New-York tribune., 1909-03-11
LEARNED FRENCH WHILE ASLEEP.
Dr.. Van Eeden Taught Language to Girl
Throurh Hypnosis.

Learning French in your sleep Is one OF me pos
sbiIitiss Of hyTnotism. according TO Dr. FrederlcA
Van Eeden who lactureG on Treating Disease oy
Mental Methods before the League for Political
Educalion. al the Berkeley Theatre, yesterday
morning.
Incidentally. he says there is such thing as
hypno1isrn. i Is simply a sleep induced by sug-
gestion and called ''hypnozis."
i .once cured q young girl OF some minor sick
ness by suggestion Dr. Van Eeden said. and
finding her suEgestable. resolved to try an ex-
pertinent From time 10 tine put her 10 sleep,
and taught her simple French phrases. enough TO
enable her to carry a conversation In her wax
ing hours she knew nothing Of this, but on the day
before her birthday I said 10 her: Tomorrow you
vii have a surprise for ycur mother Say TO her,
I am going 10 talk TO sou in French and then
you VII talk French And the girl did-hot
knowing where il came from"
Dr. Van Eeden said he didn't approve Of these
experiments however They are extremely inter
esting." he said but they dangerous. After
experimenting upon this girl ! observed that she
zRs tired flushed and I did like it I have
tr3ed no such experiment since, except upon sci
entifc men who knew beforehand what was go
ing 20 Go. No; should use this strange force
70 cure patients. but not. ike French doctors
without scruple 70 satisfy curiosity
1t is said that cures by suggestion are not last
ing But nothing is lasting We ourselves must
die No cure can do more than keep up a irte
longer Quiliue- Of the most effective OF med-
CluFS VIII not Keep IcAeT Oh forever ana I-'iN e
lreWn Of instances R-here fever which could not be
driven away by ql.nine was driven away by sug-
gestion myself treated girl for lesion cf spine
which. her physician said. would keep her bed
ridden all her life j treated her. she became well
and is stin That twenty-three years ago,
and f that isn't lasting. I don't know what is.
Some OF the most wonderful cures by suggestion,
Or Van Eeden said were those at Lourdes. You
may say that all humbug' he said. DO not
think So i was not ! know that was
cured Of a bad 5llce- the leg at Lourdes, and
in a months but ia few hours. I know
that a needle was driven out Of a womans hand
simply bv the application Of the water at Lourdes.
Instances Of cures by Imagination every
where Every physician knows what II is 10 give
patient bread pills, and by telling him that il is
powerful medicine make il affect him strongly
once was examining Q patient who had asthma,
ans used the percussion hammer. which is merely
70 discover the extent Of the disease. The patient.
taking il for the cure, began 10 draw deep breaths-
oh, that is a relief he said and went away
quite thankfully.
instances every day in theatres and meetings
! could make you al yawn this moment simply by
yawning myself, only I don't like 10 see my au-
ciences yawn."
Homeopathy. Dr.. Van Eeden said. largely
mental suggestion, because the drugs used by
ho-aaopatnists are almost clear water Drugs
are generally unnecessary,". he added There are
perhaps twelve which I could not % without. but
few drugs are needed, and n most cases they are
harmful Used TO induce sleep they are certainly
harmful
The prejudice OF physicians. Dr. Van Eeden said.
vas the worst stumbling block in the way Of the
use Of mental suggestion Medical men, however,
are the ones who ought 10 use il If I were a
Iayman he said in answer 20 question, 4 should
be very reluctant to go for mental healing tC any
one but q regular physician, and one in whom
had confidence Treatment by suggestion must be
used as an accessory. not panacea- II must
be ernployed by physicians under the direction
Of physicians. as in the Emmanuel Movement in
Boston. But The neglect Of science to look into
this wonderful force has given il over into the
hands Of ali kinds Of quacks.'