Mesmer

Summary

Vienna around 1770. The physician Franz Anton Mesmer arouses the anger of the medical world of the late 18th century as well as the imaginations of his often young and attractive female patients by his practices as a "faith healer". Mesmer′s major ′case′ is the blind pianist Maria Theresa Paradies.

In an approach that is revolutionary for this time, Mesmer diagnoses her blindness as being hysterical denial. The two discover that they are kindred spirits in the middle of a world distorted by suffering and misery. While there is further progress with Maria Theresa′s treatment, Mesmer is condemned by the medical faculty as a charlatan, conman and false faith healer and is banished from Vienna.

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