The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-07
PLACE YOUR ADVERTISEMENT IN TAE
.HYPNOTISM and CRIME F!
The Subject Discussed by the MedicO-
Legal Congress.
WIDE DIVERGENCE OF OPINION
A Baltimore Physician Tells of Having
Caused Bank Cashier to Steal $40, 900
While Hypnotized- Deadly Bacteria
as an instrument of Murder

NEW YORK, Sept. AT the medico legal
congress DIR. Gibiur said that bacteriology
should be very carefully considered from
criminal point of view, for bacteria could
be used more easily and with more certain
deadly results by murderers than arsenic,
antimony or any other poison. Bacteria
could be turned, " said he, ''to moro deadly
account than dynamite. Any plague or
disease could be introduced by the mere
throwing in water or milk Of cultivated
baccilis Bacteriologists should keep their
civilizations as carefully locked up and un-
der watch as their persons"
The afternoon session was opened with
the reading of paper by Clark Bell on
hypnotism in the courts of law. Mr.. Bell
sent a letter to several prominent physi-
clans, asking:
"Can crime be committed by the hypno-
tizer, the subject being the unconscious
and innocent agent and instrument? If
the subject is unconscious, and even un.
willing, has the hypnotizer such power
and domination over the hypnotized as
could control action to the extent of the
commission of a crime? Is it possible to
remove by hypnotic suggestion from the
mind of the subject all memory of acts or
occurrences which happen in the hypnotic
stateY Would it be possible for hypno-
tizer to so control hypnotized subject as
to, for example, make him sign a will in
the presence of a third person, declare 1T
to be his will, and to request them to sign
as attesting witnesses, and be afterward
wholly unconscious of the occurrencesY Or
note of hand or a check?"
Replies in the affirmative were received
from several eminent professors, while
others, conccding that persons in a hyp-
motto state are constantly amenable to con
troll by suggestion, denied that hypnotism
has any place in criminal jurisprudence as
a defense for crime. Mr. Bell pointed out
| that it appeared that the majority of med
ical men in this country did not recognize
/ hypnotic trance as an existing fact. The
lawyers and judges were on the same
ground as the doctors. In the countries OF
Europe the contrary was the fact and men
of the highest character and professional
attainments devoted their best efforts tC
its study and elucidation. As it was with
the professional men, so it was with the
people.
Professor Carl Sextus of Chicago, wrote
to say that a natural criminal could bC
made to do criminal acts under hypnotic
influence, but not person of real mora
worth.
DIR. William Lee Howard, Of Baltimore
said that hypnotism was a reality. HI
gave several instances of hypnotized per
sons in Baltimore, including his owl
servant, whom he sent to a neighborinl
physicians to steal everything the docto
had. He restored the fellow while he haC
the articles still in his possession. Th
doctor confessed it affected the mans braiI
somewhat, but he always took care, excep
on this occasion, to get the subject bacl
into good mental state before he com
pletely restored him. The doctor ais
hypnotized bank cashier and made hin
steal $4,000. He performed an operation
in the Johns Hopkins university with tn
patient under hypnotic influence, Hyp
notism was Invaluable as corrector o
morals.
DIR. Grover, of Massachusetts,, told Of
young lady in Boston who had tendenc
to tuberculosis being cured by hypnoti
influence