The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-19

CASTOR GaVarni Tells Of Some Strange
Experiments.
Researches Of Paris savant-Doctor Voisin
Shows Possibility Of Reducing Sub
ject to Absolute Automatism.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALL

One Of the physicians Of La Salpetriere,
Doctor Voisin, who pays great attention
to hypnotism. has just made number Of
| extremely curious experiments, the results
OF which are the more striking because
they seem to settle grave question of re-
sponsibilty many times agitated before the
criminal tribunals.
1t is we'll known that the phys icians are
not of accord as to whether hypnotized
persons can be, under the influence of sug-
gestlons they receive in that condition,
brought to commit real crimes.
During the proceedings in the Eyraud
trial the affirmative was maintained by Pro-
lessor Legeois, one of the fervent adopts OF
the school of Nancy, who, with an extraor-
binary intemperance of words, endeavored
TO prove that Gabrielle Rompard had IN
consciously obeyed the orders of her accom-
plice.
But that opinion was energetically fought
at the same trial by the physicians of the
school of Paris, who, falling back upon the
authority of Professor Charcot and numer-
Gus experiments, contested the possibility
OF reducing the hypnotized to a state of alb
Soiute aut0matism.
THE PARIS PHYSICIANS VIEW.
According to them the personality of
the hynotlzed is not destroyed to such point
mat they may be constrained to commit
acts entirely contrary to their nature and
which are in the highest degree revolving to
their conscience; they in reality always pos
sess faculty of resistance, weakened with
out doubt, but which permits them to get
away from certain suggestions which are re-
pngnant to their moral sense.
1t VIII De seen OF what importance 1t is
Tor the proper distribution of Justice that
such question should be settled, :or if the
position OF the school of Macy were shown
TO be true, it would be necessary in many
criminal cases to ascertain whether the
accused had acted in the full possession of
his personality or had been but the blind in
strument of some skilful Scoundrel.
Up to this time the courts have stood by
the great authority of the school of Paris
and DR.. Charc0t. Now the experiments of
trary TO the doctrine OF that school, the
hypnotIzed can be reduced to absolute
automatism and brought to commit crime
oil which they have no knowledge.
AN ASTOUNDING RESULT.
The first of these experiments, made be-
fore three magistrates of the Paris court,
consisted of ordering a subject, after his
awakening, to go and stab with knife q
sick man asleep in his bed.
The magistrates, hidden behind curtain,
saw with astonishinent mingled with not a
little fear the subject, who did not suspect
their presence, advance and inflict furious
stab upon the person indicated. 1t goes
without saying that the designated victim
was merely manikin giving the illusion of
a sick man lying down.
The subject had in addition. received the
suggestion not TO remember the order given,
ana, despite their persistence, the magis-
trates were unable To obtain from him either
aconfession Of the act or the name Of the &C
complice who had suggested it,
Three days afterward the subject returned
to La Salpetriere. His countenance bore
the traces of great moral suffering, and he
complained that he could not sleep. For
three nights past, he said, a woman had con-
Stantly appeared to him in sort of dream
and reprOached him with having stabbed her
with a knife. A few suggestions removed
these Authorizations from ttln.
AN ATTEMPT AT ARSON.
This experiment. however. did not suffice.
Tor 1t might be that the SUI ject had had a
vague comprehension that the murder to
which he had lent himself was not real, and
that lie had stabbed only manikin NJ.
Voisln, therefore, conceived the idea of
making him execute crime under cOndi-
tons more closely approaching reality.
He notified the iuhab tauts of house al
Passy that on certain day his subject
would appear and set fire t. pile of shay
ings placed against the dwelling. AT the
appointed time the subject came and tran
gully kindled the fire as his hypnotiZer had
ordered hin to do The inhabitants of the
house who had watched the experiment,
probably in very doubling frame of MIND,
were so struck by the rrsults that they
would not expose themselves TO the co nse-
quences of another demonstration and re-
quested Doctor VoisIn TO pursue his studies
elsew here.
As to the subject, he appeared to have no
knowledge of what he had done.
voIsIN AGAIN SHOWS HIS POWER
This experiment was repeated by NJ.
Foisin III the presence of the pupils of his
clinic.
The subject received during the month of
February the order 10 come to La Salpe-
trie:e on May Slst, the day of the opening of
the course, at 10 o'clock The result was
that he came from BeIevlle, where he
lived. On being questioned he declared that
he had arisen at . O'Clock and that the idea
OF coming had taken possession of him he
knew not how. lie was Immediately put to
sleep and received the order to set fire to
one of the small huts in the kitchen garden
of La Salpetrierc.
The subject was afterward awakened
Immediately he arose as II moved by a
| spring, went into the garden and, striking a
| match, set fire to the shavings which filed
| the interior of the hut. He was then
| brought back and questioned. He declared
| that he knew not what they were asking
| him about, that he had not kindled the fire
| and had not been ordered to do SO by any
| one.
The doctor then suggested to him the
| thought of confessing and he confessed,
| saying that the order 10 commit the act had
been given him by n. Voisin.
ROBBERY SUGGESTED BY MALEFACroRs.
After such experiments it seems very diff
| cult to deny the automatism of certain hyp-
| Noticed people and their ability to receive
and submit to criminal suggestions with all
| docility. 1t must be added that these ex-
periments were confirmed by facts and uu-
der circumstances which dissipated all
reservations that might have been justified
by prepared experimentation.
Recently charged by the authorities with
the examination of q woman accused OF
numerous thefts in stores Nj. Voisin
succeeded in demonstrating that this
woman had accomplished those thefts
under the influence Of suggestions
daily made to her by three malefactors.
Having become their unwilling accomplish
she accomplished with the most perfect do
ciilty the acts which were suggested to her
ana under the conditions In which 1t was
enloined upon her to commit them.
COMPLETE IRREsPoNsIBILITY.
When the magistrates charged with the
investigation had the objects stolen ny this
woman removed from their place of con-
cealment they found there was enough of
them to fill large furniture van.
The medico-legal inquiry brought out
| convinciEgly the complete responsibility
| of this woman, who benefited by stoppage
| of proceedings, while the three real authors
| Of the crime fell under the just application
| of the law.
After DIR. Voisin's series of experiments
| and the confirmation they have thus re-
| ceived in case which cannot in any way
| be likened to an experiment of the college
amphitheater, it appears difficult to deny
| the possibility of criminal suggestions and
the result of their effects.
| Is this saying that the discovery of crimes
| and the fixing of the responsibilities which
they carry with them are for the future i'm
| possible? NJ. indeed. But it is sure that
in certain cases, fortunately quite rare, II
| will be more difficult to make the truth ap-
| pear than had at first been believed, and
that when the argument of q possible sug-
| gestion shall have been invoked by the de-
tense, 1t will be necessary to look twice into
1t before setting it aside definitely.