The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-10-20
GULLING THE PUBLIC
THE CONFESSIONS OF A PROFESS
SIGNAL "HYPNOTIST."

Impostures of Humbug.
Mr.. Ernest Hart, editor of the London
Medical journal, who has made a particu
lar study of morbid pathology, has an in.
teresting article in The Century on THE
Eternal Gullible, With Confessions of
Professional 'Hypnotist Mr.. Hart
says he does not deny the physical facts
of hypnotism and it's heteronyms, but he
considers the general Interpretation Of
them erroneous.
Some little time ago, says Mr.. Hart,
was the recipient of the confessions of
professional subject, who bad come to see
the error of his ways, or, as l fear is more
probable finding his occupation gone for
your Subject loses his commercial value
by overuse), was not unwilling to unfoldth
story of his professional life for a con-
sideration. They are unfortunately too
long to give in full, but l may say that
the original documents submitted to me
prove that in the most noted hypnotic ex-
hibitions given on public platforms at
the Aquarium in London and other places
of amusement the performers, both hyp-
notizers and hypnotized, are, almost with
out exception, conscious humbugs going
through a prearranged SHOW" and, to
quote the Yates sacer of the heather Chi
nee, 1.-The same with intent to deceive
In the inner circles of the music halls the
line" of the professional subject is,
find, as well recognized as that of the con-
tortionist or any other variety of mounte
bank. He is engaged in the usual way,
and his earnings are proportionate to his
professional skill-that is, to his power of
quilting the groundlings. Nor, taking
into account the disagreeable experiences
which he has to go through, can it be said
that his line of business is particularly re-
munerative. His muscles must be under
extraordinary control; his palate must be
disciplined to tolerate and his stomach to
retain such delicacies as castor OIL mus
tard, cayenne pepper, paraf1in and ipecac
uanha, and he must bear pain with the
impressive stoicism of an Indian brave.
1t is clear that professional subject
must not only be born, but must be made,
and to the making of him there must &C
an amount of trouble worthy of a better
cause. His professional equipment must
include some measure of histrionic ability,
as in his time he has many parts to play.
Above all, he must, like the Roman au.
gurs cultivate a command of countenance
which shall prevent his laughing outright
In the faces OF his dupcs.
My interesting pendent has allowed me
the privilege of seeing his business CORE.
spondence, from which the story of his
professional life from year to year can be
extracted. According to these documents,
his first introduction to mcsmerism was
at St. James hall. This important event
is best described in his own words:
''When | first went to the above show,
l was sitting among the audience when Il
mesmerized subject rushed up to me and
said the place was on fire. He tried t.
pull me away from my seat, but | would
not go, till at last Mr.. - came up and
awakened him. AS l was leaving Tho
building that subject came up to me anC
! apo!OgiZcd for the trouble he had occasion
ed me. He asked me whether l woulC
have II ticket for the following evening
He gave me Il ticket, and ! came AGAR
the following evening. When | saw him
again, he asked me if | believed in it.
answered yes. He asked me if l thought
could do the same / said no. He sai(
he would teach me if | liked
My pcnitcnt has been endowed by nature
with countcnancc which resembles Pin
dar'S verses in being significant to Tho
initiated" am therefore not SURPRISE
that he was quickly recognized by TIL
sympathetic intuition of Il kindred spiri
as one born to hypnotic greatness. In hi
modest ditiidence as to his capacity in tina
direction we may recognize the "uncon
seriousness" which, according to Carlyle
is u distinguishing attribute Of the high
est genius. An appointment was made
for the following morning at an address
in the classic region of Drury lane, ant
there the neophyte received his first lesson
when | came there, saw half dozcr
other young fellows, who Went through
all sorts of tricks. Mr. - was not pres
ent. Then he presumably the amiabl
subject who had Gi&ccrncd the latent pos
sihilities in our friends expressive physi
ognomy) told me to sit down and close IN,
eyes and pretend to fall asleep, and IN
stuck needle in my arm and asked if i
hurt much. | said no. After few NOR
tricks, like falling from my chair, | was
asked to come up for ono week for ID shil
lings Being without employment, | ac
cepted. When l came up for the first TIM
on the stage, the mcsmCrist tried to pu
me 10 sleep, but l did not (sic), as l wa
afraid"
Some further tuition was necessary, an;
for Il short time the candidate was no
uilSltu W w any tIIliS vi wv SthSc bN
yund going to sleep, in the mcantlm
learning different tricks at the seminar.
in Drury lane. He was an apt pupil, ant
very soon he was able to do several thing
which he had been taught, such as laugh
cry, smoking tallow candles and being
fireman" The rapid progress of our her
is proved by the fact that apparently with
in a couple of weeks of his being taken il
hand by the principal of the Drury Ian
academy aforesaid, whom he calls hi
'agent and trainer" he, in his Owl
words went through catalcpsy (sic), OF
drinking, needle and all other tricks.
In the course of time we find our nov
fully nedged subject" whom | will cal
L., performing with well known profcs
sor of hypnotism ut the Royal Aquarium
and elsewhere. He seems to have been n
first taken on trial, but having gone t.
Sleep been pierced with needles and DRUM
glass of "paratlin mixture" to the salts
faction of the mesmcrist, he was ENGAGE
as regular "subject" at Ell los. week
By this operator l.. was, in his own words
put in catalepsy" (sic) and had two fel
lows laid across him, with the maste
himself on top.
In fact, SO promising a subject was h
considered that he was selected by tn
professor for private demonstrations
Having been seen talking to gentleman
in the Aquarium, he received a seriou
caution from his employer not to revea
the fact that he was pretending to be un
der mesmeric influence and not to g
tn anyhodyS priyate house - Dresumabl