The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-01-09
q 1H171KI711y0
1.,s1rEl' I:OOM'' IN a NEW YORK
HOSPITAL.
rrpb,n rs Walls Patients Pass Into
Peaceful slumbers-Tbcy
Awaken Eully Restored
to Health,

basement of the New Yorl
Post Graduate Hospital. The hospita
ontho-it;;cs have officially named it The
"Slcep Room.
It IS here that the mucl-scoGcd-aI
hrraot:c power proves to be q BLESSING
tn the afflicted. Pain is banishcd and
Measure takes its place. The most
distressing operation becomes to the
sufferer q matter OF ccngratulatlon.
The doctors say that people. as q
nile, haze : very erroneous idea O!
brcpotisn and its effects. matter
oi fact, hypnotism is like all other
novcr.ul influences, capable of being
Idirerted into channels Of evil, as we'll
as.huse of good. Hypnotic suggestion,
when brought about by the proper
persor, is never injurious III its effects,
because great care is taken IN selecting
subject, to ascertain if he or she Is
OF such temperament as would suffer
from hypnotic influence. If it is
learned that nature has 80 constructed
the patient that evil might follow
hypnotic suggestion some other
method is tried.
Ur. William P. Wilkin, man of
much learning and exceedingly we'll
ycrsea IL modern thought as it relates
to medical science, has made q special
study Of the Sleep Room and its effects,
which bis regular attendance at the
hospital has given him ample oppor-
tunity to Investigate. The facts that
ere stated IN this article so far as
regards the technical details of the
treatment are related by Dr. Wilkin.
They are strange, indeed, Illustrating
as they do what was long considered
the !arclful theory that the influence
of mind over matter, and mind over
mind, could ,bc brought to the aid Of
the disciples of Galen.
Thei.; is nothing in the first glance
at the Sleep Room which indicates
that anything Of an unusual nature
happons there. Its very plainly fur.
Dishca, being practically bare of
everything but benches along the wall,
o iea comfortable chairs and several
screens. A .distNlct method lies in
this pla!nness, for exceeding care is
taken that there shall be nothing in
the room to distract the patients at.
tention in the least from the person
from whom the hypnotic suggestion
comes. It is well known essential OF
successful hypnotism to concentrate
the patients attention. This is the
central idea Of the entire arrangement
Of the room. Just how the patient is
treated. just how hypnotism is re.
garded by the medical profession, IS
explained in DR.. wilkins own story.
u may say" said Dr.. Wilkin, "that
my experience in treating q certain
line Of diseases has been such that the
pre!;:dice first felt in employing this
method, 9 prejudice quite prevalent
among the profession OF this country,
has been entirely removed, and I fully
believe in the benefits to be derived
BY hypnotic suggestion properly en-
plcyed. Hypnotism has great value
IN treating certain diseases, though
Its place in therapeutics is peculiar.
My feeling is that its value is more
striking in its effects tEan wide in ap.
plica5ility.
1.-The method I employ for inducing
the hypnotic sleep is the one in most
general use, and is commonly referred
to as 'Bernheim's method; it is very
simple. IN the first place 1t is SO ar~
ranged, as far as possible, that every
condition will favor the development
OF the thought we wish should domI-
nate tie patient, namely, that lie
sAcaId go 10 sleep. 10 this end, then,
must be considered the mental state
OF Tie patient. the attitude Of the oper-
a'of' $ld the environment. It is my
cp'n'cn that revolving disks, or any
methods OF seeming mystery employed
l9f the purpose of inducing the hyp-
nolic sleep, are an imposition on the
patent. lrrefer to influence him by
apieeailng only to his confidence ind
intelligence.
:, 1t Is explained then to the patient
1lA'' 101 the proper treatment Of his
W. ulsessc' he is to be hypnotized; that
.aa treatment, it is believed, will be
:. IN its results, and that Ger.
~. .a'n'y there is nothing unpleasant IN
'ao employment of it. His ncrvous-
a'SS ana any scruples or fears are over
souo ~ q reasonable explanation of
o u o0!ect and method, or by any
aae'aS suitable to Individual cases. We
= 10 secure his entire confidence and
" Place him ut case.
-, me attitude of the operator only
a a.eu oe quiet, confident and firm. Any
~ !, oresitetion or uncertainty
u ~ us part IS communicated immedi-
assly to the subject. There should be |
h., uo'Se IN the room, and it is proba-
wy wy more favorable to have the room
il n7s darkened. Then the patient
n, n, p;aceo IN q chair sufficiently easy to
s no physical constraint his
nv ."" rests against the back of the chair
f. :sS'nst the wall, be Is directed to