The Romantic period in American literature is influenced by cultural and historical issues, among others by Occult movements like Spiritualism and Mesmerism. Mesmerism, or sometimes referred to as animal magnetism (animal meaning as breath or a life force; nowadays the phrase has a meaning of sex appeal), was a healing method claimed by Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer. Mesmer believed that magnetic fluid consistent in every human being, is influenced by the moving of the moon, the sun and the stars and it can be used in healing. His claims and results of experiments where however never scientifically proved to be trustworthy and he himself transformed the hypnosis session into a spectacle-like experience, jumping around in his robe and performing the magic of magnetism on fairs, like frauds often did.