The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-10
The HYPNOTIC ART.
Science Is Taught
Privately In Wor-
cester.
AFRAID OF THE PROFESSOR.
Would-be Subjects Run at
Sight of the
Sign.
AFRAID OF THE PROFESSOR.

From the time of Mesmer and CagIio-
stro, and perhaps from the time the
Chaldean priests used to perform mar
wells in their temples, nothing has so
interested scientists and the world in
general as hypnotism, though it is be-
coming better understood as each sue
ceeding year adds something to the
general knowledge of the subject and
IS losing much of it's old-time mysti-
cism and the dread which comes with
the unknown, Dr. G. Stanley Hall at
Clark university summer school told
something of the possibilities of hypno-
t1sm. and it has long been understood
by physicians that the mind causes
many diseases which naturally the
mind can cure, and they have applied
TINS knowledge in their practice at
times.
1t is not often. however, that one sees
an advertisement stating that hvnno-
tism will be taught privately, as prac-
tlcally applied, and that nervous dis
eases will be cured. Such an advertise
ment appeared in the local papers not
long ago, and on account of it's unusual
wording a Spy man called on the hyp-
notist to find out what it meant. He
was most courteously received and
agreeably surprised.
People think of professional hypno-
lists as old men with wild eyes, who
depend chiefly upon some sort of mys-
ferrous passes to influence their sub
Jects, but this particular hypnotist is
young and by no means wild-eyed, and
ne did not attempt to make a mystery
of his art.
Hypnotism, he said, has been so long
misunderstood that people are afraid of
It, They think it is something terrible
when 1t is really nothing but the exer-
else of common sense, and not the pos
session of a supernatural gift. Every
one can be a hypnotist, with more or
less success. Successful business men
and social men are hypnotists in it's
broad sense, for they influence their
hearers in some way by their person.
atty
He teaches hypnotism, he saws. in
such a way that the pupils may know
how to make and hold friends or to
treat nervous diseases by suggestion.
which is but another name for hypnot-
ism.
Owing to the great dread of hypnot-
ism, he has had a great deal of trouble
in getting subjects since he has been
in Worcester. These subjects are need
ed to demonstrate certain facts to the
pupils before they are able to UNDER
stand, and until the subjects are OBJ
tanned, he can do very little. He put
an advertisement i'll the paper the first
of the week, asking for young men to
act as subjects.
And 1 didn't get single answer. .
he said. 'The next day I changed the
faI
such and such n number Tuesday they
began 10 come. 1 watched them from
the window and counted 81 in all. They
never got inside. AS soon as they would
see the sign in the window, they would
look at each other, if there was more
than one at a time, and then turn away.
Il did succeed in getting five into the
nall way and l asked one of them to
come into the office with me. He agreed,
II would leave the door open. When
ne came in he was afraid to give UP his
hat, but put it on the floor beside him,
l sat in front of him and after few
minutes got him to close his eyes and
then told him he couldn't open them,
When he tried and found he couldn't,
he was more frightened than before. and
when 1 did let him open them, he grab
bed his hat and ran, the other four fol-
lowing him. Once outside, he explained
matters to his companions, and they left
the vicinity as rapidly as possible
That's the trouble with a good many of
the young men who come to me in an
swer to the advertis aments They don't
understand what I want with them, and
as soon as l say hypnotism, they are
frightened"
In treating nervous diseases, the hyp-
notist begins by getting his patients in
a good frame of mind, and then as gent
ly as possible, gives them the sugges-
ton to sleep, and then suggests the way
they should feel if cured, and he says
he has never failed to cure. Sometimes
the patient is of such a nature as to
make some sort of medicine necessary,
and in this case lie is given pills made
of sugar of milk or something equally
as harmless, and they have any effect
the hypnotist suggests While The Spy
man was present few days ago, a
patient on the verge of nervous pros
tration came in 20 see what the hypnot-
list could do
He was a man who had read some
thing of the science, and was free from
supeTstitious fear about it, and hence
was comparatively easy. He was made
to sit in an easy chair in the most
restful attitude possible, and the hyp-
notist began by talking pleasantly with
him. The patient said before he came
in that he had been suffering with
headache for IA years, and had never
felt well in that time. His face showed
the pain he suffered, and he didn't seem
capable of laughing.
The hypnotist began to talk to him
quietly, and then suggested that he
close his eyes, which he did
you are not asleep" he said, but
you can't open your eyes"
The man tried his best, but they
stuck tight
II guess you're right" he said. And
when the suggestion was given to open
them, they flew open without an eff
fort The hypnotist then told the pa
tient gently that the pain in his head
was leaving him and would not return.
A smile began to come over the mans
face, and in a few minutes he sprang
up from the chair
That's right" he said, its gone,
sure"
He was made to sit down again. and
the suggestion was repeated several
timos, the hypnotist not allowing him
to go asleep, as the patient seemed in
clined to do After about half an hour
Of this, he was dismissed for the time,
to come back next day. AS he started
to leave, he Strengthened up slowly. as
II trying himself, and then smiled
again.
II haven't been able to stand up
straight in years" he said.
When he had gone, the hypnotist told
The Spy man that he would have to
be treated in this way 10 or Is times
more before the cure would be com
plete, as it was necessary to counter
act the impression the IA years of ILL
ness had left with him.
This particular hypnotist differs from
many professional hypnotists, in that
he does not call himself professor or
doctor" but goes by his own name
without any1sort' of handle. He is also
better educated than the majority Of
mesmerisers, or magnetisers, or what
ever they call themselves, who make