The work opens with an analysis of early mental healing, examining how primitive societies, ancient civilizations, and early religious cults utilized the power of suggestion and belief to treat physical ailments. The author traces the persistent connection between religion and therapeutics, demonstrating how the perceived power of deities, priests, and sacred rituals acted upon the subconscious mind to produce genuine physiological changes. Succeeding chapters explore the extensive use of relics, shrines, and holy wells throughout the medieval period, detailing the vast commercial and spiritual enterprises built around miraculous cures. The narrative then investigates historical healers, from early exorcists to modern-day enthusiasts, analyzing their methods and the psychological mechanisms behind their apparent successes.
Particular attention is devoted to talismans, amulets, and magical charms, with the author cataloging the myriad substances, astrological signs, and cabalistic formulas once believed to ward off disease. The text also reviews sympathetic cures, such as the weapon-salve and the powder of sympathy, explaining how these bizarre practices often aided recovery by keeping wounds clean and undisturbed. Finally, the work concludes with a comprehensive study of the royal touch, evaluating the centuries-old tradition of English and French sovereigns curing scrofula through the imposition of hands and prayer.
