Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-09-05
EXPERIMENTS IN HYPNoTIsd.
Strange Doings or the Doctors IN
Paris-Startling Mental Phe-
nOmcna.

DIR. Luys recently made a communi-
cation to the Academy OF Medicine on
this subject which electrified the mem
bers present. 1t was on the action,
both at a distance and by direct con-
tact, OF certain medicated and fer
mented substances on hypnotic sub
jects. The latter were all women who
could not possibly have got their cue
beforehand, and were being observed
while DIR. Luys operated by a jury of
scientists above all suspicion of having
lent themselves to any trickery. A
tube In one instance was filed with
sulphate of strychnine by DR.. Luys,
and the subject, who was not present,
was told to put it to the left side OF
the nape of her neck. Soon after there
was a telephone message from the
foreman of the jury to say that the pa
tient suffered in the left side from
muscular contractions, convulsive
starts and a rigid body. When the
drug was placed on the right side of
the nape Gin imagination) the same
phenomenon took place.
An experiment, or rather expert
ments, was made on subjects who were
brought in to the operator. They had
no idea what DR.. Luys was going to
use. Alcohol when put to the nape in
tube no larger than a homepathist's
vial and hermetically sealed produced
exactly the same effect as if imbibed
at bar. Absinthe, haschish, opium,
morphine, beer, champagne, tea and
coffee were In succession tried with
their characteristic effects. But ''the
cup which cheers but not inebriates"
was found too exciting for French
neuropaths- Valerian caused the
deepest sadness. The thoughts Of the
patient were centered In a grave. She
was impelled irreslstibly to stoop down
and scratch the ground, and thought
herself In cemetery exhumlng a de-
ceased relative whom she loved. Un-
der the Illusion she fancied herself
picking up bones belonging to this
skeleton, which she handled with ten
der reverence, and when there was an
imaginary mound Of them she placed
with deep drawn signs and tears and
PenufectiOns, cress above them.
Under the influence of haschsh every
thing looked rosy and gayety pre-
vailed.
The subject was a young girl, very
fond of the drama. She fancied her
self on the stage and playing a part
which suited her to perfection. 1t was
In a bouffe opera and she sang her
score admirably. The sentiments were
expressed with delicate feeling Dr.
Luys can, according to the substances
he uses, run through the whole gamut
of human passions and emotions.
What is most strange is that no trace
| OF the ictitious world In which the
hypnotized subject has been wandering
remains when real consciousness is re-
stored. 1t is very rare for even the
idea of having been in dreamland to
survive the awakening from the hypno-
tic trance. DR.. Luys says that hypnotic
suggestion sometimes has periods of
| incubation more or less long. The
subject is at first gently drawn to do a
certain thing or things, and then the
drawing becomes an irresistible i'm
pulse. They are first as II tempted
and then as IL possessed. They can no
more help themselves than q man who
had got TO the verge OF Niagara Falls
in boat could help going over.
DIR. Roger moved that the academy
name a commission to inquire into
| hypnotic suggestion. near and at a dis
tance. DIR. Bronardel supported him.
He said: ''All that DIR. Luys has al
| legged and shown cannot fail TO make a
noise throughout the world. Nobody
but NM. Burot and Bouron have gone
SO far as DIR. Luys. He not only force on
the attention of the academy the ques-
tion of hypnotism, but of persons being
| affected by poisonous substances
which do not penetrate, or 1t may be
even touch their bodies. This IS from
a legal point of view a great danger. n
great social responsibility is involved
in the matter. 1t is the duty of the
academy to have the experiments of
DR.. Luys repeated, with others that
| bear upon them.