Bainbridgehadpredicted，theexperimentcametonothing。Thewholecaseofthisgirlofferedastrikinginstanceofthepowerofimagination，butnoproofwhateverofthesupposedexistenceofthemagneticfluid。
TheMedicalCommitteeoftheUniversityCollegeHospitaltookalarmataveryearlyperiodattheinjurywhichmightbedonetothatInstitution，bytheexhibitionsofOkeyandhermagnetisers。AmeetingwasheldinJune1838，atwhichDr。Elliotsonwasnotpresent，totakeintoconsiderationthereportsoftheexperimentsthathadbeenpublishedintheMedicalJournals。Resolutionswerethenpassedtotheeffect，thatDr。Elliotsonshouldberequestedtorefrainfromfurtherpublicexhibitionsofmesmerism；and，atthesametime，statingthewishoftheCommitteenottointerferewithitsprivateemploymentasaremedialagent，ifhethoughtitwouldbeefficaciousuponanyofthepatientsoftheInstitution。Dr。Elliotsonreplied，thatnoconsiderationshouldpreventhimfrompursuingtheinvestigationofAnimalMagnetism；butthathehadnodesiretomakeapublicexhibitionofit。Hehadonlygivenlecturesanddemonstrationswhennumbersofscientificgentlemenwerepresent；hestillcontinuedtoreceivenumerouslettersfromlearnedandeminentmen，entreatingpermissiontowitnessthephenomena；butiftheCommitteewilledit，heshouldadmitnopersonwithouttheirsanction。Heshortlyafterwardssentalistofthenamesofindividualswhowereanxioustowitnesstheexperiments。TheCommitteereturnedittohimunread，withthereplythattheycouldnotsanctionanyexhibitionthatwassoentirelyforeigntotheobjectsoftheHospital。Inanswertothis，Dr。ElliotsonreiteratedhisfullbeliefinthedoctrinesofAnimalMagnetism，andhisconvictionthathisexperimentswouldultimatelythrowalightupontheoperationsofnature，whichwouldequal，ifnotexceed，thatelicitedbythegreatestdiscoveriesofby-goneages。Thecorrespondencedroppedhere；andtheexperimentscontinuedasusual。
Thescene，however，wasdrawingtoaclose。Onthe25thofAugust，anoticewaspublishedintheLancet，totheeffect，thatsomeexperimentshadbeenperformedonthegirlsElizabethandJaneOkey，atthehouseofMr。Wakley，areportofwhichwasonlywithheldinthehopethattheCommitteeofMembersoftheMedicalProfession，thensittingtoinvestigatethephenomenaofmesmerism，wouldpublishtheirreportofwhattheyhadwitnessed。Itwasfurtherstated，thatwhetherthatCommitteedidordidnotpublishtheirreport，theresultoftheexperimentsatMr。Wakley’shouseshouldcertainlybemadeknowninthenextnumberofthatjournal。Accordingly，onthe1stofSeptemberappearedastatement，whichoverthrew，inthemostcompletemanner，thedelusionofmesmerism。Nothingcouldhavebeenbetterconductedthantheseexperiments；nothingcouldbemoredecisiveofthefact，thatallthephenomenawerepurelytheresultsoftheexcitedimaginationsofthegirls，aidedinnoslightdegreebytheirwilfuldeception。
Thefirstexperimentswereperformedonthe16thofAugust，inthepresenceofMr。Wakley，M。Dupotet，Dr。Elliotson，Dr。Richardson，Mr。
Herring，Mr。Clarke，andMr。G。MillsthewriterofthepublishedreportsoftheexperimentsattheUniversityCollegeHospital。Dr。