The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
HYPNOTIC WAR ON DRINK EVIL
DIR. o. CKENBOS CONTENDS THE
PATENT ISN'T HARMED.


HN Ills treatment, WnIcn hhnN Wfsairttsbu'
the subIiminaI self Ii Awakened and
the subject 10 Inspired to shake on
the Mania which Has Benumbed Him.
A correspondent OF TuK Sun. comment
ing on the plan Of using hypnotism to
reclaim drunkards at the Bowery Mission,
wrote the other day that he was convinced
that hypnotism not only produces insanity
and physical death out interrupts the
development Of the individual soul and
causes evils worse than drunkenness.
He said he would rather see a friend Of his
in the depths OF drunkenness than sub
hitting a single time to hypnotic control.
The strongest exceptions were taken to
the views OF this correspondent by DIR.
John ID. Q~uackenbos. the practitioner OF
psychic suggestion. who SAID that the
enemy OF the hypnotic drink cure didn't
have a leg to stand on unless he was con-
fusing %hypnotism with mesmerism. II
he referred to the public exhibitions by
mesmerists. in which their subjects were
made to perform all sorts Of ludicrous
stunts. n really allowed themselves
to be dominated for a purpose that would
not benefit them, Their DIR. Quackenbos
said he agreed with the correspondent.
fuNh upJCNt wv PioetiNuhJ p
sane. he said.
The treatment Of patient for the drink
habit by hypnotic suggestion is very easily
explained, and it can be quickly seen that
there can be no harmful effects for the
patient" said DIR. Quackenbos. Further
more. it is generally successful. Out OF
700 cases that l have treated only eighty
have gone back to drink, and then gem
ara H.. Tor tka aaIa - aaciaIflitu
Mar in his higher personality is ade-
quate TO the removal from his objective
nature of any abnormal craving or passion
like the craze for alcoholic drink. And he
will always act In response to the sugges-
tional force which awakens his better self
and subordinates the lower tendencies
Of the carnal nature. BY means OF the
enlightened employment Of hypno-sug-
gestion the subliminal self may be brought
into active control.
THE technic l adopt involves the arrest
OF the visual attention by some brilliant
object, the concurrent establishment of the
patients confidence in my desire and
ability to help him; and monotonous Sleep
ing suggestions, as an accompaniment OF
impression by my personality Cthe several
steps being relaxed eye muscles, vacant
stare. blank objective mind. ~reverie. sleepy.
Dipsomaniacs az a rule are easy subjects.
in that they yield readily to hypnotic iniu-
ence, and accept Internationally the svg-
| g~eetions communicated by the operator.
Regular drinkers may be dealt with when
| ever they are sober. 1 have found IL I'M
| profitable to attempt influencing an intoxi-
| Gated person. Periodic drinkers should be
treated Just before the close Of the season
of sobriety. Regularly recurring. de-
longest in my experience being three years;
and l rave satisfied myself that in many
instances a relationship exists between the
abuse OF tobacco and the oncoming OF the
irresistible thirst. the depressing effects
Of nicotine instinctively suggesting TO
| course to the antidote.
such a person frequently realizes his
danger and sincerely wishes to be cured.
He Is tsctfully conducted into a subliminal
sphere, and then assured that, in accord
ance with his W desire and decree. he has
lost all craving for beer, wine and whiskey;
that alcohol in any form will disgust him.
and, as a safeguard, that he cannot swallow
IL. canno carry the containing. glass 30 his
viction that begot Of this apprehension
has come into his soul an adherence for
drink and all it stands for. He realizes that
he is able TO enforce total abstinence as the
for the future. TO any such combination OF
passion and allurement as has usually
constituted temptation.
1T will thus be seen that hypnotic suggee-
ton ID Of the nature OF an inspiration. Il
in summoning into control the true man.
IL is a sudden overwhelming and starving
out Of character defects and mental weak
nesses by a tropical. growth OF ethical
energy which seeks immediate outlet in
the activities of a moral life. The patient
then expresses his best self from a plane
above that OF the will-the plane Of appre-
hension and spontaneous 90 ntrol along
lines Of thought and action that are worthy
and wholesome. Thus is effected a per-
feet agreement between the law of right
and the intelligent creature, with which
neither the will OF the operator nor the
will Of the subject has anything to do.
The popular idea Ina supposes subsection
to the will OF another is a mistake.
THE success of this treatment, OF course,
requires an honest desire OF the subject
to reform. Habitual drinkers do not, as
a rule, wish to be cured. They enjoy in
diligence in alcoholic beverages and the
false pleasures that attend it. and about
90 per cent. OF them. women as we'll as men,
resent the approaches OF all who desire to
save them. ~fmmoderate drinkers may, in
sober intervals, be made to realize that
they are not only physically depraved
put intellectually degenerated as to the
faculties Of memory, attention. concentra-
ton. Judgment. and that they are def:
Gent in business tact and In the general
prised Of their enervated mental condition
they honestly desire to correct the habit.
but cannot OF themselves; the craving SIM
ulates a mania. Under these circum-
stances il is comparatively easy 70 per-
suade a patient to accept treatment, and q
rescue may be effected in a week.