Milford chronicle., 1888-11-30
VALUE OF MESMERTSM.
THE THEREPEusls OF HYPNoTIsM
AS A MEDICAL STUDY.

IL Is conceivable that mesmerism might
inJure an invalid. If he have heart dis
ease, for instance, an exciting or violent
episode. a rapture of Joy or convulsion
of great grief or fear, it might prove inju-
rious or even fatal, just as 1t might in his
normal condition.
This possibility is abundantly offset by
the value of mesmerism as a therapeutic
agent, The responsive can be made so
intoxicated on water, which he has been
told is whisky, as to exhibit all symptoms
of extreme inebriety; can be made dis
gustingly sea sick by being told that he
Is at sea in storm, and can be at once
physically affected by an imaginary medi-
cine. His temperature can be changed,
his eye dilated and his pulse quickened.
Mesmerism is as perfect an anRsthetic as
ether, and as harmless as water. ANY
mesmerized person can at once, by q
single stroke of the hand, be rendered to-
tally insensible to pain, and can have
tooth drawn, cataract removed, q can
Ger cut out. or an arm cut off without
feeling the slightest pain. This has been
so often demonstrated that amputations
frequently take place under its influence
In the Paris hospitals, and it is success
fully employed in obstetrics. Though
only fraction of patients will be found
eligible as candidates for this annihilator
of pain, its utility is so obvious it cannot
be long before medical societies will take
up the therepeusis of mesmerism as q
serious study, and army surgeons will
be required to have as practical knOwl-
edge of 1t as Of any part of the pharma-
copeia.
1t is quite erroneous to suppose that
the conduct of the resposive Is directed
in detail by the operator. He only sug-
gests the general line of thought, and
each responsive pursues 1t according to
his own knowledge, experience or preju
Aices. l say to my responsives, for in
stance, that have a wonderful educated
COW with seven heads They all want
to see it. I call their attention to the
imaginary stable door near by; they look
toward 1t, and when l snap my fingers
they all see a seven headed COW enter.
Now, by questioning them it becomes
obvious that they all see a different COW.
Unless l have designated her color one
sees white COW, another red COW, and
so on.
Then tell them that she can dance,
can waltz and keep time with music.
hand one a cane, telling him it is a flute,
and that he is an eminent performer, and
he goes through the motions of PLAYING
to the dancing cow. They all hear differ
ent tunes, but the exhibition is satisfac-
tory. l now add that the COW can sing
can sing a different part with each mouth
can sing seven ballads at once. At this
point there is some incredulity expressed.
They see the COW stand up on her hind
legs and hear the seven ballads-and this,
may as well add, is the narrative of an
actual experiment.
Five of the six mesmerized persons be- |
lieved that she sang. "She is singing
Tit Willow" said one. "And "A War |
rior Bold, D" said another.
Il hear singing" said the incredulous |
one, turning to me. g. Annie Laurie, isn't |
it2 How do you work her-the machinery, |
mean?"
The others laughed at him. "Why,
the COW sings, said young lady. Cant |
you hear her sing? Can't you see her |
sing?"
'She looks as if she sang" conceded
Il see her mouths move all |
around. She sounds as if she sang; but |
she doesn't sing. Cows don't sing"
VERY well, what is it, then" asked |
one of the others.
"A tube and hole in the floor, " said
"or perhaps ventriloquism.
"Awl' exclaimed the first, derisively, |
'ventriloquism does not work like that.
I've made a study of ventriloquism.
"Well, I've made q study of cowl" per-
sisted the scoffer obstinately.
Sometimes | turn the responsives into
and have them play school with
Infinite fun; sometimes transport them
over ocean to Africa or Japan on the en-
rhanted carpet, where for a brief space
they enjoy all the delights of travel;
sometimes we participate in battles, In
political campaigns, in exciting, TRADE,
and sometimes Socrates, Moses or Con
fucius is introduced and interviewed, the
intelligent responsive furnishing both
questions and answers in a curious dual
action of the mind that is highly enter
.aining.
Not only the reason sometimes rebels as
'bove, but the conscience also. As a rule
'esponsives can be completely dominated
md made to do anything of which they
are physically capable. They could gen
srally be induced to take poison, or jump
'H the house, or throw themselves under
l locomotive, or attack one another with
ieadly weapons. But there are some ex-
'eptions. was unable to overcome the
ear OF one of my responsives. whom
sent to assault an imaginary Indian in the
park. He refused to go, and said it was
difficult to kill an Indian"
A young lady, one of the brightest SEN
iitives | have ever seen, steadfastly re-
uses to play cards. l tell her she Is
Buffalo Bill, and easily induce her to as
iume his character, but when cards are
mo, never play cards. It
s wrongl" she says, and l cannot move
Ter. could make her jump out through
he window or put her hands in the fire,
,ut play cards she will not. was puz-
led by it till, inquiring, / ascertained
hat her religious parents had brought
Ter up very strictly and taught her it was
wicked to play cards"
And this brings us to the question much
nooted of late, whether crime can be COM
nitted by the aid of mesmerism. If so,
is brought into relation, not only with
medicine, but with jurisprudence; not
My with the pharmacopeia, but the pen
tentiary. 1t is obvious that if cases Of
his kind occur the one to whom punish
nent must be dealt out is the mesmerist.
l could probably induce any one of my
to take his life in my pres
nee or to assault anybody within reach,
ut the mind wanders curiously in this
TRANCE condition, and generally takes
title cognizance of surrounding objects.
have used the word probably" in this
entence because the conduct of mes
1erized persons cannot be positively pre- I
icted. The mental impression may not
a a given case be sufficiently vivid and
ominating to induce action, or the in
ention may be counteracted by the
rained moral sense asserting itself and !
the confused hypnotic ten
ency.-W. A. Croffut in North American
.eview.
The Prince of Wales continues to gain
! flesh, much to his chagrin.
WHAT is LIrEF.ARY MERlTi I