Evening star., 1938-04-09
CURATIVE VALUE
SEEN IN HYPNOSIS
Psychiatrist Suggests Plan
for Ire eatment by
Long Distance.
BY THOMAS r.. HENRY,

BY THOMAS r.. HENRY,
STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
NEW YORK, April 9-Possibility
Of keeping patients under treatment
at long distance by first hypnotizing
them to react in specific ways to pre-
signals was presented before
the American College of Physicians
here yesterday afternoon by DR.. James
L. Mccartney, psychiatrist of the New
York State Vocational Institution.
DR.. Mccartney also presented the
weird idea that some of the strange
fancies and compulsions of the insane,
in which they are forced to perform
irrational acts which they cannot ex-
plain, may be due to radio messages
passing through the ether to which
their disorganized brain cells are spe-
cially attuned, although these cannot
be detected by any instrument
Once person has been placed in
the hynotic state, certain avenues to
his brain can be kept open. the
psychiatrist stressed, by which a rap
port can be kept open between him and
the doctor. Why, he asked, may not
similar channels be kept open to
orders" which nobody consciously is
sending? Thus the insane person
may be the victim Of a sort of self
hypnosis.
Hypnotism Defended.
Hypnotism, DR.. Mccartney stressed
no longer can be considered a "mys-
terious art" in the hands of charlatans.
but a scientific technique, the great
possibilities of which should be known
to all physicians.
Admittedly, he said. hypnotism does
not get at the causes of pathological
condition, but it may remove alarm
ing symptoms.
once patient has been success
fully induced into hypnosis, said Dr.
Mccartney, "he can be conditioned to
become disassociated instantly and ap-
parently deeply on future occasions in
response to any signal which has been
selected. This may be a stare, click
OF the fingers, written word or a
word spoken in whisper 1t is i'm
material whether the patient is alone
or in a crowd, but he must under
stand the significance of the signal.
He can also be conditioned to
hypnosis by radio or telephone. If
a physician wishes the patient to re-
enter his influence by spoken word
sign, letter. telephone, telegraph or
radio he can usually insure it even at
a distance by giving instructions either
before. during or after hypnosis. If
re-entry is not desired, he should
counter order 1t before he wakes the
p.tient. If this preventative is not
administered, any of the three stages
OF hypnosis may occur spontaneously
and may be mistaken for absent
spontaneous trance, the
loss of identity as in hysterois epilepsy,
or something more serious
Thought Processes Measured.
1T is within the realm of possibility
that some of the compulsions and
hallucinations of the insane may be
explained by this same mental mis-
carriage. 1t has been shown that some
thought processes passing through the
brain can be detected and even meas
ured by electrical oscillations. Also
the temperature of the body can be
raised and vasomotor changes effected
by passing radio currents through
the body. 1t is not far-fetched to as
sumo that sensitized persons suffer-
ing from certain atomic changes in
the brain may thus tune their spe-
cial senses or brain cells into a specific
radio frequency and so become sensi-
tive to suggestions that are known
to be passing through the ether, and
which are normally detected by means
OF radio receivers. or will be detected
when proper instruments are devised "
Care Advised.
But he concluded, If the patient
is q receptive individual and the
physician has applied the proper tech
nique there is no telling what symp-
toms may be removed by hypnotic
suggestion. Care must be taken not
to suggest the movement of an arm
or leg which is organically paralyzed
or to try to bring back the memory
of an amnesia victim in whom there
is extensive brain destruction. But
the experienced individual is often sur
prised by the dramatic results that un-
expectedly occur in cases that he has
considered beyond help"
Suggestions are influencing us all
day long and half the night" he de-
clared.' Some of them are accepted
and acted upon, while others are re-
sisted by counter suggestion from
higher authority. Many are appar-
emily forgotten. but nevertheless are
stored for all eternity in the subcon-
scious mind and perhaps continue to
influence our lives momentously."
Some of the maladies supposed to
run in families. DR.. Mccartney said,
may be due to the fact that they
have been so strongly suggested as
inescapable that persons have them
for no organic cause. Suggestions OF
this sort, he said. have such power
to upset the normal secretions of
the body and normal actions OF the
stomach and intestines that they
actually cause indigestion, constipa-
ton and colitis.
It is In such conditions as these,
he said, that the strong counter sug-
QeStiOnS which can he given during