Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-09-20
SCIENCE OF HYPN0TISM.
What the Treatment Is and How
II Is Worked.
A Pseudo-sloep Into which Patient with
an Aptitude for It Can lie Made 70
INSTRUMENTATION the Last
Stage OF tho Trance.

The history Of hypnotism forms part
of the history Of tho marvellous In hu-
man existence, writes DR.. ]. Luys In the
London Fortnightly Review In reality
1t il found under different names 1t all
periods Of history, from the lamentations
Of the ancient Egyptian magicisns down
to the destinations Of Mesmer, and the
investigations Of Braid. to whom modorn
hypnotism owes Its name and It's APP
pearance in the realm Of science. Braid
mastered oil the leading characteristics
Of the several hypnotic stages, and had
q profound conviction Of its utility ns o
remedial agent in all diseases In which
the nerves play more or less visible
part.
Hypnotism is an experimental extra
Psychological condition Of the nervous
system, pseudo-sleep into which pa
tient with IN aptitude for 1t
can b made. to tall, and during
which he loses for the time being all
consciousness Of his individual exist
onoe and Of the external world.
In the sequence Of hypnotic states
there "a q descending and ascending
movement, downwards to lethargy, and
upwards to restored consciousness
From Q slight drowsiness he passes 10
tho somnambulistio stage, preserving at
!firsf his faculty Of hearing and speech.
Next his faculties are overwhelmed, the
'p0wcr Of sight only remaining. At last
in tho third stage, the patient falls into
Q complete lethArgy; the life Of the
brain II withdrawn, and he lives, more
" BY the automatic activities Of his
spinal marrow. In the return journey
or second half Of the circle, the hypno-
tised person goes through the opposite
phases, recovering OF each hating place
the faculties which have been temporary
" suspended. passing from complete
lethargy, through catalepsy and SOM
nambulism, which are only different de-
grees Of intensity Of partial somnolence.
Several processes are employed to pro-
duce the hypnotic state, tho most efcct-
i've being revolving mirrors on which
the patient Axes Els eyes; but the.
sensitiveness Of other special nerves, %
well as OF the optic nerves, can 30 util-
lied; In fact. with persons readily sus-
oeptible, suggestion sunless. The ex-
perimenter says to the patient: 'You
and will count together up to SIX, and
whom we reach four You will be asleep"
To awaken the patient, 1t Is Renerally
sufficient to say; "You'win DO awake
in minute" but IL Is important TO be
sure that he 10 thoroughly awake; for
II o patient only half-awAkened n sent
back 70 his daily:llfQfas6 may collide
with and knock down persons, steal
articles exposed in shops, OF commit
other ofienses, while giving the impress
sion that he u in full possession Of his
senses The cataleptic stage 10 st-
tended with well-denned manifesto
lions. The muscles maintain the poses
given 70 them. and display . force far
beyond what they are capable Of In the
waking state. The faculty Of balancing
10 raised TO an extraordinary pitch Of
exaitation. Stand him on one leg.
bend his body forward or backward,
bend his spinal column while making
him throw his head back, and he will
maintain his equilibrium. Lift the
patient horizontally. and lay his head
on the back Of one chair and his heels
ON the back Of another, and he win re-
main a. stiH - Q bOsrd, supported By
his extremities. In this cataleptc
stare the emotions OaH be brought into
play in perfectly methodical manner.
he can be made glad without Q word.
by simply putting in his line Of VaSaon
q sketch OF happy faces; his features
expand, and by degrees he breaks out
into loud laugh.
Conversely, sketch Of gloomy per-
sons will All him with sadness. Music
wakes emotions proper to the time, and
every color excites . special emotion;
blue raises emotion Of sorrow; yellow o.
red, 10Y and delight. Emotional states
ere also kindled by making the patient
20 through the gestures with which
any given emotion IL hahitually associ'
ated. For example, the patients INST
being CLOSED and placed In Q threaten
ing posture, the face assumes an angry
expFeeSion,, but pus his hand In the %.
titude Of thEOwiAg . kiss ana ma Ne
expresses delight.a and pleasure. =
6omnaTbulism b the last stage Of
hypnOtism before AN6king. In thi!
stage thepatient's mind 10 . thoroughly
prepared soil. in which We call up
hAlluclnations and illusions OF the
senses, crazy fsnCieS Ghd Axed idoas
which become irIssistble. II yOu tell
him Il d cold, he wants . fur cloak; II
you ten him - IL WARM, he wants 70
put on Summer clothing. II Jon say:
'-HerSis Q glass OF wine" and Rsk him
10 drink. he accepts It. and makes pre-
tsnce to dFiak t. The word esdSrtts
has been invented 70 characterize the
extraordinary credulity Of this stage.