BeforeanyattemptatmagnetisationwasmadebyM。Berna，theCommissionersdeterminedtoascertainhowfar，inherordinarystate，shewassensibletopricking。Needlesofamoderatesizewerestuckintoherhandsandneck，tothedepthofhalfaline，andshewasaskedbyMessieursRouxandCaventonwhethershefeltanypain。Sherepliedthatshefeltnothing；neitherdidhercountenanceexpressanypain。TheCommissioners，somewhatsurprisedatthis，repeatedtheirquestion，andinquiredwhethershewasabsolutelyinsensible。Beingthuspressed，sheacknowledgedthatshefeltalittlepain。
Thesepreliminarieshavingbeencompleted，M。Bernamadehersitclosebyhim。Helookedsteadfastlyather，butmadenomovementsorpasseswhatever。Afterthelapseofabouttwominutesshefellbackasleep，andM。BernatoldtheCommissionersthatshewasnowinthestateofmagneticsomnambulism。Hethenarose，andagainlookingsteadfastlyatherfromashortdistance，declared，afteranotherminute，thatshewasstruckwithgeneralinsensibility。
Toascertainthis，thegirl’seyeshavingbeenpreviouslybandaged，MessieursBouillard，Emery，andDuboisprickedheroneaftertheotherwithneedles。Bywordshecomplainedofnopain；andherfeatures，wherethebandageallowedthemtobeseen，appearedcalmandunmoved。ButM。Duboishavingstuckhisneedleratherdeepunderherchin，sheimmediatelymadewithmuchvivacityamovementofdeglutition。
Thisexperimenthavingfailed，M。Bernatriedanother，sayingthathewould，bythesoleandtacitinterventionofhiswill，paralyzeanypartofthegirl’sbodytheCommissionersmightmention。Toavoidthepossibilityofcollusion，M。Duboisdrewupthefollowingconditions:——“ThatM。Bernashouldmaintainthemostperfectsilence，andshouldreceivefromthehandsoftheCommissionerspapers，onwhichshouldbewrittenthepartstobedeprivedofmotionandsensibility，andthatM。Bernashouldletthemknowwhenhehaddoneitbyclosingoneofhiseyes，thattheymightverifyit。Thepartstobedeprivedofsensibilitywerethechin，therightthumb，theregionoftheleftdeltoid，andthatoftherightpatella。“M。
Bernawouldnotaccepttheseconditions，givingforhisreasonthatthepartspointedoutbytheCommissionersweretoolimited；that，besides，allthiswasoutofhisprogramme，andhedidnotunderstandwhysuchprecautionsshouldbetakenagainsthim。