Article ID: CBB001421645

Hypnosis in Spain (1888--1905): from Spectacle to Medical Treatment of Mediumship (2014)

unapi

Graus, Andrea (Author)


Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Volume: 48
Pages: 85-93


Publication Date: 2014
Edition Details: Article in a special section, “Psychical Research in the History of Science and Medicine”
Language: English

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, some Spanish physicians sought to legitimize hypnotherapy within medicine. At the same time, hypnotism was being popularized among the Spanish population through stage hypnosis shows. In order to extend the use of medical hypnotherapy, some physicians made efforts to demarcate the therapeutic use of hypnotic suggestion from its application for recreational purposes, as performed by stage hypnotists. However, in the eyes of some physicians, the first public session to legitimize hypnotherapy turned out to be a complete failure due to its similarities with a stage hypnosis performance. Apart from exploring this kind of hitherto little-known historical cases, we explore the role of spiritists in legitimizing medical hypnosis. At a time when Spanish citizens were still reluctant to accept hypnotherapy, the spiritists sponsored a charitable clinic where treatment using hypnosis was offered. We conclude that the clinic was effective in promoting the use of hypnotherapy, both among physicians as clinical practice, and as a medical treatment for patients from the less privileged classes of Spanish society.

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Article Sommer, Andreas (2014) Psychical Research in the History and Philosophy of Science. an Introduction and Review. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (pp. 38-45). unapi

Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB001421645/

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Authors & Contributors
Maehle, Andreas-Holger
Stevens, Courtney J.
Leporiere, Lorenzo
Lamb, Susan
Wolffram, Heather
Villasante, Olga
Concepts
Medicine
Therapeutic practice; therapy; treatment
Physicians; doctors
Spiritualism
Hypnosis and hypnotism
Mental disorders and diseases
Time Periods
19th century
20th century, early
Medieval
20th century
18th century
Places
Spain
England
Naples (Italy)
United States
Italy
Europe
Institutions
Theosophical Society
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