The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-30
tell them what knew and thought about


II.
"Mr Hooper's remarks" says J, "re-
minds me of the work that lot OF quacks
are a carrying on In different parts or tho
country so as TO make q living and make
folks think they are getting their moneys
worth In their claim for absent treat
ment.' Most likely this IL the power that
they claim 10 operate by. which Mr..
Hooper has been telling US about I'll tell
YOU how they operate, so that you can
git good idea how much power they
use In their business" And so / went on:
"You see a man claims 10 be a doctor
who has started a college OF medicine out
West somewhere. and, for the sake OK
suffering humanity, he will condescend to
prescribe some medicines for anybody
who has been given up by other physi-
clans, and TO give them absent magnetic
treatment for q merely nominal sum. And
usually the sum Is reasonable, not gener-
ally over four or FIVE dollars for the nrst
month for II the price was high they are
shrewd enough TO know that nobody
would patronize them, or at least not
enough TO make the business profitable.
The advertising matter interested Mother
Wilberforce who has been afflicted with
neuralgia for years, and she thought
she'd try his medicine and absent treat
ment or course we didn't object, and she
wrote a letter 10 him, and sent on the
money. Back came n llllic pdINNl vi
cine, with instructions for her 10 lie down
one hour at eleven o'clock every forenoon
and at four o'clock every afternoon,
which were the times set for him TO prac-
tice his absent treatment on her. We'll,
the result was she got better and the old
lady really thought that her new doctor
had some marvellous magnetic powers
that he was using In her behalf. She got
so much better she stopped doctoring, al
though she was urged to keep up the
treatment and pay In some more money.
hut she didn't. After a little while the
pains began to come back. and told her
10 practice lying down twice day just
as the doctor had advised her to do. and
SO she did, but this time there wasn't
any understanding with the doctor. and
he knew nothing about It, Well the re-
suit was she got better again. So that
proved that the secret OF the absent treat
ment was that the doctor did give some
good advice by demanding that his patient
shouid lie down for an hour twice day
at time when she was not In the habit
of resting and the result was an i'm
provement. II rested her body and the
nerves becoming rested they didn't pain
her any more But so far as his absent
treatment was concerned, II had no more
TO DO with II than as II he wasn't In ex-
istence. I'll give him credit. however. for
giving good advice. but the humbug of
the whole affair was his dishonest claim.
For influence cannot be impaired from a
distance In any such way through mag
netism The whole fabulous claim or all
these isms is put forth for the purpose OF
making money out OF the people who are
foolish enough to believe IN them. and the
only returns they get is a little good ad-
vice now and then. II sick folks would
use a little common sense now and then
and rest their weary bodies when nature
IN az ha M
much chance for these quacks to make
money and thrive. for there wouldn't be
half so many ailments as there are at
present. Nature can do more than all the
medicines and a thousand and one So
called sciences. II you'll only give her
chance"
Well. after about dozen more of the
residents OF the town had expressed them
selves pro and con in regards to the
goodness and the badness OF the influence
OF hypnotism. a committee was appointed
as was usual at these meetings, 10 draw
up resolutions. which were very brief but
TO the point as follows:
Whereas The dissemination of litere-
ture among our young people encourag-
ing them to spend their money in a sense
less endeavor to practice a science called
hypnotism and, which has n tendency TO
make them idle and to breed Ideas that
there's no need OF work so long as there's
science that Is such great money
maker, and
Whereas II Is evident these circulars
are sent abroad for the sole purpose OF
making money, and. in our belief. the
writer's thereof have very little regard
for the good that such a science. II IL be
a science. can accomplish in any given
community. and very little thought about
how much harm II can work, II Is, there
fore,
Resolved, That IL is the opinion OF this
body that such a science should be re-
strtcted by law so that no novice nor
reckless set OF money makers can make II
an evil by inducing young men and old
men 10 pay out their last dollar for some
thing that IL questionable TO say the
least, and probably a curse OF the worst
type. because OF the fabulous claims that
are set up for It,
The resolution was carried by large
majority, and its discussion in the COM
munity as we'll as at the meetin' has done
our folks a lot OF good, and has headed of
a lot OF money that otherwise would have
found It's way to the great advertisers of
hypnotism.