New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
HYPNOTIC MORALITY.

In the announcement of DR. Quackenbos, the
well known specialist and writer on mental dis
eases, that he can correct bad habits by mental
suggestion, the public may wish to find star
Ting discovery But. without disparaging in the
least the doctors prolonged Investigations and
their reputedy favorable results, we would call
attention the fact that precisely the same sort
OF moral" reform by hypnOtism has been sue
cessfully carried on for over a decade in Europe.
notably in France. That this eminently practical
branch of psychology is now heralded as nov
city Of the season is probably due TO the small
number of scientists of DIR. QuackenbOs's repute
and skill working in this country. While moral
control by suggestion has become a common
place in many European centres, It is still re-
garded here as something extraordinary. If not
positively suspicious. save by few advanced
educators and physicians.
The cases reported by DR. QuackenbOs are
by means so remarkable as several we'll
known European instances. Certain French
hypnOtists have succeeded In reforming" adult
degenerates 10 such degree that the patients
have become useful members of society. One
woman, a criminal degenerate has been trans
formed from q moral pariah TO a nurses assist
ant; that the change is lasting may be seen from
the fact that she has been working nearly ten
years in one OF the Partisan hospitals. After
the layman has been convinced OF the efficacy OF
suggestion in this direction he naturally is
tempted TO credit the remedy with almost super
natural powers, and might even be led to sup
pose that hypnOtism is the key 10 every great
moral reform. Close observers however have
been able to discover in the effects of hypnotic
suggestion certain very definite limitations.
Patients under the influence of hypnotic sug-
gestion certainly do improve In behavior. But
there is nothing in their change Of conduct which
lab
ment. girl suffering from violent outbursts
of temper may be relieved by being told not to
behave violently, but Der obedience TO this re-
quest follows in a curiOusy mechanical way
not at all as If she were convinced of the I'M
propriety Of flying into a rage. Similarly, too
In all other cases thus far recorded; the right
act is done with fair regularity, but quite
automatically. No heightened power of judg-
ment or true self-cOntrOl is conferred upon the
patient by the hypnOtist but there Is genuine
development of new habits
This fact however, should not reduce the i'm
mense significance of treatment by suggestion
After all. so far as society at large is concerned
we must be more concerned with the effects of
behavior than with the individuals private attl-
tude toward his acts. If a criminal may be
hypnotized into refraining from misdeeds, it
matters little TO the public whether his new
found morality" is maintained by severe eth
ical reflection or by the automatic operation Of
his nervous system. If we inspect the history
of morality closely and with unprejudiced minds.
It will appear that those habits which are now
adays most closely identified with virtue did not
grow out of any profound reasoning Of our an
cestOrs, but were first done impulsively and
blindly. Later on, when viewed in the light Of
their effects, they found approval and became
the theme OF edfying ethical discOurses. The
man who is called normal" is the one who
comes into the world SO equipped as TO develop
these good habits with small amount OF men.
tai and physical effort. The depraved, per-
verted and incOrriglble are cursed with native
impulses IN other directlons all their thinking
and struggling may be vain In the face of such
inherited dispositions.
Ear too scant recognition is made, in these
days of ethical reform. Of the inestimable value
OF forming useful habits. Teachers, both relig
iOus and secular. and especially parents, liking
TO appear intellectual" and advanced" try to
inculcate morality in children and naughty
grOwn-ups by. argument and logical demonstra-
tlon. But the"appeal to reason" is often a staff
far too fraiI TO guide flock OF impulses in the
right direction. The normal child ia more like
the adult than many refOrmers suppose; he is
able to cOncede the value of practice only after
he has tried it on" Why not force good
habit on him then2 The case is much the same
with the milder types of incorrigIbles. Up to a
certain degree OF maturity there is no moral diff
ference between forcing a habit upon a child
and forcing medicine down his throat.
An institution for applied psychology in New
York such as DR.. Quackenbos desires might
serve useful purpose, provided men enough
could be found TO conduct it successfully
Greater than all the cures OF inclpient insanity
and other abnormal cases might be the benefit
resulting from teaching parents of normal chill
dren the vast power Of persistent, calm sugges-
ton. 1t might surprise many good people TO
discover that the old fashioned method of din
ming habits into youthful ears Is form OF sug-
gesnon, and by no means an ineffective one
The American child might be made thing OF