The evening times., 1899-05-01
EXPLOITS OF HYYNor1sM.
Remarkable Results Attained Fr0s
Its Treatment In Many Cases.

Remarkable Results Attained FROM
Its Treatment In Many Cases.
!. New York, May 1.-Dr. John Duncan
Quackenbos. emeritus professor of Colum-
bia University, has become convinced by a
series Of remarkable experiments that hyp-
notism may be employed to great advant-
age not only in aileviating pain and curing
certain diseases. but for the purpose of re-
forming criminals.
From his cwn use OF hypnotism and its
employment by his friends in the medical
profession. DIR. Quackenbos said to re-
! porter last evening, that he knows that
confirmed cigarette smokers, thieves,
drunkards. and persons with deiusions
have been not only cured temporarily, but
SO changed as to leave little doubt that the
cures would prove. permanent. Moreover,
he says that hypnotism will doubtless soon
be used extensively in the treatment of va
ricus ferns Of insanity
DR.. Quackenbos has been delivering
course Of lectures at the First Reformed
Episcopal Church On Questions Of the
Hour" and on Friday evening last his sub
| ject was. What is Christianity More Than
Christian Science?" In this address he
| took the ground that whatever cures Chris
tian Scientists effected have been the re-
they have had the sufferer hypnotize him
self.
Let the Christian Scientist alone until
he NEEDLES with surgery or such diseases
as diphtheria." DR.. Quackenbos says.
when he does that the law should inter-
fere."
While the statistics at hand show that
only 20 per cent of the intelligent classes
and about so per cent OF the ignorant can
be hypnotized. DR.. Quackenbos says he has
not yet encountered a person whom he
could not control provided the patient was
willing. He has made most of his expert
ments at the Newsboys Home in Duane
! Street.
| The principal vice Of these boys is
| cigarette smoking" he said. "and | have
| been successful in fifteen cases. ! have
| had them come to me. boys of eighteen
( who were smoking forty or fifty cigarettes
day, with their throats infiained and their
hands trembling most violently. / do not
| touch patient or make any passes.
simply hold up some object and have him
look at it steadily. In few minutes he is
under control.
Il had for a patient young man who
had been arrested several times for theft.
| lie told me that while he did not set out
in the morning with the Intention of steal
ing anything. he still was unable to resist
the impulse TO pilfer when an opportunity
presented itself. / hypnotized him and
suggested to him that he lived in coun-
try where honesty and an upright life had
certain rewards and where stealing would
surely be followed by sorrow and punish
ment. l presented the moral side OF the
question 10 him. He is all right now. He
may relapse after while That remains
to be seen. II SO. he may be treated again.
II had suggested TO that young man that
he go out. pick four pockets and come here
TO divide with me. he would have tried TO
do it.
Il believe that hypnot;sn n proper
hands may be applied successfully in re-
forming the criminal classes. and you nay
expect to see il used in treating melan-
cholia and other forns OF insanity.
Il saw another case of interest treated
by hypnotism in one OF the city hospitals.
woman. who suffered from hy stero-ep;-
lepsy. was hypnotized by one CT the physi-
clans each week. He would say TO her
each time. Now remember, you are not
TO have another fit until you come here
again next "Wednesday. She not only had
no fits in the interval but improved in
general health and spirits
Or. GUackenbos was asked il ii were true
that he had attempted in vain to use hyp-
notism in a certain city institution to
which il was known that Christian Scien-
fists haD De access.
Yes" he said, that is true. What the
Christian Scientist does in the way Of cur
ing patients is done by auto suggestion.
Both the Christian Scientist and the hyp-
notist seek to obtain control o. the secol-
dary consciousness and established in the
subject the belief that pain or criminal
tendencies do not exist"
DR.. Quackenbos believes hypnotisn may
lie applied successfully in cases OF degen-
6racy, and he says that children of bad
habits have often been reformed by its
use. He is now attempting to persuade the
managers of the New York Juvenile Asy-
lum to permit him to hypnotic some of the
inmates.