Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1900-06-07
HYPNOTISM IN FRANCE.
women Much More Easily Influenced
Than Men.

Ihan Men.
The Paris correspondent OF the Lon
don Daily Chronicle writes: | have had
a further interview with DIR. Rene Po-
leIet on the subject OF hypnotism in
france. according to the teaching of
the Salpetriere school. The doctor told
me that it would be impossible to
induce somnambulism In an unsilling
patient. Women are much more easi-
iy hypnotized than men, because the
majority OF them suffer either from
hystcria or neurasthenia. In case OF
men an average OF three In ten are
hysterical When female patient has
been hypnotized 1t Is quite easy to
make her believe that she is In a gar
den full OF singing birds, and her face
turns upwards and reflects all the
pleasure II gives her IL n small piece
OF wood Is given to her and the doc
tor tells her II is IA serpent she will
drop 1t with horror and start back In
Tear She will obey the doctor in all
minor matters, but Immediately he
suggests something to which her ma
tural instincts or education objects she
refuses to obey. II the doctor persists
In his order she is generally seized
with violent nervous attack. As a
rule II is noticed that after having
been hypnotized once or twice n patient
has great liking for the doctor who
hypi ized her. The extent to which
this goes has been frequently remark
ed In the case OF patients who refuse to
eat for several days. II has then TO
be found out who last hpynotized her,
and he Is asked to put her into n SOM
hambulistic state. He then orders her
that she must eat at n certain hour
after she wakes up. In every instance
she obeys. ! asked the doctor II he
thought patient could be induced by
hypnotizer to write a will In certain
persons favor. He was OF the opin-
Ion that this would be quite possible
II the subject was hystcrical. and had
been several times under the influence
OF the hypnotizer. But II he was her
medical attendant and she was III,
there would be absolutely no need to
use hypnOtism. II Is n well-known
Tact that people nearly always desire
to leave money either to their doctor or
some old servant. II liz because they
appreciate acts OF loving attention and
Kindness mare when lying on Il sick
bed than at any other time. French
law has fOreseen this, and wisely for
bids the doctor who attended n decpas-
ed person during last Illness to be-
come heir to the estate. A little SOU
Venir IL all that he Is allowed to accent.
] have also secn DR.. KOrner. we'll
known consulting physician in Paris.
Although he studied at the Salpetricrc,
he does not entirely agree with It's
teaching on hypnOtism. There are
three stages OF hynotIsm cataIepsy.
letharRy and sOmnambulism. In the
third stage the subject IL entirely nm.
der influence OF the hypnotizcr. Dur
Ing one Nperimcnt the patient was
told to poison one OF the doctors. She
put what she supposed was poison m
To glass and asked him to drink. say
Ing the weather was so exceedingly
hot that she was sure he must he
thirsty lie refused once or twice. hut
nh' p'lhlhNfu Al last ne consented,
but requested her to drink first This
she pretended to do. but did not wet
her lips. He then drank from the
glass. and fell back as II dad. She
had absolutely no remorse, yet firmly
believed she had committed murder
In another experiment the patient was
given pistol, and told TO kill certain
house surgeon. As soon as he came
into the room she fired point blank at
him. DIR. Korner believes that the pa-
tient must first have a grudge against
the supposed victim. AS long as the
germ OF spite or dislike is there the
hypnotizer can increase II In the mind
OF the subject until he or she firmly
believes In the necessity OF committing
murder. DR.. Korner's opinion on the
question whether a patient could he
hypnotized into writing a will is iden-
tical with the view expressed by DR..
Potelet.
The Atlantic ocean is crossed month