The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-22


ty impressed this most notable investi-
gator since Mesmer's time, but is boldly
held ont as the base on which the
school of Nancy rests I'VE find
Liebault, Bernheim and Brullard, {"
as well as Forel, of Zurich, offer
ing this view and treating
hypnosis as an ordinary sleep
their hypothesis being that a per-
son who falls asleep spontaneously is
en- rapport with himself, while hyp-
Noticed subject is en- rapport with the
one who hypnotized him. and this in
their theory is the chief difference. As
there are two classes of dreams, So
there are two conditions of hypnotic
consciousness, ta) the light and (b) the
deep. In the deep hypnosis the sense
delusions are almost identical with the
sense delusion in dreams; as regards
the mode of origin of suggested dreams.
and the origin of the suggested sense
delusions of hypnosis, they are identi-
cal. In hypnosis, as in sleep. the stimuli
are enormously overestimated by the
consciousness, l. e., drumming with
the fingers on the table suggesting a
military band to the dreamer. etc. 1t
depends. however, much on the charac-
ter of the subject what the interpre-
tation given to any stimuli may be-
The uncorrected Interpretation given
TO stimuli which reach the brain is a
phenomenon of both sleep and hyp-
notisIn. As to sequence in dreams. and
the fact that they can be logical, and
are frequently SO, we find many cases
where the dream consciousness carries
on some planned mental work, show
ing that there may be logic in the men
tai processes in sleep, and adherence
to the dominant idea of wakefulness
even in dreams. We find the
same logical processes in the hyp-
motto subject, where the mental
process works out logical sequence
to the dominant thought. which is the
suggestion made by the hypnotizer
The activity of the muscles in sleep
Is often an automatic continuation of
movements begun awake. We find that
certain external. stimuli may cause
movements during sleep that imply con-
seriousness, i. e., where experimenters
have uncovered the sleeper's body, he
will frequently recover himself without
waking. If tickled with feather he
will rub the part so stimulated. We
find children viii turn over in sleep
when told to do SO without awakening,
and that many persons will readily
answer in sleep questions put to them
by a familiar voice, as is frequently no
ticed between mother and child.
The resem alliance between hypnotism
and somnambulism is SO great that the
name ''somnambulism" is used for
both, hypnotism being described by
Richet and others as artificial somnam-
bulisn, while somnambulism Gas we find
it in the sleeping subject is described
as natural somnambulism.
Prof. Flint, in his very exhaustive
treaties on physiology, after a rather
full discussion of dreams and their
causation, gives his opinion as follows:
1--WE may have dreams which are not
due, as far as can be ascertaiDed, to
impressions from the external world re-
ceived during sleep"
the dreams whose origin Prof. Flint so
vaguely hints at that we owe the in
st;tution of the Egyptian. Grecian and
Roman oracles. We find that in di-
vinatory magic the Babylonians had
the most laborate code of rules; that
Egypt and Babylon We're the chief
sources whence the world acquired
L. e he IVo ,.ha ~
the occult sciences so called. Which
knowledge, when it passed into the
custody OF Greece and Rome. was con-
solidated, and by them grated on our
occidental civilization.
But the ancients have hardly out
done our modern and middle period
seers in the Importance given to this
subject dreams. On this point
would recall to the reader the large
part they play in both the Old and New
Testaments. DIR. ". NJ. McLaury. of this
city, wrote a pamphlet on "Halluci-
nations and Decisions in which, after
deyoting some space to the discussion
of dreams. he concluded: Dreams and
visions comprise an important part OF
the sacred Scriptures. All inspired
writer's seem TO have been impressed
with the Importance of these evidences
of spirit manifestation. The penta-
teuch, the prophets, the apostles, all
dwell with minuteness of detail upon
this phase of evidence of supernatural
inspiration"
After the reader has waded through
the foregoing | invoke for his mental
recuperation sweet sleep:
Sweet sleep be with Us one AMI ALI
And II upon its stiffness fall
The visions Of q busy brain,
Wen have our pleasures o'cT again,
To warm the heart, TO charm the sigh:.
Gay dreams 20 all. good night. good night"