Four years prior to this, the author had been rendered insensible by the inhalation of sulphuric ether, in Dr. Turner's lecture-room, University of London. The incident is recorded in the following letter: Huddersfield, Sept. 21st, 1868.

Dear Sir, - I perfectly well remember the seance held in the chemical lecture-room at University College, in the year 1835, for the purpose "of witnessing the inhalation of laughing gas, when, the supply of gas "being exhausted, Dr. Turner mentioned Sulphuric Ether as a substi"tute, and one of the students volunteered to try it, and that he was "very ill in consequence. I cannot say that you were that student, "but I do very well remember your name as one of the prominent "of Dr. Turner's class.

Yours very truly,

Wm. J. Clarke.

Dr. Collyer, Bruges."

In 1842 and 1843, when repeating the feats of the Egyptian magicians in Boston, Philadelphia, and other places, amongst other substances I gave Sulphuric Ether. Nor does this depend on my assertion, for in a work published in Boston in April, 1843, - "The History and Philosophy of Animal Magnetism," at pp. 21 and 22, it is stated Dr. Collyer caused the subjects to inhale the most powerful Ether" (Sulphuric Ether).

The writer of this pamphlet has made a mistake, for he conveys a confused idea, that the persons in the mesmeric state were caused to inhale ether. He meant to say, the persons, who were my subjects, were caused to inhale powerful ether, otherwise the sentence is inconsistent, as persons in the nervous congestive state could not be made to inhale ether. In any case, it proves the employment in public of Sulphuric Ether in 1842 and 1843.

The publication of Psychography in Philadelphia, May, 1843, puts this matter beyond all question, for at pp. 26, 27, 28, 30, 32, 35, and 36, I distinctly declare, that the unconscious or nervous congestive condition is induced by the inhalation of narcotic and stimulating vapours, and that the condition thus induced is not only identical with that produced by mesmerism, but also by mental excitement accompanied by muscular action, by steadily gazing on a fixed point for a length of time, natural fatigue, etc., etc.

* "The alcohols are strictly anaesthetics, and indeed the first published case of surgical operation under anaesthetic sleep was performed by Dr. Collyer, on a person who had been rendered insensible by breathing the fumes of alcohol." -Report read at the British Association of 1869, "On the Action of the Methyl and allied series," by Benj. W. Richardson, M.A., M.D., F.R.S.

The exact words published in the Liverpool Mail, Oct. 14th, 1843: "The topic for consideration was Nervous Congestion, or the accu"mulation of the nervous fluid in the great centres of the brain. This, "the lecturer contended, explained that particular condition induced "by fixing the eye on any given object, called by Mr. Braid the hyp"notic state. This is now practised by the Hindoo Fakirs, and may be "traced as early as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, amongst the "monks of Mount Tabor, the Kermalites, who fix themselves in one "position, until they see the light of faith, being at the time unconscious "of external things. Dr. Collyer proved that the brain distributed its "resident principle to all the nerves of sense, and directly that commu"nication was cut off, the sleeping or the congestive state was always "induced. This may be brought about: first, by natural fatigue: "second, by the transmission of the nervous principle of a second per"son: third, by concentration of the mind on any subject, accom"panied by muscular action: fourth, by steadily gazing on any "object: fifth, by inhaling narcotic fumes. All these produced the "same state of brain, etc.

From want of space we are prevented "giving the detail of this philosophical lecture."

All these modes of bringing about a state of unconsciousness or nervous congestion, "produced the same state of brain."

It is impossible to lay too great stress on this publication of October, 1843, as it demonstrates conclusively that the unconscious state was produced by the inhalation of narcotic and stimulating vapours. The lectures I delivered included the whole philosophy of unconsciousness produced by inhalation, the condition of coma, somnambulism, trance, epileptic and hysterical coma.

Boston Daily Ledger, April 15th, 1842:"Those who had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Collyer on Tuesday "evening will remember, that he made some explanation of the ner"vous fluid, which produced the congestive state of the brain. He "remarked that it was expended by the muscles, and its exhaustion "rendered sleep necessary after the labours of the day, in order to collect "a fresh supply. He also mentioned the fact, that, when the brain is "actively employed, the communication with the body by means of the "nerves ceases, so that the person is insensible to injuries received. "He illustrated the Roman, who allowed his hand to he burnt off, to "show the enemies of his country what the Romans could bear; the "Christian martyrs under excitement; the dervishes and fakirs of Hin"dostan; and the soldiers, who in the heat of battle receive wounds, "being unconscious of the pain, until the excitement of the battle "had passed. Baron Larrey, the surgeon of Napoleon, gives instances "in corroboration of this fact, that during excitement surgical "Operations Were Borne Without Apparent Pain."