Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-01
A HYPNOTIC MPoSTER.
An Englishman Who Could Do Many Things
For Teachers of HyDnCtiSm

For Teachers of Hypnotism.
The subject who came to me had been
q shining light in the profession, and
have reason to know that he was ex-
| ceptionally gifted. He had performed to
crowded houses under several great
artists at the Aquarium, and elsewhere
in London and the provinces. He had
figured at select seances of scientific hyp-
notists. He had been privately operated
on by medical men anXiously seeking
after truth. And by his own statement,
he had humbugged them all. What
proof had 1, then, that he was not hum
! bugging me? Ample proof. He offered,
in the first place, to do under my direc-
ton everything which he had done in
public and private seances when under
supposed hypnotic control. l contem-
! plated in the first instance, accepting
| this offer and giving a demonstration to
select circle, and it was solely owing to
myself that this was not done.
AS preliminary, asked him to OK
hibit few of his powers for my private
edifcation. He complied without hesita-
ton. He first of all passed himself into
tho ''Cataleptic" state and lay on the
floor rigid. Two members of my staff
took him in this condition and laid him
across the backs of two chairs-the back
of his head resting on one and his heels
on the other. He remained so for several
minutes. On pass being made over
him with the hand, his body became
arched upward or downward. Two
fairly robust individuals next sat on his
body, and the "cataleptic" supported
them without signs of inconvenience.
He then himself thrust a needle into his
arm and through the lobe of his ear, to
prove that he was insensible to pain while
in the cataleptic state.
Next he showed how one side Of his
face could be drawn down by toothache
c'suggested" by the operator), while the
other side was distended in broad grin.
Again, at the suggestion" of the oper-
ator, the grin and the toothache changed
sides, and so on. He offered to swallow
an ounce of cayenne pepper in glass of
water, but unfortunately had no cay
enne pepper at hand. l asked him
whether he could take wineglassful of
ipecacuanha, and he professed readiness
to do it at once. The cayenne pepper ]
could partly understand. 1t would be
mere question of standing a certain
amount of pain. But asked him how
he managed to control the effect of the
ipecacuanha. 1--WE only do it for
time" he said. You can learn to do it
with practice, like the rest of the tricks.
But we always bring the stuff up after
the performance.
He also expressed his readiness to
drink oil. Among novel tricks which
he offered to perform was that of ''slow-
ing" the pulse while under hypnotic infu-
ence. OF this he claimed to be the orig
inal inventor. I asked him whether all
the subjects" were equal imposters.
CAL" he said. He knew them all per-
sonally and would answer for them. He
ridiculed the mere suggestion that there
could be anything genuine in hypnotism,
whether in Paris, London or anywhere
else, but here he may have spoken be-
You'd his neutrality-suspicious. Truth.
Remorse.
Teacher-Do you understand the mean
ing of the word remorsei
Bad Boy-Yes'm
Define it."
''It's bein sorry you forgot to put your
geography in your pants."-Good News.
Now. All Together.
had a girl In Mexico;
Insect bit her on the toe:
Now she's where the lilies grow;
Name of insect you may know
Tara-ra-rantula, etc.