Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07
HYPNOTISM AND CRIME.
An Interesting Question as to the Re.
sponsibility Of Mesmeric Subjects.

At the international congress Of experimental
and therapeutical hypnotism, which has just
closed in Paris, an important subject discussed
was the relation of suggestion and somnambu-
lism to medical Jurisprudence and the respon-
sibility in hypnotic states. This report was
read by NJ Liegeois, professor of law at the
faculty Of Nancy. The author classed the dif-
ferent questions to be examined under four
principal heads: 1, criminal suggestion; 2,
medico-legal reports; 8, criminal Jurisprudence;
4, various questions. The first, the most
important of the medico-legal questions raised
by hypnotism is, he said, the suggestions Of
crimes or other felonious acts that can be made
to persons in q somnambulic state. DR.. Lie
bault of Nancy was the first who signaled the
possibility and the danger of like suggestions
and the question has since been discussed
at the academy of moral and political sci
ences. 1t results from experiments made, that
with certain subjects and by various means .
duced, and that in this state acts can be sug-
gested which, once the hypnotized person
awakened, will be accomplished with an abso-
lutte Inconsistencies. The author of these
experiments concluded that the person COM
hitting the material act ought to be consid-
cred as irresponsible and the hypnotizer alone
be punished. This doctrine is professed by all
the physicians Of the Nancy school, but Is in
direct opposition with the theories of the Sal
petriere school.
Concerning medico-legal reports, Prof. Lie
geois said that il the possibility Of making per-
sons commit criminal acts by suggestion be adj
mitted, it might happen that the author of the
suggestion would not be known Moreover, the
author Of the criminal suggestion might and
probably would, suggest to the subject whom
he wished to make an instrument Of his ven.
geance or cupidity. to not recall any Of the cir
cumstances preceding the crime and to be-
heve that he alone had the idea of it, &c. The
annnesia thus aroused would be Q serious OBJ
stacle against the best directed efforts. N. Lie
geois' conclusions a. TO the irresponsfbility Of
hypnosizabie subjects apply only to those who
hsm; their automatism being absolute they are
not free, and therefore irresponsible. He pre-
sented certain indications by means Of which il
could be shown that the author Of the feloni-
Gus act il hypnotizable, and to such point
the suggestions. Taking a basis GER
tain experiments made BY Profs. Liebesult
and Bernheiu, he thinks that somnambulic
automatism can Be combated BY forcing it TO
produce effects contrary to those that the real
culprit had supposed In other words, - the
accused would never, BY virtue Of the order
received. directly denounce the author Of the
suggestion, he must be made to do 20 indi-
reotly By acts vhose duplication he would mot
comprehend, OF even By measures that would
don Of dsfcnse Of Che criminal himself. An
experimenter could thus make 70 the hypno-
tised subject, relative 70 the author 81 the
criminal suggeetton, I'll the susgsstfons that
would not Be directly and sxprssely contrary 70
s ~ sosi S:sb, rs sa bs ' hsss e
3uselcs b>eeuss Il would have bssn impossibls
Tor him 70 foreeee everything.
10 thew he inlluonoo exerc1Ded By hypnotic
s1ggsstisn 2 Ne dist.tbetson'es ynsstes. rsoE