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Juvenile Svengalis

This is a sleuth series by a daughter and her mother looking into the mystery of Byron Wadsworth Culver and the trial of Edna Mabel Briggs which both ignited an international hypnotic craze and both took place during the Guilded Age in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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1894 Hypnotic Case: A Glimpse into the Early Days of American Psychology

3 min readFeb 27, 2024

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1894 Hypnotic Case Sparks Early Psychology Interest in Boston

If you need to catch up check out ‘Juvenile Svengalis’ and ‘Welcome to My Rabbit Hole Parts I, II, III, IV ,V ,VI , VII , VIII, IX ,X ,XI , XII , XIII , XIV , XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIV , XV, XVI , XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI here.

We continue with our tale from an article from The Watertown Republican (Watertown, Wis.), 19 Dec. 1894.

A mysterious case of hypnosis in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, draws the attention of prominent figures in the burgeoning field of psychology, including Dr. Alvin Shumacker (Boston Institute of Psychology) and Drs. Middleton and Higbee (Minneapolis). This event highlights the growing interest in psychology in the late 19th century, even before the formal establishment of dedicated institutions like the Boston Institute of Psychology.

Photo by C J on Unsplash

Attracting Much Attention

Medical Experts Will Investigate the Eau Claire Hypnotic Case

“The Briggs-Pickin hypnotic case is attracting the attention of scientists all over the country. Dr. Alvin Shumacker of the Boston Institute of Psychology is en route for Eau Claire, and will make a thorough investigation. Drs. Middleton and Higbee of

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Juvenile Svengalis
Juvenile Svengalis

Published in Juvenile Svengalis

This is a sleuth series by a daughter and her mother looking into the mystery of Byron Wadsworth Culver and the trial of Edna Mabel Briggs which both ignited an international hypnotic craze and both took place during the Guilded Age in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Amy Gilda
Amy Gilda

Written by Amy Gilda

An aspiring 'Shouts and Murmurs' contributor.

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