Buchanan's Journal of Man, June 1887: Volume 1, Number 5

In Short

This issue of a nineteenth-century periodical presents a passionate case for revolutionary educational and social reforms grounded in anthropology, hypnotism, and cerebral anatomy. The text argues that traditional institutions fail humanity by clinging to obsolete orthodoxies while ignoring functional scientific discoveries. Through detailed analyses of hypnotic suggestion, embryonic brain development, and criminal rehabilitation, it advocates for a compassionate, scientifically informed approach to human development. It endures as a vivid historical snapshot of late Victorian alternative science, capturing the era's fascinating intersection of early psychology, phrenology, spiritualism, and progressive social idealism before modern scientific disciplines fully separated.

The Story

The volume opens with a sharp critique of established cultural and scientific authority. The author attacks the stagnant atmosphere of modern colleges and churches, asserting that elite literary circles value trivial antiquarian debates over urgent human welfare. American scientific leaders and major publications are criticized for rejecting novel concepts like psychometry out of stubborn prejudice, leaving revolutionary ideas suppressed by entrenched academic gatekeepers.

To replace these outdated structures, the text outlines a modern theory of education centered on emotional influence, imitation, and moral elevation. True teaching must mirror a divine relationship, balancing firm authority with profound affection. Music, group singing, and structured physical activities are presented as vital tools to instill natural nobility in young minds.

The argument then expands into the therapeutic and pedagogical uses of hypnotism. Citing popular stage demonstrations alongside recent clinical experiments in France, the text shows how subjects in passive states can be guided toward moral improvement. By applying gentle physical manipulation to specific regions of the head or chest, an operator can awaken higher moral faculties like kindness and conscientiousness while suppressing base impulses. French researchers demonstrate that verbal suggestions during hypnotic sleep can cure indolence, reform stubborn children, and break harmful addictions to alcohol and tobacco. However, the text also raises serious legal questions, warning that post-hypnotic suggestions could theoretically be weaponized by unscrupulous actors to compel criminal acts.

Next, the volume pivots to satirical verse with a symposium of prominent nineteenth-century scientists, including figures from Harvard, Yale, and the Smithsonian Institution. Through lighthearted rhyming stanzas, these scholars debate the immortality of the soul and the limits of empirical observation, contrasting rigid materialist skepticism with spiritual hope.

Following this literary interlude, the text addresses criminal justice. It argues against punitive prison terms, pointing to successful reformatory models in England, Ireland, and American penitentiaries. Convicts should be treated as unfortunate brethren requiring moral cure rather than vindictive punishment, receiving gradual freedom based on proven ethical conduct.

The final major section provides an anatomical investigation into brain development. Tracing the organ's growth from embryonic stages to maturity, the author explains how convolutions fold into solid structures. Cerebral profiles demonstrate that moral character corresponds directly to the physical height of the brain above the eye line, whereas deep, heavy brain bases indicate dominant animal propensities. The publication closes with brief notes on international news—such as anti-slavery movements in Brazil and Bokhara—followed by editorial notices and contemporary advertisements.

How It Unfolds

The critique of authority The author forcefully attacks elite educational institutions and scientific journals for stifling original thought. American intellectuals are accused of prioritizing social status and medieval errors over genuine moral and scientific progress.

The principles of moral teaching Education is redefined as a process of emotional alignment where teachers win respect and affection. Exercises in declamation, song, and polite deportment compel students to absorb noble sentiments through deliberate imitation.

The power of hypnotic suggestion The text explores how mesmeric states and direct brain manipulation alter human character. Medical findings from France illustrate how hypnotic commands can cure laziness, suppress bad habits, and re-educate rebellious children.

The symposium of the scholars Distinguished contemporary scientists offer lighthearted rhyming perspectives on the soul and afterlife. The verses highlight the gap between strict empirical materialism and human spiritual longing.

The reform of criminal justice Penal systems are urged to abandon fixed sentences and harsh punishment in favor of therapeutic rehabilitation. Successful programs in Ireland and Ohio prove that trust, moral training, and conditional freedom effectively reform offenders.

The mechanics of brain evolution An anatomical examination details how the human brain folds from fluid vesicles into complex convolutions. Comparative skull shapes illustrate how vertical cerebral height signifies high moral character, while a deep brain base reveals raw animal instinct.

The People

The Editor / Author The controlling voice of the publication, an unyielding reformer devoted to advancing alternative sciences. He seeks to liberate public thought from academic dogmatism, using his journal to champion hypnotism, moral education, and cerebral anatomy for the betterment of society.

Dr. Edgar Bérillon A French researcher who advocates applying hypnotic suggestion directly to classroom instruction. He believes that degenerate or indifferent children can be effectively reformed and morally elevated through repeated hypnotic sleep treatments.

Dr. Liébeault A veteran physician from the medical faculty at Nancy who validates Bérillon's theories. Drawing from thousands of patient interactions, he confirms that hypnotic suggestion is entirely safe and remarkably effective for guidance.

Mr. Dozier and Geo. D. Prentice Participants in an amusing historical stage demonstration in Louisville. Under hypnotic influence, Dozier fully believes he is President James K. Polk, leading to a hilarious public interaction when editor Prentice is introduced as his wife.

Burnham Wardwell A courageous prison reformer who implemented a system of moral government at the Virginia penitentiary. By replacing harsh physical punishment with trust and honor paroles, he successfully demonstrated that convicts could be trusted to return voluntarily to confinement.

In Its Own Voice

"To reverence beyond their worth the teachers of old inherited falsehoods, is to be a traitor to truth."

The author warns readers against uncritically accepting traditional scientific and academic authorities who block innovative ideas.

"If disease can be overcome by making the subject believe a glass of pure water a powerful restorative medicine... such experiments should be made a powerful adjunct in education, and in the reformation of criminals."

The text emphasizes the practical, therapeutic benefits of suggestion for uplifting individuals and improving public character.

"Every criminal who will not obey the law in freedom should be sent to prison for life, under a kind and humane system, there to earn his own support... and in all cases to remain there until he has, beyond all doubt, become so thoroughly reformed."

The argument outlines a compassionate penal philosophy centered entirely on genuine rehabilitation rather than arbitrary punishment.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text challenges the rigid boundaries of nineteenth-century scientific orthodoxies, arguing that true progress requires integrating physical science with the spiritual and moral dimensions of human nature. It presents a vision of human malleability, asserting that character is not fixed, but can be reshaped through intentional environment, hypnotic influence, and proper cerebral stimulation. Underneath its varied topics lies a deep anxiety over institutional intolerance, warning that mainstream academic cliques suppress vital discoveries to protect their own prestige. The publication insists that societal advancement depends upon replacing punitive, coercive authority—whether in schools, prisons, or scientific societies—with compassionate, scientifically guided nurture.

Why Read It Today

This volume appeals to readers fascinated by the intellectual history of alternative science, early psychology, and Victorian social reform. Reading it offers an intriguing look into a transitional era when formal neurology, phrenology, hypnotism, and spiritualism frequently overlapped in public discourse. The text possesses a confident, urgent tone that clearly reflects the passion of nineteenth-century independent publishers.

While engaging, the book carries distinct historical difficulties. Modern readers will easily recognize that its core scientific premises—such as reading moral character from skull shape or manipulating brain organs through touch—have long been disproven. Additionally, its dense structural shifts move abruptly from heavy educational theory to light satirical verse, clinical reports, and brief news items. Yet despite these obsolete theories, the issue remains remarkably forward-thinking in its calls for humane prison reform and its early insights into the power of psychological suggestion. It lingers in the memory as a fascinating artifact of Victorian intellectual ambition.