The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-11
A FOE OF HYPNOTISM.
aIrs. J. G. Wood Protests
Against the Practice.
Says 1t Injuries the Minds of
Youthful Subjects.
Tells Some Startling Things She Has
Discovered After Studying Hyp-
notism for Several Years.

"About 500 young men are hypnotized in
Topeka annually by travelling exhibitors -
said Mrs. J. G. Wood to a Journal re-
porter yesterday afternoon. 1.-The peo-
pie do not appreciate what a harm is be-
ang done by this practice. No one that
is ever hypnotized is ever thoroughly free
from the evil effects and the more per-
son is hypnotized the worse the result,
and the result is lasting. 1t is not a
passing injury, but it remains with the
subject through Hfe.'
Mrs. Wood is a close student of hyp-
notism- She devOtes the greater part of
her time to the subject and has surround
ed herself with a large number of au-
thorities on the subject.
There are three schools of hypnotism, -
said Mrs. Wood. ''and although they, each
one. claim a. different way of placing the
subjdEt in a hypnosis it is essentially the
same process with each one. It is done
with the eye, and the eye alone. Some
use mesmeric passes with the hands, but
it is for effect.
L commenced the study of hypnotism
three years ago, and since my beginning
have found out many things that are
not divulged by the travelling entertain
ers who claim to be well versed in the
scientific rudiments of the art. 1 am
studying it from the very bottom, and
when I shall have finished the study 1
intend to be able to explain the reasons
and the causes so that a mere child can
be able to understand it thoroughly.
Prof. Flint was the first who gave me
any ideas on the subject. 1 called on
him while he was here after had at
tended one of his exhibitions. He told
me many things that he does not divulge
to his audiences. 1t is one of the worst
practices that can be perpetrated upon
the growing young man. The best re-
suits are obtained from subjects under q
years of age. A person who has been
subject to hypnotic Influences before he
or she becomes of age can be more easily
handled by the performer after they be
come older. It is much easier to hyp-
notize a person in his teens than it is
TO bring older person under the in
1uences of hypnottsm. In my opinion
male can be hypnotized easier than
female. My reasoning is this: that there
is memory in the nerves all through the
body. The hypnotic suggestion is given
TO the subject and is received by him
at the base of the brain, but not through
the brain. 1t is carried through the
nervous system to the various parts of
the body. For instance, if suggest that
into the nervous system through the ear
and is at once carried to the arm with
out the aid of the brain. The memory
of the nerves in the arm prompts the
arm to carry out the suggestion and to
strike. Now in the case of a young lady.
I think they are stronger physically than
q man and weaker in belief. They do not
believe that they can be hypnotized and
they do not carry out the suggestion as
arNF rNE
the man he is weaker physically and
stronger mentality and does as suggest
ed"
DO you think that person would COM
init crime from a hypnotic SUGGESTION
asked the reporter.
Yes, I do. The. people who give exhi-
bitfons say they will not. The reason is
given. of course, to protect them. Sew
eraI persons who claim to be able to hp-
notize a subject thoroughly have tried
1t, but several of them know could not
thoroughly hypnotic a subject. A sub
jeet will not do what they are not ia
miliar with. person might never have
committed murder, but they are familiar
with murders by reading of them and
they know how they are committed. a
subject could be told to strike another
person with some weapon at u o'clock a
night. They would not remember that
suggestion as a person would that was
not hypnotized. but it would be like Il
person in a sleep. A person that is used
TO getting up at o'clock in the morning
wakes at that time. The brain keeps in
mind the thought that the body is to be
awakened at that time and the awaken
ing takes place. So it is with the sug-
gestion. At Z o'clock the person remem-
bers their instruction or suggestion to
strike and they will do it.
Il 7
intend to give parlor talks to the ladies
of Topeka and to instruct them in the
evils. so that they will keep their chill
dren out of the clutches of the travelling
hypnotist and in a short time expect to
give some lectures and to divulge some
secrets about hypnotism that will be
startling to those who have never given
the subject a thought"