The morning call., 1892-03-03
HYPNOTIC STUDIES.
Is Their Tendency to Bring
About Insanity
Various Opinions on the Madness Of Johi
McComb Jr.-Dr. Frank Brown Give
Vent to His Ideas.

The fact that John McComb Jr. had been
declared insane caused great deal Of com
ment yesterday among those who had
known the young man In public and private
life, and an additional interest was given
the story when IL was asserted that hypno-
tism was the cause of his loss of reason
For several weeks those who knew him
best about town and in the clubs to which
he belonged have had reason to fear that
his mind was becoming impaired, but 1t was
not known that the end was SO near.
Two weeks ago he met friend in the
rooms Cf club and the two went together
to lunch. While at table McComb preached
the subject of hypnotism, and gave it as his
opinion that he had succeeded in mastering
the intricacies of the science.
Nothing was thought of it at the time, but
now tina. his loss of reason has been made
public the tongues of the gosspS have been
set wagging, and there are hundreds who
remember his peculiar actions for the last
month or two.
NOT DIR. BROWNS SUBJECT.
The rumor that the young man was a
subject of Dr. Brown was not generally be-
lieved. but the latter was seen yesterday at
his Office on Suffer street and said: cit is
not true that young McComb was one Of my
subjects. / know him very intimately, both
in public ana as fellnw-member5 OF the
Union League Club. but do not recall now
that the subject of bypnotism ever came up
when We were together unless III casual
way, and make il rule of my life never
to operate on any individual unless they ex-
pressly request me 10 do so. and so far as lie
Is concerned / can say with all truth that he
never expressed such desire"
What is the usual effect upon those who
seek to study the seienee?'' was asked.
''Weli, now, that il hard to say" was the
reply, "but my experience has been that In
nearly every case where ii Is taken up the
oretically il leads 10 an unbalancing OF the
mental faculties. 1t is. in fsct. as ii per-
son were attempting to study astronomy
who had never seen a star. They become
bewldered, and the mind, no matter how
strong in its natural state, wanders from its
sphere.
To-day, for instance, / was called upon
by lady who processes great interest In
the psychic sciences, and was Informed by
her that she had read volume after volume
on The subject, and seemed no nearer than
ever TO the end she sought TO attain.
DIR. BROWNS ADVICE.
''She then branched out into q rambling
dissertation upon hypnotism, and told me
the theories she had formed ia the course OF
her reading. Ny advice to her was in line
with my usual policy in such matters.
tOlu heI 10 10 nOiie at once anu hpd"uon tue
idea
"'Your theories, said, will drive you
TO insanity
And so they will. l can say now with a
full belief OF what j say that unless that
woman deserts her present course she will
be in madhouse at an early day.
Such people | meet with fr, quently, but
strange to say they are nearly always
women. For the latter sex it seems the
science Of hypnotiSm has peculiar fascina-
tion.- AID few Of them have the power "a
master the art. In the first place they have
not, as a rule. the power Of mental c0neen-
tratiOD, nor the nervous force to control
others. 1t requires. as a rule, a peculiar
strength which only men possess and which
is beyond the reach Of women.
SO far as Mr.. McComb is concerned,
can only say that if lie has been driven mad
by the study Of hypnotism. it was because
lie failed to study it practically"