Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06
HYPNOTISM.
What . Professor of the Art says q Its
Mysteries.

Wnoe professor" OF the Art says q 1te
From the Chicago Mail.
"Hypnotism as a phenomenon ID not fraud
but fact said Prof" Sandwich. "It is pro-
duced by the subject operated upon and not by
the hypnotist. The subject, in other words,
hypnotizes himself. A hypnotist has no oc-
cult, mysterious power which'other people do
not possess. Any one can hypnotic some peo-
pie, no one can hypnotic others. The whole
matter is purely subjective. Hypnotism begins
and ends with the person hypnotized. The
sole work Of the hypnotist is to deceive the
person to be hypnotized. The subject must be
induced to believe that he is actually losing his
will power through the work of the operator.
That is all there is to it. When try to mes
merize a patient the only problem before me
Is this: How can I convince this person that he
Is no longer a free agent? How can get him
to believe that he can no longer control his
actions?
There are various ways to 60 about this, and
different methods will succeed best with diff
ierent subjects. Certain conditions in the sub
)ect are absolutely necessary, however. No
man can be hypnotized against his viii. II il
not necessary that he be a believer in hypno-
tism; an honest skeptic makes first-class sub
1ect. But the subject must be open to convic-
ton, because my success depends entirely upon
his ultimate belief in the fact that hvpnotsm ex-
lists and that he himself is to become its prisoner.
NO man can hypnotic a subject who sets his
mind doggedly against being hypnotized. A
good operator, however, can very easily pick
out the best subjects to operate upon. Gener-
ally speaking persons of nervous Compartments
are most easily influenced. Having a numbe e
OF volunteers upon the platform, l soon weed
out those whom 1 think least likely to prove
good subjects, and then commence work upon
the others.
ssI do NOT aluoys ,,rsra <ha ,oc,o ~a,,-.o
Very frequently I follow this plan: i insist
upon silence in the room-absolute quiet. The
SUBJECTS face bright gaslight, footlights a
Chandelier. They are instructed TO close their
eyes and to shut them close-to press the eye
lids together hard. Under such conditions o
minute seems ten minutes to the subjects. I
slowly walk about them, occasionally touching
their heads with my hands. The subjects are
hypnotizing themselves. After holding their
eyes closely shut for half a minute the sole
thought OF all is, Well what is all this coming
70 In the end! Then they commence to watch for
the slightest new sensation of any kind what
ever. Ii they experience anything new it is at
once set down as the first manifestation of the
mysterious hypnotic power. At this stage
have frequently scared subjects into complete
hands before their closed eyes. Ny hands be-
ing between the light and the patient shadows
dance about over his eyelids and the active
imagination at once does the rest.
AFTER noldlnS the eyehds tightly closed for
minute they always have tendency to stick
together when the first attempt is made to open
the eyes. increase this by placing my hands
above the subjects eyes and pulling the scalp
backward from the eyes, at the same time
warming him to keep them closed. My action
OF itself would open his eyes, and to keep his
eyes closed he exerts considerable force Then
! suddenly release my hold, his eyelids become
fairly glued together, and say sharply: You
can't open your eyes" He makes one spas
modic attempt to do it and gives up completely.
Sometimes he succeeds in slowly opening his
eyes. but before he has time to see that am
wrong say: Now open them,' and they fiy
wide open: I have only to say
now close your eyes again.. Then the whole
scheme is worked again, and it generally wins.
III not try something else. But after the sub
Ject once gives up he is completely at your
mercy. All you have to do is to act as if YOU
were thoroughly in earnest and that you never
had the slightest doubt about your power to
control his actions absolutely. You can make
him do anything you distressing, dance.
whistle, or stand on his head-but 20 to him
the next day and tell him just what 1 am tell
ing you now, and an army of hypnotists could
not hypnotic him again; he has simply de-
ceived himself. If you want to experiment
further he must not be undeceived."