The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-11-07
ALL ABOUT HYPNOYTSM
4 Power Whose Manifestations are Almost
Beyond the Limit Of Belief.


Il
ticed by religionists many centuries ago;
but little, however, Is known Of its history
previous to the time Of Mesmer tl77s.)
Since then hypnO.ism has been much
studied by many eminent men in the
professions Of medicine, science, religion
and the arts. There came time when
the interest in 1t tagged very greatly but
a few years ago q revival took place in
France and since then 1t has been gener-
ally recognized as therapeutic agent
and employed by many physicians all
over the world. One Of the earliest uses
Of hypnotism was 10 produce q state Of
insensibility, 50 that surgical operations
could be performed without pain. But
1t has been applied for many other pur-
poses, and some men, very skiliful In It's
application, use II in the treatment Of q
long list Of diseases both acute and
chronic. Nervous affections sometimes
yield very readily to It's influence.
To produce hypnotism, operators have
methods which vary somewhat in detail,
but the principle is the same. Most all
use passes, although some depend almost
entirely, Il not entirely, upon the fixation
OF gaze. For reasons which will appear
anon, none Of the methods employed TO
produce the hynotic state will be describ-
ed in this communication. As to the
force generated or liberated in hypnotism
no one pretends to know; but many
believe IL to be electric, or perhaps mag
netic. According to one observer, the
description the subjects give Of their
sensations is that they first feel their
fingers tingle and their hands and feet
get cold; then they become sleepy, and
when told that they can not omen their
o,,o. .,,o,, a., 49,, -. 81 L,o,- m
-, ~ - - - -SS ~
put can not open tnem tnen COMES sieep5
unless II is desired to extract q tooth or
do some such work when the subject a
~. .-.,'os'. ,,'o...e,ar- IT,. .r.-'
~. ,,,s ey
KNOW ana 90 as piooen' put suner NO
pain. They say II the skin Is cut Il feels
aa Il aomethinR were beinR gently drawn
-. 4, - ,I,o,, t..l .t,,, t,.oo,,. .,,,,I,,a
W, ~ - - - 'Ho no ePPeS
10 the tootn, put tnat pulIng tne tootn
feels like pulling peg out Of hole.
As to the value Of hypotism as a RENE
AL .oo,t 49, /. aoca...-;I,, - m.
uiAi Asens, 'neie y neeessAiliy IiuCh UNI
ference Oh oplnion' some pnyAcians
consider its range o limited one, while
othera think Il annlicable 10 n ion0 list Of
Sgso,I.-. TLa I..;o-,.. - 49, ~.
Hne.sionS. Ano ua'oii'y VI 'nOSe wno
ought 70 Know best appear 10 agree that
Il will undoubtedly prove Of very great
aervice in properlv selected caaes in med.
81 -.,s. 49,. ~ -. = .-.-.s.-,
icai plActice' AS ior isS use IN surgical
operations, as substitute Tor gas, ether
or chloroform, Il can never displace them
10 more than very slight extent, except,
Il be with children. Very many
who are about TO have an operation per-
formed must necessarily be 60 nervous
that hypnotism will be quite out Of the
question.
And there will doubtless always exist
persons who will be sensible to the efforts
of operators. Some subjects are easy 10
hypnotic, while with others Il Is the
reverse; TO which Of these classes q per
son belongs can not be known until an
effort 10 put him into the hypnotic state
Is made. And in the susaaptible cases
not infreduently several seances are nee
essary before the power OF the operator Is
gufficiently felt.
One very important point that the study
Of hypnotism has brought out and em-
says an observer, b the potency
Of suggestion. Doubtless most Of the
slight aches and pains that the general
Is called upon TO treat are
partly imaginary, and all that 10 neces-
sary for cure is certain amount Of faith
on the part Of the patient, begotten by
iudicious suggestions by the medical
man. At first sight this seems TO be q
sort Of chicanery, but IL Is impossible 10
deny its efficacy, and Il is much safer for
the doctor TO acknowledge that it 10 not
his simple remedy which has wrought
The cure, but his suggestion 10 the patient.
One needs no better example Of the power
d suggestion than the many cures
brought about by the faith cure. In this
case religious fanaticism Is called upon to
produce an effect upon the mind Of the
credulous patient, and II the nalady is
IN imaginary one the relief is instantane-
Gus,
We now come 10 the reason why none
of the methods employed to produce
hypnotism have been herein described.
ID x an agent which only should be used
by reputable physicians, for, Ike others
which they employ, Il will do much harm
Il iniudicioualv applied. We're the meth