The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-04
BEATS THE KELLEY
Tobacco Smokers Some times Yield
to the Power of Suggestion.
slaves 10 the Habit for Nearly Baf a
Century Succumb 70 the Magic
Influence OF O EIanlpula-
tor of Eeu,

influence OF q EIan!pula-
tor of Den.
Hypnotic influence may be made to
serve innumerable uses. Among the
very latest is that of taking away the
taste for smoking. 81 confirmed smok-
ers know what absolute suffering is in
Volved in an attempt to forego the cigar.
pipe and cigarette. They may, there
fore, be relied upon to take peculiar in
terest in two cases recently treated by
B specialist abroad, the details of which
20 20 prove that if a man desires to rid
himself of the smokers habit and other
methods fail hypnotic suggestion" is
capable of achieving the desired result.
The first case, says the New York
Herald, is that of q smoker sixty-three
years old, who was a slave to tobacco.
he began the habit at sixteen, and con-
t:nued il, without break, for forty
seven years. He lit up as soon as he
RwOhe in the morning, and until he fell
asleep at night there were few intervals
Ia which he was not vigorously engaged
Ia blowing Z cloud. He had made some
attempts during recent years to moder-
ete his passion for tobacco, but without
success. The warnings of his physicians
were ii vain.
They went so far as to tell him that
he was showing symptoms OF lesion
OF the stomach, which might turn into
cancer, and that this was due simply
to his abuse OF the weed. They also
promised him a complete cure if he
would only stop smoking. But it was
of no use After making one or two
intellectual attempts be resigned him
self . the ineyitablc, and smoked more
obstinately than ever
At this stage the hypnotizer-thatm ma
gician of modern medicine-appeared
on the scene. He offered to try the
effects of suggestion. After some hest
tation, the smoker consented He be-
lieved himself doomed man. but he
was willing TO give this last chance Of
salvation a trial
The Doctor held up the index finger
of his left hand. In less than three
minutes the patient was fully hypnO-
tized. Then the suggestion was made
to him: Your desire for smoking no
longer exists. From this moment you
will not give another thought to to-
bacco. YoG viii smoke no more cigars,
cigarettes or pipes. You viii refuse all
tobacco. cigars or cigarettes that may
he oaered you by your friends To
bacco VIII disgust You"
The patient joyously announced the
next day that he had not smoked since,
Rnd that he had no desire TO do so.
ITO ascertain" said the doctor. il his
account Of the treatment, whether he
was resolved, in accordance with the
suggestion Of the day before, 10 refuse
any offer of tobacco made to him by
another person, took box Of cigar
cites out of rly pocket and offered him
one. He gave decided refusal. I
begged him 10 try 10 smoke, bat he
would not. Then | III cigarette in
his presence. and. leaving the open box
in front of him, went on 10 talk of
other matters, but nc did not make
single allusion TO tobacco. He seemed
to have forgotten all about it,
4 friend called a few days later to
see the former smoker, and, knowing
nothing of what had taken place, Of
fered him cigar. II ys2s at once re-
fused, ana further the hypnotic subject
proceeded, much to the others aston
ishmeht, 10 make a present to his friend
of I'll his own remaining cigars, de-
claring that be co2ld no longer bear
the SIGHT of them. The ooctor con-
cludes the history Of the case by saying
that The curc has been permanent.
The Other instance Of this novel use
Of the power of suggestion varied in
Some interesting details from the first.
The patient was q man of forty-siX,
who was an inveterate cigarette smoker.
He had begun when fourteen years old
and smoked on an average of twenty
cigarettes q day. He felJ that his
health was suffering. and last October
he was hypnotized at his own request
The suggestion made to him while in
the hypnotic state was:
-"Iour desire for smoking has dis
appeared. You viii smoke no more
cigars or cigarettes, and VIII accept
mono from Others. If you try to smoke
u cigarette You VIII be i'll"
The hyrnoais:n took place in the
morning. Tbs sane afternoon the pa
tia,it felt desire 10 smoke. No sooner |
did he try to do 50 than he was affect
ed with feeling of nausea and with |
construction OF the throat. lie was
obliged to throw away the cigarette, |
which he had only just lighted.
He made no further attempt TO smoke |
that evening. but the following day ne |
tried on three occasions. and each time |
with the same unpleasant consequences |
81 far the suggestion had only par
tieSy influenced him. The next day
the third-it ceased To influence him at |
all, and he WAS able to smoke again rs /
as ever.
Forthwith lie was hypnotized again,
and the first suggestion was repeated. |
The result Of the second attempt was
all that could be desired, for from that |
time to the present the patient has not
smoked.
Thrifty Prince.