The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-07-03
SCIENCE OF HYpN(JTTSN.
~ liza Treatment Ia and How
1t Is Worked.
: Sseudo-sieep Into which Patient With
an Aptitude for Il Can no Made to
INSTRUMENTATION tho Last
Stage Of the Trance.

/ Stage OF the Trance.
| The history OF hypnotism forms part
sf tho history Of the marvellous in hui
man existence, writes DR.. j. Luys in the
london Fortnightly Review. In reality
1t is found under different names at all
periods OF history, from the lamentations
Of the ancient Egyptian magicians down
TO the destinations Of Mesmer, and the
Investigations OF Braid to whom modern
hypnotisrn owes its name and its ap.
pearancc in the realm of science Braid
mastered al the leading characteristics
OF the several hypnotic stages, and had
o profound conviction of its utility as
remedial agent in all diseases in which
the nerves play moro or less visible
part
Hypnotisn, is an experimental extra
physiological condition of .the nervous
system, pseudo-sleep into which pa
tent 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
once 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 stage, preserving at
first his faculty of hearing and speech.
Next his faculties arc overwhelmed, the
power of sight only remaining. At last,
In the third stage, the patient falls into
complete lethargy; the life Of the
brain is withdrawn, ard he lives, mere
~ by the automatic activities Of his
spinal marrow. In the return journey
or second half Of the circle, the hypno-
tiled person goes through the opposite
phases, recovering at each hating place
the faculties which have been Temperate
ly suspended, passing from complete
lcthargy, through catalepsy and SOM
nambulism, which are only different de-
grecs of intensity of partial somnolence.
Several processes are employed to pro-
duce tho hypnotic state, the most effect
I've being revolving mirrors on which
tho patient fixes his eyes, but the
constituencies Of other special nerves, az
well as Of the optic nerves, can be util.
lied; in facs, with persons readily sus'
ceptible, suggestion sufiiccs. Tine ex-
pcrimentor says to the patient "You
and will count together up to six, and
when we roach four you will be asleep"
To awaken the patient, it is generally
o,,H1c;ort 10 tiEn-1 ,--i11 bo avn la
in minute" but it is important to be
sure that he is thoroughly awake; for
II patient only half-awalEened is sent
back to his daily life, he may collide
with and knock down persons, steal
articles exposed in shops, or commit
other offenses> whilo giving the impress
sion that he is in ful. possession Of his
senses. The catalcptic stage is at
tended with well-dcfined manifesto
lions. The muscles maintain the poses
given t., them, and display force far
beyond what they are capable of in the
waking state. The faculty Of balancing
is raised to an extraordinary pitch OF
cxaltation. Stand him on one leg,
bend his body forward or backward,
bend mis- spinal column while making
him throw his head back, and he will
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 ext7emities. In this cataleptic
stage the emotions can be brought into
play in q perfectly methodical manner
He can be made glad without q word,
by simply putting in his line Of vision
sketch OF happy faces; his features
expand, and by degrees he breaks out
into loud laugh.
Conversely, sketch of gloomy per
sens 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 OF
red, Joy and delight Emotional states
;,re also kindlod by making the patient
no through the gestures, with which
any given emotion is habitually associ-
atcd. For example, the patients fist
being closed and placed in threaten
ing posture, the face assumes an angry
expression, but put his hand In the at
titude of throwing kiss and his face
expresses delight and pleasure.
Somnambulism is the last stage OF
hypnotism before awaking. In this
stare the patients mind is thoroughly
prepared soil. in which we call up
hallucinations and illusions OF the
senses, crazy fancies and fixed ideas
which become Irresistible. If you tell
him it is cold, he wants fur CLOAK; u
you tell him it is warm, he wants 90
put on summer clothing II you say:
.Hero is glass of wine" and ask him
to drink. he accepts it, and makes pre-
tence to drink it. The word ersd'css%
has been invented to characterize the
4...s;n,,Y, cra6 ,,1itv of this stage.