Voting Station

Franz Anton Mesmer

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Doctor

The Resume

    (May 23, 1734-March 5, 1815)
    Studied medicine at the University of Vienna
    Practiced in Vienna, Austria and Paris, France

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a plagiarist. He copied Dr. Richard Mead's work in his doctoral dissertation.
    He ripped off Maximilian Hell's use of magnetism to cure ailments. He named his theory 'animal magnetism.'
    He is considered a quack because he relied on the power of suggestion rather than medical sciences.
    He theorized that planets and tides effect patient's health.
    He used touch to try to cure patients, something faith healers still do today.
    He was virtually banished from Vienna, when he could not cure an eighteen year old's blindness (1777).
    King Louis XVI commissioned a panel including Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin and Benjamin Franklin to investigate animal magnetism. They determined it to be a farce.

Why he might not be annoying:

    The word 'mesmerism' (power of suggestion) is taken from his name.
    His work was used by Dr. James Braid to develop hypnosis (1842).
    Wolfgang Mozart tributes Mesmer in his opera 'Cosi Fan Tutte.'
    He addressed the Munich Academy of Science against exorcism as a science (1775).
    He was extremely successfully having way more patients than he could handle, so he set up huge group sessions.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 56.25% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 60 Votes: 68.33% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 22 Votes: 77.27% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 48 Votes: 72.92% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 67 Votes: 71.64% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 70 Votes: 70.0% Annoying