The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-28
FRIGHTENED BY HYPNOTISM.
IT SET MISS ALEXANDER TO SLEEP,
BUT HrsTERICs FOLLOWER.

AbthmAWeslmpr were hf'NeiN
Everybody knows that regular physicians in
Europe commonly use hypnotism In their
practice. but the extent to which American
physicians are employing II Is not so much
talked about, Here In New York an expsri-
ment In hypnotism was tried recently on one
OF the daughters OF Otto Alexander. at 81 East
1oSth street and Mr.. Alexander SAYS that
thore will be no continuance OF tho treatment
Mr.. Alexander 10 head OF the drug Arm Of Al
exander n Van der smissep. Third avenue and
East Seventy-seventh street.
The physician who administered the treat
ment was DIR. Hugo Loebinger OF 1,O4S Lex
ington avenue 1t Is ouly fair to him to cay at
the start that the reason assigned for the fall
uro OF the experiment was the nervousness OF
the subject. not the method ofthe Doctor. DR..
LoebinRer Is the family physician OF the Alex
anders. lie Is 80 years old and was educated
in the University OF Berlin and in the ErlanEer
University In Bavaria, lie prectlsed In both
Berlin and Bavaria.
Mr.. Alexander has four daughters, OF whom
the second, Frieda. II years OF age. has asth-
ma For few days Mr.. Alexander had boon
suffering with bronchitis aud was unable to 90
down to his business. DR.. Loebinger was sum
moned. The last three days OF last week
Frisda's asthma became very troublesome. so
that she was kept awake at night and was
doubled up in her Efforts to breathe.
On Saturday evening when Dr. Loebinger
called Mr.. Alexander aske him to do some
thing to relieve Frieda. The Doctor had never
prescribed for the girl before. but he Nas
familiar with her case and was convinced that
the cause OF the trouble was nervousness. q
diagnosis to which he still adherea II seemed
to him that IL she should prove to be good
hypnotic subject It would be an easy matter to
make her believe herself cured by hypnotic
suggestion. and that then she would be cured.
Ms preached re Isoissfb to ths srFs h athSs
The trouble was that Mr.. Alexaudsr's daugh-
did not approve OF hypnotism. but were very
much frightened at something which seemed
ger succeeded In hypnotizlng The patient all
right, but when she was restored to conscious
she ws With and
Il Ss. On sd,,dS ss in dr.
and 50 Afraid 81 Dr. %osbaSsr that
when she saw him she went OIL TITO nt
ss SS:d'1ss n Sn ss''s hts s S,Sss
s sss, .S i .sgs.:,.s ;n.. g. IssSSy
ger refrain from Visiting Erieda until her ner-
.sSsss TSc. PT ANAL. hSoSnssa R sss
much better. Gu.sie, the eldest daughter.
as well as ever In the evening.
= Reports having got about In Harlem that
thrown them into 4 trance from which il was
impossible for him to awaken them. ne con-
sented last evening to tell exactly what his
E IN re HS:t PLACE" ;aid he; Il :, am not .s =
assisted In employing Il. and I have used il
S 3 SS s satSrday 'f% unssrsoo. to
hyDnGtine the young LADY: did mot Try na a,
fss' % s TO 40 shs B.ss snsS DSs
saSsss ,S s.s TIs h: s.edv.r ,0D %
sam: as natural SLEEP. The bresthins is softer
tic; Ths sense Of feeling is very mpch dulled.
SO that some have even suggested hypnotism
aroused from hypnotic Stunt Der Often rs@aiSs
in hypnotic state. and when in that condition
to Sss s.S es.rg the
Tl eat Pisse Of S!GahT with relish Ss,ea M,
miss all those Ills OF the body over which the
mind has power. because the operator says she
The method Q ipdueins hypnotic slumbs is
to keep the eyes fixed upon some one point
before Miss hiesander. who Was In her bed,
and asked her to fix her eyes upon II. She did
she did 3T not W.h 70 be
resisted for about nve minutes Then she
looked steadily at the watch as asked her TO
do and noticed that as she gave attention to
the watch her asthma grew Immediately bet:
ter; Then gave up the use o, the watch. and
stroiing her forehead with my hand. and
gradually bringing my eyes closer TO hers. so
% them. which is an advantage In hynOtizinG
AltoEeth.r IT was fifteen or twenty minutes
from the time the experiment began TO the
time that she finally tell asleep. Her father.
mother, and sister were In and out OF the room
she had lost coaseioSsnsss ! obssrysd that she
did not sleep with the same deep slum Der that
we're relaxed more as in natural slesr Her
fingers twitchsd and there were some nervous
Alter about half an hour Of this concluded
usual mode Of blowing upon her. She Was At
sad be Saua f:d'd She sn :omp s%:da q s ss
ho%sysr' when i Lett, and was aSist I Inc ' next
day took Dr. Jaeo6y up there IN eonsulta-
ander did not know he was eomiag. He Is
friend Of mine and 10 much Interested In the
study OF hyPpotism. which he also uses in his
this case and advise me As to future expert:
ments upon the same subject The girl had
kSpn ri aud Was AFRAID Of ittthat Was all
When she saw ne she became nervous and
f f6sd ws ss' o Ss' rs astsrfA sHsaG b S
10 go with me to see her. II was mere nsr-
Vousness. Her sisters nervousness Was from
sympathy with her. DR. Jaeoby and talked
the Ease over. He left it entirely to my iudg-
msnt ,WhstheE 10 eontinus, the treatment ON
those lines. HysterieAl PATIENTS are the most
easily influenced By hypnotism, hut that treat
ment is likely 10 render them more nervous.
DIR. Jacoby and Mr.. Alexander both admitted
that the girls asthma Was better Tor the treat
ment bad given her. but, because Of her nsr-
l am inclined TO adopt ChaTeot's suggestion
in cases OF nervousness, which IS that piece
Of metal. q gold coin for instance. be placed
upon the muscle most affected by the witch
Sir. Alexander said that there was nothing
more to the so-cRlled hJpnotic experiment
than holding up watch and looking in FTie-
da's eyes. and that too much talk had been
made over It, His daughter was much better.
hut he thought she was not suitable subject
for any further experiments. Dr. Jaco6y had
called only once. His daughter seemed to hs
afraid Of DIR: LOshingsr. and Mr.. Alexander
had nurssd her Monday aud given her bro
mides 10 guist her. MrA Alexander spoke
highiy q Pr Loe9LngsL's ability and rsPuta-
but DR.. Jaeoby declined 10 diset he case.