The Mesmerist tells the story of John Elliotson, a revered doctor who introduced mesmerism - hypnotism - to Victorian Britain. Elliotson's demonstrations of patients being mesmerised at University College Hospital, London, drew huge crowds. Spectators were entranced by the Okey sisters, aged 15 and 17, who performed astonishing acts while mesmerised. When Elliotson's colleagues began to ask questions about the girls' veracity his brilliant career was in jeopardy.
Reviews for The Mesmerist
"Engrossing" Daily Telegraph
"Vivid set pieces"
"Told with gusto"
"Thrilling"
"Wendy Moore is an expert guide to the world of early 19th-century medicine, and this fascinating book is packed with buccaneering, larger-than-life doctors and gruesome operations."
How hypnosis split the Victorian medical profession
