Mesmerism and the Armonica

With the introduction of the ‘Baquet’, Mesmer’s treatment procedures became increasingly like theater: Mesmer would appear wearing a cloak decorated with alchemical symbols and then play the glass harmonica (an instrument that produced an eerie, ethereal sound). Large mirrors were erected in his magnetic salon to reflect invisible fluids and his assistants, like stage hands, were positioned to catch his convulsing patients.

Found in Hidden Minds – A History of the Unconscious by Frank Tallis

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