The morning times., 1895-07-21
Modern HypnOtiSnl
III AT The French Capital.


it, and did not fail TO interest his conferee
IN. his task, and he collected about him
school or servants who were willing To
admit that there was something in this
strange Influence, and that il was worth
while to find out what il was. OF these
men, Dr Luys is Sy far the best known,
and has been the most successful in his
efforts 10 reduce the chaotic mass of
known facts about hypnotism into some
thing approaching order and usefulness.
And DR. Lays SAYS:
The dnagers of it are appalling. have
studied faithfully but can See no way in
which they can be mitigated. Nor does the
future deem TO promise any way. cannot
but feel convinced that while we have
undoubtedly found valuable aid omedi-
cine, and while we may have found an eX-
PLANTATION for most OF the tings which have
made science wonder during the ages IN
hypnOtism. still we have also found III
it the most horrible of all weapons for
evil doers Criminals of all kinds from the
merely brutal 10 the magnificently sklllful
may find iu the trace and Its accom-
paniameuts the method by which they may
do any crime, any wickedDesS, without
running the slightest risk OF discovery
The eman who know ws what this really amounts
70. gasps when he thinks of it. 1t is not
less than appalling.
The conversation thus begun was carried
ptal. / asked him TO outline hypnosism
and what has SO far been accomplished in IL
1T may be called the influence Of mind
over matter" said ne. Indeed, he
continued smilingly. almost all science
might be defined in the same way. 1t is the
subjugation Of one VIII power by another.
Roughly speaking there are three states IN
lypnntism First comes the lethargic state,
which is merely sleep. Second, comes the
fp no
state. Thelastis the highest of thehypnotic
states.
In the lethargic state the skin and
the mucous membranes are insensible, the
body is perfectly lax. A raised limb falls
back limp and heavy if dropped. Respir-
alton is deeper aud quicker than normal
| The spinal chord is greatly excited.
From the lethargic state IL rs very
| easy 10 throw a good subject into the cata
leptic state. This is usually done merely
| by opening the eyes OF the subject The
change is instantaneous. If one eve only
/ Is opened the change viii only affect that
! side OF the body. strangely enough, il is
| true that in the hypnotic state each human
| heing is divided longitudinaIly. The two
| sides seem to be more or less independent.
| For instance, a subject whose one side has
been pat into the catalcptic state VIII
! hold an arm absolutely rigid on that side
| in any difficult and normally impossible
| position. while the other arm-on the side
| which Is stil in the lethargic state-is as
| limp and nerveless as a rag. The Cata-
| lepiic side OF the subjects face may smile,
! while the lethargic side frowns. or vice
versa. TIE cGta!cptic state is characterized
| by the "staiuesque" condition. The eyes
| are open and staring. Respiration has
| almost ceased. Muscular Intelligence, vision
and hearing are only partly deadcned. The
muscles viii retain any position into which
1 they may b., placed. no matter how diff
| cult or unnatural. without apparent IA
tIgue. Intense riCidity OF the muscles is
| possible. If YOU place a Cataleptic sub
| Ject's muscles in certain positions n analo-
| gous effect viii be produced upon the
4 brain. as for instance, If YOU raise IN arm
| and close the fists, in the attitude of a
| fighter, the subjects face viii soon as
| sumo an expression of wrath and the whole
| body and mind viii apparently adjust
| itself to the idea OF combat IT, on the
| other hand you raise one hand lightly 10
the lips in certain way, the idea of throw
ing a kiss is communicated to the mind OF
the subject, the lips smile, and the whole
! person adjusts itself quickly sto these
new conditions.
'Fromthe cataleptic state the subject may
be thrown INTO the sonInambuliStic state by
skin and the nucuous membranes are in
Srnsibleto pain. but the senses are otherwise
developed TO a high degree The mental
faculties are intensely active The hyp
I noticed subject may be said 10 be automatic,
/ but To act under the direction OF the hyp
notizcr'S VIII After awakening no re-
membrance of what occurred during the
somnambulistc state remains in the sub
icct'S mind
1T Is the last stage-the sonlnambUlstiC
Stage-that most of the results ofhypnotism
have been obtained That is, the stage into
which The operators (who are still, believe
permitted to give public exhibitions in
America, although they have been very
wisely stopped everywhere elsel, cndaevol
to throw their subject A subject in this
stage Will act absolutely commanded to by
the person in control; Will believe what he
is told 10 believe, VIII see what he is told
TO see, will fail TO discern what he isforbid
den 10 see, though the object be directly
before his eyes"
TO what practical beneficial use has
] hypnotism actually been putt" / asked
we have used it in the Paris hospital
as fully as possible, and are still expert
n.euting constantly What we have
! achieved has been mostly by suggestion
For instance we find a patient who is
suffering from melanchoDa ! should say
here that the proportion Of persons who
are susceptible 10 hypnotic treatment is
smaller than is supposed One must be ot
a nervous temperament to make a gooc
hypnotic subject. A melancholy patient
placed under hypnotic control is bade to bt
happy. While the command is in fUll force
the melancholy. of course, passes away
Then comes the sugge estion. SO far every
thing has been direct It is suggested
to the patient that the reason for her mel
ancholia does not exist, and VIII not eXis
tie next day, nor the next This is KEEP
| up constantly. The effect is certain to b,