subjects of these), this is a highly engrossing and engaging read – filled with colourful characters, a major Victorian scandal, bitter rivalries and sanctimonious bigots. Cracking stuff.
Also explaining with great background, the origination of some of our finest institutions, this is an enjoyable, almost novel-esque piece of writing which serves up a delicious and curious slice of history.
While for me the book spends a little too much time on the specific antics of the experiments (and the subjects of these), this is a highly engrossing and engaging read – filled with colourful characters, a major Victorian scandal, bitter rivalries and sanctimonious bigots. Cracking stuff.
Also explaining with great background, the origination of some of our finest institutions, this is an enjoyable, almost novel-esque piece of writing which serves up a delicious and curious slice of history.
May 24, 2019
This book was an interesting look at how society worked, for better or worse, during Victorian England. The book traces the life of John Elliotson, who was both brilliant and flawed.
It took me almost a year to get through this book because I was reading it aloud to my teenager at the breakfast table, taking time off for school breaks and whatnot, meant that it takes us a bit of time to get through this book. This book was the basis for many morning discussions about society, treatment and attitudes towards women, and the scientific method, to name a few.
It took me almost a year to get through this book because I was reading it aloud to my teenager at the breakfast table, taking time off for school breaks and whatnot, meant that it takes us a bit of time to get through this book. This book was the basis for many morning discussions about society, treatment and attitudes towards women, and the scientific method, to name a few.
July 18, 2017
The history of medicine in the early 19th century is fascinating with many rogues and quacks John Ellison tried to update and bring new techniques to medicine and his belief and use of mesmerising became a bit of a parlour trick at the beginning. I found this book somewhat technical and found I could only read small bits at a time. Someone with a more specialist knowledge would find it more readable.
September 21, 2020
Purchase The Mesmerist here for just $10!
A fascinating history of the medical world in 1800s London, based around the concept of mesmerism and the life and times of its chief practitioner and champion, John Elliotso. This is an enjoyable piece of writing which serves up a delicious and curious slice of history.
Alicia, The Book Grocer
A fascinating history of the medical world in 1800s London, based around the concept of mesmerism and the life and times of its chief practitioner and champion, John Elliotso. This is an enjoyable piece of writing which serves up a delicious and curious slice of history.
Alicia, The Book Grocer
June 16, 2017
Three factors make a book of this kind a success.
i) The subject has to be interesting in itself
ii) The research has to be thorough
iii) The writing has to be engaging.
Moore's book succeeds on all three counts, detailing an era in medicine which few of us knew about in a fascinating way.
i) The subject has to be interesting in itself
ii) The research has to be thorough
iii) The writing has to be engaging.
Moore's book succeeds on all three counts, detailing an era in medicine which few of us knew about in a fascinating way.
July 19, 2021
Incredibly interesting history of a bizarre period in Victorian medicine which gives an insight into more than just the title characters. The protagonists lives and what leads them into the story are well told. Fairly well targeted at me as someone working close to healthcare and in London but I’m sure many would enjoy.
March 30, 2018
This was a fascinating insight into medical treatment in the Victorian era. Although mesmerism is the focus glimpses of the development of a range of medical advances are evident. Not an easy read but well worth the effort.
June 12, 2017
Fascinating,
December 29, 2017
Fascinating history of medical advancements
March 5, 2019
Wendy Moore chose a very interesting subject from the 19th Century which I thought would be a fascinating read bearing in mind I enjoyed her prose on the story of Wedlock.
Not sure why but the book was just dull and hard to read I think mainly because it did not have a story that was gripping and just plods along.
I just found the book ultimately boring and would not recommend to anyone unless you are studying in this area.Sorry Wendy!
Not sure why but the book was just dull and hard to read I think mainly because it did not have a story that was gripping and just plods along.
I just found the book ultimately boring and would not recommend to anyone unless you are studying in this area.Sorry Wendy!
July 14, 2024
Fascinating read.
December 30, 2020
Moore's strength is in identifying real characters from history and using research and vivid language to re-tell the story for 21st-century audiences. We are a long way in time and metaphorically from Victorian medicine, however, Moore shows us the brutality and nepotism of treatments 200 years ago. Do you want your doctor to be 'qualified' as a result of his surname rather than ability?
There were a few careless idioms I never enjoyed, but the relationships between eminent medical characters like Wakely, Liston and Elliotson were well told outside of this criticism. It was a surprise to hear of there being London Mesmerist Infirmary and further versions in Edinburgh, Dublin etc. that is quite a movement considering very little reference given to the practice today.
The conclusion was particularly satisfying for me as Moore brought the story and use of hypnotism up to date, answering the exact questions in my mind as the end was drawing near.
There were a few careless idioms I never enjoyed, but the relationships between eminent medical characters like Wakely, Liston and Elliotson were well told outside of this criticism. It was a surprise to hear of there being London Mesmerist Infirmary and further versions in Edinburgh, Dublin etc. that is quite a movement considering very little reference given to the practice today.
The conclusion was particularly satisfying for me as Moore brought the story and use of hypnotism up to date, answering the exact questions in my mind as the end was drawing near.
April 30, 2017
Thanks Orion Publishing Group and netgalley for this ARC.
I love a biography that reads just as well as fiction. People didn't want to stretch their minds or let go enough to take mesmerism seriously, but time has proven them wrong.
I love a biography that reads just as well as fiction. People didn't want to stretch their minds or let go enough to take mesmerism seriously, but time has proven them wrong.
April 30, 2017
Thanks Orion Publishing Group and netgalley for this ARC.
I love a biography that reads just as well as fiction. People didn't want to stretch their minds or let go enough to take mesmerism seriously, but time has proven them wrong.
I love a biography that reads just as well as fiction. People didn't want to stretch their minds or let go enough to take mesmerism seriously, but time has proven them wrong.
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