Neurypnology James Braid Site

James Braid’s seminal work, Neurypnology; or, the Rationale of Nervous Sleep (1843), is considered the foundational text of modern hypnotism. In it, Braid moved the field away from the mystical "animal magnetism" of Franz Mesmer toward a physiological and scientific understanding of trance as a state of "nervous sleep". Core Principles of Neurypnology

“He recognized that hypnosis was a subjective phenomenon, dependent entirely on the state of mind of the hypnotized and not on any mystical fluid or occult magical power wielded by the hypnotizer.” Peter Harrington Recommended Versions of the Article NEURYPNOLOGY James Braid

The second half of Neurypnology details Braid’s use of hypnosis to treat conditions like paralysis, rheumatism, and aphasia. Braid debunked the idea that a "magnetic fluid"

Braid debunked the idea that a "magnetic fluid" passed from the operator to the patient. James Braid’s seminal work

Braid’s work focused on the physical and psychological mechanisms that induce a hypnotic state: