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1. Dr. med Franz Anton Mesmer: (1734-1815), Austrian physician, known for inducing a trancelike state, called mesmerism, as a curative agent. Mesmer was born near Constance, Germany, and educated at the University of Vienna. About 1772 he asserted the existence of a power, similar to magnetism, that exercises an extraordinary influence on the human body. This power he called animal magnetism, and in 1775 he published an account of his discovery, claiming that it had medicinal value. His theory of animal magnetism was based on an analogy with theories of magnetic force -a mysterious fluid - stored in certain metals. He held that human beings could be influenced by the application of magnets and that cures could be affected by the use of this fluid. Mesmer successfully used his new system, which was a type of hypnotism, to cure patients. His technique received some support among members of the medical profession. His curing methods were the use of kind of vessel called "baquet" which consisted of magnetic materials such as water, sand or glass. Further there were series of iron rods sticking out of it according to the number of patients. The people sat round this and applied the ends of the rods to their bodies. During these perf