The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-27
Crime Under Hypnotic control

Crime Under Hypnotic Control
In recent number of the London Con-
temporary ReUieio a writer cites a num-
Der of illustrative instances to show how
entirely possible it is that the greatest
crimes may with perfect impunity be COM
mitted by hypnotists, or at least upon or
with the aid Of hypnotized persons. Many
Of the most intelligent observers share the
belief that the source of hypnotic pow er
resides not in any abnormal mental OF
| physical development of the hypnotist, but
is derived from some mental defect
or deficiency of the person hypDotized. II
| that be the case, persons 50 affected are
powerless to resist the insidous influence.
While asleep they would be helplessly ex-
posed to injury. Should the sleeper be in
fuenced TO commit some hazardous act
while in hypnotic condition the posi-
bilities of sustaining injury are greatly in
creased.
Only day or two ago a hypnotist in
Paris was sentenced to a long term of penal
servitude for extorting from a somnam-
bulist a check for $4,000. This brings the
matter before US in an unpleasantly force
full way.
Experiments have undoubtedly demon
strated the possibility of influencing Sleep
ing subjects to commit almost any act
toward which their fettered faculties were
directed. Not only is that possible, but
subjects can be made to carry out, when
awake, suggestions previously made to
them while asleep To satisfy himself of
this, DIR. Charcot is said to Lave told a
hypnotized Partisan gendarme to 60 to
certain spot in a garden, and assasinate the
president of the republic. Immediately
the man stole softly to the place indicated,
and made vicious stab at an old tree that
stood there. Returning he then
fully confessed his guilt. ~
This is strikingly similar to a very old
feat of mesmerism. But in the past this
influence has always been attributed to
some occult power Of the mesmerist rather
than to any mental popularity of the subject
mesmerized. In his recent book on that
subject DR.. Albert Mol, of Berlin, says that
the longest interval he has ever known be-
tween the hypnotizIng of a subject and the
act prompted thereby was four months.
Meanwhile he says that no reference what
ever to the purpose in view had been made.
That sounds very remarkable.
just here it may be as well to suggest
that this singular physical phenomenon may
measurably explain some of the very ex-
trao binary instances and peculiar phases
of kleptomania and other similar mono
manias that have recently eeme conspicu-
ously into public notice. And it is not
unreasonable to assume that many of the
most wonderful have, because of their
marvellous success. never been discovered.
Beyond question hypnotism may be
employed by INSCRIPTIONS persons
for evil purposes. Now. what can be
legally done to protect the public against
abuse of such knowledges That is the
question. Without medical examination
and friendly admonition to put them on
their guard, those who are particularly sus-
ceptible to hypnotic influence are wholly un-
protected and practically at the mercy OF
those who are capable of exerting hypnotic
power.
Last August the British Medical Associa-
ton, then in session, protested against pub
lie exhibitions of hypnotic phenomena.
Still the public is sure to ultimately find out
the facts anyhow. So there is little harm
to be anticipated from that beyond exciting
a general desire to explore its mysteries and
practice its effects. That may constitute
sufficient objection TO it. Still improper use
of the phenomena can only be made in pri-
vate.
To the proposition that the liberty of in
vestlgating these phenomena shall be linn
tied to the medical profession several
weighty objections may be urged. History
does not give medical men credit for an IN
prejudiced attitude on this subject They
have always manifested disposition TO
rldicule what they could not understand
Should the whole matter be altogether given
over to their hands. the world would thus be
deprived of any discoveries they could not
make, or would not disclose Others, how
ever, learned in science, would by that
means be excluded from investigation and
experiment. Yet 1t is only fair to assume
that the worlds genius for scientific re-
search is not wholly confined to the med
zeal profession.
Like all other wonderful natural phenom-
ena, hypnotism must have some useful pur-
pose, and the sooner IL is discovered the
better of shall be the world. Meanwhile,
we must try to protect society against the
dangers of diverting its use to improper
purposes by administering exemplary pun
ishment to such Offenders