The Osceola times., 1881-05-21
MgsNERiSN AND CRIME,
How Patients Might be Led 10 Commit
Crimes by UHscruputous PERSONS
New York sur.

New York sur.
DR.. William A. Hammond addressed
the Melico- egal society last evening on
"The Medico-Legal Relations of Sygaig-
nocism, or Hypnotlsm, and illustrated
his remarks with practical experiments
on a Young man. He said Mesmer, who
first called the attention of Europe to
the subject OF hypnolism, was wrong IN
supposing that il was the result of any
peculiar power possessed by the operator.
The peculiarly which renders the con-
dition possible is in the person operated
on and he can generally pass into the
state spontaneously if he wishes. The
speaker thought ggnocism,, which
signifies n condition in which the sub
ject agrees with the person operating on
him, was the proper word to express the
state, and suggested this name IN place
Of hypnotism. About two out OF every
ten males and four out of every ton fe-
males make good subjects for expert
menis. DIR. Hammond confessed his in
ability to explain the phenomena ex-
hibited by per ons while IN the hypnotic
state, but he stated 4 theory which he
thought might prove to be correct. This
was that the superior or intellectual
part of the brain is cut of from all ac-
lion when the person becomes mesmer-
lied. so that he has practically no will
Of his own, and does and says things
which he would not do and say if his
intellectual faculties were under his con.
troll He thought the law should take
cognizauce Of this condition. as unscru-
pulous persons might cause a subject to
commit the greatest Of crimes while
they remained hidden and free from de,
teciion. Ii was TO show the members OF
the society how easily the perpetration
of crime might be arranged 10y means OF
hypnotic instruments, that the doctor
made several experiments. The young
man selected for the experiments was
reduced TO the proper condition in 30
seconds, by simply holding a piece OF
glass before his eyes, upon which he
pazed intently. His eyes became fixed
and he was then a passive lnstrum Mt in
the hands of the operator. He was first
made to commit a burglary. A step
ladder was placed against the wall, which
he was told was storehouse. A large
easy chair represented the stoop. He
vas told to enter the basement through
the window, go up stairs, and secure the
I
through the chair, going through the
motions Of opening a basement window,
climbed the lidder,and Oiled his pockets
in Imagination, with the money, return
ing by toe same way, as cautiously as Il
burslar would have done. He was then
made to believe that he was under ar
rest, taken TO the station house, released
on bail, and finally returned the money
10 the chamber from which he took il,
on promise of a pardon from the COVER
nor. The subject was next made to com
init murder. lie was hanled a piece
of paper for a dagger, and told to kill a
gentleman standing in the doorway, who
had killed his mother. He slipped up
behind HIM, struck him twice with the
paper dagger in the the sback, and then
threw it away. Upon his return to the
platform his attention was called to all
angel with flaming sword. lie breathesl
so hard upon seeing this vision that he
could be heard to the farthest corner OF
the room, clasped his hands in agony,
and finally, with a shrek, darted from
he Stage and fell PROSTATE to the floor.
The last experiment was to cause him to
forge n check for S25 900, which he did,
initiating the signature OF the president,
c. 5. Wood, very successfully, presented
it at an imaginary bank, and drew the
money on it. The lecture and experie
mcnts occupied nearly three hours, and
the discussion Of the phenomena was
postponed until the next meeting, when
DR.. Hammond aud Prot. q. NJ. Beard
viii make more experiments.