Mesmer, Franz Anton

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Franz Anton Mesmer (c. 1734-1815) was a German doctor who developed the theory of "animal magnetism" or mesmerism, which posited the existence of an invisible natural force possessed by all living beings. In 1784 Louis XVI appointed royal commissions in an attempt to scientifically validate the theory. The commission, which included Benjamin Franklin, concluded there was no evidence to support Mesmer's hypothesis. 

Citation(s):

Jessica Riskin, "Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815)," The Super-Enlightenment A Digital Archive, Stanford University Libraries, https://exhibits.stanford.edu/super-e/feature/franz-anton-mesmer-1734-1… , accessed 26 August 2025.

“Report of the Royal Commission to Investigate Animal Magnetism: Résumé with Extracts, [11 August 1784],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-42-02-0304. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 42, March 1 through August 15, 1784, ed. Ellen R. Cohn. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2017, pp. 475–493.]