The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-21
WOMEN DEFY HYPNOSIS.
MEN MORE EASILY INFLUENCED BY
HYPNOTISM.

LfebeauIt the French HypnOtist,
Finds That Women Can Defy His
Powers where Man Is a HOPELESS
Victim-Cause Is Mystery.
Paris Letter in Chicago Times-Herald.
The popular mind is absorbed in new
study. one which is almost startling in it's
results. 1t is the effect of hypnotism upon
women. The deeper one delves into the
question, the greater becomes the interest
1t might naturally be supposed that hyp-
! motto suggestion would be largely the
same in effect and result regardless of sex
That is not so. The greatest hypnotists of
the day have taken the matter up and
| have demonstrated, by experiment, that
woman is one of the easiest to receive a
suggestion of this nature and at the same
time the most difficult.
Experiments made by the most famous
French hypnotists show the singular fact
that in spite of the supposed inferiority
of woman to man in point of nervous and
| physical organization it is a third easier
| to place man under the influence of hyp-
notism than it is to induce a woman to
accept hypnotic suggestion.
Perhaps the leading mind among the
French scientists who have devoted their
attention solely to hypnotism is DR.. Lie
beault. He has paid particular attention
to the difference between the sexes in the
matter of acceptance of hypnotic sugges-
ton. series of experiments at Nancy,
the doctors home, extending through
twelve months, firmly established the
truth of the assertion made regarding the
sexes. During the time mentioned DIR.
Liebeault caused, by hypnotic power 682
persons to sink into a deep sleep 1t was
shown beyond question that the influence
of the scientist upon the person in point
ted.
II is generally thought, however, that it
is because the mind of woman lacks the
strength of that of man. 1t is often true
that person of exceedingly nervous tenn
permanent partially lacking ability to con-
centrate thought, is a Verp poor subject
for the hynotist. This is shown by the
fact that 1t is rarely possible to actually
hypnotlze person of fact, almost i'm
possible to place a person under hypnotic
influence unless the mind of the subject
Is passive and IS acquiescent to the wish
OF the hypuOtiSt.
DR.. Liebeault is the leader of the sci
entists who have made hypnotism the
upon the subject may he accepted as the
latest and most fortified opinion of those
whose views regarding hypnotism are
worthy of consideration. 1t is, therefore,
no ordinary statement which follows, Just
as II came from the lips of the distin-
Suished savant and made as the result of
a request to enlighten the American peo-
pie regarding the latest and most con-
Vincing facts regarding hpynotism.
1t may surprise you to know" said
DIR. Liebeault. "tnat it is possible to hyp-
notize % per cent. of mankind. The re-
naming per cent. are impervious to
the direction of the hypnotist, let him
be of as strong mind as he may But all
persons susceptible to the influence of
hypnotism are not affected to the same
degree. The influence of the hyDnotist
on woman is very different from that upon
the sterner sex. 1t is more difficult for a
woman to fix her attention upon a given
object than for man TO do So Just
why this is l cannot tell, and there are, of
course, various theories. My explanation
would be that a woman does not possess
the power of concentration given to man.
Persons who are easily distracted who
from nature of training, have not the
power of fixing the attention or concern
trating thought, and persons in agitation,
those who are heavy and dull, idiots
whose brains lack the power of under
standing what is required Of them-these
are the least capable of hypnosis.
The central idea of hypnotism is simple
enough. 1t is merely making a suggestion