The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-24
CURED BY HYPNOTISM
CAD BOYS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
MADE GOOD IN HYPNOTIC
SLEEP
SUGGESTIONS OF REFORM

SUGGEST1UNS Uf hEcVhh
Given to Children While Under the
influence of the SpeII-Prof. Ar
thur Macdonald Says Cases OF
KIeptomnnia, Lying, Biting of
the Finger Nails and COwnrdice
Have Reen Cured by HypnOtism.
AZ will describe some recent experiments
which show that in hypnotism we have
valuable means Of breaking children OF
bad habits" said Prof. Macdonald,
noted hypnologist and specialist on edu-
cation of the abnormal classes, DAY Vi
two ago, in Washington, D. c. The Paris
Society of Hypnology, of which FroI.
Macdonald is a member has designated
him as a delegate to an international con-
gress of hypnotists, being organized as
feature of the exposition of 1900. He is
a well known American student and
writer upon hypnotic subjects and has
studied hypnotism under Charcot, Bern
helm. Forel and other European masters.
During hypnotic sleep" Prof. Mac
Donald continued, suggestions of re-
form have more weight and deeper ana
more lasting effect upon the child nina
than during the waking state. When thus
repeated they develop the faculty OF con-
centration and correct evil instincts In
vicious, unruly and obstinate children, In
capable of the least attention and Of the
least application.
"Of course there may be as many rea-
sons against the use of hypnotism IN the
education of normal healthy children as
there are reasons for its employment IN
reforming bad, vicious and sulky ones.
1t is not always we'll for the normal
childs mind to be made susceptible to the
domination of another mind, but in the
case of the abnormal child hypnotism
should be resorted to when other re-
forms have failed, and then should be ap-
piled only under the direction of a compe-
tent physician.
BAD HABITS CURED.
"I know of cases Of kleptomania, lying,
biting Of the finger nails, cowardice, fear
of the dark-indeed, of many other bad
Notwithstanding lately been cured by hyp-
motto suggestion. Such cases have dem
onstrated that it is even possible, through
N@4-A
dren, change their characters, form new
habits, increase their memories, awaken
natural aptitudes and improve their per-
ceptive powers.
The first step in hypnotic reform is to
test the natural suggestibility Of the child.
In a new instrument devised for such
tests a piece of wire is so placed that the
hand of the subject can readily grasp it.
Electricity is admitted to the wire by
switchboard, so constructed that the
movement of turning on the current can
be simulated without really allowing any
electricity to enter the circuit The child
first takes hold of the wire and feels moth
ing unusual. The operative makes con-
spieuous movement of the switch and the
wire becomes slightly heated. The switch
is then turned off again, the subject ali
the while being questioned as to whether
the wire is cooler or warmer.
This is repeated several times until
the operative makes another conspicuous
movement Of the switch, which this time
does not close the circuit. If the subject
be susceptible to suggestion suggestion
here made by the movement Of the switch
he will declare the wire to be warmer,
although its temperature has not changed.
Varied strengths of current measure his
relative susceptibility.
1.-The suggestion of a subject Is directly
related to his intellectual development.
This Is a nactual psychologist law. The
more he is developed Intellectually the
greater the chance of the suggestions and
ideas affecting him. In children a sug-
gestibility much greater than their APP
pearance would indicate will be revealed.
INDUCING HYPNOTIC CONDITION.
'Suggestibility having been tested, the
next step is to put the child into hyp-
motto condition by suppressing the differ
ent activities of his mind. When 1 was
in Paris l visited the clinic of the famous
hypnologist Berillon, editor of the Revue
Gle PHypnotisme, who will be secretary
of the coming international congress of
hypnolOgy. On arriving at the clinic l
found most of the patients already there.
The doctor remarked that | could visit
awhile in his private office, as most of
the patients would meanwhile hypnotic
themselves.
when we returned to the clinic there
were nine or ten persons of different ages
and both sexes, who had been looking
intenuy at hypnotic mirrors or similar
-contriVances, and most OF them were
already asleep. The fact that Berillon had
hypnotiZed them in this room many times
before with the aid of these same inStru-
ments the fact that he had arrived, and
their confidence that he could hypnotic
them as soon as he came, served in most
cases as sufficient to induce the hypnotic
state. But i'll the beginning such induction
is not SO easy and sometimes many
seauces are necessary before subjects can
be influenced in the least.
II have here a hypnotic mirror, such as
Berllon's subjects were using. 1t consists
of two revolving ebony pieces, about
eight inches long, one inch wide and a
quarter of an inch thick each studded
v it'll seven circular mirrors. When clock
work inside is wound, the mirrors revolve
In opposite directions. Some subjects are
peculiarly susceptible to their dazzling
effect. If hypnotic mirror be placed in
front of each Of several per sons some
may fall into \ hypnotic state without
tho aid Of q hypnologist especially those
who have been hypnotized before Others
may be SO affected as to be quickly
hypnotiZed
AIDS IN PSYCHOLOGISTS.
Another mechanical aid to the hypnol-
cgist is known as the hypnotic ball 1t
consists of a curved fiat piece of metal
holding a lead wire, on which Is fastened
nickel ball, fifteen millimeters in
diameter, which can be changed from one
{ position to another by bending the wire
The ball is so placed as to strain the
attention. The muscles of the eye are
thus fatigued. After the subject has con-
ccntrated his gaze upon this ball for
awhile the hypnologist suggests that the