Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-10-18

1t is laid down by some writers that the
mesmenc conditions can be produced with
out the suppositlon of a subtle fluid, " ithoui
the use OF the cabalistIc passes of tBe mes
merlst without the bouquet, the mag
hectic rod, or any of the mysterious means
employed by the professionals to heighten
the effect Of what would be too simple and
too unattractive if performed straightfor.
wsrdly. The directions are these: Place
the person to be operated on naturally in q
chair. With your left hand suspend by a
string, dark marble OF q bright steel ball,
or q diamon1-it matters not what, though
something bright is perhaps, preferable
Direct the subject to fasten his eyes and
concenter his attention on the object.
Slowly raise your left nand until the object
is far above the eyes. At first you will
see the pupils contract, but after a few
seconds they will expand rapidly. When
they are at the point of greatest expansion,
move the first two fingers of your right
hand from the object directly toward the
eyes, the fingers being separated. torkhke,
10 embrace both eyes As the fingers an
proach the eyes will close, and the subJec'
will be unable TO open them. After a
quarter OF minute the subject will be
thoroughly under control, 30 that the
operator may make him believe whatever
he tells him. Left quiet, the subject will
SILK INTO a profound torpor, during which
DIS ears may be pierced, his cheeks sewed
to his nose, and even finger cut off with
cut pain. To arouse him, and this Is an
important step-wind, either from hand
bellows or a fan snould be directed against
his eyes, or else his ewes should be tickled
with feather. The rationale of the
method is simple. The fixed stare of the
subject faiigues his Tetinal nerves, and,
when the operators fingers approach the
eyellds c.o,e. as eyelIds always do when
the eyes are threatened. But the fatigue
Of the nerves has produced mu cular fau-
que as well, transient paralysis in the eye
Ids has resulted. and they cannot be
opened. The eyelids being, then. closed,
the delicate frontal nerves exhausted, AMI
the mind msde vacant by monotonous at
tentIon to one object, the patient is in a
condition to fall asleep-snd he does fall
asleep. He Is now ready to dream. The
only thing remaining to do is TO make him
dream. But how is this to be effected
Dreaming, as has long been determined, Is
the result of external suggestion. Dr.
Gregory, to illustrate, having been think
ing Of Sesuvius, went TO bed with jug of
hot water al his feet and dreamed that he
was climbing the sides of the burning
mountain. Dr. Reid read a book on the
Indians, put blister to his head on re-
tiriDg. and thought IN mis- sleep that he
wss being scalped. Both these dreams, as
all Others are, were caused by suggestions
offered externally. These suggestions,
being received while the directing power,
the common sense of the mind, was in
sbeyance owing TO sleep, were Interpreted
very erroneously, yet, according to PLAIN
laws OF association. The not water In the
one case called up the previous subject OF
thought, Nesuvius the singing blister in
the other, the equally singing scslping
knife. Ii 10 now easy to see how the
sleeping subject may be made to accept as
truth whatever he IS told.