Mesmerising the Body: A Study of Magical Anaesthetic Surgery in Colonial Bengal

A Hypnotic Exploration of Medical History in Colonial Bengal

Can surgery be painless without modern anaesthetics such as ether, chloroform, or chemical sedation? The surprising answer is yes. Before the development of chemical anaesthesia, mesmerism was used to numb patients’ bodies, enabling painless surgeries. Mesmerism, which originated in Vienna, found remarkable success in colonial Bengal thanks to the groundbreaking work of Dr James Esdaile.
Ghosal’s book, Mesmerising the Body, explores this unique chapter in Indian medical history, drawing on rich archival records, medical reports, and contemporary accounts. The book also explores how mesmerism transitioned from a medical practice to a topic of folklore in Bengali literature during
the twentieth century.
With its thorough research and engaging narrative, the book offers valuable insights into a fascinating aspect of medical history. This work is essential reading for historians, medical scholars, and curious readers interested in the intersection of medicine and history.

This volume explores the use of mesmerism to numb patients’ bodies thereby enabling painless surgeries in colonial Bengal before the development of modern anaesthetics such as ether, chloroform or chemical sedation. Dr James Esdaile’s groundbreaking work in nineteenth-century Bengal
achieved remarkable success with mesmerism, enabling painless surgeries without chemical sedation.