The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-10-08
HOW TO MEsMERIZE.
MEANS BY WHICH THE SUBJECT IS
THROWN INTO A TRANCE.

a recent writer on the mysteries of
mesmerism says: ! lay it down az
matter which can be verified by all
who are curious enough to try il that
the mesmeric condition can be pro.
duced without the superstition OF q
subtle fluid, without the use OF the
csbalistio passes of the mesmerist,
without the bouquet, the magnetic
rod, or any OF the mysterious means
employed by the professionals to
heighten the effect of what would be
too simple and toe unsttractive il
performed atraigh!forwerdly. The
directions are these: Place the per-
son to be operated OF naturally in a
chair. With your left hand suspend
by q string, about foot from the
eyes, some small object, dark mar
bic, or bright steel ball. or dis-
mond-it matters not what, though
something bright is, perhaps, prefer
Gble. Direct the subject to fasten his
eyes and conoenter his attention on
the object. Slowly raise your left
hand until the object ia far as above the
eyes OF the patient as is compati
bic With lis gazing steadily st it.
Watch MS eyes. at first you will see
the pupils contract, but after q few
seconds they will expand rapidly.
When they are at the point of great
est eIpaosion, move the first two
! fingers of your right hand from the
object directly toward the eyes, the
fingers being separated fork-like, 10
embrace both eyes. As the fingers
approach the eyes will close, and the
subject will be unable to open them.
Alter g quarter of minus the sub
iect will De thoroughly under control,
SO that the operator may make him
believe whatever he tells him. Lett
quiet, the subject will sink into a
profound torpor. during which his
ears may be pierced, bis cheeks sewed
TO his nose. AZ even finger cut of
without ps J. 20 arouse him-snd
this is RI Important step-Wind either
from a hans bellows or fan, should
be dirsct, inst his eyes or else his
eyez - 4 tickled with feather.
Ia :: ,,e of the method is sim
ri fixed stare OF the subject
Is retinal nerves, and, when
=. 1erator's fingers approach the
eyelids Close as eyelids always
do when threatened. But the
fatigue of sthe nerves has pro-
duced muscular fatigue as well, tran
slant paralysis in the eyelids has re-
suited, and they cannot be opened.
The eyes buing then closed, the deli.
cate frontal nerves being exhausted,
and the mind made vacant by monot-
ouous attention to one object, the pa-
tent is in condition to fall asleep
and he does fall asleep. He is now
ready to dream. The only thing re.
naming to do is to make him dream.
But how is this to be efec!ed2 Dream
ing, as has long been determined, is
the result OF external suggestion. DR..
Gregory, to illustrate, having been
thinking OF Veguvius, went 20 bed
With a jug Of hot water at his feet
and dreamed that ne was climbing
the sides Ct the burning mountain.
Dr.. Reid read book or The Indians
put blister to his head Oh retiring,
and thought in his sleep that be was
being scalped. Botn the dreams, as
all others are, we're causel by sugges-
tons offered externally. These sug-
gestIopa. being received while the di.
recting power, the common sense OF
the mind, was in allegiance owing to
sleep, were interpreted very errone-
oue!y, yet according to plain laws OF
association. Tbs hot water in the
one case called up the previous sub
jec! OF thought. Vesuvius; the sting
Ing blister in the other. the equally
singing scalping-knife. It ia now
easy 10 see how the sleeping subject
may be made to accept ss truth what.
ever he is told.