The herald., 1896-12-13

1t was about the year 1850 when Mes
mer settled in Paris, and 1t was not long
before the entire population was IN
fever Of excitement. The clergy and the
medical profession were both naturally
much agitated over the results which
Mesmer obtained from the miraculous
bouquet, and after longer or shorter
time an investigation into the effects OF
the so-called animal magnetism was de-
manded. At the command of the king.
the academy undertook to investigate
the matter, and accordingly appointed a
special committee for the purpose. Upon
this committee was Benjamin Franklin,
among others. This was in 1884 and it is
a matter of well-known history that the
final decision Of the academy was ad-
verse, even Franklin, so much at home
with cosmic electricity, failing to recog-
nize the Importance and source Of the
forces under examination. Mesmerism
was declared a delusion. Although the
majority of the committee were opposed,
there was a minority report by Dr. JUS
sieu, an academician of the highest rank,
and the court physician, D'Eslon, who
as eye-witnesses Of the most striking
phenomena, demanded that careful
investigation should be made by the
medical faculty of the therapeutic effects
of the magnetic fluid. Their request was
ignored. The academy disbelieved her
most eminent scientists A second in
vestigation followed in 1925, but met
with no better results. The report was
once more quashed.
AT the time when the Paris Academy
of Medicine was condemning animal
magnetism, DIR. James Braid, a Man.
chester surgeon, according to the scien-
tific mind, directed the subject into its
proper channel, that of observation and
experiment That was in 1S41, and to
him Is accorded the honor, If such it be,
of being the initiator of the scientific
study of animal magnetism. For this
reason" say Messrs. Binet and Fere,
because of the change of method which
he effected, it is usual to substitute for
the name animal magnetism, the word
hypnotism, by which he designated the
artificial Sleep" Magnetism and hyp-
notism," continue the authors referred
to, ARE fundamentally synonymous
terms, but the first connotes a certain
certain number of complex and extra
ordinary phenomena, which have al
ways compromised the cause of these
fruitful studies. The term hypnotism is
exclusively applied to definite nervous
state, observable under certain condi-
tions, subject to general rules, produced
by known and in no sense mysterious
processes and based on notifications of
the functions Of the patients nervous
system"
Very we'll. 1t seems, then, that there
really is a distinction between animal
magnetism or mesmersm and hypno-
tism. To my mind the word magnet
ism" covers the whole subject, the term
animal magnetism" being a restriction
Of the art of magnetism to the animal
plane or sphere; "mesmerism" / should
define as the correct use of animal"
magnetism, and hypnotism the abuse of
the same art. But the words are used
very loosely, naturally, as in some in
stances one state may glide into the
other almost imperceptibly, depending
upon the motive at the root Of the exer-
else of the occult force. The words are
popularity used interchangeably and syn
onymously
revelations to make upon the subject,
to those who are wise enough to accept
and understand, but we hold such con-
sideration In temporary allegiance to pur-
sue few facts which science has found
out regarding hypnotism. At first 1T
was supposed that only weak, sickly,
nervous persons. and especially the hys-
terical, were susceptible to hypnotism.
Later experiences, and particularly the
elaborate statistics of Liebault, Of Nan
cy. have shown that almost anybody
can be hypnotized. A difference, how
ever, must be made between those whom
it is easy and those whom it is difficult
to hypnotize. Among the former belong,
without doubt. the hysterical, but other
wise physical weakness gives no spe-
cial predisposition. The willingness of
the subject, his passivity and power to
concentrate the thought or attention on
the intended sleep, have more impor-
tance." 4
"Age is of moment, inasmuch as 1t is
always easier to hypnotic young per-
sons, especially from Z to 81 years.
"Out of 744 persons Of different ages
who were tested by Liebault In, one year
he succeeded in throwing 6s2 into more
or less deep hypnotic state, SO that only
62 proved entirely insusceptible, and
among those none under IA years of age.
Neither does sex make such a differ
ence in favor Of women as is generally
supposed. Out Of Liebault's 2S7 men
and 46S women, 81 Of each sex proved in
susceptible to hypnotism, which gives
1913 per cent Of men and sc per cent Of
women; thus the difference Is not great.
Climate seems to have the effect of
making hypnotization much easier in
warm and southern countries than in
cold and northern.
1.-The oftener person is hypnotized
the sooner and more easily will he fall
asleep. Average intelligence seems al
SO to be favorable. On the other hand
it is impossible to hypnotize idiots. and
very difficult to do SO with the insane;
but if it succeeds at all with the latter
they can be cured through suggestion.
Finally, it should be remembered that
the fixed idea can be directed not only
to cause sleep, but equally we'll to pre-
vent and oppose the sleep. If anybody
firmly makes up his mind not to be put
to sleep at such time, in such man
ner or by such a person, the expert
ments generally fail, even If they have
succeeded ever so well before, when the
patient was willing and prepared"
l purposely refrain from going into a
consideration of the means or methods
employed in either hypnotizing or mes
suit from such rehearsal and too much
time would be consumed they are
points, too, which would be interesting
only to the professional men, more es-
pecially physicians. A few broad state
ments, however, will carry us over the
history of hyps7otism.
In 1850 the question was again
brought prominently before the French
public by Azam, because, of the anaes-
thesia he produced in hypnotic subject
In 1860 the Academy again opened its
sacred doors to the prescribed question
of animal magnetism. Liebault of
Nancy made some strides in the study
of hypnotism, but he met with many
rebuffs from his skeptical brother ply
sicians. In 1878 the Salpetriere school
began its researches with Charcot as its
color bearer, and here we find science
now working hard on pyschical lines. Let
us rapidly review the field:
We find science has given the word
hypnotism to the phenomena arising
from the ahnOrma1 state prOduced in