The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
"The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in 1845. The tale tells of a dying, mesmerized man whose body disintegrates once the trance is lifted. Poe was inspired to write the tale after reading a description of an operation performed upon a mesmerized patient. The tale has a great deal of gore, leading to the speculation that Poe had studied medical texts. "Valdemar" has been adapted to the movies and to radio drama.