The herald., 1894-11-20
HYPNOTIC HEALING.


Very few people are aware to what
exten. hypnotic treatment and sugges-
ton have been carried in therapeutics.
Most of u, have heard OF instances
which have attracted local interest and
comment, but even these have not been
very we'll authenticated or understood.
! There have been Published more than
one hundred treatlses on the suhjsct
| during the past year. and the general
public may be prepared at any time to
/ hear that medical science has adopted
aid engrafted into it the general prsc-
lice OF hvpnotism. Perhaps the most
striking work on the sui j,ct is the new
book by DR.. j. Grossman of Berlin,
editor OF one of the famous medical
journals OF the day. He priAts com nmu.
n.cations from thirty of the most emi.
rent professors and physicians in
Europe, giving ths result OF their ex-
perience in the application OF hypnotic
suggestion to the healing OF disease.
Thus Van Csden and Van Reu.erghem
Of Amsterdam report that from May 5,
1887. to June 30. 1898, in the institution
under their charge, 109S patients were
sutjected TO this treatment; of these
20 2S per cent were eniirely curod, %. SO
per cent permanently improved, 81 "
per cent slightly betterei, 1871 per
cent unaffected. and in 9.lS per
unknown. DR.. Wettersirand of Stock
holm has used this method of medical
treatment in 1000, and DR.. Bsrnheim of
Nancy in II. 900 cases. and both express
themselves strongly in favor of it. In.
deed, DR.. Bernheim does not hesitate to
declare shat the study OF hypnotic sug-
gestlon should be made obligatory in all
medical schools, and that nowadays a
physician who ignores the psychical
element in disease. and has no knowl.
edge of the part it plays in pathogeny
and therapeutics, is DO better than q
householder, and should confiae him.
self to veterinary practice. Anothe.
important point brought out by DR..
kratft-Ebing Of Vienna lie the influence
OF "autosuggestion" in the production
morbid conditions of this kind that have
their origin in the nervous system and
are indicated by pains, paralysis, and
other symptoms of hysterical, hypo-
chrodriac. and neurasthenic sffsc-
tions, is astonishing. Although not
merely imaginary complaints, they cease
with the removal of the "autosuggestive
cause" which may be effected by any
change of ecene banishing it from the
thoughts or by heterosuggestion (Fremd.
who may impart i. verbally or in the
disguise OF a dose of medicine. In obsti-
nate cases, in which the autosuggestion
is firmly intrenched in mental imbecil.
ity, superstition. morbid appettes and
passions, inveierate habits or abnormali.
ties OF character, recourse mus: be had
to bypnotism. That the great majority
OF mankind are capable of being hypno-
tized is shown by the experiments OF DIR.
Freiherr Won Schrenk- Notzing of Munich
on sos persona OF different nationsli-
ties. of whom only 6 per cent proved to
be entirely unsusceptibie.
The basic truths in this whole busi-
ness are perfectly we'll understood by all
physicians and not a few OF their pa
tients. There are those who believe
that this power can and will be success
fully used in dentistry and the more
common cases Of surgery. But whether
this ever come about or not, it is OF the
first consequence to know that it will
henceiorth have the place in therapeu-
tics to which it is manifestly entitled.
The good reeults directly flowing from
an intelligent use of this potent factor in
the healing art will be at once appreci.
sted by every one; while the remoter
effects, il the practice become settled
and as effective as most of its advocstes
believe, will be OF tremendous signifi-
cance to society. 1t cannot be doubted
that in this line the quack hes had the
field mainly to himself in the past, and
has been able to deceive the patient
and the public, to his own enrichm ent
and to the disparagement and dscredit
OF the general profession. More than
the. He has made use OF the most
sacred names and functions of religion
Itself and dishonored and disgraced
them ali, by means of the simple forces
of mind now juat coming to be under
stood and invoked by the faithful seeker
after truth. Let us hope that the ordi.
nary fakir and more detested spiritualst
"healer" will find themselves held at
their real value and the educated pro.
fession take on the character it is
entitled to bssr. Tremendous RESPONSE
blities will come OF such prodigious
changes as seem to be foreshadowed by
the probable early coming OF general
hypnotic healing.