Wichita eagle., 1889-03-07
PARLOR f1YPNOTISM.
Artificial Somnambulism the Latest Fad
at the Hub.

at the Hub.
To secure appreciation In Boston it is only
necessary that fad shall be sufficiently
unhealthy, writes Chicago Tri5uas CORE
spondent from the Hub. Any thing that is
morbid in the way of religion or pseudo
science-spiritism, faith-healing theosophy,
or what you villages in this town. The
demand for such indictments to dementia
here is never equaled by the supply Thus
1t is not at all surprising that "hypnotism"
should have become locally fashionable Of
late as parlor amusement.
Presumably you are aware that under GER
tain conditions person susceptible to such
influences may be thrown into a state Of ar
ticial somnambullsm by gazing intently at
some bright object, submitting TO hand
passes before the eyes, and in other ways.
Beyond this simple fact little is known re-
garding the curious phenomenon in ques-
ton. 1t is supposed that by intense coucen-
tration of the attention the upper brain in
which the intelligence has its seats put to
sleep. Meanwhile the mechanical faculties
- situated in the lower brain - remain
awake, and the helpless subject will do any
thing, however absurd. at the suggestion Of
the operator. Nervous or weakly people,
particularly women, are sent off into such
fits with especial ease. Victims Of this de-
scription afford much delight to physicians
Of certain class, who may be said to have
invented new disease incidentally to their
investigation Of these matters. For it would
seem that an individual who has once been
hypnotzed IS IN Ike manner affected more
readily another time, and so on progressive
~, until al length he, or she, becomes slave
TO this extraordinary disorder and is likely
at any moment 70 be popped Of into cata-
leptlc trance by sudden noise or other
trifiing occurrence. The unhappy creatures
who exhibit the " W ouders of Mesmerism ~
on lecture platforms are ali professional
sublects-reduced In this way nearly TO i'm
becility-whom Prof" This or That hires
at so much a performance TO travel with
him about the country and exhibit them
selves in public. And yet there is no law TO
prevent such denominations.
And now 1t would appear that artificial
commandments 10 be popularlzed as form
Of entertainment for the drawing room
Young ladies' under proper chaperouage-
are 10 be put asleep by young gentlemen Of
their acquaintance, who, IN their turn. viii
provide amusement by eli sorts of nonsense
cal antics. By the time that the pursuit of
this interesting pastime shall have pro-
duced reasonable number Of incurable
idiots, il viii probably have gone out of
vogue, 70 be succeeded in its turn by some
other undesirable freak. In conclusion. it
may be as well TO mention a case reported
here few days ago, of girl in Cambridge,
who-having been thrown into the hopnotic
condition by means of bright steel button
held IN front of her uose-could not be
reused from the cataleptic state which !,
usua-Iy succeeds the primary symptoms. 4
1t was only after three or four doctors had /
been summoned that she was finally brought 4
back TO consciousness and at last accounts /
she was dangerouslv-sick young woman
IL does not pay 70 fool with this kind OF 4
thing. Certain unscrupulously scientific |
persons have devoted much attention 70
with il, but without acouir-
ng any information that is Of the slightest
value. Incidentally they have done a grea.
zeal Of harm, and it Is high tine that some
hing was said TO discourage such system
'tic propagation of pitiable nervous CON-
olain-