The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-12-06

RdoCs Ollcy are UNWILLING w give up Olu
theories for new facts. Lord Bacon
very beautifully expressed this
thought in the following: The hu-
man mind does not sincerely receive
the light thrown upon things, but
mixes Herewith it's own will and pas
sion, thus it makes science to it's
taste, for the truth that man most
willingly receives is the one he de-
sires.'
The editor of the Arena said in re-
cent editorial, during the past
thirty years there has been a gradual
accumulation of incontrovertible evil
dence, revealing hitherto undreamed
of possibilities of the human mind"
This applies well to the subject under
consideration. Old boundaries of men
tai limitations have been broken
down, demonstrated actualities have
entered the wool and web of popular
superstition, and legendary lore.
We have number Of systems of
psycho-therapeutics, based on many
theories, each one giving indubitable
proof of being able to perform cures,
which in my age would almost seem
miraculous. 1t would seem, then,
that there must be some underlying
principle which is common to them
all.
We have a physician in
our own city whom l have seen on
several occasions hypnotise patients
and say to them, Nov there is no
feeling in your hand or your arm, you
will not feel the prick of this pin, "and
he would then thrust pin into the
flesh without the patient fiinching
re hn6
come out of the stage of hypnOtism
they have told me That they felt no
pain whatever from the pin thrust in
to the flesh.
More wonderful than all this, at the
Salpetriere hospital the back has been
blistered by putting postage stamp
on 1T, and suggesting to the patient
that it was fly blister.
Another remarkable feature of the
hypnotic condition is the carrying out
with absolute accuracy post-hypnOtic
suggestions, e. G. l may say to pa
tient while in the hypnotic state, TO-
morrow at four o'clock you will have
a severe toothache. The patient
comes out of the hypnotic condition
and is entirely oblivious to the sug-
geStion made TO her, but at precisely
the time suggested the tooth begins
to ache. Some one has beautifully eX-
pressed this principal in the follow
ing: "ln some conditions the human
mind receives upon it's marvelOuSly
sensitive plate impression much as d
monograph receives and treasurers
up the most delicate notes of the hui
man voice."
The facts which | have stated can
be verified by experiment on almost
any hypnotic subject. How the sub
jective mind controls the functions
and sensations of the body mortal
man can never know, neither physio-
logy nor cerebral anatomy can tell us,
it is simply scientific fact which is
susceptible of demonstration.
A prerequisite to the successful
treatment of any case by physchO-
therapeutics is the confidence of the
patient in the ability OF the physician
to cure his disease, or alleviate bis
suffering You can call this faith if
you wish, and requisite is perfect
passivity on the part of the patient.
The success of the ply
stefan in this as in all other depart
ments of our profession, depends
largely upon his knowledge OF the
idiosyncrasies of his patient as upon
the correct diagnosis of the disease,
and after examining him in the same
manner, and by the same means that
he would were he going to administer
drugs, he simply hypnotizes him
either partially or completely and
then proceeds to administer his doses
by suggestion. Most all intelligent
persons can be hypnotized, if the con-
ditions are right. Let me repeat,
there must be confidence in the ply
stefan or operator, and passivity on
the part of the patient. The patient
is then caused to close his eyes, con-
centrate his mind upon one thing, e.
g. sleep, and soon the physician can
begin to make suggestions. The OBJ
jective faculties must for the time
Sleep, and this may be attained in the
manner above indicated. 1t is con-
centration, it is fxity of the mind
This is attained at the Salpetriere in
Paris by having the patients liked
their attention on bright revolving
object. 1t is srid that the women OF
Brittany put their babes to sleep by
hanging little glass ball on the top
of the cradle so it hangs in front OF
their eyes. The impression made up
on the hearing by the continued MUIR
muir of the waves. or by monOtonous
and slow utterances induce sleep, and
hypnotic sleep does not differ from
natural. How the signing of the
wind through the lofty pine tops, or
the gentle patter of the rain upon the
roof, or the bubbling noise of the bah
bling brook will soothe and put US to
sleep. This is but form of hypno-
tism. Who has not hypno lied him
self and sank into pleasant slumber
by counting the tick of the clock, or
the chirp of the Katy-did?
Having induced sleep the physician
or operator proceeds to suggest the
idea OF recovery from disease with
which he is affected, and the whole
science of mental healing may be
expressed in two words, passivity and
suggestion The idea of sleep must
penetrate the mind.
We must not loose sight of the fact
that the patient must be in a recep-
tive condition mentally, and that he
can do much toward his cure by auto
suggestion of which he may or may
not be conscious. Herein lies the eff
facacy in not a few instances. The
patient takes the drug, is confidently
assured by his physician that such
and such will be the effect, and the
j