The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-08
Exper,men,s In Hypnosism.

-, u.wmoxn SHOWING HOW MAN COULD
COMMIT CRIMES VIXEN IN THE STATE FOR
WHICH NE HAS INVENTED A NEW NAME.
New York TrIbunc.I
The Medjco.L Legal Society at Its meeting
On the hall of the Academy OF Medicine,
wcst Twirty.Hrst street, last night LOOK
wo the subject of hypuotism. The essayist
~ The evening was DR.. William A. Ham,
mond. and his subject was ''The Medico-
Legal Relation OF Sycgignoscism." lie
proiested that although the word was so
difficult to pronounce correctly, II de-
scrtbed the condition more accurately
than bypuotism. Hypnotism signifies
sleep. while syggigDoclsm rs constructed
out OF q Greek word meaning TO agree win
another, and this Is precisely what person
IN the condition described does. tie od'
mi,ted that any attempt TO explain tue phe-
nomenon would be lume, and yet he had a
suggestion TO advance. At times all men are
automaions; they perform acls without con-
seious yel,tion and without calling iuto ac'
tiyity the superior part Of the brain. Facts
which the lecturer mentioned showed that
there were organs 10 the body capable oi
carving on action besides the brain. Hyp-
notism was a condition in which the action
of the higher brain had been cut Oh,
leaving only the organs OF sense, the gang
liza, and gray matter OF the brain 10 act'
An impression received in the gray matter
al the base OF the brain was thence trans
mi;ted upward TO tue superior brain ana
elaborated into ideas. This pari might De
cut of, vet perception would remain, ana
the Transmission OF impression downward
10 the muscles would also remain. In ihis
condition, while q person would act IN ac-
cordanee with the perception, ne would
not originate anything, and would be con-
trolled BY another IN all things. This was
the case with persons in hypnotic condi-
ton.
To show that the law ought to take cogn'-
Zapce Of hypn0lism. which put II in the
power OF vitminded men to use innocent
men and make them commit crime uncon-
scionsly, DR.. Hammond performed some
experiments before the meeting. His SUBJ
ject was ii. Scott GRAY, the young man who
has figured in several pu6lic exhibitions.
He was put into the hypnotic state IN few
seconds, FIRST by showing him bit OF
GLASS. next by sskIng him to listen
TO a tuDing.fJIk. DR.. Hammond then
pointed across the room and described
a stone.frOnt house. In the basement, he
said, was q window. and up two flights OF
u
bed containing money, and ordered GRAY TO
70 and steal it. Gray first demurred, but
finally crossed the room; then crawled I'M
der chair, as though IT were the basement
window, listening at intervals, tptOed TO a
step. ladder, assembled ii, aud at the top went
through the motions Of opening a chest and
transferring money by handfuls from il TO
his pocket. He returned the same way.
going through the motions OF closing
the basement window after him. Then
followed conversation between him
and DR.. Hammond, in which he was told 10
conceal the money, and he made pretence Of
doing so. Next he was, in Imagination,
taken in custody by a policeman. and finally
induced 10 return the money to escape Sing
Sing. DR.. Hammond, to show that Gray
was not conscious during this conversation,
passed needle through fold OF the skin
at the back Of the neck, and burned him
with q cauterizer heated 10 red heat. lie
stood both tests without showing any sign
OF pain.
DR.. Hammond made some other expert
ments, but several young physicians were
not convinced. DIR. Hammond told Gray
that he was stiff as board, and then laid
him across two chairs. resting only his head
and heels on the top of the chairs. Gray
endured the strain without exhibiting any
special exertion. Finally seyerer test was
applied: The corner of Gray's eye was
touched with the point OF pin at first he
WINGED, but after DR.. Hammond had told
him not to close bis eye at all, he endured
the torture without winking.