Smyrna times., 1935-12-26


unable to think for myself but die
just what he told me without con
sidering whether / wanted to OF
not. The other nine or ten did the
same, only one refused to do as he
was told so his hands did not stay
together.
Now for the big event. First ]
must say that didn't react norm
ally but was really hypnotized
Prof. Fitzgibbon first told us that
we would suffer no bad after eff
fects and other things to encourage
us and give us faith in him because
without faith in him and trust we
would be unable to give him the
use of our brains.
He told us to relax completely,
throw our heads back, and look at
a light on the ceiling. This L did
and from then on I was not con-
scious of my fellow subjects or the
audience but only of myself and
Prof. Fitzgibbon who walked about
laying his hand on someone's
shoulder or head. We were to
think of the word sleep and concen-
trate on sleeping. L kept my eyes
glued on the light and thought of
sleep, sleep, sleep, must sleep, and
heard him continually saying your
eye lids are getting heavier, relax,
watch the light, breathe deeply and
think Il must Sleep" After about
two minutes he told us to close our
eyes and turn our eyeballs back up
into our heads. He kept repeat
ing, Il must sleep, take deeper
bTeaths, Sleep"
Very son after this 1 must have
dropped off, but it came SO grad
ually it is hard to tell just when 1
was in the state of hypnosis. At
ter talking to others hypnotized
that night and members of the
audience 1 believe 1 was the first
gone. At this time L was still sup
posed to be able to control my ac-
tions, or even come back if I wish
ed to, because he kept telling us to
breathe deeper, breathe deeper; the
others still not yet hypnotized were
able to breathe deeper but l was
unable to control myself and obey
ed him by taking entirely abnormal
oreaths for someone sleeping. I'll
knew I was breathing this way but
was unable to do anything about it,
but go on as was. Also about
the time i was hypnotized my
hands and feet felt as though pins
and needles were being stuck in (
-hem- This gradually moved up
my arms and legs to just about my
elbows and knees; while my head, 4
chest and abdomen seemed to be 4
having a nightmare, trying to go
'n do something that they couldn't. 4
Ny eyes were neither closed nor
open but flickered and hurt, this / 4
vas also unable to stop. My brain
vas in a turmoil and / always \
seemed on the verge to drop back K
nto an endless space of peaceful \
ileep. And then my whole body
vas conscious of my arms and legs
continually jerking and my face
'oing into contortions. THAT is
he best I can describe my condi- I,
ion).
! remember his saying only about \.
2 per cent Of the people are sus-
eptible to hypnotism, although I X
I'M not sure, I think he said this H
ust before he stood me up to end. /
ne off the stage. / seem to re-
member getting up and I heard
i'm say open your eyes" This
did and fixed them on the exit
ign directly in front of me unable
Q move them. Then he said. Il
here is your coat" Il had taken
off before being hypnotized). Iii
vas unable to take it or yet re- I
nove my eyes from the sign. He +,
hen bent my arm, which still felt I
Ike needles were being stuck into {
:, and laid the coat over it. The =
oat always seemed to be about !
0 slip off and fall on the floor but ]
was unable to move my arm and I
old it more securely because 1 was +;
nable to command my muscles. \
'ext he told me to look at him {
'hich l did after a pause and shall
ever forget those eyes looking up /
1to mine. Gradually after that I
anne to mysef, gained the use of [
ny muscles and brain, and figured
ut that 1 was to put on my coat {
nd walk back to my seat. This I
id very slowly as my limbs still E
cit prickly. After L sat down I Z
alked to my neighbor for a few $
minutes and then became very tir- =
d and shook all over but this soon s
'ore off leaving me still exhausted 6
nd with a headache which didn't .
'ave until the next morning. That ]
ay L was told that I had been T
tapped on the face while he was '
me to, this I neither felt S
or heard although one of those r
ypnotized heard the slaps but was r
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