Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-09
Not Hard to Put Birds, Cats
and Dogs in a Trance.
A FEW TRIALS ARE ENOUGH.
There Is Danger, Though, in Care
less Treatment.
RUDE AWAKENING is A MISTAKE.
The Shock Produces Violent Paipitatian
of tho Heart md Is Sure to Cut
Short the Subjects Life.

subiecta. tho hypLotism OF animals has beer
Hide noticed even by tho scientists whoss
ilfe-study has been nehmeric phenomena Il
has long been claimed that tne tamera and
trainora OF wild beasH pursued their yoea'
ton In comparative safety becauso OF mes-
merle Influence cxerled by them over the ami
mails under their charge. BE this as II may,
tho hypnolauon Of one Of the lower order
OF animals Is much more easily accomplished
than when the subjeet Ia human.
Although tho nero act Of sending an anil
NAL to sloop Is quite almplo enough for a
child TO perform, a certain amount OF prac-
uec Is necessary before any one can hope
70 accomplish much in tho way Of Derfor-
nance. This ia duo mainly 10 difficulty Of
communication for, save In the caae Of in
tclligent petg words carry no meaning.
While general rules may DO laid down for
hypnouzing any class Of animals. experiment
alone ahows the best method with partlcu-
lar subject For instance, a cat owned by
tho writer will aleep within very few Sec
ondA II while held on the lap It's ears are
drawn forward with tho thumb and second
finger and the first finger ia presscd between
tho eyes. Another cat finds no pleasure IN
thia proceeding and Ia aroused to fighting
pitch by the operation.
- ." NttAAAAA'Hf tsAh va tAlNiANNA tAAAAAAAAAh-
ton. seemingly with truth. that tho ani-
mails most easily hypnotacd arc those OF
The lowest order OF intellect mud that the
susceptibility to hypnotic Influence decreases
in direct proportion to the lncrcaso OF intel
lgence. While this COMEDIES IN some re-
specta with tho theories OF Mcsmer and
poaalhly OF even Charcnt. careful expea-
meniug does not confirm IT, For lnStaueo
a monkey, which "a OF certainly greater In
tolligencc than a kitten or a duck. Ia hypno-
tized In about one-half the time nocoAary
10 nffect either o. taess animals Yet a
rat Ia more easily affected than a dog. Thla
fact is the one most frequently cited In sup
port OF tho theory.
For practice In animal hypnotzation
bird ia by long odds tho most convenient
subject Tho Kind matters llttic. pigeon.
dove, canary OF sparrow an annworing
equally well. Hold tho bird by tho iega In
mo ioft hand and grasp Ito bill between
no right thumb ana hgHt fanEer. Turn
tho head over 30 that. but Tor tho crown
Of tho sir,ill, tho bill would touch about The
middle OF tho back. Draw tho head, sun
IN thla Inverted position. to ono side aud
TUCK II uudor a wing. THIS 10 the method
pracuccd by no-culed cOniurors In ordinary
sliEe performances rhe bird In this posi-
tiol 70 unable TO move and will therefore Ito
quietly Va tho palm OF tho magleian'a hand.
ille mead soon ulidca from under tho wing,
however, and tho bird comos to lifo again
none tho worse for It's experience. This
performance ~ simply trick 20 which the
word hypnousm haa been applied for busl-
heal purposes, Not tho Elghtesl meamoric
phenomonon Is connected with IL In any way.
no properly hypnotiso bird hold II Sc
cufely but gently In tho hand. back down
ward. iaEo calmly ana nXedly into ts
eyes. Tho lttllc creature will al nrst
struggle 20 escape, but after minute or
Two II bccomea quiet On hrrt attempts
some Qliiiculiy may be experienced In fxing
mo birds gaze, but tho Irresistible faaclna-
tlon Of the human eyo Is bound to make
itaoif fclt In tho end. aud the tiny uubiect'a
eyes no lsngcr wander.
This accomplished begin very slowly to
loosen tho grasp. An tho pressure growa
lighlor, the bind comes more undar the in-
nuehce q mo charm exorted by the firm
Ialn OF tho operator The pulsatona OF iia
body now readily dlFtlngiiahahle In tho
nnEurA, become moro rapid, tho iora com
tract aliShtly, and tho nm.iike lids draw
over tho odsoa Of the eyes. Che pressure
OF tho grasp muHt at this stake be praotl-
eally nothing, or there Is lltile chance OF
obtaining hypnotlzauen. Not Il II not de-
nifable TO l0oson tho grasp entirely, or tho
sensation OF rolling, as tho body k pretty
sure 20 40. IN tho palm az tho hand might
iuliy awaken the half-dormant faculties OF
tho tiny organism. In tho course OF a few
mlnntes-two, i've. OF even ten--lho eyelids
VIII have entirely closed. sun mold the bird
carefully for two or three minutes, by the
end OF which time 1t "a fair 20 proaume that
Approximation h complete.
In ths State the bird may be handled
freely with gontlenosa. Hold BY a FOOT.
head downward, Its body is entirely linn
and iiexiblc like bird just shot. Tho
neck IL eNtonded beyond tho shoulders
the head swings freely, and the feathers
droop from their smooth outline. The
bird may be tossed around without fear of
awalsing, 10 long 40 no direct pain is In.
nicted. Later. after frequent hypnotiyA-
lion, slight pain VIII be borne, apparently
unnotieed Any sudden shook viii, how
over, awaken IL THIS ~ the method used
most frequently In restoring a bird 10 con.
suiousness although Il has always aeomcd
u particularly cruel one. Aroused thun
bird exhibits tho greatest terror. lha hosrt
palpltauon inorcaseH materially. nervous
uemors spread through the body, and
plainuvo erleu OF fright are uttered Thls
hysteria. for such Il appcara 10 be. lael.
frequently inward Of m hour, and fcr two
Ni NtrN iAfse ntNl AuefNaid tho Bird
Aeatecly touches is food.
bird subjected constantly to thia tsNat-
mcnt scarcely lives ever thre, or ro,,r
months. although tho violence Of these nt- |
taekl docrcagcs with their repetition II |
y Iar moro humane to allow the bird "a |
sleep on tho olccta OF hypnotlgatlon than |
70 auomp, alouslnB 1t by the brutal method
" n"'Ni,. eINN Aut itNo cfNatufO IN ita L
cage, With q bit OF cotton to lle on, and IN |
a., AZ hour Or Two e will n as say and
nsead OF worse for its sleep.
Alter gaining proficiency IN tho hypuoti-
tation q birds, PISS on 20 cats. Th.se |
are moro dialguit to influence at ara, I'M
once thoroughly hypno,ixcd, they arc ever
after easy auhicots g1s wv
Although any one Of dertn methoas
may be used 10 produce nv. hvunafic
uAhee She~ono which. an a rul<. yroves
mJt auceesslui and speedy n not uniiI,e
mat emnlcycd In mesmerslng birds rhc
operator. seated IN an easy chair hcids
tne c1t on It's back between M isnerg
nis lett hand clesncd loosely around IN
sn,naIs throat It's chin rostint in the
mellow between tho thumb ana the erst
lhter; Rhia position prevents lhe animafn
ka1s irom wandering TO any great extent
ehq enables the eSpeFlmenttr N more
1nithly risst that eRao on his own cyrs
INC right hand may be employed In sns,ly
Iapp.ns et sefstchlng the cats head. Meaf
iplinsh enjoy TITS and VIII remain pasaive
a isns aN II 10 contuued. Ahsomte oule,
should prevail during the trial, NN'e'
Two or three attempts am wonsr,it,.
neoeAaaf, ofilfe tho subject s,iect.,nhl ~
tNfiy 20 the hvpnollc Influence lr..-,.f 80.