Words that capture you

There is word in my language which is spelt “ masmarika” it is a derivative of “mesmeric” in English. I used to hear it from all when they were discussing about some one with some degree of influence over others. This word caught hold of me and it was my “Mesopotamia” in my younger days. I was enchanted with the word and though did not use it on any occasions because of being self conscious , it was my favorite word through out my teens. I was curious to know more about the word and the phenomena it denoted.
Well when I finally started to learn more about it I soon realized that the theory of Anton Mesmer was not based on any verifiable evidence. He cured people with the use of what he described as Animal Magnetism. This is not the same as the sex energy that is spoken of under the term now. He believed that there is a subtle force in man which could cure him and cure others by sending it to them. His claims of cures were not challenged by the scientific teams who investigated these claims. But they thought that it was a result of suggestion rather than any force acting on the patients in the form of animal magnetism.
Yet I can see certain similarities between this system and the Pranayama. Pranayama contains the possibility to make use of the life force that is within you to cure illnesses. Well in a strict sense, though the Russian were very enthusiastic about Bio Energy, there are still no valid empirical evidence that such cures could be done with such subtle energies. It is possible that what actually works is the belief in the healer and the patient that such a transformation is taking place within the individual. I know from personal experience that this is possible and others involved with these phenomena would also admit that this is possible. But there can not be any scientific proof about it. Even if you can monitor the states of body before and after this type of healing and find that the body is cured the modern science could possible come up with any number of explanations for this change.
Mesmer was not a great genius. In fact he is supposed to have appropriated certain works of others and made it his own. He was a great presenter and introduced all the eliment of drama in his treatment. He used lighting and music for mood creation. His belief in magnetic healing was the result of his meeting with Maximillian Hell. A strange name in English but not in Italy it seems!. This hell was a Jesuit and used to heal people with magnetic plates. But Mesmer always believed that the healing was done by the transfer of animal magnetism rather than the influence of the plates used.
He seems to have adopted the technique of Hell in toto at first but later seems to have discarded the use of magnetic plates in influencing people and inducing the desired responses in them. Though the technique is known in the name of Mesmer in the world the original contribution of Mesmer is minimal in it. He organized it into a system, and others followed. His system do not have much credibility with the scientifically minded people of present day. Hypnotism is accepted by the general public and even the physicians to some extent, but not mesmerism. There is also a thought that a system of science( if it is claimed as a science) should not be known by the name of the person who practiced it first. It is not clear how this came about. Mesmer does not seems to have used the term in his works or practice.

All in all Mesmerism does not seem to be a favorite among the masses and the scientific world now.