Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-16

nothing that has occurred during the sleep,
but will recOllect il in q second period Of
hypnotic sOmnambulism unless contrary
suggestion be given" Cases are cited as
coming before the courts in which crime
was committed in the hypnotized state. In
two Of them-Outrages OF the person-the
hypuOtized person was the victim OF the
magnctizer In two others the sOmnanbule
committed a crime al the suggestion OF tue
hvpnotizer But while such crimes VIII be
rare. DIR CharcOt admits that they are pos
siblc Let us study, he says, "a case OF
hypnotic suggestion. / set subject asleep
and place him in the sOmnamOulic state,
satisfying myself rs to the reality Of
this state by bringing into action the
neuro-muscular supereXcitability peculiar
TO this period of hypnosis / then say 70
him. You know A he is q contemplate
fellow and is ever trying TO inlure you. He
must be put out Of the way. Here is dag
ger. To-mOrrow-or the day after. or ten
DAYS hence, for the suggestion may ex-
tend over "a considerable interval-'yOu
will make YOUR way 10 his home: you Will
wait tin he quits the house, and will stab
him without any pity. He must die. You
are not 10 remember al all that ! ordered
YOU to kin him. even If You be hypnotized
again The subject takes the suggestion,
and promises TO kin the one who has be-
come his enemy At the appointed hour
he will be az the place named. and VIII
deal the blow with "A steady hand. Wheth-
er arrested or not for the deed, he will
find 10 out of his power 20 reveal the
name Of the one who put the dagger IN ms
hand The theme is an attractive one, but
can the thing be donef' In the first place
some subjects positively refuse 10 obey
I'm fa rrn y
state. resist the criminal suggestion They
saw substantially. why do You want me TO
kin Mr. A. He has always been kind 10
me" or 81 do not know him. He has done
me mo- wrong In experiments with hyp-
Noticed persons in "a private room the entire
drama of crime by suggestion has often
been carried out "EXperimentally,' SAYS
DR. Charcot. "when we furnish a sub
iect with q crime already planned, armlng
him with pastebOard dagger or providing
him with poison consisting OF harmless
powder. we may witness the carrying out
ia an its details OF what ! have called a
laboratory of crime But is II So Can II
be SO Ia real life. l. for one, doubt IT, ~
Theorists of criminal suggestion argue that
somnambules may fraudulently be made 10
sign papers. contracts, deeds OF GIT. etc,
during the hypnotic sleep Well says
CharcOt. suppose somuamOule signs u
check on q receipt for goods, is il TO be sup
posed tina, the signer on awaking viii
part with his property aud utter no
word Of protest. I'm the first place
havinc. as always happens in such
cases. lost al memory of what took place
in somnambulism. he viii ask himself now
il came about that he should sign such a
paper From that question to the eXplana-
ton is but a step. and. should an investiga-
ton bee made, 10 might bring confusion 70
the holder of the check or receipt Even
i'm the case of "a Will or testamentary gift
wherever suspicion is aroused the courts
win nor fail 90 inquire into the mental con-
diti0u of the tcstator DR. Charcot has but
little fear of grave crimes being perpe-
trated by q hypnotized person through the
suggestion of the hypnOtizcr. but he holds
that persons who subject themselves 10
travelling maeuetizerS are IN peril OF con-
vulsicrs and crises 9f confirmed hysferia.