Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-02-05
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What NEST deeply interests the anin-
formsd mtnd conserving bypnctlksn 10
the sxaggersted conditions which are
reported pxoPose 90 give ny csserir-
tio9. writes Arthur Hos'ton ia New
YORK World. which VIII unbarden this
so-ealiad weird art Of many miSrepre-
sensationx 1 must say, however, that
il aore than falnlls tAe claims Of iss
exfenents ia thai il Is . useful and <x-
tremeiy powerful adjunct IN minor
surgical Operations. ca aeeocUt Of tie
case with which local or general
aEesthesia may be produced, not 10
mention its value a. = sedatise and
nerve recap@rator; also it is fair 10 SAY
that mird-resding done BY hypnotic
subjects is sometimes almost mex
plicahle II Is this last fact which
Keeps the old magnetism" alive. Ae-
coraiag TO the best authorities there are
seven stages Of hypnotis with well
marked characteristics
The nrst stage Of hypnotis Is the leger
sommeil. or light sleep Of Or. Liebanlt.
In this stage the subject is In an or
binary dose, produced by gentle.
monotoaous movement of the hands in
the form Of passes, fixing the patients
eyes steadily upon scYe bright small
object. thus producing slight cerebral
exhaustion. There is no special peculi-
arity about this stage except that tho
subject is more susceptible To su2ges-
ton, but the least noise or bursque
movement win restore his equanimity;
the subject in this condition has not lost
consciousness.
Tho second stage or sommeil profond.
Is also named by DR.. Liebault. of Nam
cy, and the special characteristics are
that the subject is in q deep sleep, but
retains consciousness of whit is going
on around him. He is in O state of very
much increased susceptibility TO sngges-
tioa--so much SO. In fact, that il told
that Re can not open his eyes he caa
not do 50. His general condition is one
Of natural sleep except that in ordinary
sleep the patient hears nothing, and
sound viii awake him. whereas IN this
sleep the patient if spoken TO will an
swer, and even loud noises will not
startle him. This stage is induced by
continuation of the method given for
the first stage.
Tho third stage, of somnambulisn
is the first in which the subject com
ple.cly loses control Of his actions
In this condition be hears and Gees
no one except the operator, unless
be is placed in harmony with him.
There is also in this condition q certain
association CT ideas, IN that the SOM
nambuiist ii set to washing his hands
viii not continue the operation forever,
but viii, after reasonable time, ask
for towel. This condition is lost in
deeper stages. In this condition there
is a skin-deep insensibility to pain, and
the pupils of the eyes are contracted;
be- the greatest popularity Of this stage
lies in the hypercsthctic powers in
duccd In some subjects. It is to this
popularity that we owe the wonders Of
mind reading, as in this condition 4
good subjects senses are so infinitely
shnrpencd that they can catch clcw
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
or stages, merely psychical effects. In
this stage the subjects muscles arc
all in flaccid or wax-ikc condition,
and If the subjects limbs arc
placed in position, no matter how
awkward or uncomfortable it may
be, he will retain IL, while his
breathing and pulse will remain more
regular than any one in o normal con-
dition could possibly attempt to sirnu-
late. This has been proven by tho
sphymogrnphic charts Of Tamburinc
and Scppili.4 In this stage the ocular
end patellar reflex is almost entirely
deficient.
The fifth stage is lethargy. This is a
stage which is dangerous for any one
not fully competent and with long ex-
pcrienco to NEEDLE 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
cliniqra OF Prof. Charcot a la Salt
petriere. Paris. The special symptoms
arc first, an entirely relaxed condition
of the muscles. SO that il the subject is
raised up and let fan no will drop in q
heap, and without the least ability to
better his position. Secondly, there is
o neuro-muscrlar hypcrexcitability
which manifcsts itself upon the least
stimulation. For instance. II 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. IL ia beyond all
power OF man TO simulate these syup-
toma- Thirdly. association Of ideas IL
entirely absent, and the brain Is func-
tionally inactive.
The sixth stag. or complete contrsc-
snrc. is never induced except for scien-
tific investigation or for extreme surgi-
cal operations. All the rauscles except
those concerned In the circulation and
respiration are rfgidly contracted. All
refiexcs add mental phenomena arc abb