MORI 190717

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A1B,,6,15

25 October 1955

Yl. Hypnotio research done in medical, laboratory or stage contexts produces techniques and results valid primarily for therapy and entertainment Application of hypnosis to covert operations poses the familiar problem of marrying a means·developed for other purposes to our requirements. 11

2. The broad kinds of situations exist for such use with witting, willing subjects and with unwitting, unwilling subjocts. "Sufficient information and expérience have been accumulated to indicate a conorete potential of use for hypnosis with witting, willing subjecte forsuch purposes as: age regression, cover atory build-up, instruction,and post hypnotio suggestion.

3. For use with unwitting, unwilling subjects, the question whether disguised induction is possible must first be resolved. This,question and an antcoedent problem relative to drug-assisted induction can be answered only by experimentation which because of the technical and equipment factors involved can best be aocomplished by

4.·Drug assisted induction problems involve assessment of two groups
of drugs noted for their anxiety relief characteristicsr rauwolfia deri
vatives and chlorpromazine derivatives.. The tranquilizing effects of those
drugs suggest the desirability of determining their ability to assist or
shorten the attainment of the hypnotic state with attention to the amount
of time required for such effects to occur. To be anawered is whether
these drugswill make the ordinarily nonsusceptible individual susceptible
to hypnosisand whether they willincrease susceptibility inthe already
susoeptibleindividual. "

5."With regard to whether disguised induction is possible, equipment which is most easily available'through channels should be investigated. Theseitems includer

(a) Metabulator (BMR - Basal Metabolio Rate determinator)

(b) Electroencephalograph (üEO - brain wave determinator)

(c) Electrocardiograph (EKU - hoart wave determinator)

(d) Audiometer (hearing acuity determinator)

6. Disguised induction emphasizing, relaxation as the main ostensible aim is typified by use of the BM machine (5a). This would appear to offer assured success considering that the subject is under controlled conditions including food andwater intake and medication for a maximum.of. twelve

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hours. In addition, the operator controls the very air the subject breathes at the time of the test - a perfect situation for increasing the carbon dioxide level, an alleged aid to hypnotic induction - and, the test'can be run and rerun with monotonous repeated requests for further relaxation ("to enable a meaningful tracing on the machinc"), a procedure which it appears offers considerable promise of achieving hypnosisthrough disguised induction.

7. Disguised induction emphasizing relaxation and/or, fascination is typified by useof the EE (5b) and E (5c) machines. These machines offer a situation where the subjeot is in a resting condition and amenable to direction of his senaory powers at the machine (fascination) which coupled.with.relaxation injunctions may result in achieving hypnosis.

8. Disguised induotion involving overpowerment of the sense of hearing is involved in the use of the audiometer (Sd). This instrument places the subject's entire audition perception at the operator's control. A combination of testing tones, monotonous fatiguing tones, and "induction patter" requires testing.

9..Lessformidable equipment (ophthalmascope) and an instrument available to the Security Office, thé polygraph,. can be utilized for testing other mathodg of disguised induction. Use of the ophthalmasoope involves fixation of the sense of sight under controlled circumstances with the subject exposed to relaxation suggestions. A combination of examinations fatiguing to the eye and relaxation suggestions ("go that the exanination will be succesaful") may be suffioient to achieve hypnosis.

l0. The use of the polygraph combines fasclnation and relaxation. The combination of a quiet setting, fasoination with the machine, and relaxation suggestions is comparable with that involving the eloctroencephalograph (EE)and eleotrocardiograph (EKG).

1l.The procedures outlined lend themselves to inolusion in a routine security and/or medical processing of a subject. The procedures involving medical apparatus could.be tailored to a situation wherein the aubiect is under medical care and not béing "procassed". We need to determine the.degree and percentage.of success obtainable by such means.

12.. Proposals:

(1) Thatbe requested to assess the time and performance aspects of the tranquilizing.drugs and their effects on induction of hypnosis.

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(2) Thatbe requested to assess the feasibility of achieving disguised hypnosis throuh use of the metabulator, electroencephalograph, electrocardiograph, and audiometer, and .devise the appropriate "induotion patter" to accompany use of these machines.

(3) That be authorized to proceed with members of the Security Orfico to investigate the uso of the ophthaimoscope and polygraph Tor purpose of achiaving disguised induction of hypnosis. 2