The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-07-18

MN Is frequently sufhient for this. The
Importance of this idea is shown nv fine
TACT mat no hypnotist has ever made n
SUBJECT of one who was aware of his MIR.
pose. 10 face unmoved the confident look
Oh one believed 10 be able to hypnotize
would be impossible with many. For what
hypnousm as it it usually understood?
strange and mysterious region. where
the visitor is led on by Elusive visions
or lett to grope amid grOtesque forms: q,
bourne from which no returned traveller
mas ever been able to tell how he went
There, save that he was Carried by an ir
reSistible agent. Many will be excited
by the possibility of being forced to make
similar journey. The fascination of an
nntmed danger leads to compliance with
the hypn0tistS demands. Excited over
the idea of a novel experiences, half dread.
lngs its responsibility, the subject is now
waiting to see how it is going to feel"
and his whole attentionis directed towards
ms sensations. This state of mind win
greatly heighten the usual effects of exer-
tlolh sudden senSory expression, pro-
tracted attention, the uncomfortable
feeling arising from constrained
positions. Some such result mar
arise from the manipulations Of
the operator. Their real cause being
misunderstood and greatly exaggerated
| Observation-Disclosures,
are presented to the mind as evidence of
the presence and operation of the an
lcipated agent. The alert operator de-
| tectS from expression of his subject that
| some such suspicion has arisen in his
mind, and his confident look, sudden COM
mand, quick, imperative glance are taken
as further evidence of his complete over
| throw and necessary surrender. Being
told, it may be, that he can not now do
| nnfN1n 10 ,,L III
ed by the audacty of the proposition. He
hesitates, turns again his attention to
himself to see what is his condition; for he
can not put forth a volition if there be
| the least suspicion that it can not be eX-
ecuted. This state of mind further
heightens his feelings, and they in turn
further decrease the possibility Of his
forming correct judgment. But judge
he must; for, as Balm has said, sit is q
standing weakness of the human mind to
| pronounce general opinions under the
pressure of the passing moment" Under
such pressure and form such data the
opinion formed is quite likely to be that
| the suspect power has always seized upon
him and that further resistance is useless.
If such be in substance the way in
which this belief arises, it shows why the
operator alone is obeyed why he alone
can restore to the normal state, why so
many methods having apparently nothing
in command are about equally successful
1t further shows that success depends not
so much upon the method as upon the
skill of the operator, the preconceived
ideas and mental habits of the subject
1t also explains why small children, idiotI
and lunatics can not be hypnotized.
In the practice of faith cure" mag.
nctic healing" and christian science"
there must be conformity to the same gen.
ernl principles. If the admission must be
made, that like hypnotism, they are based
upon natural laws and are capable of pro-
ducing certain physiological effects, the
same admission embraces the pratices of
the African "conjurer" and Indian ''medi-
cine man." And il we accept the conclu-
sions of such competent observers as j.
NJ Buckley, and others, that these artc
| sometimes cure certain classes Of disease
we must condemn them ON the ground
that, like all therapeutic agents, they be-
come dangerous when in the hands of one
too ignorant to diagnose the disease, and
unable to determine whether in partlcu-
lar case his agen will be productive of good
or evil. 1t is very generally agreed that
AN of these are often followed by evil
consequences, and that they should be pro
hibted, save when under the direction of
competent physicians. by no amount oil
legislation could they be entirely sup
pressed; but by proper education they
could be made impossible. III their real
nature were understood by those upon
whom they were attempted, they would
never fall under their dominion. Ihe
truth would make them free!