St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-21
TRANCE OR DEATH?
Marvels of Hypnotism as Revealed by
Recent Cases.
Strange Physical Sympathy With a
Buried Hand.
Frequent Interment Of the Living---Will
Mesmerism Replace An
aesthetics ?
New York Mercury.


More than a year ago the Mercury
called attention to remarkable book
on hypnotism or mesmerism by two
Paris physicians engaged at the Sal
petriere. MN. Alfred Binet and Charles
Fere. The book went to prove from
actual experiments that person who
has the knack of practicing mesmerism
on others possesses powers as mysterl-
Gus and potent as vampires. He can
influence subject unawares OF against
his will, and is as much master of his
body as Satan is of the souls Of those
who have entered their names in his
book in the play. Any person prac-
ticing this art is as dangerous to the
community as a lunatic or murderer,
and ought to be restrained by
legal process. In another edi-
ton of their book the authors
have an addenda In which they substan-
TALLY state that in certain cases of cata-
leptic clairyoyance induced by hypno-
tism 1.-THE spirit is so far GiSengaged
from the body that it would be impos-
Sible for it to re-enter it without the
effort of the meSmeriZer'S will. The
subject is practically dead and if left 10
itself
1.-THE SPIRIT WOULD ESCAPE FOREVER"
The authors. Furthermore, say that
'the phenomena of animal magnetism,
or hypnotism, defy stimulation OH the
part of the subject acted upon. The
spirit, or life, can be freed from the
body. the body assuming the appear
ance of death, breathing and pnlse ey-
tinct. Hardly any of the signs of death
are wanting, and hence 1t is easy to
| comprehend that premature burialS are
more frequent than one supposes."
Rev. H. r. Haweis, NJ. A., Oxford,
the well-known author and magazine
writer, in recent brochure entitled
''Ashes to Ashes" corroborates the
| French physicians, and saws: Hardly
graveyard is opened but collins are
| found containing bodies not only
| turned, but skeletons cOntorted in the
| last hopeless struggle for life under
| ground. The turning may be due to
some clumsy shaking of the coffin, but
not the contortion." He then proceeds
| to enumerate several cases of premature
burial that have come under his own
notice, as we'll as others we'll authenti-
Gated.
A NEW YORK PHYSICIAN
OF extensive Practice was asked his
opinion of the foregoing. He replied
that it was Gan unpleasant and horribly
suggestive toplc," and if the Mercury
printed his remarks on the subject he
would be pestered to death by his pa
tents. 1t was, therefore. on condition
that his name and residence should re-
main unannounced that he consented to
speak. In substance he was satisfied
that what Drs. Binet and Fere
advanced on the subject of hypnotism
was scientifically accurate and not eX-
aggerated for sensational effect, or to
influence the sale of their book. He
had had opportunities for learning the
dire effects of hypnotsm in his prac-
tice. A young lady of beauty and edu
cation discovered that she was going to
disgrace her family. Her parents were
frantic. The young lady declared her
entire innocence. The doctor was sum-
moned and he had a long conversation
! with the poor creature, IN the course of
| which he solved the fact that certain
middle-aged man had hypnotlzed her
for the alleviation,of tic doloureuX. The
doctor knew that it was case of hyp-
motto suggestion. The young lady had
! been ruined while I'D state of absolute
| Inconsistencies. The doctor charged
the scoundrel with the crime, and after
| some brayado it was admitted. ''Pun
| ished?" How could he be punished
| EXCEPT BY SHOOTING HIM DEAD.
How could such case be brought
| into court in the present condition of
| the statute book? Why, the young lady
| went to his house and up stairs to his
room in the absence of his wife. The
| servants saw her. How could case
like this be tried in court? The fact is,
| she went several times. and several
members of the profession to whom |
| have related the facts cannot be
| brought to believe in her absolute inno-
| cence. Hypnotism is only partially I'M
derstood among educated men as yet.
| They are ahead of us in France i'll this
respect.
The doctor said it was quite possible
to induce cataleptic trance by hypnot-
| ism by which the patient would never
| awake unassisted. AT the same time,
| although independent of the torpid
| physical casing, the half-freed spirit is
| tied to it by magnetic cord. 1t depends
| on the hvpnotizer whether the body
| lives or decomposes. 1t is awful to
| think what possibilities of murder are
| involved in the practice of this strange
| art. 1t would be interesting to know
| how many cases of "heart failure" we're
| due to hypnotism. The doctor admitted
| that he had known of several cases of
premature burial. Most of them are
| CONCEALED BY FALSE CERTIFICATES.
| A proper efficient visitation of the
| dead would avert great many cases
| where death has resulted from the
| gross negligence or the gross ignorance
of so-called physicians or the magnetic
| subtleties of Scoundrels. "The signs or
indications of DEATH" the doctor said,
las usually laid down, are the cessation
| of respiration, arrest of the hearts ac-
| ton. loss of animal heat, rigor mortis
| and putrefaction. A great many tests
| have been proposed to prove real death,
! the most important being auscultation.
| to determine whether the movements of
| the heart can be distinguished, and
applications of the galvanic or cleo
| trio current to ascertain if eX-
| citability of the muscles remains. Both
tests are falibe when applied to cases
| of cataleptic trance. What the electric
can effect. 1t may be safely admitted
that the tests of death available for Or
binary use are entirely unreliable, and
it necessarily follows that there is a
| chance of person being buried alive.
l never go to funeral but L think of
the horrible possibilities that lie con-
cealed in our great cemeteries. | have
no hesitation in saying that catalepsy
occasionally presents a form that might
be mistaken even by the physician for
DEATH"
A GREAT MANY CASES OF APPARENT
DEATH
have been reported, and good many
we'll verified cases of persons buried
| alive. A recent medical authority gives
| 100 authentic cases of apparent death.
| and the following causes are assigned
| in the order of their frequency: Syn
cope, hysteria. narcotism and concus-
sion of the brain. LAS have said be-
fore, there ought to be properly quail
| fed inspection of the death, OF the So
called death. There ought to be a
scientifically conducted examination to
| establish the fact that the body of
cataleptic patient does or does not
contain life. The most eminent
of modern physicians who have
given thorough study to the sub
| Gect assert their unqualified belief that
apparent death may be mistaken for
real, and by their exertions have influ-
| enced legislation to prevent evil cOnSe