The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-21

to certain person instead of that person
making the suggestion for himself The
hypnotist must be able to impress that
suggestion on the mind of the subject so
thoroughly that the result will be the
same as if it came from the individual
himself. To do this, the subject must first
be placed in the hypnotic state When in
this state he is practically asleep.
Inc process of placing a subject in the
so-called hypnotic state is simple, despite
the great efforts which have been made to
! cloak II about with mysterious rites and
organizations. When one wants to produce
| hypnosis in its most ordinary form he
asks the patient to fix his eyes upon the
orbs OF the hypnOtist, that is. himself
rms IS the first step towards concentra-
tlon; The subject is desired in this way
TO free himself from direct excitation
such as light, sound and touch. In order
10 produce this it is necessary for a per
son TO possess the faculty of concentra-
uon., In other words, it requires a strong
mlnd to gradually slacken mental ac-
! This state of affairs being attained. the
operator or hypnotist then, by means of
hypnotlc suSges ton, gradually induces the
spuDJeGt TO thlnk OF sleep, and with the
thought comes slumber. 1t simply amounts
70 TINS: Sense and activity are subtract
ca from the subjects mind, and in their
pace IS sleep. That is all there is of it,
once the subject accepts the suggestion of
the operator it naturally follows that he
VIII accept suggestions other than those
winch are tirst given. Yet, according to
my belief, it is absolutely impossible to
make person who is hypnotized perform
a crime. No person can be hypnotized
against his viii: / am fully aware that
IN saying TINS l am contradicting gener-
ally accepted beliefs. Yet / do nor hes
itate to say what l have said is NOT only
true, but that the statement is the result
OF thorough, extensive and complete in
yesugatlon and experiment. 1t is no de-
ducuon from theory, but fact, fact, fact
4 GU ask me why man cannot be in
uuceu 10 commit crime while under the
lnhuence OF hyphotists. Simply because
me power of the hypnotist does not ex-
tehd that Tar. a person may be made to
Decome thoroughly insensible to pain and
ms mind may be turned in various direc-
tlonS, up to a certain limit, but that limit
reached, then halt must be called; the
nypnouSt finds himself incapable of fore
inS further action on the part of his sub
1ect While he may make the subject
mink OF crime by Offering such a sug-
gestion, he cannot force him to commit
action of that sort.
1T IS very plain to any hypnotist who
mas mas gwen gwen the subject thought and who
mas tested his ideas by experiment that
hypnosis as applied TO women to relieve
them of frightful pain is of inestimabe
Talue. For instance in the matter of
therapeutics, IT is exceedingly useful.
You see, for centuries it has been adj
mitted that there was no medicine that
equaled sleep. Therefore the doctor who
can place his patient at a critical time
under the influence of hypnosis is really
giving her an opportunity to find in that
blessed C oblivion the relief that can be
gained In no other manner except by the
use of anodynes. ] am sure that there is
no woman who would object to being
placed under the influence of hypnosis if
she understood how beneficial IT would he
to her under such circumstances
Il do not hesitate to make the asser-
ton that hypnotism is of far greater ben
etlt than the ordinary sleep Neither
sleep nor medicine can approach in power
the effect OF thought reacting by sugges-
ton upon the organism. of course the
hypnotized subject is possessed of but
single idea-whatever may have been sug-
gested by the hypnotist. If it be a wo-
man, she is practically isolated mentally
from the world about her. She possesses
no thought, no knowledge of the pain she
Is really enduring. Under the influence,
then, of his suggestion the nervous force
of the subject, liberated freely from or
accommodating in certain organs OF the
body reacts without hindrance upon the
morbid affections to which il is directed
and that often with a prodigous intensity
which seems to work miracles. The sub
ject wakens at the proper time al the
suggestion of the hypnotist, and has no
recollection or idea that she has been
subjected to great physical strain.
1T is not true that hypnotism is dan
gerOus, provided that the power is ex-
ercised by fit persons. But if the would
be hypnotist is not a proper individual
TO use the wonderful power, then his in
fuences is evil indeed
Il would say that the successful hyp-