Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-12
THE POISONED NEEDLE
MYTH.

Popular Deileis on sclehtihC sun
jects apparently run in waves. Many
will remember the interest in hypno-
tism which followed the publication OF
..Trilby." Svengali with his hypnotic
eve" at once became a real and pos
sible parsonage in the public magma
ton. The newspapers were full OF
stories OF girls and women who had
suddenly been fixed and paralyzed by
the hypnotic gaze OF some mysterious
stranger with piercing black eyes and
who had been compelled by his will
10 fantastic acts which they were
powerless To prevent Fiction writer's
took up the idea. and stories centering
around hypnotic influence became COM
mon. II was used as plea in crimi-
nal cases. various culprits alleging
that they had been hypnotized and
compelled against their will TO per
form unlawful acts. All this occurred
in spite OF the fact. frequently stated
and known by every scientific man.
that the limitations OF hypnotism are
definite and well recognized. that no
person can be hypnotized unknowing-
" or against his will, and that few per
sons are so susceptible as TO be cap
able OF being compelled to perform
acts beyond their own volition and
knowledge.
Another popular fiction which later
on took the place OF hypnotism was
that OF instantaneous anesthesia-
Stories appeared in the newspapers OF
women who had been accosted by
strangers and. under some pretext. had
permitted a cloth or a handkerchief TO
be pressed momentarily over their
mouth and nose. Immediate uncon-
seriousness was said TO have followed.
resulting in a period of insensibility
and irresponsibility. varying from
few minutes to hours or even days.
I ChlOroform sprayed into an open win
dow by means of an atomiZer.
anesthetics tied TO a rag on the end
OF pole and thrown into a bedroom.
: instant uEconsciousness following the
administration OF drugs unknown to
physicians and - pharmacists, were
some Of the variations of this idea. In
the minds of physicians and nurses
who see every day ting administration
OF anesthetics. such stories only ex-
hcite mirth. Any one who knows the
difficulty and labor OF securing uncon-
D
anesthetics. even under the most favor
able conditions and with every pos
sible means of restraining and con-
1 trolling the patient. knows how alb
surd such stories are.
\ latter-day variation OF these pop
uiar beliefs. says The Journal of the
American Medical association. may be
I found in the poisoned needle" stor-
] l. L.. dc
+ OF the press recently. A woman goes
to a moving-picture theatre. enters a
Z crowded elevator. a street car. or ele-
waited train. or is caught in the press
o: a crowd. Suddenly she sees. close
hes de her. our old friend the "mys-
FERROUS stranger" with the piercing
black eyes and the compelling man
uer. At the same time. she feels a
sting and knows that she has been
stabbed with poisoned needle. She
immediately becomes unconscious.
da=ed or irresponsible for greater
or less period OF time. during which
she experiences a number OF marvel
Gus adventures or hair-breadth es-
I capes-
: Il is not possible TO say that no
woman was ever without her knowl-
edge given a drug hypodermicaliy
which produced Inconsistencies II
/ can. however, be said very positively
that there IS no drug known TO scien'
tinc men which could be administered
in the manner or which would produce
the effect described in recent news.
paper reports.
one of the laws OF hysteria is that
when any peculiar phenomenon is re
ported, similar instances Immediately
appear throughout the country. We
may now expect spring crop OF
magazine stories and popular novels
based on the poisoned needle as q
motive Scientifically. the thing Is "a
ridiculous and impossible a. hypno
tism OF an unwilling subject or instan
taneous anssthesia- Popular beliefs
travel in waves, and hysteric and ey
cited imaginations help them along
The history of popular delusions, from
Salem witchcraft 70 present day yag-
aries, is full Of such Instances.