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HYPNOTISM is the production of a psychical condition in which the faculty of receiving impressions by suggestion and the power to act upon and carry out the suggestions is greatly increased.
The less the mind is occupied with ideas, the more easily can thoughts be directed into any givcn channel. If nothing holds our attention, the nervous system, for want of that gentle stimulation which is necessary to it, falls into a state of semi-activity inseparable from want of tone in the nervous system, and a form of sleep is produced.
The purpose of "fixing" the patient's attention on a certain bright point, as, for example, the bright light of the author's hypnoscope (see illustration) [None was provided - DM], at a strained angle of one foot in front of, and one foot above, the eye level, is used in order to strain the accommodation of the eyes and tire the sight. The effect of the strain is to cause dilatation of the pupils and resultant dimness of vision.
The feeling of heaviness in the eyelids results from the fatigue of keeping them open in a strained position. The assertion, by suggestive words in a monotonous tone, that the eyes are becoming tired and the sight dim, is therefore founded on physiological data. The eyes being tired, the natural impulse is to close them, and this act calls up a previous association of ideas connected with confused sight or fatigue.
That association points to sleep, towards which the patient is rapidly led, aided by the monotonous tones of the hypnotist-physician suggesting it to him, and by his mind being free from all disturbing thoughts, and his nerves being free from all external stimuli. The patient falls asleep, in fact, much in the same manner as one does when reading a dull book. The sleep may be (i) light, (ii) deep, (iii) or that of the state of somnambulism. The light and deep sleep closely resemble ordinary sleep, but the somnambulism is different and resembles mesmerism.
If an ordinary sleeper is spoken to, he is usually aroused by the stimulating effect of the sound conveyed to the brain, through the auditory nerves, but in the somnambulic state, he can be spoken to without being disturbed, and, on the contrary, the effect is actually soothing. Whereas in natural sleep the patient is en
rapport (in touch with) only his own consciousness, in somnambulism he is, in fact, in touch with (en rapport) the outer world. In the somnambulic state all the senses are more or less inactive, and in abeyance until called into play by the hypnotist. Whereas normal sleep is the result of fatigue and habit, and during this state the body is closed for repairs; as soon as all these repairs are done, the normal
healthy person wakes up with renewed energy. The hypnotic state may be brought about at any time of the day, and long before any perceptible inroad has been made on the store of nerve energy laid up during previous natural sleep. It follows that during this artificially produced sleep which is the hypnotic state, there may be great accumulation of an excess of energy, all of which can be concentrated and
directed into any channels the hypnotist-physician desires.
The concentrated and directed nerve force must naturally affect the system more powerfully than any ordinary sensory nervous impression; and this explains the sensation of warmth usually experienced in any part to which the attention has been drawn - the rapid production of congestion to a given part; and it also may explain the success of this treatment in some cases of paralysis of many years standing. In this state suggestions have all the force of commands, and the patient will strain every nerve to obey them, as they are received as true, and the idea tends to be realised and to be carried into execution as actions.
When the patient is told to move a paralysed limb, or to speak after months of aphonia (loss of voice), it will be noticed that he puts extreme intense effort into the attempt to comply with the hypnotist's suggestions or dictation (a better term); the hypnotist is the dictator and the commander.
We are all familiar with the stammerer under hypnosis making such an effort that he then speaks fluently; and the deaf person who will hear a whisper. The force of the suggestion does not, in fact, depend on the depth of the sleep, as all that is necessary is a state of increased receptivity of ideas suggested by the hypnotist, and, at the same time, an ignoring of all other sensory impressions, which is
accomplished even in the lighter states of hypnotism.
While it is true that only about half the population can be hypnotised to the somnambulic state, when they can be made to act and relate a dream, or scene dictated by the hypnotist, and in which state very accurate post-hypnotic suggestion can be made to bear fruit at the appointed time, threequarters of the
population can be hypnotised into a deep sleep, and practically everybody into the first stage of light "sleep": in this first degree many will deny having even been hypnotised, as they are conscious of movements in the outside world, but suggestions will frequently act as powerfully. To show the critic that he is hypnotised in such a light state, first tell him that he will find it impossible to open his eyes, and to his surprise he will find that he is not able to do so until commanded to open them.
The one criterion as to whether hypnotic suggestion will bring forth good results, can be determined at the beginning by passing the hypnotist's hand over the seat of pain (or by rubbing the epigastrium, and stating that he feels it getting warmer and warmer), when the patient will be conscious of a glow of reflex warmth (in fact this can often be registered by a thermometer); this is an all important point.
It must not be forgotten that crime can be committed by a few people in the hypnotic state: I was able to demonstrate this at a famous oriental murder trial in a British High Court of Justice a few years ago. My friend, Dr. Leopold Thoma of Vienna University, who is over in this country now, also demonstrated this
force before President Altmann in the Vienna Criminal Court, and I have shown the photographs taken of this case in a lecture-room at South Kensington.
Farez, of Paris, and I have found that natural sleep can frequently be changed into hypnotic sleep by making a few passes over the sleeper (stroking the forehead lightly and hardly touching it, or stroking the limbs in a like manner downwards), and whispering softly, telling him not to wake up. This method succeeds extremely well in the aged, in the psychoses, psycho-neuroses, neuroses and in children. Farez gave the name suggestion somnique to this form of hypnotism.
A most ingenious method of hypnosis is by the use of gramophone records made specially for this purpose under my special supervision. My friend, Dr. C. de Radwan of Vienna University, and I have been developing and using this method with great success in this country.
The less the mind is occupied with ideas, the more easily can thoughts be directed into any givcn channel. If nothing holds our attention, the nervous system, for want of that gentle stimulation which is necessary to it, falls into a state of semi-activity inseparable from want of tone in the nervous system, and a form of sleep is produced.
The purpose of "fixing" the patient's attention on a certain bright point, as, for example, the bright light of the author's hypnoscope (see illustration) [None was provided - DM], at a strained angle of one foot in front of, and one foot above, the eye level, is used in order to strain the accommodation of the eyes and tire the sight. The effect of the strain is to cause dilatation of the pupils and resultant dimness of vision.
The feeling of heaviness in the eyelids results from the fatigue of keeping them open in a strained position. The assertion, by suggestive words in a monotonous tone, that the eyes are becoming tired and the sight dim, is therefore founded on physiological data. The eyes being tired, the natural impulse is to close them, and this act calls up a previous association of ideas connected with confused sight or fatigue.
That association points to sleep, towards which the patient is rapidly led, aided by the monotonous tones of the hypnotist-physician suggesting it to him, and by his mind being free from all disturbing thoughts, and his nerves being free from all external stimuli. The patient falls asleep, in fact, much in the same manner as one does when reading a dull book. The sleep may be (i) light, (ii) deep, (iii) or that of the state of somnambulism. The light and deep sleep closely resemble ordinary sleep, but the somnambulism is different and resembles mesmerism.
If an ordinary sleeper is spoken to, he is usually aroused by the stimulating effect of the sound conveyed to the brain, through the auditory nerves, but in the somnambulic state, he can be spoken to without being disturbed, and, on the contrary, the effect is actually soothing. Whereas in natural sleep the patient is en
rapport (in touch with) only his own consciousness, in somnambulism he is, in fact, in touch with (en rapport) the outer world. In the somnambulic state all the senses are more or less inactive, and in abeyance until called into play by the hypnotist. Whereas normal sleep is the result of fatigue and habit, and during this state the body is closed for repairs; as soon as all these repairs are done, the normal
healthy person wakes up with renewed energy. The hypnotic state may be brought about at any time of the day, and long before any perceptible inroad has been made on the store of nerve energy laid up during previous natural sleep. It follows that during this artificially produced sleep which is the hypnotic state, there may be great accumulation of an excess of energy, all of which can be concentrated and
directed into any channels the hypnotist-physician desires.
The concentrated and directed nerve force must naturally affect the system more powerfully than any ordinary sensory nervous impression; and this explains the sensation of warmth usually experienced in any part to which the attention has been drawn - the rapid production of congestion to a given part; and it also may explain the success of this treatment in some cases of paralysis of many years standing. In this state suggestions have all the force of commands, and the patient will strain every nerve to obey them, as they are received as true, and the idea tends to be realised and to be carried into execution as actions.
When the patient is told to move a paralysed limb, or to speak after months of aphonia (loss of voice), it will be noticed that he puts extreme intense effort into the attempt to comply with the hypnotist's suggestions or dictation (a better term); the hypnotist is the dictator and the commander.
We are all familiar with the stammerer under hypnosis making such an effort that he then speaks fluently; and the deaf person who will hear a whisper. The force of the suggestion does not, in fact, depend on the depth of the sleep, as all that is necessary is a state of increased receptivity of ideas suggested by the hypnotist, and, at the same time, an ignoring of all other sensory impressions, which is
accomplished even in the lighter states of hypnotism.
While it is true that only about half the population can be hypnotised to the somnambulic state, when they can be made to act and relate a dream, or scene dictated by the hypnotist, and in which state very accurate post-hypnotic suggestion can be made to bear fruit at the appointed time, threequarters of the
population can be hypnotised into a deep sleep, and practically everybody into the first stage of light "sleep": in this first degree many will deny having even been hypnotised, as they are conscious of movements in the outside world, but suggestions will frequently act as powerfully. To show the critic that he is hypnotised in such a light state, first tell him that he will find it impossible to open his eyes, and to his surprise he will find that he is not able to do so until commanded to open them.
The one criterion as to whether hypnotic suggestion will bring forth good results, can be determined at the beginning by passing the hypnotist's hand over the seat of pain (or by rubbing the epigastrium, and stating that he feels it getting warmer and warmer), when the patient will be conscious of a glow of reflex warmth (in fact this can often be registered by a thermometer); this is an all important point.
It must not be forgotten that crime can be committed by a few people in the hypnotic state: I was able to demonstrate this at a famous oriental murder trial in a British High Court of Justice a few years ago. My friend, Dr. Leopold Thoma of Vienna University, who is over in this country now, also demonstrated this
force before President Altmann in the Vienna Criminal Court, and I have shown the photographs taken of this case in a lecture-room at South Kensington.
Farez, of Paris, and I have found that natural sleep can frequently be changed into hypnotic sleep by making a few passes over the sleeper (stroking the forehead lightly and hardly touching it, or stroking the limbs in a like manner downwards), and whispering softly, telling him not to wake up. This method succeeds extremely well in the aged, in the psychoses, psycho-neuroses, neuroses and in children. Farez gave the name suggestion somnique to this form of hypnotism.
A most ingenious method of hypnosis is by the use of gramophone records made specially for this purpose under my special supervision. My friend, Dr. C. de Radwan of Vienna University, and I have been developing and using this method with great success in this country.
