A German Physician Franz Anton Mesmer had a theory that all living organisms and non-living things are comprised of magnetic fluid. He named this theory as Animal Magnetism.

Any disturbance to the equilibrium of magnetic fluid causes the physical or psychic diseases. He also believed that any disease can be cured by manipulating the magnetic fluid back to equilibrium. He cured many patients with his therapy. He produced an ‘artificial tide’ in a patient. He has given the patient a solution of iron and then he placed magnets on her body then a mysterious fluid streams through her body relieving her from her symptoms. The best case is of the eighteen year old blind patient. He treated her for a year with the magnets and restored her vision. But she lost her vision after some time. A committee of Vienna called him a Charlatan saying that he had manipulated her to believe that she was cured.

This treatment with magnets is still being practiced in some countries of Europe and in the United States.