Before the demonstration of the usefulness of nitrous oxide, ether (sulphuric ether), and chloroform as potent anaesthetics, surgical procedures were carried out in conscious patients, who were administered either liquor or narcotics, further to being physically restrained. Because this practice was far from desirable, the claim of Mesmer in Vienna, made in 1779, for providing pain relief based on his theory of ‘animal magnetism’ (mesmerism) appealed to some medical practitioners in Europe. Mesmerism was the forerunner of hypnosis and was practised in continental Europe and England for pain management, including less frequently, in surgical procedures prior to the recognition of the above chemicals as potent anaesthetics. British doctors practising medicine in India tried mesmerism previously trialled in Europe. Joseph Johnstone was a British doctor practising in Madras in the 19th century, who took a cue from surgical experiences reported by James Esdaile in Calcutta, excised a large, soft tumour from the back of a woman successfully, using ‘mesmerism’. His report is of historical interest.

中文翻译：

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无痛手术约瑟夫·约翰斯通（Joseph Johnstone）于1847年在马德拉斯（Madras）的一名迷住病人的手术

在证明一氧化二氮，乙醚（硫醚）和氯仿作为强效麻醉剂的有效性之前，先对有意识的患者进行了外科手术，这些患者服用了酒或麻醉剂，进一步受到了身体的限制。由于这种做法远非理想，因此1779年在维也纳提出的Mesmer声称基于其“动物磁性”（mesmerism）理论来减轻疼痛的主张吸引了欧洲的一些医疗从业者。催眠疗法是催眠术的先驱，在欧洲和英国大陆，人们在进行上述化学物质公认的有效麻醉剂之前，曾在外科手术过程中进行过疼痛治疗，包括缓解疼痛的方法。在印度行医的英国医生尝试了以前在欧洲试用过的催眠术。约瑟夫·约翰斯通（Joseph Johnstone）是19世纪在马德拉斯（Madras）执业的英国医生，他从加尔各答的詹姆斯·埃斯达伊勒（James Esdaile）报道的外科手术经验中汲取了经验，并成功地利用“美人鱼疗法”从女性背部切除了一个大的，柔软的肿瘤。他的报告具有历史意义。