Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-10-11
4 NEW ANAEsTHE1IC FoN pzN7I5fs


4 NEW ANNEsTHElIC FoH DEN7Isfs
minnesota Sfate Dental Association Con.
siderana Its Use.
Some OF the best dentists of Mimi
esota believe firmly In hypnotism and
approve of its use in their practice. Sew
eral of them now eInployit successful
ly as an anaesthetic IT looks as
though hypnotism is to become pow
erful factor In modern dentistry. In spite
Of all opposition. says the st, Paul
Pioneer Press.
These facts were developed by an in
teresting paper on 'Hypnotism in Dem
tistry'' read by DR.. Edward H. Haas
of st. Paul before the Minnesota State
Dental Association yesterday afternoon
during a session of it's convention, now
in progress in the Ryan block. DR..
Haas spoke strongly in favor Of
employment of hypnotic influence in
many cases of operation. Many pres
ent supported his views, while others
opposed them. The sentiment of the
meeting seemed to be about equally
divided
After reciting briefly the history Of
hypnotism for many centuries to the
present time, when there are two
schools of hypnotism, one teaching that
suggestion and that other than fixa-
ton is the principal element Of the con-
dition, he declaring that a person can
be hypnotized, having demonstrated
this to his satisfaction bv repeated ex-
periments. He defined the will as de-
sired, and argued that In proportion as
person desires not to be hypnotized
to that extent is 1t impossible for the
hypnotist to accomplish his object.
THE dangers Of hypnotism," he said,
ARE not of a physical nature, unless
carried to excess by ignorant or un-
scrupulous persons. in which event de-
creased power might be a result. But
is not this true of either chloroform or
ether or other agents used to produce
anaesthesia? Is not the patient far
more helpless under the influence OF
either of the agents named? 1t is a
we'll known fact that either of them
has produced death, which charge can
not be laid to hypnotism''
The essayist proceeded to prove that
it is impossible to extract teeth and
perform minor operations of almost any
character by means of hypnotism with
out pain to the patent. The extent
of the anaesthesia is governed largely
by the degrees of susceptibility on the
part of the patient to the hypnotic sug-
gestion, this varying greatly in differ
ent subjects. He has frequently proved
the efficacy of hypnotism in his prac.
tice by extracting teeth and excavating
cavities preparatory to filling painless
ly, which operations without it's aid
would have been unbearable. He grants
that there is moral danger in the use
of hypnotism, which concession he pro.
nounces the most powerful argument
why reputable professional men should
make use of 1t, taking it out of the
hands of quacks and charlatans.
DR.. G. v. 1. Brown of Duluth dis
| cussed this interesting and somewhat
startling paper at considerable length
| citing cases in support of the doctrine
| set forth He stated that he felt from
| the imperfect knowledge Of hypnotisn
| possessed by the average professional
man its use might be dangerous ST
used atSall,' he said, sit should be uset
| intelligently and for proper purposes
|
| c. M. Bailey of Minneapolis, VIII,
| thought that much harm might be don
| by unprincipled orators. DIR. c. H
| Stearns of Zumbrota took very de
cided stand against hypnotism on NOR
al grounds. DR.. F. B. Kremer of MINI
eapolis, after defining many technica
terms in hypnotism, discussed man,
misconceptions regarding the actual in
fiuence. He described it as the result
of either a vital or. a magic force trans
mitted from the hypnotist to the sub
| ject, but a force inherent in every hui
man being and possibly in the lower an
imals. "All that the hynotist does,
he said, cor can do is to direct another
in the use of faculties he already DOS.
sesses' He cited in support of his
doctrine cases of auto-hypnosis. In
conclusion he took the position that 8
dentist, on account of lack of time
| for the proper preparation Of his pa.
tient, cannot afford to use hypnotisn
| in his practice. The discussion was
closed by the assayest, and the subject
| Da SSed