The St. Johns herald., 1890-12-18
SCIENCE OF HYPNOTISlI.
What the Treatment Is and How
 IL Is Worked.
A Pseudo-SIeep Iato Which 2 Patient with an Aptitude for I5 Can Be Made to FaE-Somnambuiis-a the Last
 Stage cf the Trance.

The history of hypnotisna forms part
 of the history of the marvellous in hu- man existence, writes Dr. J. Luys in the
 London Fortnightly Review. h reality
 it is found under different names at all
 periods of history, from the incantations
 of the ancient Egyptian magicians down
 to the destinations Of Mesmer, and the
 investigations of Braid. to whom modern
 hypnotism owes its name and it's ap- pearance in the realm Of science. Braid mastered all the leading characteristics of the several hypnotic stages, and had profound conviction Of it's utility as a remedial agent in all diseases in which the nerves play more or less visible part.
 Hypnotism is an experimental extra physiological condition of tho nervous system, a pseudo-sleep into which pa tient with an aptitude for it can be made to fall, and during which he loses for the time being all consciousness of his individual exist ence and of the external world.
 In the sequence of hypnotic states there is descending and ascending movement, downwards to lethargy, and upwards to restored consciousness. From a slight drowsiness he passes to the somnambulistic stare, preserving at first his faculty Of hearing and speech. Next his faculties are overwhelmed, the power of sight only remaining. At last, in the third stage, the patient falls into a complete lethargy; the life of the brain is withdrawn, and he lives, mere ly by the automatic activities of his spinal marrow. Tn the return journey or second half of the circle, the hypno- tized person goes through the opposite phases, recovering at each ha,ting place the faculties which have been temporari- ly suspended, passing from complete lethargy, through catalapsy and s0m- nambulism, which are only different de- grees of intensity of partial somnolence.
 Several processes are employed to pro- duce the hypnotic state, the most effect i've being revolving mirrors on which the patient fixes his eyes; but the sensitiveness of other special nerves, as well as of the optic nerves, can be util- ized; in fact, with persons readily sus- ceptible, suggestion sufIicas. The ex- perimenter says to the patient: ''YOu and I will count together up to six, and when we reach four you will be asleep"
 To awaken the patient, it is generally sufficient to say: You will be awake in a minute," but it is important to be sure that he is thoroughly awake; for if patient only half-awahcned is sent back to his daily life, he may collide with and knock down persons, steal articles exposed in shops, or commit other offenses, while giving the impress sion that he is in full possession Cf his senses. The cataleptic stage is at tended with well-dcGned manifcsta- tions. The muscles maintain the poses given to them, and display a force far beyond what they are capable of in the waking state. The faculty of balancing is raised to an extraordinary pitch of exaltation. Stand him on one leg, bend his body forward or backward, bend his spinal column while making him throw his head back, and he win 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 will re- main as stiff as board, supported by his extremities. Tn this cataleptic stage the emotions can be brought into play in a perfectly methodical manner. He can be made glad without word, by simply putting in his line Cf vision sketch of happy faces; his features expand, and by degrees he breaks out into loud laugh.
 Conversely, a sketch of gloomy per sons will fill him with sadness. Music wakes emotions proper to the time, and | every color excites a special emotion; blue raises emotion Of sorrow; yellow or red, joy and delight. Emotional states ! are also kindled by making She patient 1 go through the gestures, with which | any given emotion is habitually Gssoci- ! ated. For example, the patients fist | being closed and placed in threaten ing posture, the face. assumes an angry but put his hand in the at titude of throwing kiss and his face delight and pleasure.
 Somnambulism is the last stage of ! before awaling. In this i stage tho patients mind is thoroughly i prepared soil, in which we call up ! and illusions of the ! senses, crazy fancies and fixed ideas ! which become irresistible. If you tell | him it is cold, he wants fur cloak; if | you tell him it is warm, he wants to ! put on summer clothing. If you say: ! Here is a glass Of wine" and ask him to drink, he accepts it, and makes pre- ! tence to drink it. The word CTIGjrtts | has been invented to characterize the | credulity of this stage.
 His We'll Runs GOli and Silver.