Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-04-06
HYPN0TIsM.
SOME EXPERIMENTS IN a PARIS
HOSPITAL.
producing tho Hypnotic State
Emanations of Light Erom Faces
Visible to Hypnotic Subjects
Queer Manifestations.

- Ge.oiiit huNc IcCenClY Deon made
ut tho Charlie Hospital, Paris, under
the direction of the surgeon-in-c chief,
DIR. Luys. A careful account of these
experiments appears in McClure's
Magazine from the pen OF r. N. Sher-
ard.
These hypnotic experiments may be
roughly divided into two classes. The
trst are experiments of speculative
KIND, that is to say, such rs do not
produce practical effects. The second
class includes such as often produce
such results. These last experiments
are mainly the diagnosis of patients by
subjects in the hypnotic state and the
,ure OF moral and physical maladies by
the power of suggestion.
The hypnotic state is divided by DIR.
Luys into five phases of intensity
somnambulism, fascination, catalcpsy,
lethargy and hypo-lethnrgy, with vari-
GUS intermediary phases, which have
not yet been tabulated. The hypnotic
state, In one or other of its phases, is
produced in the subject or patient in
Two ways-by word of command or by
the use of the rotative mirror. The
rotative mirror is often used where
hypnotic influence is first applied to
IN individual. The mirror much re-
sembles that used by bird catchers for
snaring larks. 1t is composed of four
arms, overlaid with bright, polished
metal. The arms revolve by clock
work on pivot, Mt a tremendous rate
OF speed. The patient is seated in n
high backed chair with his back to the
light, which shines full on the mirror.
and is hidden to keep his eyes fixed
upon it, and simultaneously to desire
to be sent to sleep. The clookwork
sets the mirror in rotary motion with
dazzling effect. Sleep is not invari-
ably produced. Many persons are re-
fractory; but rs rule in about twenty
per cent. OF the cases the operation is
successful, and after period varying
from five to twenty minutes the patient
is seen to drop to sleep.
1.-THE eyes," says n writer on the
subject, care first attracted by the
ray OF light which flash from the wings
OF the mirror, then little by little, and
MT the end of n period which varies ac-
cording to the temperament of the
patient, a kind of fascination is pro-
duced, the lids get tired and impcr-
ceptibly close, the head falls back and
the patient sleeps sleep which seems
natural, but which is really one of the
first phases of the hypnotic Sleep" In
other cases, that is to say, in tho case
OF patients who are more predisposed,
slight shock is manifested during the
state of fascination, due, no doubt, to
the sudden contraction OF some muscle
or system of muscles, and the patien
falls into deep sleep, breathing hard.
He is then completely insensible and
apt for tho reception of suggestion.
having passed quickly through the
several stages of the hypnotic sleep,
sometimes to the last. In most cases
however, where the doctor has to do
with subjects who have often been
hypnotized the simple word of com
mand, without passes or gestures of
any kind, sufiices. With these he has
but to. say, eco to sleep" and they
fall ut once into hypnotic state of
greater or less profundity.
Doctor Luys says that the subject in
the hypnotic state has IN intensely in
creased visual faculty. Indeed, one
of the symptoms of this state is q very
noticeable alteration of the appearance
of the eye. 1t is stated by the doctor,
and the experiments publicly made
may BIO considered rs convincing, that,
thanks to this increased visual faculty.
the hypnotic subject is able to see in
the human face what is entirely hid
den to ordinary sight.
For some time past tho doctor had
established that when n magnet is pro
sented to hypnotic subject in one of
the phases of trance the effect pro-
duced varies. according rs tho north
or south pole--that is to sny, the
negative or the positive end of the
magnets offered. The north pole
in all cases, produces state of intense
delight, expressed by gestures and
outcries of pleasure. The subjects in
this case declare that they sec at the
end of the magnet carnations of n
beautiful blue light. When tho bar
Is reversed the greatest horror and
disgust at once affect tho subject. If
asked what it is that causes this dis
lhuy tuS SuDJcCe Will answer tnaG j Is
the sight of n fearful red light playing
around the end of the magnet.
Investigating further in this diroc-
ton the doctor has discovered that tho
same subjects can detect in the human
face emanations corresponding to those
seen at the ends of the magnetic bar.
Thus from the left eye and loft car and
left corner of the mouth in persons in
good state of health blue emanations
can be seen by the hypnotizcd person,
according to the declarations of such
subjects.
In cases of persons. however, suffer
ing from nervous disorders, or from
the results of diseases or accidents. tho
colors vary. Thus, according to one
of the subjects, the red light proceed
ing from the right eye of person NJ
fected with short.sightednes and fin.
'tigue of tho organ was largely spotted
with violet. Violet is the characteris.
tic color i'll all cases of great nervous
fatigue. Black, green and multi-col-