Pathetism

Sunderland's work is a series of writings on the elements of hypnotism, or pathetism, from their early history to the time of publication. Noting that certain forms of mesmerism and hypnosis were found in ancient Egyptian cultures, his aim is to prove their value in his contemporary society. Based on experiments with subjects, he claims that there is definitely a magnetic fluid that is the source of hypnosis and the mesmeric state.