The herald., 1897-02-14

woman Is one of the easiest to receive
suggestion of this nature, and at the
same time the hardest.
This seems an odd enough subject for
volatile France to plunge into head over
heels, and yet savant and commoner
both seem to look into it with the same
degree of interest the professional in
stincts of the first being counterbalanced
by the curiosity of the other. Expert
ments made by the most famous French
hypnotists show the singular fact that
in spite of the supposed inferority of
woman to man in point of nervous and
physical organization, 1t is third easier
to place a man under the influence of
hypnotism than it is to induce woman
to accept hypnotic suggestion.
Perhaps the leading mind among the
French scientists who have devoted
their attention solely to hypnotism is
Dr. Liebeault. He has paid particular
attention to the difference between the
sexes in the matter of acceptance of hyp-
motto suggestion. A series of expert
ments at Nancy, the doctors home, ex-
tending through twelve months, firmly
established the truth of the assertion
made regarding the sexes During the
time mentioned, DR.. Liebeault caused,
| by hypnotic power. 6S2 persons to sink
| into deep sleep. 1t was shown beyond
question that the influence of the scien-
| tist upon the person in point of sex was
! exactly in the proportion stated.
Opinions differ widely as to the reason
for this. 1t is generally thought, how
ever that 1T is because the mind of wo-
man lacks the strength of that of a man.
lit is often true that a person of exceed
ingly nervous temperament, lacking in
measure ability to concentrate thought
Is very poor subject for the hypnctist.
This Is shown by the fact that 1t is rare
aly possible to actually hypnotic a per-
son whose mind is unbalanced. 1t is, as
. matter of fact almost impossible to
place person under hypnotic influence
unless the mind of the subject is passive
and is acquiescent to the wish of the
hypnotist
Dr. Liebeault whose portrait is
given herewith, Is, as stated, the leader
of the scientists who have made hypno-
tism the study of their lives. Whatever
he says upon the subject may be accept
ed as the latest and most fortified opin-
ion of those whose views regarding hyp-
nOtism are worthy of consideration. 1t
Is. therefore, no ordinary statement
which follows. just as 1t came from the
lips Of the distinguished savant and
made as the result of a request to en-
tighten the American people regarding
the latest and most convincing facts re-
garding hypnotism, the majority of
which will be found entirely new to the
on-Scientific reader:
ut may surprise you to know" said
DR.. Liebeault, that it is possible to
hypnotixe 95 per cent of mankind. The
remaining per cent are imperyious to
the direction of the hypnotist, let him
be Of as strong mind as he may. All
these persons who are susceptible to
the influence of hypnotism are not af-
fected to the same degree, by any means
The influence OF the hypnOtist on woman
is very different than upon the sterner
sex. 1t is more difficult for woman to
fix her attention upon given object
than for man to do so. Just why this
Is cannot tell. OF course we all have
our theories. This much we know that
woman does not possess the power
OF concentration given to man. That is
my explanation.
You see this is the case Persons
who are easily distracted, who, from ma
ture or training. have not the power Of
fixing the attention or concentrating
thought, and persons in agitation, those
who are heavy and dull idiots whose
brains lack the power of understanding
what is required of them-these are the
least capable of hypnosis.
THE central idea of hypnotism is sim
pie enough. 1t is merely making sug-
gestion to a 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 re-
suit will be the same as if it came from
the individual himself. To do this the
subject must first be placed in the hyp-
motto state. When in this state he is
practically asleep.
The process of placing subject in
the so-called hypnotic state Is simple,
despite thf crest Efforts which have