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FO-From Benjamin Franklin to La Condamine, 19 March 1784.md

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FO-From Benjamin Franklin to La Condamine, 19 March 1784

5 reprints from 1784-03-19 to 1892-08-20

FO-From Benjamin Franklin to La Condamine, 19 March 1784

by Franklin, Benjamin

From unknown source

1784-03-19

,
Passy, March 19 1784.

I receiv’d the very obliging Letter you did me honour of writing to me the 8th Inst. with the Epigram &c. for which please to accept my Thanks.
You desire my Sentiments concerning the Cures perform’d by Comus, & Mesmer. I think that in general, Maladies caus’d by Obstructions may be treated by Electricity with Advantage. As to the Animal Magnetism, so much talk’d of, I am totally unacquainted with it, and must doubt its Existence till I can see or feel some Effect of it. None of the Cures said to be perform’d by it, have fallen under my Observation, and there being so

many Disorders which cure themselves, and such a Disposition in Mankind to deceive themselves and one another on these Occasions; and living long having given me frequent Opportunities of seeing certain Remedies cry’d up as curing every thing, and yet soon after totally laid aside as useless, I cannot but fear that the Expectations of great Advantage from this new Method of treating Diseases, will prove a Delusion. That Delusion may how ever in some cases be of use while it lasts. There are in every great rich City, a Number of Persons who are never in health, because they are fond of Medicines and always taking them, whereby, they derange the natural Functions, and hurt their Constitutions. If those People can be persuaded to forbear their Drugs in Expectation of being cured by only the Physician’s Finger or an Iron Rod pointing at them, they may possibly find good Effects tho’ they mistake the Cause. I have the honour to be, Sir,

From The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (1827-1924)

1841-04-01 · Philadelphia

Passy, March 19, 1784.

Sir:—I received the very obliging letter you did me the honor of writing to
me the 8th inst., with the epigram, for which please accept my thanks.

You desire my sentiments concerning the cures performed by Camus and
Mesmer. I think, that, in general, maladies caused by obstructions, may be
treated by electricity with advantage. As to the animal magnetism, so much
talked of, I must doubt its existence till I can see or feel some effect of it. None
of the cures said to be performed by it, have fallen under my observation, and
there being so many disorders which cure themselves, and such a disposition in
mankind to deceive themselves and one another, on these occasions, and living
long, has given me so frequent opportunities of seeing certain remedies cried up
as curing every thing, and yet soon after totally laid aside as useless, I cannot
but fear that the expectation of great advantage from this new method of treat-
ing diseases will prove a delusion. ‘That delusion may, however, in some cases
be of use while it lasts. There are in every great, rich city, a number of per-
sons, who are never in health, because they are fond of medicines, and always
taking them, whereby they derange the natural functions, and hurt their consti-
tution. If these people can be persuaded to forbear these drugs, in expectation
of being cured by only the physician’s finger, or an iron rod pointing at them,
they may possibly find good effects, though they mistake the cause.t

I have the honour to be, &c. B. Frank.

 Page image

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND CORRESPONDENCE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

From Pall Mall Gazette

1879-10-04 · London, England

[This text is not available under an open license.]

THE ELECTROPATHIC AND ZANDER INSTITUTE.

From Pall Mall Gazette

1892-08-05 · London, England

[This text is not available under an open license.]

Advertisements & Notices

From Graphic

1892-08-20 · London, England

[This text is not available under an open license.]