Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-09
HYPNOTIC MARVELS.
HOW PERSONS ARE TREATED IN
THE PARIS HOSPITALS.
Sleep and Suggestion Employed at One
titution-Mhgnetic Trsnsfsr-
encs by Dr. Luys.

Paris correspondent Oh INC i'hN'"
Times has bad an opportunity OF observing
the treatment of disease by bypnotism IN
the Paris hospitals. His accounts OF what
he saw are very interesting and. as he re-
marked himself, many of the things be de-
scribed verge on tho supernatural. Ihat
seems to DO so, for instance, In the case
of the woman from whom sensation was
conyeyod TO q rubber figure. which was
then made 70 transmit other sensations TO
her. .,..
So little Is known in America by the gen.
oral nublIc about tho hypnotic treatment
that many believe it has not advanced ia
any country beyond the public-entertain-
ment Stage. AZ matter OF fact IL is gwen
daily 10 a large number of patients In Two
hospitals in Paris and many are cured or
relieved bv IL. The fact that rellet IL gwen
in some ailments il admitted by almost OIL
we'll informed medical men. who take at
tie same time very different views oil the
value of hypnotlsm.
The hypnotic treatment IS regularly useu
| by medical men III Paris az the l1stItu ,
! Psvcho Physiologique, and IN Dr: LUIS
wards az the Hospital de 10 ChaIite.
! The fnshhd was founded in 1891
/ for the purpose of giving doctors
/ complete practical and theoretical course
| of instruction IN hypnotisn and physi-
/ illogical psychology" Inc 1nstN'H con-
I eiets of suite of three rooms IN the
| Rne ST Andre dos Arts. and is under the
! direction of DR.. BerillOn, specialist IN
mental disease. Patients come to HIM for
consultation and treatment three DAYS IN
| tba yyee, at 1920 A. NJ, and & class for stu
! dents 10 held at the same hour every
| Thursday. Describing his visit the CORE
| spOndent says:
THE INTERESTING FEATURE.
"The most interesting part OF tho pro-
! ceed:ngs belongs, Of course, to the consult
! ing-room. 1t IS of moderate size, perhaps
| oO feet by 90 feet. and very well lighted ny
! n large window at one end. The ONLY fur
nlture besides d small desk for the doctor
! il series Of comfortable seats ranged
round the walls IN the fashion OF adiyan or
| station vaitlno-roOm and o few supple
Elementary chairs These seats are
! occupied az tho time of our or.
| rival 10y eleven patients, nine oil
| whom are females. ranging in age from
! childLood to 20 wears or so. They belong.
apparently, TO the lower middle station ot
! life. or. perhap5. fall somewhat below H.
| Some of them are elready fast asleep, their
heads resting comfortably on the back OF
| the seat. The rest are awake, but per-
fectly quiet. One woman has nToT
ro'arf on o chair IN front OF her ana u
watching IL with oil the placidity OF
/
| speaks or moves: there is complete a0-
| sence Of excitement.
" Dr. Berillon, seated nj his desk, con-
| verses IN q low tone with a sllentiy-Wecp-
ing female. who presently gets up ana
| goes out, while young man, presumably
| an assistant, passes along the row OF pa
tiepts. whispering earnestly for o minute
or two IN the ear Of each sleeper. In the
case Of those who are still awake he closes
! the ewes and bids them sleep, which
| they generally do. Presently lev
! more patients como IN making ABOUT
| fifteen in oil. These are sent 10 sleep IN
! tho same way by tho Doctor or MS assist
! ant, and the whispering goes on. Inc
, room now presents curious appearance.
lis lined with seepers-the lady with the
y1iyoir has gone to sleep too-and the
medical men 20 gently from one TO an
| other whispering. not " soft nothlngs'"
! but suggestions that they shall feel better
| when they wake up.
A sUGGTsTIBLE CASE.
1--WE must leave them so for tho present,
NJ DR.. Berilhon, who does not seem pay
| ticularly pleased at being observed by
strangers, althouGhwe come by invitation,
'suggcsts,' IN a manner which IS not 10 DC
! paInsnid. that We shall retire into the
! iecture-room and hear very interesting
address on new method OF measuring
! brains. We reahZe the force OF sugges-
tious when made by SO redOu table
! hvDnotizer and obey. The class numbers
about twenty, including three or -FOUR
! ladies' who wear spectacle5 ana other
/ signs Of lutellectuai NigOr' ihe. lv0t"I9
| NAV be omitted as rather technical ana
| belonging more to physiological psy-
| chOlOyv' than 10 hypnOtlsm. Atthe close
| Dr. Berillon introduces two patients
| a middle-aged man and n lad. The first
case * shown % q proof tbGt per
| sons suffering from the fashionable COM
! plaint known as neurasthenla, OF nervous
! debility. are not intractable to hypnousm,
| "a some authorities falsely assert. The
man is a typical case of this disorder. llo
| looks a weak minded, brOken-down ind1-
| yldual. and ne suffers among other thlhgs
| from n painful INDIGESTION and selt-distru-t
| which prevents him from dong his WORN,
but he has no organic disease. Ut. befli-
Ion places his hand on the mans
head and SAYS, ,HeJarIez4,ooi o2 Ie
and Immediately he is asleep. II now
ms arms are raised they retain the POSI-
tiou. OF If motion j. impaired TO them
tbey continue 1t automatically. In other
| words. he il cataleptc and 'suggeSuhie.
The doctor then proceeds to apply TINS
condition bv telling him that when no
| wakes his mind will be clearer and more
vigorous. his head free from pain OF dizzi-
ness, and that he will have the capacity 10
do ms work: after which he Is tod 10
wake up and does so.
UYPSOTIZED WITH Ease.
THE second case is a lad of dull ap-
nearauce. DR.. BelillCn shows him TO IL
iustra,p The ease with which average per-
cons of his class can be bypnOtlzed and
rendered susceptible 10 suggestion. h9
assured us that there was nothing unusual
about the case and that the majority OF
peasants taken anywhere from the street
corner can lie Treated with equal ease.
Ha ia sent TO sleep IN tho same
wav as the preceding case, and his
condition * illustrated BY ntte
experience in post-hypnotic suggestion;
/ There il q vase full of roses on this table. >
saws Dr.. Berillon, indicating ITS shape ana
the spot where 1t IS supposed 20 be WIN
his hands. When YOU wake M. You VIII
select a red rose and hand II 10 TINS gehtle-
man. The lad is awakened and craveY
proceeds 10 the table, whore he selects IN
IMAGINARY rose from the imaginary vase
ard hands II to the gentleman lndl-
Gated. His good faith Ia uncOnsclously
shown by little act which mas
not been suggested 10 him.. Be
f0r0 handing the rose no breaks on
the tip Of the stem IN the most natural
| manner POSSIBLE and throws II away, rs
poeple do when they take flower out OF
tne water. At his own request he Is hyp-
notIZod AGAIN in order that he may DO
O-Gcred TO sleep when he goes to bed at
nirht. for he suffers from insomnia. After
this class adiourns to the consulnn&-
room. where we find most OF tho patients
etll placidly sleeping. They. have bad
from half an hour to an hour OF 1t, and are
now RAPIDLY woke up by the touch, the
! word Awake" or by blowing upon the
| eyes; there is buzz Of conversation, and
IL "a few minutes every one IS gone.
| PATIENTS LIKE THE TREATMENT
1.-THE patients" continued the CORE
spondent, like the treatment and profess
10 bo benefited by il. The vast majority
of them are suffering from troubles or the
nervous system, such IS neuralgia, head
ache, dizziness. insomnia, loss OF memory
hvsteria. weakness Of sight and hearing,
disordered digestion and circulation, arc!
SO forth. Sleep and suggestion ore the
forms in which hypnotlsm Is applied TO
them.
THE other method Of employing hypno-
tism practIccd in DR.. Luys's ward at the
| Hospital de la Charlie is known as magne-
| tic transference and is more surprising,
not 10 say entertaining. than the other,
| although It's results are mich the same.
The patients are sent TO sleep with the
help of the rotary mirror, as IN DR.. Berll-
Ions treatment. and then comes the