▁number ▁of ▁persons ▁who ▁are ▁to ▁surr ound ▁it ; ▁into ▁these ▁holes ▁are ▁introduced ▁iron ▁ro ds , ▁bent ▁at ▁right ▁angles ▁out wards , ▁and ▁of ▁different ▁height s , ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁answer ▁to ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁body ▁to ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁to ▁be ▁applied . ▁Besides ▁these ▁ro ds , ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁ro pe ▁which ▁communic ates ▁between ▁the ▁ba quet ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁patients , ▁and ▁from ▁him ▁is ▁carried ▁to ▁another , ▁and ▁so ▁on ▁the ▁whole ▁round . ▁The ▁most ▁sensible ▁effects ▁are ▁produced ▁on ▁the ▁approach ▁of ▁Mes mer , ▁who ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁convey ▁the ▁fluid ▁by ▁certain ▁mot ions ▁of ▁his ▁hands ▁or ▁eyes , ▁without ▁touch ing ▁the ▁person . ▁I ▁have ▁talked ▁with ▁several ▁who ▁have ▁witness ed ▁these ▁effects , ▁who ▁have ▁conv uls ions ▁occasion ed ▁and ▁removed ▁by ▁a ▁movement ▁of ▁the ▁hand ... ▁ ▁Investig ation ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 4 , ▁without ▁Mes mer ▁request ing ▁it , ▁King ▁Louis ▁XVI ▁appointed ▁four ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Medicine ▁as ▁commission ers ▁to ▁investigate ▁animal ▁magnet ism ▁as ▁pract iced ▁by ▁d ' E sl on . ▁At ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁these ▁commission ers ▁the ▁King ▁appointed ▁five ▁additional ▁commission ers ▁from ▁the ▁Royal ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences . ▁These ▁included ▁the ▁chem ist ▁Antoine ▁Lav ois ier , ▁the ▁doctor ▁Joseph - Ign ace ▁Gu ill ot in , ▁the ▁astronom er ▁Jean ▁Syl v ain ▁B ail ly ,