Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), who is better known in other fields, especially colonial politics and international diplomacy, was an early, major contributor to the neurosciences from the New World. Among his accomplishments are: experiments on medical electricity as a possible cure for the palsies and hysteria; the first descriptions of how electricity affecting the brain can cause a specific type of amnesia; supporting the idea that cranial shocks might provide a cure for melancholia; showing that the cures performed by the Mesmerists to remove obstructions, including nerve blockages, rest on gullibility and suggestion, and recognizing the dangers, including those to the nerves, posed by exposure to lead. Franklin?s neuroscience was firmly based on experiments, careful observations, and hard data ? and finding clinical relevance for new discoveries was always on his mind.

Department of Psychology, University of Washington, USA. sfinger@wustl.edu

Posted: 06/03/2006



This article provided by The International Hypnosis Research Institute.

Enter your email address to subscribe to the IHRI Newsletter.

Eliminate Guilt Solving Life’s Problems Without Guilt!This session can really help you deal with the powerful emotions of guilt because it addresses the inner mind motivations that have led you to live your life under the weight of guilt.

Overcome Internet Porn Addiction Are you caught in a downward spiral of viewing more and more perverse sexual porn?This session is designed to retrain your mind to break the pattern that would have led you to view pornography.Identify the cause that drives you to porn.

Sooth Away Grief Are you griefing & having trouble letting go of the pain?This Hypnosis Session Will Help You Let Go Of The Pain Not The Memories. This session will gently reframe your loss and call you to look at life again.