The Zoist - Softcover

John Elliotson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0371655676 ISBN 13: 9780371655672

Publisher: HardPress, 1843

Synopsis

The Zoist by John Elliotson. The Zoist is a March 1843 issue of a periodical devoted to cerebral physiology and mesmerism, presenting a medico-legal and medical history debate that argues brain-based explanations for behavior and responsibility while promoting reform in law and welfare policies. The collection combines argumentative essays, case reports, and polemics that critique traditional tests of insanity, advocate standardized observation and nomenclature, and situate brain physiology as a guiding framework for public policy. It surveys settings from Northampton Lunatic Asylum to Hanwell and University College Hospital, and includes extensive mesmerism case reports by Elliotson and collaborators, detailing sleep-waking states, passes, and cures of epilepsy, chorea, and hysteria, alongside opposition from contemporary authorities. The volume emphasizes cautious, methodical practice, observer bias, and ethical considerations, while arguing that cerebral physiology and mesmerism can jointly advance justice, education, and medical reform. It is a rallying manifesto for a science-driven social reform grounded in physiology.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Publication date: 1843
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0371655676
• ISBN 13: 9780371655672
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 522