The Portland daily press., 1896-08-29

themselves into fantastic groups or fade
into rapidly changing forms. The abnormal
imagination of person subject to light
hallucinations would readily discern weird
phantoms in such a picture.
Drugs, such as uIethane, sulphol, par
aldehyde, etc.. are now used successfully
to produce sleep which to all appearances
is hypnotic. Some foreign hypnotists use
ether and chloroform to induce hypnosis.
Recent experiments indicate that there is
great similarity between hypnosis and the
action of hasheesh, as we'll as the newly
tested mescal, which is used by certain OF
our western Indians to produce frances.
Phenomena very similar to hypnosis is now
noticed also during thhe ordinary sleep pro-
duced by simple anaestheties, and the ques-
ton is being asked, Do anaesthetics produce
hypnosis? A member of the Royal Chemical
Society Of London recently demonstrated
that man possesses two distinct conscious
nesses. He says that persons under the in
1luence of anaesthetics, while not conscious
of what is happening at the time of the oper-
alton. are sometimes able, several days
after, to describe in detail what was hap
pening to them. What he calls he "worka-
day consciousness was absent at the time
but the'' subliminal consciousness he says,
was present during the operation. Hence
anaesthetics destroy the former and only
postpone the enregistering of the sensation
conductors controlling the latter conscious
ness. 1t may be that this "subliminal con-
sciousness''is the one affected by hypnotists.
SENSITIVE TO DRUGS.
Recent labratory experiments have also
been made to ascertain the effects of drugs
upon persons in a hypnotic state. Some SUBJ
jects are found to be SO sensitive to drugs
while in this condition that they comfort
themselves in various ways when the sub
stances are not applied directly, but merely
held in proximity of their skin, not even
touching it. Some chemical substances,
even when sealed in tubes, will cause sensi-
tives to alter their bodily appearances and
physical co ditions, producing violent con-
vulsions, Authorizations, alterations of the
pupils, changes in the pulse beats, symptoms
of joy, grief or anger and other emotional
conditions.
The influence of color upon hypnotized
persons has also been tested in the labora-
tory by subjecting sensitives to rays of light
passing through various screens of different
colored glass. Blue light is found to produce
sadness, red light Joy, yellow light strong
affection and violet or green light variable
conditions. Charcot used sudden ray of
intense light as one means of throwing sem
sitives into the hypnotic state.
just as these instruments for producing
hypnosis are applied to the sense of sight,
other physical methods are applied, in its
induction, to the senses of hearing and
touch. The conditions does not seem to be
induced by stimulations of either taste or
smell. Charcot threw some of his subjects
into hypnotic states by the sharp and sud-
den sounding of large gong The ticking
of a watch has been used with the Same
success by others, the sensitive being re-
CURED to concentrate his mind upon the
sound, just as he does upon the seeing of the
revolving fans OF nickel ball. The monoto-
nous chants sung by semi-civilized nations
are ound to produce the same effect.
STROKES AND PASSES.
For creating hypnosis through the sense of
touch, strokings OF pressure upon the skin
are resorted to by some hypnotists, while
others apply warm plates of metal to differ
emit parts of the body. Physicians realize
that warmth induces natural sleep, while
coldness tends to prevent it. Some foreign
hypnotists maintain that the crown of the
head, roof Of the nose, the thumb or elbow
are most sensitive to hypnotic stimulation
by touch. Some merely scratch the skin of
the neck or touch the forehead. The cleo
trio battery as been resorted to by few ex-
perimenters, who claim that it is successful
as an inducing agent 1t is said to cause the
same imaginary effect as the magnet.
1t is now an easy matter for certain hyp-
notists to transform natural sleep into hyp-
motto sleep without the subjects knowledge.
Thus one who goes to sleep in a public place
may never remember what foolish actions
he has been made to do during that period.
Hypnotic suggestion is the latest phase of
this whole subject which is now interesting
expeirmenters. A sensitive, under hypnotic
influence, receives command from the
hypnotist which he will obey on awaken
ing, although he is Unconscious of ever hay
ing received such command. This power
is used by physician in Massachusetts,
who is said to be able to stop the most Sc
we're pain by suggestion. Several people re-
port to the Society for Psychical Research
that he has given the suggestions before
they have gone to the dentist. With the
result that their dentistry has invariably
been painless. Experiments are now being
in education. Its medical value has already
been proven in France. where such condi-
lions as nervous insomnia, sonambulism,
kleptomania, laziness and various forms of
moral degeneracy have been cured by its
means.
USES OF HYPNOSIS.
The power of suggestion as an agent in
crime is now being talked about in this
country. Men are believed to have been
hanged for committing murder while acting
under hypnotic influence from another.
Some celebrated medico-legalists have pro-
posed that laws should be passed defining
the responsible murderers in such cases. In
such an event hypnotism will be as bother
some plea of defense as insanity is today.
The dangers threatened by the vicious or
careless hypnotist have become legally real
lied in France and Russia. In the former
hypnotism is forbidden for purposes of pub
lie amusement, and in the latter no persons
except licensed physicians can practice it.
1t is said that so Der cent of the neop1e in