A companion drawing exists inscribed "Mesmerism No. 1", showing the same figures in a different stage of the same process. In it, the two figures are identified in pencil as: "Lt. Col. Ashburnham" and "Lt. Col. Forbes". They may be the same as Lieut-Col. Hon. T. Ashburnham and Lieut-Col. Chas Forbes who are listed in the 1840 Naval and Military Almanac. The former may be Major-General the Hon. T. Ashburnham who went to China with the army in 1857 (information kindly supplied by Adam Crabtree, 2008). He was the Hon. Thomas Ashburnham (1808-1872), an officer in the Coldstream Guards who served in India during the First Anglo-Sikh War between 1845 and 1846, and was subsequently Colonel of the 82nd Regiment of Foot. An officer named as Charles Forbes was advanced in 1838 to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the 61st (South Gloucestershire) regiment. He is listed in the Royal Kalendar for 1841, and he died in Dublin in 1843, having previously served in India
