The Irish standard., 1891-01-24
H 4 !!
"a Study in the Mysterious and
Bewildering Art.
An Interesting Description of the Cell
That Closes In by Seven Degrees on
Its victim-How Mind-Reading
Is Accomplished.

What most deeply interests the unin-
formed mind concerning hypnotism is
the exaggerated conditions which are
reported. propose to give my descrip-
ton, writes Arthur Howton in New
York World, which will unburden this
so-called weird art of many misrepre-
sensations. Unjust say, however, that
it more than fulflls the claims of it's
exponents in that it is useful and ex-
tremely powerful adjunct in minor
surgical operations, on account Of the
ease with which local or general
anesthesia may be produced, not to
nerve recuperator; also it is fair to say
that mind-reading done by hypnotic
subjects is sometimes almost mex
plicable. 1t is this last fact which
keeps the old magnetism" alive. Ac~
cording to the best authorities there are
seven stages of hypnotis with well
marked characteristics.
The first stage of hypnotis is the leger
sommeil, or light sleep of DR.. Liebanlt.
In this stage the subject is in an or
binary doze, produced by 81 gentle,
monotonous movement of the hands in
the form of passes, fixing the patients
eyes steadily upon some bright small
object, thus producing slight ccrebral
exhaustion. There is no special peculi-
a1ity about this stage except that the
subject is more susceptible to sugges-
ton, but the least noise or bursque
movement will restore his equanimity;
the subject in this condition has not lost
consciousness.
The second stage or sommeil profond,
is also named by DR.. Liebault of Nam
cy, and the special characteristics are
that the subject is in deep sleep, but
retains consciousness of what is going
on around him. He is in q state Of very
much increased susceptibility to sugges~
tion-so much so, in fact. that if told
that he can not open his eyes he can
not dc So His general condition is one
of natural sleep except that in ordinary
sleep the patient hears nothing, and a
sound will awake him, whereas in this
sleep the patient if spoken to will an
swer, and even loud noises will not
sstartle him. This stage is induced by
continuation Of the method given for
the first stage.
The third stage, of so1nnam b1lism
is the first in which the subject COM
pletely loses control Of his actions.
In this condition he hears and sees
no one except the operator, unless
he is placed in harmony with him.
There is also in this condition a certain
association Of ideas, in that the SOM
na1nbulist If set to washing his hands
will not continue the operation forever,
but will, after a reasonable time, ask
for a towel. This condition is lost in
deeper stages. In this condition there
is slzin-deep insensibility to pain, and
the pupils of the eyes are contracted;
but the greatest popularity of this stage
lies in the hyperesthetic powers in
duced in some subjects It is to this
popularity that we owe the wonders OF
mind reading, as in this condition q
good subjects senses are SO infinitely
sharpened that they can catch d ctew
given by an operator which would fail
to reach the sharpest unhypnotized per-
son in the world
The fourth stage is catalepsy. This
is the first stage which is absolutely
pathological, and is not, as in the form~
er stages. merely psvchical effects. In
this stage the subjects muscles are
all in q faced or wax-like condition,
and if the subjects limbs are
placed in position, no matter how
awkward or uncomfortable it may
be, he will retain it, while his
breathing and pulse will remain more
regular than any one in a normal con-
clition could possibly attempt to simu-
aate This mas been proven by the
sphvmographic charts of Tanoburine
and seppili. In this stage the ocular
and patellar reflex is almost entirely
deficient
The fifth stage is leshargy. This is a
stage which is dangerous for any one
not fully competent and with long ex-
perience to meddle with, on account OF
the acute tetanus which always accom-
panies it. The general idea is expressed
BY the German Investigators that these
effects are produced by suggestion and
imitation. This is erroneous, however,
as has been demonstrated By the
clinique of Prof. Charcot a la Salt
petriere, Paris. The special symptoms
are first, an entirely relaxed condition
of the muscles, SO that if the subject is
raised up and Let fall he will drop in a
heap and without the least ability to
better his position. Secondly, there is
q neuro-muscular yperexcitability
which uanifests itself upon the least
stimulation. For instance, If the mas
setter or muscle Of the jaw is touched it
will contract as from a tetanic spasm.
The danger lies in the liability OF
these tetantic contractions spreading
and involving some vital organ, or even
reaching the heart. It is beyond all
power of man to simulate these symp-
toms. Thirdly, association of ideas is
entirely absent, and the brain is func-
tionally inactive.
The sixth stage, or complete contrac-
ture, is never induced except for scien-
tific investigation or for extreme surgi-
cal operations. All the muscles except
Al-e,<, o<X,, co,.ro1 II, tina circulation and