Franz Anton Mesmer

Franz Anton Mesmer was an 18th-century German physician known for developing the concept of “animal magnetism,” which he believed could heal people through a mysterious force. He argued that this invisible energy could be manipulated to restore health. His methods involved trance-like states and the use of magnets. Although his ideas were controversial and eventually dismissed by the scientific community, they laid the groundwork for modern hypnosis and psychology. Mesmer’s work sparked debates about the nature of healing and the mind, influencing both medicine and cultural perceptions of mental health.