The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-11-19
A NEW CURATIVE POWER.
EYPNOTISM A POTENT REMEDY
FOR DISEASES.
The Fact Demonstrated Before the
New York Academy Of Medicine
A Doctors Experiment.

New York Academy Of Medicine
"A Doctors Experiment.
TYHE New York Academy Of
! Medicine, Section Of Neuro-
l logy, is deeply interested IN
the experiments being con-
Quoted by j. Arthur Booth to demon
strate the value Of hypnotisu in the
cure of disease. Dr.. Booths work,
say the New York Recorder, has
been done in his private practice
among patients Of bis own or those
which have been sent to him by other
physicians. DR.. Booth, at meeting
of the Academy of Medicine on Satur'
day evening, gave practical demon
stration Of his methods Of applying
the hypnotic treatment. He was &C.
companied by very pretty young
woman, p member Of q wcl-knoTD
family. who had consented to act as o
subject for experiment. before the mem,
bcrs Of the Academy She had been
DR.. Booths patient, and lsd been
cured Of " very annoying malady by
hypnotisn. The tc~hnical name Of
the disease is mydriasis, which is q
morbid dilation of the pupil. Il Was
confined largely to her right eye ct
first, but when the right eye was im-
proved the disease extended to the
left eye, and the treatment WAS given
regularly until both eyes were re-
stored tosa normal condition.
The young woman seemed to be
greatly amused at the interest taken
in her. DR.. Booth. after cxplaining
the nature Of her case, stepped in
front Of the woman and held e bright
key several feet from her eyes. He
directed her tc fix her gaze On the
KEY, and slowly moved toward her a
calm, peaceful expression came upon
her facein less than minute, and the
key was brought SO close to her eyes
that they became crossed. Dr.. Booth
passed his left hand gently across her
forehead severa! times, talking to her
quietly, ana hcr head slowly dropped
until it nearly touched her Lett shoul-
der. Her breathing became heavy, az
if she were in deep sluulDer. She
was examined by the physicians near
he., and they we're all satisfied that
she was sleeping anil under the con-
troll of DR.. Booth.
The operator said the woman was
then in the first stage 0: the hypnotic
sleep, and in the condition where she
could he Influenced b. the suggestions
which are used IN the place OF drugs
to cure disease. He raised her arm,
and at his suggestion it became rigid.
She could notmoveit. DR.. Namm"cA,
who was inclined TO be bit skeptical
and possesses more than average
strength, found that it re4ui:ed the
: exercise O.; all his power to over the
arm to the wo,nau's side. When he
released it it few up asif it were on a
spring: Then Dr.. Booth told the
: e. IAN that her arm vas lump and
lifeless and she could not RAISE it. Her
arm fell to her side, and It seemed to
be without feeling.
Dr.. Booth then explained that the
practical cure Of disease vas. made IN
the same way as tro suggestions III re-
lat;on to the condition OF Ecr arm.
TIE patients were told while il a
hypnotic spell that they did not have
the disease from which they we're suf-
lering, and upon being restored to s.
normal condition the disease III the
patient is sensitive 10 the hypnotic
power disappears.
Dr.. Booth has mad large experience
with patients suffering rom various
disorders due to bYsteria. Hysterla,
according to Dr.. Booth, is condition
of the general nervous system which
renders ii capable OF Stimulating noss
local diseases, com2iicati1g them IN
tL,eir progress and modifying them IL
their usual phelomena.
DR.. Booth has treated i've cases OF
hysteria. four women AMI one man,
which induced the patients 70 sluu-
late blindness in one or bHta eyes.
They were all pu5 aader the lnH1enee
OF hTpaotis;n by d.. Booth from SIX
to twelve times, and iour OF them ware
completely cured simply by hypnotic
suggestion. They we're told that
nothing was the matter with their
eyes, and when their KIN Is werc caoa'
BIZ, of appree;a:ing their condition
they were cured. While undergoing
the hypnotic treatment ior iuc eyes,
Que OF the patients got ri'l OF tape
worm. Hvpaotism failed to cure one
Of the patients for the reason that she
had been so long under the menta!
impression that She was blind that the
disease was actually established.
"A great many Of U.s." sali DR..
Booth, "are prone TO look upon
hypnotism sg either belonging to Che
domain 0: uuacke7y, Or believing that
it requires some special power, hesl-
tate to take advantage OF this method
OF treatmcnt. The time has now
passed for any such argument: and any
physician who vii! take the trouble
to study the subject will obtain salts
factory results in certain cases. We
possess in suggestive therapeutics an
Important aid in the treatment OF GER
tain morbid conditions, but jnst how
valuable this may be cannot be cstl-
mated until it is more general y used
and the results reported. Instead OF
waiting and trying other methods
first, would recommend the trial by
bypnotis,n. The use OF hvpnotism by
the intelligent physician, in the cure
o. certain morbid conditions, does not
produce any bad effects, notwithstaoa'
ing reports to the contrary"