An Introduction To The Study of Hypnotism Experimental and Therapeutic by H. E. Wingfield (1920)

AN INTRODUCTION
.TO
THE STUDY OF
HYPNOTISM
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC
BY
H. E.
WINGFIELD
M.A., M.D.. B.C. Cantab.

CONSULTI.Vy PHYsICIAX, ROYAL HANTS COUNTY HOSPITAL
FORMERLY- DEMONSTRATOR OF PHYSIOLOGY IN CAMBRLDGE UNIVERSITY
EX-PRESIDENT, PSYCHO-MEDICAL SOCIETY
EX-VICE-PRESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICER OF SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION;
FORMERLY MEDICAL OFFICER TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
AUTHOR OF "THE FORMS OF ALCOHOLISM AND THEIR TREATMENT"
;
SECOND
EDITION
LONDON
BAILLIERE, TINDALL
8,
AND COX
HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN

1920
[All rights reserved]
4T
t^\OLOt
EDjC.
PSYCi.
UBRAfiY
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION

This
little
book
who
intended mainly for those
is
are unacquainted with hypnotism, and aims at pro-
viding the
theoretical
with
reader
and
knowledge,
sufficient
him
practical, to enable
to
both
make use
of suggestion in suitable cases.
The
whole
fact that the
of
the
edition
first
was sold
within a short time of publication encourages
hope that
it
fulfilled
its
present edition, which
numerous
requests,
aim
is
and
me
to
trust that the
published in response to
may meet
with an equally kind
reception.
phenomena
The
some
is
of
hypnosis
detail, as I believe that a
essential to the practitioner
are
described
knowledge
who
my
disposal, I
them
uses hypnotism,
and though the various theories cannot be

in the space at
of
in
have
criticized
tried to
bring
before the reader the chief problems presented by the

subject.
To the chapter on treatment
606105
have added an
PREFACE
vi
account of cases bearing on Eepressed Memories, and

their treatment
which
is
by hypnotism, a part
of the subject
rapidly increasing in importance in view of
Freud's discoveries.
HUGH WINGFIELD.
London,
June, 1920.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
INTRODUCTORY
The definition of hypnosis

The phenomena of suggestion Hypnosis as a state
First workers
iii
PAGES
hj^notism
CHAPTER
1-11
II
THE SUB-CONSCIOUSNESS
Evidence of existence (Submemory Influence of sub-consciousness on waking activities Motor and sensory
automatisms Passive attention Multiple person-
The sub-consciousness
conscious
its
chain of
alities) Rel^Jiionof
sciousness (Its nature
pri mary
and
ser '^^^n^y
its bearing on hypnosial
CHAPTER
con.
12-31
III
METHODS OF THE INDUCTION OF HYPNOSIS

Introductory
Test suggestions Manner of conveying sugmode Personality
gestions (Emphatic v. persuasive
SusceptibiUty of subjects) Conditions

Processes of induction (Physical
methods Methods of Nancy School Personal
suggestions Method of
method) Necessity of
treatment (Dubois'
Dr. Taplin Allied forms
method Dr. Bramwell's method) Awakening of
of operator
of
suggestibihty
test
of
the subject
32-61
CONTENTS
viii
CHAPTER ly
THE PHENOMENA OF HYPNOSIS -THE STAGES
PAGBS
statement
Erroneous impressions of
Determination of stages of hypnosis
Detailed account of stages 1 to 5 Comparison with
62-97
stages of Liebeault and Bernheim
Introductory
hypnosis
CHAPTER V
OTHER HYPNOTIC PHENOMENA
Post-hypnotic suggestion Negative hallu Ansesthesia Other phenomena (Effects of

passes Effects of previous deep hypnotization on
experimental subjects Self-suggestion Effects on
sense of touch and temperature Light sensory stimuli
Hallucinations
cinations
and suggestion)
98-118
CHAPTER VI
TREATMENT BY SUGGESTION
Introductory (Liebeault) Repressions (with note on Freud,

and examples of repressed complexes) General principles of treatment, îth Forel's hst of diseases amen-
able to suggestion Typical maladies (Hysteria

Insomnia
Obsessions
Nocturnal
Neurasthenia
enuresis Alcoholism Morphinomania Sex disorders
such as masturbation Primary vaginismus Spas^
modic dysmenorrhoea Absence of sex feeling
Chorea
Sea-sickness
Insanity
Nervousness
Constipation Nervous diarrhcea Spasmodic asthma
119-183
Epilepsy) Ancssthesia Closing note
CHAPTER
VII
THE CASE AGAINST HYPNOTISM

and irresponsible use of hypnotism
Moll Question of liberty of subject to
184-191
refuse suggestions Conclusion
Danger
of unqualified
Opinion of
Index
102-1&O
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE
STUDY OF HYPNOTISM
CHAPTEK
INTRODUCTORY
hypnotism The definition
phenomena of suggestion Hypnosis
First workers in
of
hypnosis
The
as a state.
From immemorial times in the history of mankind

the phenomena now classed under the name of
hypnotism appear to have been known as isolated
Clothed in
facts.
the guise
of
the
supernatural,
regarded sometimes as religious manifestations, sometimes as the results of magic spells or as the work of
spirits,
they were, of course, unrecognized as a group
of effects
due
to a
common and
natural cause.
That they had a common origin was
first
suggested
Mesmer
modern times by the experiments
Though he did
at the beginning of the last century.
not comprehend the real character of the phenomena
of
in quite
which he produced, yet to him must be ascribed the

merit of perceiving that they were due to some
natural cause, and of
to the
problem
first
drawing the attention
of their explanation.
Mesmer
of
men
believed
1
AN INTRODUCTION TO HYPNOTISM
that the plieno.mcna emanated from
" fluid,"
and even
common among
to
ideas
are
of
*'
will-power "
" animal
and
" sue invoked to explain the facts.
Mesmer was
Elliotson,
day similar
this
of
the general public, and influences
under the names
magnetism
'
some kind
and
by the
followed
Braid,
surgeons Esdaile,
who were
attacked
by the
majority of the medical profession with that animosity
which invariably greets the discomposing pioneers
any unfamiliar idea.

To James Braid, the
last of the three,
having
first
clearly
phenomena were
due,
not
credit
of
belongs the
perceived
that
the
any mysterious or
to
supernormal emanations, but
of
to
the power of
sug-
gestion alone, acting on a subject whose suggestibility
has been
This view, which has
artificially increased.
been abundantly confirmed
by Li6beault and the
now universally accepted. The researches of modern times are mainly attempts to
systematize the phenomena, to explain how it is that
Nancy
school,
is
suggestion arrives at such results, and to define the
nature of the condition which
such a marked increase

of
these aims has to a
is
characterized by
of suggestibility.
great extent
successfully accomplished, but the others
from complete
way
via
A
)r
]
suggestion
is,
The
first
already been
seem a long
realization.
of course,
simply the implantation
the development of an idea in the mind of the
person experimented on.
The suggestion may come
from without or from the subject himself.
IiNTRODUCTORY
The Definition of Hypnosis.
I.
Various attempts have been made to define hypnosis,

the condition of artificially increased
Some merely
suggestibility ,_
which
express the theories
different
authors hold as to the nature of hypnosis.
Myers regards suggestion as

the subliminal self."
**
Thus
a successful appeal to
Sidis defines hypnosis as physio-
" the inhibition of the inhibitory centres,"
logically
and so on.
Others convey
description, in
seems
its
the present
open
to be
characteristics as a state in
phenomena occur
certain specified
state
and
of
which
this kind of
our knowledge,
to the least objection.
Bernheim says hypnotism
is
the production of a
psychical condition in which the faculty of receiving
impressions by suggestion
as Dr. Lloyd
Tuckey
is
greatly increased.
indicates,
this
But,
definition does
not recognize the extraordinary increase of power to

carry out accepted suggestions which
is
always found
in hypnosis.
If I
might hazard a
hypnosis
definition, I should say that
a psychical condition in ivhich suggestions
is
are not only
much more
realized with
an intensity much greater than
to the
normal
state.
For, however eagerly a
receive a suggestion in his
that
it
Thus,
easily accepted^ hut are also
normal
is
possible
man may
state, it is quite clear
can be realized only within certain restrictions.

if
that her d
suggest to a lady in her normal condition

-ess
is
on
fire,
though she
may
at
once
when
accept the suggestion and act accordingly, yet
she sees that her dress
is
really not burning at
all,
the suggested idea will be immediately dissipated.
But, as we see
later, if
she be in deep hypnosis, so
vivid will be the realization that she will believe she
actually sees the flames and smoke, and so becomes
subject to a hallucination.
The Phenomena of Suggestion.
11.
The
following
only one I
know which
anyone that
/
simple experiment will show the
of a suggestion;
effect
if
because
I select it
he takes a pinch
variably happen
bet
that after taking
may
Perhaps the suggestion
so.
by an
;
offer to bet
Assure
on the
result.
even
of snuff, or
pepper, he will be unable to sneeze, and

it
be
it
the
is
it
practically never fails.
will in-
he cannot do
made
stronger
It is quite safe
I have never seen the suggestion
fail.
Yet
it
to
is
entirely ineffectual to prevent sneezing in a person
with a cold.
It
is,
perhaps, unnecessary to point out that the
subject of the experiment will be quite impervious to
other suggestions.
get
will
up from
Thus,
his chair,
if
he be told that he must
and cannot help doing
so,
he
merely smile contemptuously and remain seated
where he
But, as we shall see later on, by what
is.
are called hypnotic processes his condition can be so

altered that
if
he be
told, for
example, that he must
get up, or that he cannot get up, he will have to
obey the suggestion, even
if
he resist with
all
his power.
INTRODUCTORY
We
shall find, too, that certain groups of sugges-
tions will act readily, while other groups are difficult
and
to enforce,
that, as the subject is
hypnotized, these more
difficult
and more
it
effective.
the hypnotic state
So
more
more deeply
more
suggestions are
becomes possible
to divide
or less accurately into stages,
each stage being characterized by the particular group

of
phenomena which can be
successfully suggested
therein.
One
of the easiest of these suggestions is that the
subject cannot open his eyes.

all his
might
He may
in spite of his efforts,
struggle with
he cannot do
it.
But here we stumble across a remarkable fact. It not

infrequently happens that the subject is quite convinced that he can open his eyes, and it is only when
he actually attempts it that he realizes by failure
that he cannot do so.
effect of the
Now,
it is
obvious that the only
suggestion that he cannot open his eyes
But
will be the creation of a belief to that effect.

if
the subject have no conscious conviction that he
cannot open his eyes,

exist in his
it is
clear that the idea does not
waking consciousness.
Where, then,
is
the
idea concealed ?
Again, some subjects can be
what
is
known
tion, in the
memory
as
When
hypnosis.
to
pass into
somnambulism, or the deep
state of
they are awakened from this condi-
majority of cases we shall find that the
of all the events
which occurred during
period has vanished completely.
may have
made
this
The somnambulist
been walking about and talking or acting
under the influence

hallucination, but
some suggested delusion or

on awakening, he will remember
of
still,
absolutely nothing of
this.
all
Yet,
events of his previous sleep.
the sleeping
if
remember
condition be again induced, he will
The
commanded
to
action after he wakes, he will perform
has no conscious recollection
of the
the
ideas, then, still
continued, but where were they stored ?
during his sleep he be
all
Again,
if
perform some
it,
though he
command. Where,
one asks again, was concealed the idea that prompted

All through the study of hypnotism this
the action ?
question
is
the one great problem that constantly
confronts us, and the most fascinating part of the
whole inquiry
place
I think, the
is,
hunt
for
the hiding-
apparently lost but really persistent
of these
ideas.
III.
It
often
is
hypnosis
is
Hypnosis as a State.
after
said,
Bernheim's dictum, that
nothing but suggestion.
But, as Sidis
points out in his admirable work on the Psychology

of Suggestion, "If
by what
gestion
is it
is
attention
hypnosis be nothing but suggestion,
induced
thus
its
had been
Why, by
own
cause."
suggestion.
It
Sug-
seems as though
so concentrated on tne striking
plienomena produced by suggestion that the condition
or hypnosis, for the terms

without which suggestions are abso-
of increased suggestibility
are
synonymous
lutely ineffectual, has

of suggestibility is
been ignored.
merely one
But
this increase
of the characteristics
INTRODUCTORY
of a
new psychical
which
this,
condition, which
much
for just as
and
must be accounted
as the effects of
suggestions
the
The consome recondite change in
this alone, renders possible.
dition appears to be
due
to
the relations of the different parts of consciousness.
But
this will be better understood
when we come
to
consider the role of the sub-consciousness in a later

chapter.
Sidis gives the following conditions as essential to
the production
of
hypnosis
îmonotony, limitation
of
fixation
voluntary movements,
upon which attention
ideas except those
depend upon other factors besides mere

factors are
wonder that
so simple
their presence is often
of fact,
it
is
no
unnoticed and
making formal
suggestions almost anyone would quite instinctively

Bee that they were respected, without being in the
least
aware
of
the fact that he was arranging con-
without which
ditions
his
suggestions .would
be
nullified.
Once hypnosis has been induced
sufficiently
to
enable even the simplest suggestions to be effective,

there
is
no doubt the phenomena evoked by the

themselves tend to increase sug-
suggestions do of
further
gestibility
still
hypnosis.
Thus,
to lay his
in
suggestion.^^J.
and natural that
necessity unrecognized, for in
all
to be con-
So that hypnosis does, as a matter
centrated.
their
is
i/
limita-
the field of consciousness, inhibition of
tion of
The
attention,
of
other words, to deepen
hypnotize a subject and ask him
hand on mine, and suggest that he cannot
take
it off.
If
fail.
The suggestion may,

I try a
fails,
it
of course, succeed or
suggestion which, I
from experience, can be more
know
enforced.
easily
make him shut his eyes, and suggest that he cannot

open them.
now
tell
repeat
him
my
The suggestion probably
succeeds.
first
experiment, trying to
fix
I succeed.
Now,
it is
more suggestible than he was when

first experiment, and it is equally clear
then, has
made him more
away.
it
made
that,
the
had
have found him as
number
refractory as ever to suggestion
to
quite clear that he
is
failed to seal his eyes, I should
hand
his
mine by suggesting that he cannot take

This time
that he can open his eyes, and again
suggestible
What,
one.
Clearly not
the suggestion that he could not open his eyes in

itself, for if it
had
failed
it
would have been powerless
change his condition.
to
It
was the
phenomenon
made him more
the
of inability to
the
success of
suggestion that increased his suggestibility
it
was
open the eyes that
To put the matter
suggestible.
in
another way, successful suggestion will induce hypnotic
phenomena, and the phenomena
in their turn induce
an increased suggestibility.
Many consider that the phenomena

memory and its recovery in subsequent
not due to suggestion, but
deep hypnotic
is
of
loss
hypnosis
of
is
part and parcel of the
state.
This phenomenon occurs almost constantly in good

subjects, without
any
direct suggestion of
Biamwell, indeed, states that
'*
amnesia.
with nearly everyone
INTRODUCTORY
the idea of hypnosis represents a kind of sleep, with
subsequent loss of memory," so that the very sug-
may
gestion of sleep
amnesia.
But
this does not account for the return of
memory during
it
be in these cases followed by
a fresh hypnosis
and, while perhaps
might explain why the suggestion
of sleep
should
produce amnesia in those who expected such a result,

this
explanation seems hardly applicable to
those
somnambulism appears without any

suggestion of sleep whatever. It is well known that__
the production of hallucinations often induces somnambulism, with subsequent amnesia. With many in fact,
cases in which
with most
of the
Cambridge subjects
whom
I sent
somnambulism I induced it in the first instance

by this method, making no suggestion of sleep. I
into
suggested as strongly as
could a visual hallucina-
tion, generally of a bright star,
for another,
and then changed
and so on through a succession

In almost every case
hallucinations.
it
of different
the
subject
experienced complete amnesia on awaking, followed
by a recovery
is difficult
and one has
to
memory seems
tions
memory when again hypnotized. It

how suggestion could well enter here,
of
to see
account for the fact that the loss
of
to follow the production of hallucina-
with a constancy which
certainly
seems
to
some causal relation between the two.

It is merely an assumption that because most of the
phenomena of hypnotism are due to suggestion, the
indicate
amnesia and
its
recovery are necessarily also due to
it.
make any assumption
of
But we have no
right to
10
we must abide by the
this kind;
results of experi-
ment.
According to the Nancy experimenters, anaesthesia

also
may
occur spontaneously without suggestion in
This phenomenon,
the deep state.
correctly stated,
if
would be another case in point.

Post-hypnotic amnesia and the recovery of
memory during subsequent hypnosis
quence
change
that, whilst
suggestion,
may
it
the
am
is
rather the conse-
of hallucination or of the
induced by the suggestion
condition
seems
which
of statey
phenomena
of the
suggestion) would seem
inclined to think, not due to

to reveal a
as
(if,
sleep.
of
amnesia can be induced by
It
direct
also occur not as a response to
as a concomitant with,
that, but in response to, or
phenomena occasioned by
suggestion.
But, in any case, the saying that hypnotism
is
nothing but suggestion merely begs the whole question.
us nothing of the
It tells
mechanism
or of the
changes in consciousness which cause the increased
and gives no clue
suggestibility,
dismissing the
subject for
is
saying that
suggestion, that
all
suggestion
is
if
is
it
astounding
realized.
In
may
be
were true that
all
the present,
worth while to say that even
hypnotism
to the
which suggestions are
intensity with
it
not a justification for
hypnotism, an inference
that seems to be sometimes drawn.

It
is
undeniable that
intellectually
causes
of
unsatisfying
there
in
is
all
still
something
accounts of
the
hypnotism, and that further exploration
INTRODUCTORY
may end
in exciting discoveries.
11
It
does seem as
the process were partially involved in

of
personality,
and
like
other kinds
of
problem
were,
as
if
some
the
if
obscure
factor at least
personal influences
and
impressions, the natural and logical product of the
combination
of certain psychical qualities
which can-
not be determined and discriminated as yet, while the

science of psychology
still
stammers
in its infancy.
CHAPTER
II
The sub-consciousness
chain of
Evidence of
memory Influence
of
its
existence (Sub-conscious
sub consciousness on waking
activities Motor and sensory automatisms

tion
Multiple
personalities)
secondary consciousness
(Its
Eelation
nature
Passive atten-
of
primary and
on hyp-
Its bearing
nosis).
Though many attempts have been made to explain

the phenomena of hypnotism, as yet none of these
theories seems completely to cover the facts.
ghjsiolqgical side
numbers
advanced, but nearly
all
of
On
the
hypotheses have been
have been found untenable.
The theory of dissociation, which supposes the formation and breaking of links between the various brain
centres by a physiological process, has
much
to be
has been ably discussed in

a paper by Dr. McDougall in Brain *
said
in
its
favour
it
But though there must,

logical
side to hypnotism,
of
it
course, be a physiois
in the psychological
domain that speculation has been most

great result of
the
all
fruitful.
The
investigations has been to emphasize
immense importance
of the role played
by the sub-
consciousness, variously termed the " subliminal " or

* "The State
of the
Brain during Hypnosis."
July, 1908.
12
In Brain,
" secondary "
self,
consciousness, or personality.
terms secondary or subliminal "self," or

are, I think, objectionable, as
normal
the
13
existence
'*
personality,"
they appear to imply
something
of
The
may
which
properly be conceived as a real separate personality
an
assumption for which
sufficient warrant.
It
is
to
present there
at
is
not
Myers that we owe the
recognition of the supreme importance of the sub-
consciousness, and of the part
takes in producing
it
phenomena of hypnotism."^
What, then, is the evidence for the
the
existence of this
secondary consciousness, and what are
functions
its
and powers ?
I.
Evidence of Existence of Sub-consciousness.
(a)
Sub-conscious
Chain of Memory.
If
good
hypnotic subject, capable of passing into the somnambulistic
state, is
put to sleep, he
may
be
made
to
^ In
his work
on Psychotherapy, the late Professor
Munsterberg boldly states that " the sub-conscious " has no
existence.
This hypothesis compels him to assume that the
most complex phetiomena generally ascribed to sub-conscious
action, such as automatic writing, even when it plainly confesses
an intellectual origin, are in reality simply automatic physiological processes, into which no consciousness of any kind enters.
It is of the same nature, he says, as the playing of the piano
without thought of the special movements of the hands an
automatic reflex. This is strangely like a return to Carpenter's
old idea of " unconscious cerebration."
It is unlikely that such
no satisfactory theory
hypnotism, which Munsterberg attempts to explain as due to
abnormal attention to the operator on the part of the subject.
a view will pass unchallenged.
of
It leaves
14
talk,
walk about, and see any suggested hallucinatory
Except
object.
man
he exhibits as a rule
for the fact that
or no spontaneity, he might be mistaken for a
little
in his
normal condition, speaking and acting as

Yet when he
though he were awake.

find that he has
was doing during his

to sleep again, the
hypnosis
will
sleep.*
memory of the events
have returned, and
aroused we
of
what he
however, he be sent
If,
of his previous
will persist as long as
he remains in that condition, only
moment he
is
no recollection whatever
to
vanish again the
More than this, we shall

find that during his sleep he remembers the events
of his wâking life just as well as he does when awake.
We
re-awakened.
is
see here one important point of evidence
has two apparently separate chains

chain of
actions and events
as well
of
the
the sleeping and normal
familiar to us
is
the events of the waking

(/))
memory
life
and, secondly, the chain of the waking state,
that which
ties.
of
he
which comprises the
sleeping state,
the
all,
life
and which comprises
alone.
Influence of Suh-consciousness on
But
we may now make
For -example,
told
a lady
Waking
fresh
who was
Activi-
experiment.
in
somnam-
bulism that after awaking she would turn on the

electric lights
in
my
room.
then awakened her,
and found that she had no recollection of anything

After about a
that had passed during her sleep.
* This amnesia can be prevented by suggestion during somnambulism, and the recollection can often be revived by
suggestion during the waking state.
THE
sub.consciousnp:ss
minute she began
and
"Dr. Wingfield, what is that on the

it was merely the electricwhereupon she said: ** Oh, is it? It
I told
light switch,
her that
May
quite different from those in our house.
try it?"
it
to look at the electric-light switch,
at last said:
wall?"
is
15
her she might, and
told
I >/
turned'^ ^^^'^''^^^^'
she
on.
Or take another case

Cambridge
I hypnotized, for
an undergraduate
same
illustrating the
but in a more striking manner.
While
experimental purposes,
whom we
will call
X.
summer
he had
am
It
was
X,
sorry to say, was not a hard-working person.
past the middle of the
point,
was at
term, and, though
to sit for the theological special
examination at
the end of the term, he had not even procured the
One day
books to read on the subject.
hypnotized
him, and told him while he was asleep that the next
day he would begin
to
work
at nine o'clock in
the
morning, and would continue his labours from nine

one, or at least four hours every morning and two
till
hours every evening.
On awaking he remembered
absolutely nothing, either
of
Next morning he was early

etc.,
and
settled
down
to
this
suggestion or of
made during
other experiments which I
astir,
work
had promised two friends
to
his hypnosis.
buying books, paper,

at nine o'clock.
accompany them
He
to
Newmarket that morning, and they accordingly came

but he absolutely refused to go and
to fetch him
resisted all persuasion.
I had him watched by a
friend who lived in the same house, and it was quite
;
16
curious to observe
how
accurately the suggestion was
He would sometimes
obeyed.
middle of the morning
break
to play the
off
work
piano or
in the
but
rest,
he always on these occasions exactly fulfilled his four

hours of work, so far as our observations went. On
two occasions he went out to dances, not returning
until
twelve,
him
struck
home
but each time on. reaching

that he might do a
little
it
work before
going to bed, and he religiously completed his two

hours.
at the
Now,
We
am
end
glad to say he passed his examination
of the term.
in these
two cases we have a new phenomenon.
saw before that the sleeping consciousness and
the waking consciousness differed as to the matter

of
their
memory
chains
command, given during
but here we find that a
sleep
and apprehended only
by the sleeping consciousness,
is
carried out during
the waking state, and this notwithstanding that the

subject
utterly
is
been given.
unaware that any command has
Here, then, we begin to see that the
sleeping consciousness
are wide awake, and,
if
may
even when we
affect us
we examine
that the result of such experiments
closely,
is
we
find
usually simply
the creation of a desire or impulse to perform the
suggested action, a desire of whose origin the subject

is
completely ignorant.
In the
first
experiment the
impulse to turn on the light was produced

patient
did
not
command from
directly.
know
that
it
but the
was originated
myself, and hesitated to carry
Her question was
in a
it
clearly a subterfuge
out
by
which she hoped
to satisfy
17
her desire without trans-
gressing the rules of politeness.

(c)
Intellectual Activities of the Sub-consciousness.
During the
Let us now consider another experiment.
May week of
1886
hypnotized G., an undergraduate,
me
May races, on the
On awakening he
one evening, and told him that he would bring

a
poem
on the
of three stanzas
following evening at nine o'clock.
did not recollect the suggestion, or any of the occur-
Next day he came to luncheon
rences of his sleep.
with me.
hypnotized him again, and he
once into a deep somnambulism.
what
he was
had
told
to write
it,
asked whether he had com-
and he said he had made the
This, he said, was as follows
verse.
'
at
him to do, and he answered that

a poem and bring it to me at nine
o'clock that evening.
posed any of
fell
now asked him
first
Oh, Trinity, Pembroke, John's, Caius,

Soon, soon in your shoes shall you shiver
You may swagger

But the Hall
Not very
as
much
will be
brilliant poetry,
awaking he knew nothing

at
head
of
nine o'clock he brought
three verses, the

told
me
first
as
you
please,
of the river."
perhaps
However, on
what had been
said,
me
poem
the whole
being that given above.
that at half-past eight he
but
of
He
had suddenly been
seized with the idea that he would write a few verses
on the
May
races,
and
sat
down
to
do
so.
He
said
he had written them straight out as they came into

his head,
seemed rather pleased with his performance*

2
1^
and was evidently disappointed when
much
I did not think
of
I told
him
that
them.
Here we have the verses composed
in obedience to
a suggestion addressed to the secondary consciousness,
and without the knowledge
The
ness.
last
two verses,
of the
at
waking conscious-
any
rate,
and possibly
first, were composed during hours of wakefulness,

and yet unconsciously in the ordinary acceptation of
the
The secondary consciousness, then, appears

be capable of intellectual activity, and this activity
the term.
to
may
occur while the person concerned
is
wide awake,
though, of course, quite unaware of these processes.

I
have given the above experiments out
of
many
hundreds, because they are in themselves so simple and

so easily carried out.
make
cult to
So
far as
bulism
it is
suspension.
The reader will not
is
somnam-
see that in
only the waking consciousness which
The
states, so that
but
it diffi-
successful experiments on similar lines.
we have gone, we
activity
persists during both the
rests,
find
some
of
is
in
the sub-consciousness
waking and the somnambulic

it
never sleeps nor
turn to evidence
other than that
believe that
always active.
We may now
derived simply from hypnotic experiments.

(d)
Motor Automatisms
matic Writing).
Most
called a planchette.
(the Planchette
and Auto-
people have heard of a toy
It consists
merely of a heart-
shaped board, about 8 by 10 inches, with two wheels

as supports, the third support being a pencil firmly
fixed in a hole in the board.
The planchette
is
placed
19
with the pencil resting on a sheet of paper, and the
one or both hands
operator lays
asking
a question.
it
now
planchette
gently upon
the experiment succeeds, the
If
move
begins to
in obedience to
portant point to notice
written,
may
many
that in
is
un-
The im-
conscious pressure, and writes an answer.
experimenter
it,
cases
the
be utterly unaware of what he has
and the answer
may mention
facts of
which
he believes himself ignorant.
simpler plan bids
still
hand and
pencil in his
paper.
lightly
it
on a sheet
of
In answ'er to a question, the hand will then
move independently
of
unknown
be entirely
his
will,
and, as
with the
a message the contents of which
write
planchette,
may
rest
hold
operator
the
him
to
until
Only certain persons have the power

automatically, as
is called,
it
he has read
of
it.
thus writing
but the proportion
is
quite large.
To return
will
he be one
sleep, yet
if
when
provided with
asked, the
his
pencil,
is
give
cognizant of
all
For example,
all
the events of his
who can
write auto-
placed on a planchette or
and suitable questions are
intelligence that
writing will
of those
hand
hypnotized subject
Though on awakening
have completely forgotten
matically,
bulism
to the
somnambulism.
in the state of
he
moment
for a
governs the automatic
answers which show that
it
is
that took place during that sleep.
hypnotized G., and during somnam-
made him imagine
with the hounds
(2)
that he was
(1)
riding
rowing a race in his college boat
so
morning he would put a boot on one foot

and a shoe on the other. On waking he remembered
none of these things. I then made him put his hand
(3)
that next
on a planchette, and asked, ''What did you do first?"

After a few meaningless scratches it wrote " Hunting."
"
What then?"
the answer.
" Eowed in the races," was
I asked.
"Did
I tell
you
to
do anything?"
But
**Boot one, shoe one," said the planchette.

particular experiment
is
so easy to
make
this
that I need
not multiply examples.
In making experiments
of this
kind I was struck
The knowledge possessed

commensurate with that
exactly
planchette
was
the
by
The
possessed by the subject during somnambulism.
with one outstanding
sub-consciousness
is
fact.
therefore identical with the con-
sciousness of the hypnotic sleep, and from this experi-
ment we
see that
collusion of the
when
it
can carry out actions without
waking or primary consciousness even
the subject
is
That
wide awake.
is
to say, both
the primary and the secondary consciousness

acting independently, causing muscular
at the
same moment
The following case
may
be
movements
of time.
strikingly reveals the action of the
sub-conscious memory, and incidentally shows that the

planchette
may be
of real use as a
means
of diagnosis.
gentleman, aged thirty, came to consult
cerning the following history.
me
con-
For nine years he
had been oppressed by an indefinable dread of some

He had no idea what it was that
terrible calamity.
he apprehended.
For the
first
two or three years he
had managed
2l
to control this terror, but after a rather
severe attack of influenza
increased greatly, until
it
it
became a constant horror, which never left him during

his waking hours.
His own medical attendant, the
whom
he had confided his trouble, had

months before he came to me, and,
perhaps because he had since then kept his condition
of mind to himself, the obsession had increased to an
only person to
died about six
him
extent which threatened to drive
saw him several times and

though he was susceptible,
to suicide.
hypnotism
tried
was unable
somnambulism, and suggestions seemed

on his dread.
effect
might
One day
find out the cause of his terror
writing.
He
could,
planchette
at
least
a planchette,
he
thought,
his
have no
me
that I
by automatic
with
write
he had once done
made him put
to induce
to
struck
it
but,
so.
got
hand upon
it,
and
him?"
After a few moments the planchette made some
scratches.
I then said:
"Don't make scratches;
asked
**
write
an
Planchette, what
answer."
let
him
see
that frightens
about
After
pause the planchette wrote

not
is it
half
minute's
" Father's death."
did
what he had written, but substituted
a fresh
sheet of paper,
frighten
him?"
"Will
asking
die the
**
:
Why
does that
same," was the reply.
On
inquiry I found that his father had died suddenly

pulmonary embolism, and that my patient, then a
child of twelve, had witnessed the death-agony with
of
was the cause
great horror.
This, then,
which
so vainly sought.
had
now
of panic for
tried direct
22
suggestions against the possibility of his dying in this
way, and in less than three weeks the old terror had
him. It is worth noticing that even when I made
left
suggestions against this particular idea, he remained

quite sceptical as to his having
He
ever.
any such notion what-
had no conscious idea
certainly
It is interesting to
get quite startling revivals of
automatic writing.
graduate,
to
and covered sheet

I
aware
of
found that
secrets
once compelled L., an underautomatically
write
suggestion " Write."
least
of the kind.
may sometimes
memory exhibited in
observe that one
He
by
simple
the
immediately began writing,
after sheet, without being in
what he had
much
of the
written.
the
On examination
matter was a revelation of
which he would not willingly have shared
with anyone, so
papers and give
me
was obliged
to let
him read the
such parts as he cared to show.
But the remarkable point was that there were a few

sentences in a language of which neither he nor I
knew anything.
eventually found that
it
was old
Spanish, and the explanation seems to be that in his
childhood he used often to examine books in his

father's library,
in
old
which
Spanish.
he
had
and that some
of these
were written
Doubtless some of the sentences
under the influence
understanding were
without
read
retained in his sub-conscious
memory, and reproduced
of the suggestion " Write."
Automatic writing
is
called motor automatism
matic action really
an instance
that
is,
originating
of
what Myers
of apparently auto-
in
the
secondary
consciousness.
There
forms
are, of course, other
motor automatism, such
the
as
may
automatic movements in
Motor automatism may
some
also
cases
of
and
table-tilting
turning of the spiritualists, and, one
add, certain
hysteria.
of
occur quite spontane-
Thus, a lady was just going to throw certain
ously.
papers into the
hand
23
arrested.
fire
On
the papers were
when she suddenly found her

down she saw that among
looking
some five-pound
She had
notes.
doubtless unconsciously noticed them, and the impulse
which prevented her from
sacrificing
them
originated
in her secondary consciousness.

(e)
itself
Sensory Automatisms.
But besides manifesting
by automatic movements, the secondary con-
sciousness
is
capable of producing sensory
phenomena
as well.
The most
striking instance of sensory automatism,
apart from hypnotism,
is
to
be found in what has
been termed crystal-gazing, a process

with spiritualists,
who
much
in
vogue
believe that the visions
which
they see are due to the influence of departed
spirits.
The experimenter simply gazes into a glass ball,

or glass of water, or some similar object, in the
expectation of seeing visions
and,
if
he
is
successful,
he soon sees pictures
of various kinds in the crystal.
people can
large
number
of
do
this,
and
it
is
perhaps mainly to these forms of motor and sensory
automatism that modern spiritualism owes

These crystal visions
may
its
strength.
occur quite unexpectedly.
short time ago I was trying to hypnotize a lady,
24
and made her look

crystal
exclaimed
is
moments
for a few
held above her eyes.

*'
:
Oh
I see a dog.
running away."
at a cut-glass
Almost
at once
she
turning round
It is
it
This was succeeded by the appear-
ance of a nurse wheeling a perambulator, and this

again by a horse in a dog-cart.
gave up trying to
hypnotize her by this method.
The tendency
for apparently unnoticed facts to be
reproduced by automatism
is
a well-known crystal-gazer,
uncommon.
not
when she was
into her crystal,
Miss
Z.,
was one morning looking

startled to see in
it
the printed announcement of the death of a friend.
She immediately went
to look at a
newspaper, and
there she found the identical announcement.
But
she had previously glanced at the column of deaths,
though she had not consciously noticed the paragraph

in question.
These sub -conscious impressions

duced in dreams.
town
lost a cigarette-case
offices (he
had
he saw his cigarette-case.

early,
held,
seen
at a
in^
meeting at the
really been there that day),
dream he heard something
in his
be repro-
which he valued very highly.
That night he dreamt that he was

L.C.C.
may also
Mr. C, a friend of mine, while
fall.
and
Looking down,
Next morning he got up
room where the meeting had been

and found the cigarette-case exactly as he had
it
went
to the
in his
dream.
(/) Passive Attention,

of attention,
One
even in ordinary
to a splitting of consciousness,
factor,
life
concentration
induces a tendency
25
Thus a man, walking along the
street engrossed in
will avoid colliding
with other people
conversation,
though he may not consciously notice them, and may __

every
now and then be
them
at
He
all.
so
much
is
fully
aware
is
times
conscious.
all
Of
of the other,
only partially and some-
avoiding passers-by, he
at
avoiding
is
doing two things at once.
is
one, the conversation, he
scarcely
absorbed in con-
unaware that he
versing as to be quite
unaware
These
actions are governed by a part of consciousness which
has begun
is
to split off
from the
sometimes termed one

I
rest.
The
condition
of passive attention.
suppose that this splitting of consciousness when
our attention is fully engaged is a kind of defensive

mechanism, which guards us from injuries which we
do not avoid consciously when mental interest
is
otherwise absorbed.
As
will
be seen in the next chapter, the methods
for inducing hypnosis,
which
after all is a condition
consciousness, depend upon this limitation
of
split
of
the field
of
consciousness
by concentration
of
attention.
ig)
Multiple Personalities.
shall not attempt to
deal with the questions involved in those rare cases in
which the consciousness

tion into one or
more
is liable to
apparent disrup-
distinct personalities,
such as in
They are
purely pathological, and, though the phenomena of the
secondary consciousness do in a measure help to
the well-known case of Sally Beauchamp.
elucidate them, the explanation
is still
far
from being
^^
26
fully understood,
little
and
quite beyond the scope of this
is
book.
Relation of Primary and Secondary
II.
Consciousness.
(a)
Nature of
the Relationshij).
has been con-
It
tended by some that the primary and the secondary

consciousness are really completely separate entities,
properly designated by the term "personalities."

if
we look more
that here
no sharp
closely,
we
everywhere in Nature
as, indeed,
line of demarcation.
dition of the
memory
If
we
lects
and often very imperfect.
some occurrences, he
is
occurring
shall find that
as he nears the somnambulistic stage such
imperfect,
there
we examine the con-
of a subject for events
in the different stages of hypnosis,
But
conclude
shall, I think,
memory
is
Whilst he recol-
forgets others
happening
apparently in the same stage, though he can generally,

but not always, recall these events
The condition
them.
waking and sleeping
of
reminded
memory between
the
states
if
appears to be
one
of
the
of
extremely variable equilibrium, oscillating constantly,
tending
now
So much
is
to the waking,
now
to the sleeping state.
this the case that
it
is
difficult to
get
constant results in experiments on Inemory in this
middle phase when
it
begins to approach
somnam-
bulism.
On
the whole, perhaps, one
M)f consciousness as
may
regard the range
analogous to the solar spectrum.
27
The waking consciousness might be represented by the

red end of the spectrum, the profound somnambulistic
consciousness by the violet, and the deepest part,
which, we
may
suppose,
functions,
ceral
Clearly,
if
invisible
it
with the
we
violet,
shall find a sharp
demarcation between the two,
of
rays.
we examine the red end of the spectrum,
and compare
line
in relation with the vis-
is
by the ultra-violet
we
for
shall
have missed out the orange which bridges them.
But
we look
if
that
is
it
at the
just in the
middle part
that the conditions of
how
consider
consciousness, and
We
we may
infer
is
is
in suspension
secondary consciousness
that
waking
from the
is
fact that
of the events
primary
activity of the
during the deep sleep.
still
active,
state the
and from the
during somnambulism the events
life
briefly
the secondary
But we have seen that during the waking

fact
is
have seen that the conscious-
somnambulism that the
consciousness
it
condition
We may now
on awaking the subject has no memory

of his
And
are so elusive.
the somnambulistic state
of
obvious
is
the facts in this chapter illuminate the
nature of hypnosis.
ness
it
the hypnotic
of
memory
Bearing on Hypnosis.
Its
(b)
whole spectrum,
continuous from end to end.
are remembered,
we may
of
the
infer that all
suggestions given in the waking state reach the second-
ary as well as the primary consciousness.

that in
istics
somnambulism we can examine

of
It is clear
the character-
the secondary consciousness in a state of
complete detachment from the primary.
Unfortu-
28
we cannot examine the primary consciousness

we have
seen, even in the waking state the secondary consciousness is still sufficiently alert to be receptive. If we
compare the normal with the somnambulistic state,
we find that the most striking point of contrast is
the difference in the degrees of suggestibility. The
nately,
in a similar condition of isolation, since, as
most evident characteristic

enormously increased
reaches the
maximum
of the latter state is its
suggestibility ^
which
Nearly every suggestion
susceptible.
accepted, and
at
once
degree of which the subject
is
immediately
is
each idea so generated seems to be

during
translated automatically into action.
In
somnambulism nearly every suggested
idea gives rise
fact,
with almost mechanical certainty to the corresponding

cerebral reflex.
Yet while nearly every suggestion, whether

inhibitory or imperative, or even
if
may
fail to
act even in
some sugges-
somnambulism.
that, as a rule, the function of criticism,
extinct during
Before
it
somnambulism,
is
be
be a suggestion
it
of hallucination, is effective, occasionally
tion
it
It
appears
though not
practically quiescent.
can be called into action there
is,
one
may
suppose, far more inertia to be overcome than in the
normal
state.
But
if
the suggestion happens to run
counter to some latent but more powerful idea or suggestion already dominating the
and often no amount

denial.
field, it
of insistence
may be
refused;
can prevail over the
However, whatever the cause
certain that the power of criticism as
may
be,
it
is
shown by the
rejection of a suggestion
is
29
rarely exercised in som-
nambulism.
The most
normal
striking
result
return to the
the
of
state is the constant exercise of the
criticism.
Not every idea
now
is
power
translated
of
into
The various suggestions are sifted by the

primary consciousness, and only a few are chosen, and
allowed to act.
The rest are rejected in other
action.
words, their action
The power
is
inhibited.
of criticism
and subsequent inhibition
appears to be a function of the primary consciousness

alone,
and so long as consciousness works
as a whole,
When, however, as in hypnosis,

the consciousness is more or less split, the inhibition
acts throughout.
exercised by the primary consciousness no longer acts

fully
on the now separated sub-consciousness, and the
latter appears to
have
little
or no
power
of criticism.
In deep hypnosis, when the waking consciousness

is
for the time practically in abeyance, the
possesses no power of criticism at
To
this fact is
the hypnotic state.
subject
all.
due the increased suggestibility
When we make
of
suggestions to a
hypnotized subject we are in reality taking a some-
what mean advantage
of the
fact that his
sub-consciousness, in consequence of
power
its
split-ofif
lack of the
of criticism, is defenceless.
The condition of total abeyance coexistent with

somnambulism is merely the completion of a process
of gradual suppression.
It commences at the very
beginning
of
the
lightest
stage of hypnosis.
The
30
suspension of the primary consciousness
initiatory
shows
mere disinclination
as a
The
suggestion.
tries,
will
the very earliest condition of hypnosis
itself in
and,
do
eyes,
if
subject can successfully resist
Thus,
so.
told that
if
he makes no attempt
sufficiently to
asked
to
if
he
induced to try by repeated challenges,
may
repeatedly defied, he
If
opposition
to act in
make
why he
to
he cannot open his
open them
if
the attempt, and will succeed.
did not open
them
say simply that he did not wish to

strong disinclination to try.
advanced stage he really
An amusing
but,
eventually rouse himself
at first,
felt,
At a
feels that
he
will
indeed, a
slightly
more
he cannot even
try.
instance of this condition was afforded
by an undergraduate, M.
had on a previous occasion
and one afternoon happened

meet him in the rooms of a common friend. He
lightly hypnotized him,

to
was standing on the hearthrug, and, soon

entered, said he
must
to go to his coach.
You
leave, as
*'
But,"
it
was time
I said,
can't get off the hearthrug."
'*
you
He
after I
for
him
can't go.
laughed and
protested that he could, but did not do so, and after

a minute or two appealed to
me
to let
he would get into trouble with his coach.
him
go, else
I pointed
out that he had just said that he could walk away,

and asked why he did not do so if he desired. " Oh
yes," he replied, " I could do it if I tried, but I can't
try."
This condition indicates a slightly more ad-
vanced stage in the

ness, as
it
**
disaggregation " of conscious-
has been termed.
However, the various stages
31
will be considered
more
in detail in a later chapter.
The more completely the primary consciousness

suppressed, the more does suggestibility increase.
is
In
hypnotism suggestions do not act through the primary

or waking consciousness;
it
is
to the sub-conscious-
ness alone that they successfully appeal.

the
more the secondary consciousness
from the inhibitory control

ness, the
The
final
complete,
of the
Obviously
is
liberated
primary conscious-
more suggestible does the subject become.

result, when the process of suppression is
is,
of course,
The power
of
amnesia.
hypnosis, then, resides in the sup-
pression, partial or complete, of the inhibitory rule

of the
waking or primary consciousness over the
sociated sub-consciousness.
dis-
CHAPTER
III
METHODS OF THE INDUCTION OF HYPNOSIS

Introductory
Test
suggestions
Manner
of
conveying
sug-
(Emphatic v. persuasive mode Personality of

operator Susceptibility of subjects) Conditions of sugProcesses of induction (Physical methods
gestibility
gestions
Nancy School Personal method) Necessity

Method of Dr. TapHn Allied forms
Dr. Bramwell's method)
treatment (Duboir' method
Awakening of the subject.
Method
of
test suggestions
KNOWLEDGE
is,
of course, of great
standpoint.
of the
methods
of inducing
of
of
hypnosis
importance from the practical
To the mind
of the
beginner the actual
induction of the hypnotic state often appears a for-
midable undertaking, encompassed with apparently

insurmountable, though really imaginary,
difficulties.
The very simplicity of the processes employed creates

him a feeling that there really must be something
more behind them than he sees or reads of and, too,
in
often without even a trial, he concludes that he, at
any
rate,
could never hypnotize anyone, whatever
others can do.
At heart, in
successful hypnotist does his
fact,
he
feels that
work by virtue
of
the
some
and incommunicable gift.

if
the principles which underlie the methods
But,
peculiar
32
THE INDUCTION OF HYPNOSIS
33
are once grasped, the difficulty of inducing hypnosis

will
be found very slight, and, in the case of good
amenable patients
while
non-existent;
absolutely
subjects,
comprehension
this
with
less
enable
will
even the beginner to vary his devices to an extent

only
limited
by
his
probably, even with

to
hypnotize anyone
ingenuity,
inventive
who
he
practice,
little
is
that
so
will be
able
capable of being hypno-
tized at all.
Test Sugg-estions.
I.
The aim
of all the
methods
is
the same
to induce
a condition in which the subject shall be partly or
wholly incapable of resisting suggestions.
When
the
attempt to produce this condition has been made, the

only criterion of the result
some
it
is
not likely to
much
will
and
is
Upon
its
his suggestibility
If it
is
a question of
consequences very
depend, since, after the
markedly
increased.
this is
we must choose such a one as
fail.
has been given, the degree

patient
effort,
necessary to decide clearly what the
suggestion shall be
real importance, for

is
the success or failure of
Before making the
definite suggestion.
therefore,
first
is
altered.
of
first
suggestion
suggestibility in the
Should he respond
to
it,
increased, sometimes enormously
be ineffectual, his suggestibiHty
is
diminished, sometimes so gravely that hypnotization
by the
operator
impossible,
who has
failed
while the chances of
becomes
almost
success even
3
for
34
The very
others are seriously prejudiced.
fact that
a suggestion has captured the subject leaves a general
impression on his mind quite apart from that involved

with the nature of the particular suggestion.
creates
or
helps
to
It
strengthen an expectancy that
other suggestions will be also irresistible, or at least
very
difficult to
resist,
and
The sense
frustration
of
mental attitude
this
may undoubtedly deepen
itself
the hypnotic
of
state.
and discouragement con-
sequent on the failure of a suggestion, on the other
hand, naturally develops into an impression exactly

the reverse of this.
The phenomena
to be
1.
2.
of suggestion found by experience

most readily produced are as follows
A
A
sense of quietude and repose.

sensation
of.
warmth on some
part of the body
on which the operator lays his hand.

^
3.
4.
A
A
feeling of somnolence.
sensation of heaviness of the lids
inability
to prevent closure of the eyes.

5.
Inability to open the eyes
when
closed by the
previous suggestion.
6.
Inability to open the eyes
when they have been
voluntarily closed.
I
have given them roughly in the order
from the operator's point
number
number
It
three
of view.
can be induced
of facility
In some subjects
more
readily
than
two.
will be
observed that number one
indefinite kind of suggestion,
is
a rather
and that the suggestions
35
to their place in the
become more precise according

sequence.
aids in deepening the hypnotic state, the earlier
As
suggestions are decidedly less effective than the later
Thus, a suggested feeling
ones.
repose, though
susceptible, does so
The
degree.
quietness and
of
indeed makes the subject more
it
only in a comparatively slight
warmth undoubtedly
definite feeling of
produces a greater hypnotic result, while the closure

of the eyes, with inability to open them, brings about
a
marked
increase
of
suggestibility.
So
that
it
unfortunately happens that the easier the suggestion

is to
enforce the less hypnotic effect
it
has, the reason
being that these various phenomena belong really to

different stages of the hypnotic state, the first to the
earlier
aim
and those subsequent
is to
a condition as
II.
We
to the later stages.
we can reach.
Manner
have
now
of Conveying Suggestions.
to
consider the best
conveying the suggestions.
commanding
voice, with as
Are they
manner
of
to be given in a
much emphasis
or are they to be spoken quietly
The
Our
evoke a phenomenon connected with as deep
as possible,
and persuasively
chief factors in the strength of a suggestion
are, I think
1.
Emphasis and commanding
2.
Repetition, which greatly increases the effect.
3.
The
tone.
personality of the operator.
36
The emphatic and the

have
suggestions
methods
quiet
each
of
giving
and
advantages
certain
disadvantages.
and
2.
the Repetitive
Comparison of the Emphatic Mode zcith

Mode. An emphatic suggestion is liable
any
to cause a conscious, or at
rate partly conscious,
resistance on the part of the subject,
may make
quently
awakens a deliberate
it
Again,
losing all
hypnotization very
it
Not
infre-
conflict of will.
cannot be continuously repeated without

so that in using a strong suggestion
its force,
for the first
trial
one
so to speak, carrying all
is,
The suggestion once
given,
must follow immediately, and
failure
one's eggs in one basket.
success or failure
certainly likelier than with the gradual methods.
is
On
it
and resistance
difficult.
the other hand,
if
be effective, and especially
it
be effective in spite of an
effort at resistance, it
any milder suggestion can have.

Young people from about twelve
has
victory than
more decided and instantaneous
a far
if
to
twenty-two
years of age are very susceptible to strong suggestions
and the uneducated
are equally
so.
time
If
even in later
classes,
is of
life,
great importance, and
the patient belongs to one of those two classes,
may
be worth
commanding
to
while to try suggestion in the
The most
form.
induce in this way
eyes.
suitable
when they
and, though
it
phenomenon
I think, inability to
I often give this as a first
patients
class,
is,
are
open the
suggestion to
young or
of
it
more
my
the hospital
does not invariably take effect,

proportion
the
successes
of
37
outnumbers
far
the
failures.
On
method
to
confidence,
any novice
and
it
takes a
perhaps as well to defer
is
it
has been acquired.
that
recommend this
certain amount of
the whole, however, I do not
When
it
until
given without any
great emphasis, on the other hand, a suggestion
may
be repeated again and again, not only without loss
but with actual gain in power.
It
becomes a per-
command, and should arouse

The power which it
by the absence of emphasis may be more than
suasion rather than a
no conscious resistance whatever.

forgoes
compensated
for
by that accumulated in repetition. In
practice this mild and persistent
method has the
advantage that a considerable time
may
any marked degree
attained.
demand many
of
hypnosis
sittings.
Each
is
dis-
elapse before
It
may
of the six suggestions
When number one

number two may be tried, and so on,
until at last we succeed with all six, and the subject
cannot open his eyes when they have been sealed by
may
be enforced in their order.
successful,
is
suggestion.
Comparing the two
methods, we
see
that
advantage of the strong and emphatic mode

rapidity with which
On
uncertainty.
its
way
it
by frequent
if
it
the
the contrary, the more gradual
very slow, but very sure.

suppose,
is
disadvantage being
of giving suggestions persuasively,
their effect
acts, the
the
repetition,
is
and increasing
comparatively
were always possible
to choose, the
38
slow method would invariably be regarded as preferable
the
to
rapid one
but in
medical
actual
practice the choice not infrequently lies between im.-
mediate hypnosis on the very
Many
all.
first sitting
or not at
patients will not contentedly undergo a
number of sittings with no evident hypnotic effect.

They expect immediate results; and I have sometimes had patients sent to me who have been led to
men
believe
by their medical
enough
to induce the condition.
up
town
to
for a
one sitting
that
Some
patients
first
trial
come
day to discover whether they are
suitable subjects for hypnotic treatment,
the
is
conclusively
as
Certainly in these cases
is
it
settling
and regard
the point.
generally
wiser
to
decline to attempt treatment under such conditions,
but
many
circumstances
may make
refusal almost
impossible.
do not think that anyone who has successfully

attempted to seal the patient's eyes by a single
I
emphatic suggestion
method
entirely,
is
ever likely to abandon this
on account
time and the power
it
of the great
economy
of
has of instantly increasing the
suggestibility of the subject, while the extreme precision with
out
3.
is
which the whole process can be carried
eminently satisfactory.
TJie Perso7iaUty of the
a suggestion the
more
Ojêmfor. The stronger
readily
does
the
subject
respond, so that, granted a fixed degree of suggestibility,
the subject
and yet be
may answer
to a strong suggestion,
quite unaffected by the
same suggestion
if

it
be weakly conveyed.
may
The strength
vary enormously.
It
a9
of a suggestion
depends largely upon the
tone of voice in which
panying
it is given, the gestures accomand the personality, dominHiag or other-
it,
wise, of the operator.
It is natural,
some persons should be much more

others in e-nforcing obedience
Those who can impress
suggestions.
their subjects
most readily
will be the best hypnotists.
ing though
tolerant
therefore, that
successful than
their
to
temper,
naturally
command-
human
considerable
sympathy, and as much knowledge as possible

psychology
the
in
which
qualities
widest
will greatly
sense
of
/
J
of
the word, are
strengthen the worker in
treatment by suggestion.
4Jl_perso^s are, of course, not equally susceptible
to
Of healthy persons, however, over
hypnotism.
90 per cent, are probably more or less susceptible.

But when wê use hypnotism for therapeutical purposes we are not dealing with healthy normal
subjects
unfortunately, the majority of the nervous
disorders
which we are called
suggestion do of themselves
susceptibility of the patients.
true, such as dipsomania, seem,
their
But
victims
in a large
concentration
upon
to
by
treat
tend to diminish the^^
Some
if
maladies,
anything, to
it
is
make
more rather than less susceptible.

number of neurasthenics the power of
is
either entirely gone or very
much
weakened, or else self-suggestion presents an almost

insuperable obstacle.
at
all,
and
Imbeciles cannot be hypnotized
of lunatics all
but a very small proportion
40
Bramwell
appear to be unimpressionable.
out of the
hundred patients he had
first
in
states that
London only
twenty-two were completely refractory.
Thirty-six
passed into light hypnosis, thirteen into deep hypnosis,
and twenty-nine into somnambulism.

Sex seems to make no material difference
nor, apparently, according to
ceptibility;
and Liebeault, does age.
to sus-
Bramwell
Children from three years
The
age and upwards are readily influenced.
of
youngest patient
have had was
five
years old, and
he was readily hypnotized; while Bramwell records

a successful case in a child of three.
III.
Conditions of Sug-grestibility.
But with the vast majority
of
employ some preliminary method

suggestible
at
all.
gestible in their
we can do
that
sufficiently
normal condition.
better
sug-
do not think
than recall the conditions

to induce hypnosis.
them again here

1.
Fixation of attention.
2.
Monotony.
3.
Limitation of muscular movements.
4.
Limitation of consciousness.
5.
Inhibition.
and
clearly
rendering them
of
Very few are
enumerated by Sidis as tending

I give
people we must
4.
the
The
really important condition here
limitation
of
conscioiisncssy
being obviously subservient to that end.
the
is
others
The sub-

ject's attention
must not wander
at will, but
41
must be^"^
as far as possible confined to one idea or set of ideas,
may
Thus, he
be made to think of sleep, with
its
associated notions of heaviness of the limbs, drowsy
and gradual sealing
feelings,
of the various
channels
of sense.
As was pointed out
in a previous chapter, limitation
of the field of consciousness
by concentration always
tends to"^crê a split in consciousness.
_The
condi-
tion of hypnosTs being one of dissociation, concentration of attention
is
the readiest
means
of bringing
it
about.
Sometimes a subject may become hypnotized
2.
a few
moments
if
not, the second condition, that of
The
process, what-
Sidis
monotonously
monotony^ must be remembered.

ever
it is,
strokes
must be monotonous.
the
in
subject's
forehead,
repeating,
" Sleep,
sleep, sleep," in a level tone of voice, until the patient

is
subdued
3.
to the hypnotic state.
need not emphasize the evident necessity
absence of voluntary muscular movements.
slackening of
as
it
seems
all
the muscles
is
to be paralleled
of the
A conscious
desirable in the subject,
by a helpful degree
of
psychical relaxation.
5.
The
last condition, inhihition, or the
of the intrusion of foreign ideas,
is,
to the limitation of consciousness.
prevention
of course, essential
In most
of those
cases that entirely defy hypnosis the absence of this

inhibition
It
is
by
far the
commonest cause
of failure.
seems certain that these conditions do conduce
to
42
some measure
suspension of the powers of the
of
waking consciousness
in other words, to the induc-
tion of hypnosis, whether of the lightest or the
profound kind.
do not for one
most
moment wish
the
reader to suppose that the value of the statement of

these conditions
is
necessarily
more than empirical
they seem, however, to indicate the factors which are
common
to all the
known methods, though we
do not know in what their virtue resides.

it
is
not too
much
to
really
Perhaps
hope that some more certain
may one day be disPossibly some drug may be found to induce

covered.
the requisite mental change. Many have already been
process of hypnotic induction
tried,
and with occasional
success, but the drug or
method which will invariably succeed still remains

Meanwhile we shall see that in all the
unknown.
various methods used at the present time these conditions do really seem to play a part.
IV. Processes of Inducing" Hypnosis.
1.
Phi/sical Methods.
ally recognized
them are
subject at
the
The actual processes gener-
classical
mainly two
some small
methods, we
may term
prolonged gazing
by the
object (Braid's method),
and
the use of passes, or long, slow movements of the

operator's
hands near
to,
the body of the subject.
hypnotism, the more one
or in actual contact with,
But the more one

is
sees of
convinced that the real
value of these processes consists in the evocation of

Sidis's conditions
viz., fixation of
the attention,
and
43
limitation of consciousness, and to the suggestion which
they convey, often vague indeed, but

gestion, that the patient in
a sug-
still
some sense
or other
is
being subdued to the influence of the operator.
But many other apparently

originate
trifling
notion quite strongly.
this
patient be told
to
lie
may
matters
Thus,
if
the
down and to make his mind

sit down and try to think
as blank as possible, or to
of
nothing and to slacken
merely asked
them
insignificant
if
he be
down, shut' his eyes, and keep
to lie
shut, each
his muscles, or
all
and
all
ought,
actions
these apparently quite
of
am
convinced, to be
regarded as real hypnotic processes, which are often

quite as effectual as the better recognized
The
gazing and passes.
each case
methods
of
essential point of value in
the quickening of the patient's knowledge
is
that an attempt
is
being made, or
and
to influence him,
it is
this
is
about to be made,
knowledge which gives
to the simplest procedures their great significance.
While
am
not prepared to deny that prolonged
gazing at some small object and the use of passes
may have some

hypnotic
other intrinsic power to produce the
state, I
am
sure that their power of doing
so has been greatly exaggerated,
practised
value,
for
though
to the
hypnotist they do, I believe, have
un-
some
they tend to impart to the operator a
certain confidence, and a suggestion given with confidence,
which
a very real
it
is
power.
difficult to
simulate,
As means
of
is
in itself
emphasizing a
suggestion, both passes and gazing are undoubtedly
44
The
useful.
steady, concentrated gaze of the operator
can also impress a subject to an extraordinary extent.
Even without any
other preliminary process, a deter-
mined gaze often compels obedience
When
at
when
Cambridge,
was collecting subjects
purpose of
for the
On more than one
experiment.
to a suggestion.
used this method
I frequently
occasion I tried
number of undergraduates and

simply asking them to look at my eyes. Then I
standing before a
gazed steadily at
whom
I considered the best subject,
suggesting that he must get up from his chair and
come
to
In a minute or
me.
his resistance, he
had
so,
notwithstanding
Then, by a similar
to obey.
treatment of the others present,
on one occasion
compelled no fewer than eleven out of thirteen to
None
obey the suggestion and approach me.
had been hypnotized

mention
this
of these
before.
experiment to show that merely
witnessing the hypnotization of others does of
itself
increase the suggestibility of a prospective subject,
and must be included under the general

as
hypnotic process,
most powerful and
down the
principle
his patients,
successes
unfailing
resistance
that
since
of a
to
it
is,
method
subject.
Wetjterstrand
and
it
relied
It
definition
believe,
of
was on
in
the
breaking
this
hypnotizing
his astonishing percentage of
must be regarded as mainly due.
His fresh
patients were present while his old were hypnotized,
and the impression made was overpowering, so that he

practically never failed to affect
them
at the first trial.

But
practical
for
when we have
purposes,
hypnotize subjects singly,
45
and not
groups,
in
to
as
Wetterstrand did, the one essential factor in rendering the subject suggestible
is
suggestion
beginner must clearly grasp one

without an accompanying
verbally given
either
patient,
no process
of
or
point
command
viz.,
that
y
^
or persuasion,
understood by the
tacitly
any kind
The
itself.
likely to be of the
is
slightest avail in producing the desired hypnotic state.
Almost
modern
the older investigators, and
all
instance to physical devices.
used a number,
behind
course,
many
of the
ones, have apparently resorted in the first
all
them
Mesmer invented and
^/
equally successful, because, of

all
lay
the
and
great,
then
unknown, power of suggestion.

Braid, when he first
began to hypnotize, used to make patients gaze for
some small bright
a long time at
object, held slightly
above the eyes, about a foot distant, at the same time

telling
them
to look steadily at
on
their attention
it.
it,
and
to concentrate
Sometimes the eyes
time would close spontaneously
not,
if
after a
he repeated
the process, instructing the patient to allow his eyes

to close
when
the operator brought his two extended
fingers towards them, Bnd, after his lids were shut,

still
to
it.
to direct his eyeballs
picture
it,
and keeping
towards the object, trying

his
attention riveted on
Usually this process succeeded
noting that
his eyes
it is
when
as a rule harder
and
it
is
worth
for a patient to
open
the eyeballs are kept in such a position.
Later, however, Braid recognized that verbal sugges-
46
tion
was the best method
at all could be
of
inducing hypnosis, and
anyone who
stated his belief that
hypnotized by
could be hypnotized
means without any

With regard to this
its
recourse to physical methods.
prolonged gazing, as originally advocated by Braid,

it
is
interesting
expected,
may
it
even
sometimes,
note that
to
who cannot by any
children
possibility
that the
It is just possible
feeling of heaviness produced by the process
may
of
suggest sleep, and, of course, the monotony and
may
fixation of attention
be expected to induce some
But
degree of hypnosis.
is
is
produce deep hypnosis, without any
suggestion of any kind.
itself
in
know what
do not think this method
suited for purposes of medical treatment.
tedious
and exhausting
to
the
patient, and,
absorbs more time than more direct methods,
nothing to recommend
Among
it
Card,
successful,
who was,
is
it
it
has
who perform on
the
in preference to them.
the public hypnotists
stage a modification of Braid's
Madam
It
as
method
is
often used.
think, one of
the most
used to seat her subjects on the stage,
placing in the
was directed
hand
of
each a metal
disc, at
which he
After about ten minutes, which
to gaze.
she occupied by talking to the audience, she went to
each in turn, and, taking away his
disc, told
him
to
at him fixedly for half

same time stroking his forehead
and brows with rather rapid strokes, and then ]\ade
him close his eyes. Finally, placing her hand Oii his
look at her eyes.
She stared
a minute or so, at the
forehead, and pressing strongly against
it,
she said

" Your eyes are fast
impossible."
47
you cannot open them
it
she achieved her end with the
If
is
first
two or three, she was generally successful with most

of the others.
If
she failed with the
few, the
first
failure generally acted as a strong counter-suggestion,
and she would then frequently
Her power undoubtedly
lay
fail
with
the
in
all
the rest.
extraordinary
intensity of
expression which she could throw into
her gaze.
She
her
glared
literally
subjects
into
submission.
Method of
2.
piifposes"~there
to physical
ihr Kancji Schonl'
But
for practical
absolute^ no necessity to resort
is
methods
at all.
/With limitation
of con-
sciousness, suggestion alone, either rapidly or gradually enforced, is the real
Such
devices, for instance, as the use of a revolving
mirror for the patient to gaze
Luys,
will, I believe,
at,
as advocated
physical device at least
are
may
However, one
accelerate the process.
persons are more readily hypnotized
made
possible
by
hypnotize no one who cannot
be hypnotized by mere suggestion.
Many
power which induces hypnosis/
if
they
to extend the head backwards as far as
while
reason seems
hypnotization
to
is
carried
out.
The
be that in this position mental
activity is
more
hypnotist
who used
difficult.
to
remember one
travelling
take advantage of this.
He
hypnotized his subject by standing behind the chair
on which he was seated, and then, forcibly bending

his head backwards, gazed into his eyes for a few
moments, closed them, and suggested that they could
48
He was
not be opened.
very effective, and I have

same method.
the Nancy School that we are indebted for
often succeeded with the

It is to
the modes of inducing hypnosis by pure sugRe^tipn,
and the methods

three of
of Liebeault,
Bernheim, and Beaunis,
chief leaders, resemble each other very
its
closely.
Liebeault and Bernheim used to place the patient

in a chair,
and then
operator's
eyes.
spontaneously
but
him
tell
to look steadily at the
Sometimes the eyes would

if
not,
suggestions
close
were made
The suggestions of both the operators were

very similar. *' Your eyelids are getting heavy your
at once.
eyes feel tired
your limbs
Think
are getting drowsy.
eyes are closing,"
etc.
feel
of
heavy and
numb
you
nothing but sleep. Your
In most cases this succeeded
immediately.
Beaunis used simply to make the patient gaze

steadily at his eyes,
and the
lids
He
few moments in successful cases.

suggestion
and
its
gave no verbal
must be remembered that the

Nancy were so familiar with hypnotism
but
inhabitants of
would close in a
it
general results that the patient shared in the
common knowledge
of the kind of effect
which was
intended, so that the suggestion that the eyes should

close
was already
at hypnosis
in
his
mind
before any attempt
was made.
At Nancy everyone had heard
of
hypnotism and
was more or less intimate with it, while immense

numbers had been hypnotized, thus creating an attitude

mind which
of
trance.
It is
have heard
of
greatly favours the induction of the
which
its
hypnotism only as something mysterious
name
at all about
it,
except
thus we lack the potent auxiliary
Ignorance
exists in France.
hindrance.
Here the majority
not so in England.
and uncanny, or know nothing

probably
49
The. idea
distracts the patient
is
strange,
is
certainly a real
and the strangeness
he wonders what
will
happen,
and sometimes cannot refrain from an attempt
to
analyze his own feelings, a great and often fatal bar

hypnosis.
to
Hence
bewilderment into account, and,
this
we must take
in this country
if
possible, try
with the characteristics of the
to familiarize patients
hypnotic state before we
make any
effort to influence
them.
Personal Method.
3.
say what
it
is
Though
seems doubtful whether there
can be called the best
which
have used
and which appears

tages
viz.,
cannot pretend to
the best method of inducing hypnosis, for

is
any method which
for all cases, I state a
method
for the last six or seven years,
me
to
to
offer
two real advan-
extreme rapidity and a very large per-
centage of successes at the
first
trial
(about 92 per
cent)
Like others, I found that one

success was
more or
common
less conscious resistance
part of the subject
help exerting even
when he was anxious
Most patients find
and
it
obstacle to
was with a view
oa
the
resistance which he could not
it
difficult to aid
to assist.
the operator,
of preventing conscious resist-
/ /
50
ance and enlisting the willingness

I devised the
It
of the subject that
method.
extremely easy, and nearly always induces
is
a condition of suggestibility within a minute. I rarely
more than two minutes, and never
try a patient for

for longer
than three.
Before hypnotizing a patient,

understand, I always
to
tell
if
him
he be old enough
that
important
it is
that he should understand the principles underlying
hypnotism in order that he may be able
to help to
render himself suggestible.
tell
him
that
depends on the
it
fact that,
if
we
concentrate our attention on anything with sufficient
our consciousness always
intensity,
in two.
As an
illustration
along the street
tends to
use the
man
split
walking
engrossed in conversation, which
be found in the previous chapter.*' C, *Z .^

These unaware actions, I tell him, are governed by a
will
part of consciousness split
oJBf
split-off part possesses so little

it
from the
power
rest,
and the
of criticism that
accepts suggestions quite readily since
it
cannot see
that they are really absurd.

*'
So," I
tell
him, "
if
you
will
concentrate your
attention on anything for a short time,
and
if
then
make any
suggestion such as that you cannot take
your hand
off
mine, you will find that you cannot."
The explanation
is
quite simple. Whilst your
waking
consciousness can criticize the suggestion and say that

it
is
nonsense, your
split-off
consciousness, which
exercises a considerable control over your bodily
move-

ments,
such a fool that
is
In
effect all it
off
yours, can't I?
him,
cannot
it
criticize at all.
my hand
" Oh, I can't take
is,
Very
that you
will find
tell
can say
well, then, I can't,"
cannot do
51
and you
All suggestion, I
it.
simply a way of taking advantage of the
is
fact that the split-off consciousness, or sub-conscious-
ness,
I
such a hopeless
is
fool.
common
then always try to remove some
miscon-
ceptions about hypnotism.

I
tell
subject
him
that,
always
is
however deep, the
in hypnosis,
completely
always hear everything
and can
conscious,
and
say,
that, except for
the fact that he will be unable to resist suggestions,
he
will
I
remain exactly as he normally
now make him
His hand,
if
raised
is.
down and relax all his muscles.

and let go, should fall absolutely
lie
dead.
I
now
tell
him
that I want
cut-glass crystal for a few
him
him
to look at a small
moments, and explain
that the sole object of this
is to
give
to
him some-
thing on which he can concentrate his attention.

I
now
say," Whilst you are looking at
much
to blink as
as ever
you
like
let
it,
want you
your eyes get
as heavy as ever they can, and let yourself

as drowsy
as possible,
whole point
of the
and do not rouse
method
lies in
at
become
all."
The
these words.
now hold the piece of cut-glass eight or ten inche s

away from his eyes and make him concentrate his
I
gaze on
it,
and
at the
same time stroke
his forehead
and repeat once more,** Blink as much as you
like," etc.
52
now
half closed "
heavier
at
my
you are becoming drowsy, they are

I tc:ke away the glass and he looks
and
more
tell him
After about ten seconds
eyes instead.
less the eyes generally close
and stroke the
close them,
Your eyes are getting
**
After ten seconds I say,
and,
lids
if
not, I
or
to
once or twice.
make no suggestion as to the eyes being

sealed until I have made the next test, the reason
being that, in many of these nervous cases, the stages
As a rule
frequently
occur in their normal order.
fail to
both arms, saying they will begin to feel
I stroke
heavy, and then
make him grasp my hand, and pull

I then stroke his arm and
hard against his grasp.
him
that his
that the
more he
grasp.
He
tell
hand
is
becoming
tries to take
tries to
it
off
fast to
mine, and
the harder he will
take his hand off but cannot.
then seal his eyes, and he
is
sufficiently susceptible
most therapeutic purposes.

I have given this method in some
for
found
it
so satisfactory.
procedure
due
have
detail as I
In only a few cases does this
fail at first trial,
and the
failure is usually
to lack of concentration.
Sometimes a patient will find it easier to attend to

the monotonous beat of a metron^jae, or the sound of
running water, than the""gTass of crystal. Another
method which
obstinate
cases
have
is
to
tried with
make
success in a few
the patient breathe, as
nearly as he can, once every three seconds, and
him
attend to his breathing.
method often enough
to test it
have not
thoroughly
make
tried
;
this
but^from

what
have seen
I think
may
it
53
prove a vahiable
device.
People
who
are really musical can
often
render
themselves suggestible by going through a piece of
music mentally.
Whereas
in former days I did not generally try to
hypnotize patients at their,

practically always do so,
cent, are
If,
and
first
interview,
I find that
hypnotized to some degree at a
now
over 90 per
first trial.
however, the patients be very nervous of hypno-
tell them that I will not hypnotize them, but

show them exactly what I shall want them to do
when they next come, so that as they will know what
is going to happen, they will feel no nervousness on
their next visit.
Very often they succumb whilst
tism, I
will
being shown what they are required to do.

I
make no
attempt at suggestion
real
If not,
until,
after
a few trials, they lose their nervousness.

It is
amazing what an immense difference concenOne case which I failed to influence on
tration makes.
twenty-two occasions, because he could not

attention,
succumbed
he should try
He
at once
when
to centre his attention
fix
his
suggested that
on his own home.
could do that, though on previous occasions he had
failed altogether to limit his
In the
case
of
generally repeat
failure,
the
and as a rule the eyes

of heaviness.
thought to the idea of sleep.
on
the
second
day,
same process as on the

close, or at any rate show
first,
signs
Usually, after the patient has fixed his
gaze on some small bright object for a few seconds, I
54
make him
mine
fasten his eyes on
for a short time,
repeating again the suggestions as to heaviness,

It is quite
astonishing
how suddenly
of the operator will influence a subject.
In
many
causes an almost immediate closure of the eyes.
however,
if
it
Now,
the eyes show no signs of closing or of
heaviness, I think
tell
etc.
the steady gaze
it
and
mind
best to follow Sidis's plan,
the subject to close his eyes and confine his
as far as possible to one set of ideas.
then keep on
repeating the suggestion, ''Sleep, sleep, sleep," at the
same time monotonously stroking
After
his forehead.
a few minutes I generally raise one hand, and very

gently
let
placed
it,
it
it
go again.
Often
it
showing some degree
stays w^here I have
Even
of catalepsy.
if
does not, I suggest that the patient will find difficulty
in opening his eyes, that the limbs are getting heavy,

etc.
then inform him that when I
tell
him
to
open
his eyes he will probably be able to do so, but with
more than normal

the prediction
is
quite unable to open

tion.
If
When
difficulty.
nearly always
them
at
all,
he remains unaffected,
he
fulfilled.
is
told to try,
He may
be
or only after hesita-
I generally
make him
shut them again, and resume for a short time, suggesting sleep as before, but I
make no more
trials
on that occasion.
In the case of failure,
it is
advisable to
can from the patient, with the view

cause.
elicit all
one
of discovering the
This almost invariably proves to be lack of
the power of concentration.
In that case, when he
next comes, I try to find something on which he
THE INDUCTION
thinks he will be able to
through the same kind

there
is
one
fix
HYPNOSIS
his attention, and, going
know
no method which
of
with any certainty overcome this obstacle.
self-suggesting people furnish

cases.
But
which sometimes
factor, self-suggestion,
hypnotizable
55
of process, often succeed.
prevents hypnosis, and I

will
OP^
most
These
of the really
One can only
try
un-
on
again
another occasion, and keep on repeating the attempt

until one either succeeds or concludes that further
efforts are useless.
always advisable to get the patient to think of
It is
hypnosis as a gradual process, sometimes satisfactorily
induced only after several
sittings.
And sometimes
with such subjects as require therapeutic treatment,

it
does take several trials to arrive at
But
in the vast majority, even of those
show no sign
especially
if
of hypnosis,
much
who
effect.
at first
repeated trials do succeed,
one can rectify mistakes in the conditions,
such as failure of concentration.

It is
made
worth mentioning that, when an attempt
to prevent
is
subject from opening his eyes,
firm pressure on the forehead seems to intensify the
suggestion considerably.
4.
Necessity of Test Suggestion.
It is, of course,
not
necessary to test the actuality of hypnosis by the

suggestion of closure of the eyes.
Many make no
simply on the account
of the experience
tests, relying
given by the patient
when he
is
aroused, such as the
presence or absence of heaviness or somnolence, and

the feeling of disinclination to move, etc.
Personally,
56
aim
I generally do
at this
one
really satisfied that the subject
degree, even
if
as I then feel
test,
hypnotized to some*
is
be only very slightly; but others
it
try to produce a feeling of
warmth by laying
hand
the
on the patient's body and suggesting the sensation

a
warm glow beneath
matters what test
is
it.
do not think
applied, so long as
it is
it
of
much
a criterion
show the existence of quite light degrees of

hypnosis, and does not exact an advanced stage for
that will
its
Testing the presence of hypnosis by an
success.
experimental
suggestion
has
one
advantage
other
besides the reassurance of the operator.
If effectual,
the suggestion will increase suggestibility, and on this
ground also
it
seems
to
me
advisable.
Method of Dr. Betts Taplin. Some prefer slower

methods as being the most certain. Thus Dr. Betts
5.
Taplin, of Liverpool, who, I believe, rarely fails to
hypnotize
his
methods.
On
patients,
the
first
does
by very gradual
so
day he simply talks
to his
patient, explaining the nature of the treatment.
On
makes
lie
and quietude. On
the next he suggests the sensation of warmth in some
the next he sometimes merely
down, and suggests a feeling
the patient
of rest
part of the body, usually the epigastrium, on which
he lays his hand, then heaviness

etc.,
so that
it is
of the eyes, limbs,
only after several sittings that any
attempt at closing the eyes can be made.
Though
very lengthy, this method has the advantage of being
more
certain than
many
others,
and
has proved an exceedingly sure one.
in his
hands
it

But the beginner,
if
he
57
but remember that the
will
chief condition found requisite for the production of
hypnosis
is
limitation of consciousness,
and
bear
will
mind the suggestions which are most readily

enforced, must find that the process of induction of
in
hypnosis
far easier
is
he be good
than appears at
first sight.
If
he
will
if
not,
at giving really strong suggestions,
probably generally use the shorter processes
he
that
find
will
he succeeds best with the more
Once hypnosis has been induced,

can be deepened in susceptible subjects either by
gradual methods.
it
the reiterated
of
command
the various
to sleep or
phenomena
by the suggestion
the
of
different
states
chapter on the stages of hypnosis.

happens not infrequently that the simple methods
described in the
It
above
described
will
of
themselves
induce
hypnosis, or even somnambulism, at the
first
deep
trial,
without any further procedure.

6.
Allied Methods
of suggestion,
and
their
of Treatment. Other methods
without hypnosis, are employed by many,
advocates
claim
that the results are as
successful as, or even better than, those obtained
by
hypnotism.
(rt)
more
to
Dubois Method.
The method
notice than can be given
many
kinds of neuroses.
it
of
here.
He
Dubois deserves
It is
applicable
does not hypnotize
his patients, but, after a searching diagnosis of the
psychical as well as the physical
conditions of the
by reasoning and argument to convince

them that they are curable and must get well, and to
case,
he
tries
58
induce them constantly to reassure themselves that
symptoms
their
will
He
vanish.
them by
helps
encouraging suggestions every time he sees them.
To me
appears to rely mainly on
treatment
his
suggestions of cure
made by
the patient to himself,
and the results,^which are exceedingly good, seem

from thisnnduced habit of therapeutical self-
to flow
But the method is inapplicable to some

cases, and must require singular powers of persuasion
in the physician.
Dubois objects to hypnotism, and
suggestion.
even
falls foul of
the term " suggestion"; his method,
he says, acts by persuasion.
Still,
work
his
is
of
great value in helping to emphasize the necessity of
comprehending the psychical aspect both
of
nervous
maladies and of their cure.
Dr.
(h)
BmmwelVs Method.
ployed by Dr. Bramwell
Another
method, em-
one which he now uses to

demands some considera-
the exclusion of hypnotism
The patient
tion.
some
is
restful
sits
down, and
mental picture.
He
is
The nature
instructed
not to observe the sug-
of inattention the success of the
The
Two
to the conditions
told that
and
is
power
said to
which the operator

is
in the armchair.
each time he comes he will find
easier to rest, to turn his
operator,
his
kinds of suggestion are then made.
first refers
is
upon
procedure
wishes to create while the patient
He
of the picture
be one which can hold his
gestion given by the physician, and
depend.
told to think of
it
unimportant, provided
interest.
is
to
concentrate
it
it
away from the

upon some restful
attention

idea.
59
has been previously explained to him that
It
the physician's aim
is
not to produce sleep, but that
he can get into the drowsy condition that pre-
if
cedes sleep, the curative suggestions are likely to find
response more quickly.
The other suggestions are
curative,
and begin with
Often the panent
unable on
the
first
treatment.
the
first
occasion to divert his attention from these,
but after a few treatments he
and
so,
to
is
is
generally able to do
form some serene imaginary picture, often
passing into a dreamy, drowsy state.
Sometimes he
lapses into a condition of slight natural sleep.

difficult to
explain the success of this
to show how it
The suggestions given are supposed
absence of experiments
"
says
the
secondary consciousness and to
into play "
It is
method in the
acts. Bramwell
call
to
its
reach
powers
evidently because the primary conscious-
ness, tricked into preoccupation, leaves the secondary
more
easily
accessible.
Probably this
is
since
so,
such suggestions have practically no power over the
method
is a process in which limitation of consciousness and
monotony have a part, so that we may reasonably
suppose that some amount of hypnosis may often
occur.
As Sidis has, I think, satisfactorily proved, in
primary consciousness.
It is clear that
the
the normal condition only indirect suggestions have

appreciable
effect,
slight, whilst in
tion the
It is
and even then the
effect
is
but
hypnosis the more direct the sugges-
more powerful
unnecessary
it is
in producing results.
to point out the great advantage
60
of a really successful
method
of enforcing suggestions
without the aid of hypnosis, both as regards economy

of
time and also as regards the number
could be treated by
make no
means
its
for
of cases
it
which
would then
difierence in suggestive treatment whether
the patient were hypnotizable or not, since, after
the only object of inducing hypnosis
more
subject
But
value,
is
all,
to render the
suggestible.
it seems possible that both methods have their

and that some cases can be more successfully
treated
by one than the other.
have seen, for
had been
some weeks in
instance, a bad case of dipsomania, which
treated without the slightest result for
a nursing
home by
suggestion without hypnosis, yield
at once to suggestion
I
know
under light hypnosis
that the medical
man who
and yet
treated the patient
in the first instance has succeeded in
many
similar
cases by his method.

I
do not advise anyone to restrict himself to one
method, though at
first it is
doubtless best to practise
becomes familiar.
Eventually he
with one until
it
will be able to
judge for himself which methods suit
him
best in general, for there can be
little
doubt that
each worker will discover some one mode of procedure

peculiarly suited to his individuality.
Note on the Awakening* of the Subject.
To arouse a
command
to
subject
**wake"
from the hypnotic sleep the
is all
that
is
necessary.
It is,

however, best to arouse him gradually.
suggest that he will wake
when
61
I generally
have counted ten,
and then count slowly aloud.

In only two instances have
ending the sleep.
hypnotized by two different

interval,
known
of difficulty in
men
at a few minutes'
and could be awakened by neither.
was
finally
his
face;
ious ruse.
and the other, who had passed into the

was eventually wakened by an ingen-
When
pass over one of
else for treatment, I
that he will obey his
command.
One
aroused by having cold water dashed in
imitative stage,
anyone
In both cases the subject had been
my
patients to
always suggest in hypnosis
new hypnotizer, and wake
at his
This precaution had been omitted in the
two instances mentioned.
CHAPTEK
IV
THE PHENOMENA OF HYPNOSIS THE STAGES

Introductory statement
Erroneous
impressions of hypnosis
Determination of stages of hypnosis

stages 1 to 5
Comparison
Detailed
account of
with stages of Liebeault and
Bernheim.
General Statement.
If a
number
tions to
of subjects are
hypnotized, the sugges-
which they respond are not the same in
every case.
Thus, in some, closure of the eyes
is
phenomenon that can be evoked. In others

we may produce, in addition, inability to carry out
a voluntary movement, such as writing or walking,
though we cannot compel them to initiate such a
Others, again, will show the
voluntary movement.
phenomena above mentioned, and wdll also yield
obedience to some imperative suggestion for instance,
the only
command
to
rise
from a seat
though
cannot be inhibited, even for single

If
etc.,
find
of
we group the
sets of
memory
facts.
phenomena
as A, B, C,
and take a large number of subjects, we shall

that some are capable of showing the phenomena
group
only;
others, again, of group

62
as well
THE PHENOMENA OF HYPNOSIS

A
as of group
and others
of
groups
more advanced).
still
may
"We
hypnotic
groups A, B, C, and
condition
its
Since, however,
it
some
at
it,
(D representing
into
each
stages,
being
stage
phenomena.
possible to produce in every
is
phenomena
the
of
we can
tell
hypnosis which any subject
of
all
the
the actual stage of
may happen
only by ascertaining what are the most
phenomena
the
divide
particular group of
least
stages preceding
experimentally
therefore
characterized by
stage
and C
others, again, of groups A, B,
63
to
reach
advanced
that can be elicited; then, by referring
to the group to which they belong, we readily determine the stage of hypnosis which the subject has
attained.
The different groups of phenomena that
become manifest as the subject advances from the
lightest
to
the deepest
states
of
hypnosis
can, of
course, be determined only by actual experiment with
number of subjects.
Anyone who intends to make use
a large
of
hypnotism
for
therapeutic purposes will, naturally, be better equipped

if
he has some knowledge
the
if
of
the general course of
phenomena which may be evoked by
he realizes what, in
which the subject
will
ceptible degrees in
fact,
its
means
are the stages through
pass as he goes, by almost imper-
many
instances, from the lightest
possible condition of slightly increased suggestibility

to the state of
It
profound somnambulism.
might be supposed from the name
that the
commonest
characteristic
of
**
hypnotism
"
the hypnotic
64
state
was the hypnotic
As a matter
sleep.
of fact
comparatively few subjects reach this particular condition; nor, fortunately,
is
necessary for thera-
it
number
peutical purposes, except in a very small

cases.
It
cent, ever pass into the deep state at
majority, therefore,
show only the
The great
all.
characteristics of
the light or waking state, in which there

in
the
There
continuity
is
of
generally held that only about 15 per
is
of
the
memory
of
is
no break
the
subject.
another general, but quite erroneous, impres-
sion that the hypnotic sleep

sciousness.
The
subject,
is
a condition of uncon-
even
in
somnambulism,
remains completely conscious, though on awaking he

forgets all the experiences of his " sleep."
Probably
this loss of
idea of
loss
memory has become confused

of consciousness.
Some rare
do occasionally pass into a condition
of
resembling a very heavy normal sleep;
with the
patients
lethargy
but even
these subjects, though too inert to respond to spoken

suggestions, are probably
certainly not
less
more
conscious
or less conscious
than in deep natural
sleep.
The
stages here described were those defined by
Professor Langley and myself
many
years ago at Cambridge.
when experimenting
These early stages
have long become familiar in public exhibitions

hypnotism.
Some were mentioned by
of
Braid, and an
account of certain of their phenomena, as produced
by Lewis and Darling in 1851,
and by Gregory.
is
given by Bennett

The
first
was
object of our experiments
65
to ascertain
whether the different stages of the waking state could

be arranged in sequence, so that a subject showing
the
phenomena
of
any stage (whether

could
succession
in the
phenomena of all the

The subjects were
graduates,
and
also be
men, nearly
number, and the
to
were under-
all
whom
show the
it.
were in good health.
all
dealing with the subjects on
worked together,
made
stages preceding
all
earlier or later)
Besides
Langley and
experimented by myself on a large

as regards the
results,
stages,
found to be always, or very nearly always, the same.
The method
of
inducing hypnosis which we adopted
was very simple.
We
gazed at the subject from
thirty to sixty seconds, generally stroking his temples
and forehead
at the
same
time,
and making jitrokes
ôrj)asses-over the top of his head.
asked
to
or strokes were generally

laid firmly
given:
He was
then
shut his eyes, over which a few more passes
made
one hand was then
on his forehead, and the suggestion was
"You
cannot
open
your
eyes."
If
this
we went on to try other inhibitory suggestions.

and
the
majority of
Thus, in their order, we induced rigidity
of the limbs,
succeeded
cases
it
did
succeed
in
obedience to imperative suggestions, loss of

particular facts, simple delusions,
and
memory for
loss of sensation.
After this we attempted to produce illusions.
If
these
were evoked, the subject would usually pass into the

deep
state.
We
If not,
we
tried the suggestion, " Sleep."
found the subjects hypnotized by this method

5
66
showed no alteration from their normal appearance in

the first three and often in the first four stages, therein
differing
from the subjects
who proceeded on
of
Liebeault and Bernheim,
different
obtaining by
plan,
gazing, passes, and the suggestion of sleep the maxi-
mum
degree of hypnotization possible.
their first stage
is
owing possibly
marked by more
or less drowsiness,
to the reiterated suggestion of sleep,
which we never used until we wished

deep
Thus, even
to
produce the
state.
With regard
to the stages as
we
differentiated them,
two points are to be noted
The
are not sharply marked off from

They are due to a loss of voluntary
control over some of the muscular movements of the
body, others remaining under that control. But the
It may show itself
loss of power has many degrees.
slight
the movemere
hesitation
in
performing
in a
ment affected by the inhibitory suggestion or it may,
1.
stages
each other.
indeed, be utterly impossible for the subject to perform
movement so long as the suggestion is maintained.

It must be understood that the relations of the
the
stages
1,
2,
3,
number
etc.,
to each
other are such that a
show the phenomena of

Others show the phenomena of stages 1
stage 1 only.
and 2 only and when the phenomena of stage 2 or
certain
of
subjects
stage 3 can be produced, then those of

stages 1 and 2 respectively can also be
stage 1 or
made
apparent.
In most cases, when stage 3 can be produced, then

the
phenomena
of stage 2
appear more readily, and

those of stage 1
still
more
are so susceptible that
Some
so.
it
subjects, however,
difficult to
is
67
discriminate
phenomena of the
some it is easier
produce somnambulism than the phenomena of the
degrees in the ease with which the

different stages are evoked,
to
waking
2.
of
If
state without
a subject
is
and
in
it.
taken beyond the early stages
hypnotism, so that when at rest his condition
obviously abnormal, and suggestions are then
is
made
to
him, he cannot afterwards be experimented upon
to
determine these early stages unless the suggestions
given
in
made
the deep
For
noted.
state
have been most carefully

has been successfully
after a suggestion
in the deep state, the subject's condition
altered that the
same suggestion given
in his
is
so
waking
more readily carried out than it was before.

The fact makes such experiments difficult unless one
state is
can obtain a great range

It
of subjects.
cannot be claimed that the stages are always
exactly the
same
in all subjects, yet variations are
neither remarkable
nor frequent.
depend upon the receptivity

and, since this
may
may
of
The phenomena
the nervous system,
be altered in deep hypnosis, we
naturally expect some differences to exist even in
healthy persons, and

especially
in
those
still
more
suffering
in unhealthy persons,
from a perversion
of
some one or other function of the nervous system.

None of our experiments were made upon hysterical
subjects, but the different accounts given of the early
stages in hysterical patients do not
seem surprising;
68
close conformity with those found in
indeed, their
healthy people would be
much more
a matter for
wonder.
The
stages observed are as follows
Stage
1.
In this stage the subject can be prevented
from carrying out those voluntary movements which
commonly accomplished
are most
reflex action
The
the eyes, face, and respiration.
ment
in ordinary
life
such are those affecting the muscles

typical
movements, appears the
easiest
to
prevent.
of
move-
that of opening the eyes, and this, of
is
by
all
This
inhibition has long been the first experiment tried by
public performers on the stage, and Liebeault and
Bernheim
mena
also
mention
to obtain.
it
as one of the easiest pheno-
Other phenomena belonging to this
class are the preventions of shutting the eyes, open-
ing the mouth, swallowing,
taking a deep breath,
breathing.
Both in
this stage
and
in stage 2 the
more com-
monly the movement is carried out by reflex action

and the less commonly by volition, the easier it is to
inhibit
it
by suggestion.
It is
worth noting in this
connection that one act, at any rate
which
is
practically
an entirely reflex
viz.,
act
sneezing,
can be pre-
vented in almost anyone, even in the normal states,
by a
direct inhibitory suggestion.
infrequently
the case with
regard
This
to
is
also not
micturition,
which, however, can generally be prevented only after

the
first
stage has been produced.
According to Heidenhain, in a considerable number

sign of hypnosis
of subjects the only
obtained
is
inability to
my own
with
69
can be
that
open the eyes, and this accords

Of these, he says, some
experience.
can be prevented from opening the mouth as

In some, other muscles can be affected
well.
after a
e.g.y
few strokes over a strongly flexed arm the subject
may
be unable to extend
He compares
it.
this with
a condition described by Richet, where a voluntary
Whether he thinks
mouth is caused in
contraction causes a contracture.
the inabihty to open the eyes and
way
this
In
not clear.
is
obvious sign of hypnosis

to
is
open his eyes when
feature
may
first
the inability of the subject
told he
cannot do
be strongly marked, although
so.
it
This
may
be
produce any contracture in the
quite impossible to
So far as we have observed, a
rest of the muscles.
stray voluntary contraction
may sometimes
aid the
suggestion, but does not of itself produce
of
effect
however, the
fact,
any contracture.
who have
been
am
not here speaking of subjects
deeply
hypnotized
or
who
are
hysterical.
It
is
important
opening the eyes
to
is
recognize
that
as true a sign of
hesitation
in
commencing
hypnosis as the most absolute inability to open the

eyes at
all.
Of course, the subject
notized in the latter case, but he

in the former
and
it
will
is
is
more deeply hyp-
as truly influenced
almost always be found that
by repeating the process, the
slight hesitation
may
be converted, though often only gradually converted,

into
an absolute
disability.
It is
worth while
to
draw
70
attention to this point, for by
many
not familiar with
hypnotism a suggestion imperfectly carried out

regarded as a failure, although
cates a certain degree, at
Stage
classes
2.
In
All
is
unmistakably indi-
rate, of hypnosis.
we
stage
this
phenomena.
of
any
it
three
find
subjects
in
different
this
stage
show the phenomena of the first stage, combined with

one or more of the phenomena of the second
(ft)
The limbs can be made rigid.
:
ih)
After suggestion, the subject
movement
the
of his limbs
unable to control
is
that
is,
he can be pre-
vented from voluntarily carrying out movements not

included in stage
{a)
'Rigidity.
pas-ses are
1.
To
produce
made over
is
told his limbs are
to
happen most
rigidity, light strokes or
the limbs of the subject, and he
becoming
This appears
stiff.
easily with the hand, then with the
arms, then with the

the body muscles.
legs.
We rarely
In almost
all
tried to influence
these cases passes
aid the effect of verbal suggestion.
ing with the finger
seems equally
In some, pointefficacious,
simple suggestion really does as well.
The
and
rigidity
produced varies greatly in intensity in different subjects.
It
may
appreciates
ful,
it,
be so slight that the subject only just
or so extreme as to be
and leave a feeling
more extreme the
of fatigue.
rigidity, the longer
somewhat painIn general, the

it
takes for the
subject to relax the muscles after the suggestion has

ceased.
In some subjects when, say, the hand has
been made
rigid,
it
can be flexed almost instantly

when an attempt
rigidity
made
is
to
do
71
In others the
so.
produced cannot voluntarily be ended within
a minute or more.
external
force
It
back to
leased, flies
be understood
may
move
to
that
require a considerable
when
the limb, which,
its
original position.
in
these
no
cases
It
re-
must
suggestion
has been given to the subject that he cannot move
He
a limb.
it
simply asked whether he can bend
is
his hand, for instance.
It is well
known
the time
taken to perform such a movement is decreased by

suggestions like " Now you can close your hand."
If
this alone does not lead to flexion, a few passes over
the hand in a direction contrary to those

stiffening
subject
may
it
often
are
cannot
still
flex his
be produced by the
open the hand.
hand.
made
Occasionally
effective.
in
the
In that case flexion
command
of the operator to
^Yhen, however, the rigidity does not
rapidly disappear, experiment shows that the subject
can be made
phenomena
of
to
show more
stage
3.
In
or
less
markedly the
some cases we
tried
plunging the stiffened hand into hot water, which

caused the rigor to vanish
seemed
to
produce the same
instantly.
efi'ect
Cold water
as hot, but
more
slowly.
One
to
subject
by thinking
to
C. who
was able by self-suggestion
produce great rigidity in any limb, was also able,

of his
arm
as being relaxed, to prevent
a great extent the production of rigidity by us.
we could do by suggestion and by passes

produce a stiffness insufficieot to cause any
All that
was
to
72
The
appreciable delay in the voluntary movement.

subject,
whose hand was relaxed by hot water, even-
tually succeeded in
He
suggestion.
quickly
making
his
hand
rigid
when he held
it
near the
by
self-
more
Having re-
found that he could bend

fire.
it
peated the experiment several times, he placed his
hand on
his leg,
and then found that as long as he
kept his hand in that position he was unable to

it.
We
make
also were unable to
his
stiffen
hand
rigid,
either by suggestion or passes, as long as he kept

in contact with his leg, whereas,
an inch or
if
it
were removed
it
we could do so instantly. This is

interesting, as showing the way in which a suggestion
may work. Before he had experienced the rapid
reduction effect of hot water, we could make his hand
rigid,
so,
whether he kept
warmth gave
warm
or not
but afterwards
rise to the suggestion of laxness in the
muscles to such a degree that neither spoken nor

other suggestions of rigidity produced any
most subjects the placing
of the
hand
effect.
In
in hot water
somewhat less easy to reproduce rigidity,

but the difference was often very slight.
The followrendered
it
ing case, belonging to a stage later than that here

dealt with,
shows how hot water
may
annul the
effect
produced by passes
A.'s
hands became insensitive under strokes or
passes, the loss of sensation beginning at the tips of
the fingers, and spreading upwards.
He was
asked,
without being told why, to dip his fingers to about

tihe first
joint in hot water.
After drying them, he

was asked
to put his
73
hand through a hole in the screen,

hand or what was done
so that he could not see his

to
Passes were
it.
made
found that the ends

sensitiveness,
sensation
for
over this hand, and
of
the fingers retained
whereas in the
all
except
rest
very
the
of
strong
was
it
their
fingers
stimuli
dis-
appeared.
Squeezing the muscles in some cases
whom
in
tion
With C,
by squeezing the muscles.

tracture
is
produced
is
whom
in
con-
readily obtained by light stimuli, squeezing
the muscles produces

takes
in J.,
contracture from light stimuli and sugges-
only slight, a strong contracture
is
markedly
Thus
increased the strength of contracture.
much
much
greater rigidity, which
it
Probably the strong
longer to remove.
stimuli act by increasing the force of the suggestion.
whether contracture
It is a question
muscles
of the
cannot be produced with an ease which varies
in-
versely with the frequency with which in ordinary

life
they are used reflexly that
is,
without
effort of
will.
Thus, the muscles of the limbs are more easily
made
rigid
than those
whose hand was
rigid
of the face.
tried
to
When
bend
it,
a subject
it
always
appeared, as far as our experience went, that the

first
and second fingers were the
pletely flexed.
showed that
it
last
to
be com-
Later experiments on these subjects

took fewer passes to
fingers rigid than the third
make
and fourth
these two
fingers or the
thumb.
It
seems clear that the
primary change in
the
74.
nervous system which produces contracture

the cortex of the brain, for in nearly
lies in
fresh subjects
all
passes do not produce contracture unless accompanied
The change
by verbal suggestion.
probably an
is
and not an inhibitory process.
active
supposed by some that the condition
It
is
has been
due
to the
inhibition of the cortex, the lower centres being so left

freer to act
but
if
this be the case,
how is
contracture
produced by simple suggestion to be explained?
It
can hardly be supposed that the ordinary stimuli from
and organs
the skin
the body are sufficient to
of
produce strong rigidity of the muscles
of the body,
even supposing that the higher centres are not acting.

This
not the case in paralysis from injury to the
is
brain, or in cases of injury to the spinal cord.
quently the contracture
is
Conse-
probably produced by an
activity of certain parts of the cortex of the brain
that
is,
caused by the idea of contracture.
This
disturbance must be restored to quiescence before the

contracture can disappear.
In certain prolonged experiments on the hands

subjects, partly
through a screen,
it
of
has sometimes
happened that the arms have become more
rigid
than
was due partly to reverse

hand, and not over the
made
the
strokes being
over
arm.
In other cases we found the arm more readily
the hands.
Perhaps
this
rendered rigid than the hand.
Thus, light strokes
from the shoulder downwards have made the arm

quite rigid, and
the
hand only
slightly so.
however,
are
exceptions,
and not the
cases,
These
rule.

would be
It
difference
difficult to
reaction
of
say whether this

the
in
is
75
due
to a
muscles,
various
or
simply to the concentration of the subject's attention
upon one
muscles more than the other.
set of
(b) Inhibition
of Movements.
The next phenomenon
characteristic of the second stage
the subject to
One
cannot.
the inability of
of
the dropping of an object held in the hand.
This
subject to conditions to which I shall return a
little
(1)
is
is
movements when told he

the easiest movements to prevent is
carry out
The other
later.
were
writing
(2)
moving the arms

the
lifting
down
(6)
leg;
laterally
(5)
ments
is
together
straight out
walking or
(4)
from a chair or
object.
sitting
The time during
unable to perform these move-
of course varies.
It is
easy to prevent the dropping of even a light
object held in the hand,
the
when placed
rising
picking up an
which the subject
studied
raising or lowering the arm, and
with the palms
in front
movements we
inhibited
(3)
first
finger
if
that object be held between
and the thumb.
If
the thing be held
simply by the fingers, without the aid of the thumb,

it
is
extremely
dropping
kerchief,
of the
difficult
unless
it,
so held,
if
hand
it is
is
to
more
prevent a subject from

or less heavy.
dropped by the gradual opening
more weight, cannot,

The period of inhibition,
a book, which has
as a rule, be dropped at
all.
as I said, varies in its duration.
suggestion
is
A hand-
longer
It lasts
continually repeated, and
continues to look at the operator's eyes
if
;
if
the
the subject
and
in
many
AN LNTRODUCTION TO HYPNOTISM
76
resumed
cases the forbidden actions cannot be
unless the suggestion
In
all
contract
removed.
explicitly
these cases of inhibited
early stage,
desired
is
it
movements
not that the subject
is
is
is
muscles necessary to bring about the
the
do
Supposing
bend his arm, then, when he
told that he cannot
tries to
at this
unable to
movement, but that he cannot help contracting
the antagonistic muscles at the same time.
he
at all
he contracts the extensors, and the arm
so,
remains extended.
The degree
of contraction of the
antagonistic muscles depends partly upon the strength

of
the suggestion, and partly upon the intensity of
the effort with which the subject tries to overcome
the inhibition of the suggestion, so that the greater
the effort
made by
the subject, the stronger the con-
The suggestion
traction of the antagonistic muscles.

affects
the part
o*f
the brain which directly or in-
directly governs the antagonistic muscles,

effort to stretch
them
is
and every
at once counteracted.
This seems to be shown by the following experiment
The
he
is
subject
is
told he cannot
told this
someone
bend his arm, and whilst

bend
tries to
extensors immediately contract.
it
for
him
the
Obviously the con-
traction of the extensors is a reflex from the cortex,
brought about by the stimuli

stretch them.
The
case,
set
up
no doubt,
in attempting to
is
the same
when
he voluntarily contracts his flexors that is, the effort

not act directly on the cortical centre
;
of will does
which governs the antagonistic muscles, but only

indirectly by stretching
these
muscles.
The same

suggestion
When
may
differently in
act
77
people.
different
E. holds a light object in his hand, and
he cannot drop
it,
the whole
hand
told
is
grips the object
and
firmly, then slowly relaxes the grip,
so on.
J.,
under similar circumstances, continually passes the

object from finger to finger, holding
always between
it
thumb and one or other of his fingers. Often

after the first movement or two all the fingers except
one get free, but any movement of this from the
object is accompanied by a movement of one of the
the
other fingers to seize
Thus, the fingers are kept
it.
dancing backwards and forwards, towards the thumb,
and the object

Again,
laid flat
if
is still
held.
B. be told that he cannot
on the
table, there are
but his hand does not rise

suggestion,
lifts
one part
whilst
of the
from the table until he touches

finger or the
thumb
hand
after the other
by the
tip of
but as soon as this
arm,
of his
under the same
J.,
it
his hand,
lift
movements
one
raised
is
another finger darts down, and so keeps up a kind of

tattoo.
F.,
when
first to
told he could not write his
name,
tried at
do so by moving his fingers, but could
nothing but scratches
it
by using his whole arm he might be able
He managed
make
then occurred to him that
to write the first half of his
to write.
name
in this
way, but when he was told that he could not write at

all,
movement was rendered

more scratches.
here give two more examples of
this
ineffective,
and
resulted only in
I
the
way
in
which
AN INTRODUCTIOxN TO HYPNOTISM
78
a suggestion
may work
itself out.
was
J.
He
could not take a step forward.
he
told that
raised one leg,
and
put his foot out in front laterally, but could not get
to
ground excepting alongside the other
the
After
some
trials it struck
lose his balance
in front,
when one
him
made sudden
if
jerks with his
foot
and make the step
it
So with one leg in the
for.
foot.
he could only
was raised with the
leg
he must come down on
he was struggling
that,
it
air
he
body forward, and then
But immediately he
presently did lose his balance.
did so he caught the mantelpiece, which was near
him, so breaking the stumble
and he declared that
he could not help thus saving himself.
The following example will show how a subject may

devise a way of circumventing a suggestion. So many
seem to have an idea that a suggestion given in hypnosis
it is
is
always
fulfilled
well to bear in
case.
with inexorable fatality, that
mind
that this
is
by no means the
J.F. was told that he could deal out only twelve
cards from a pack
no more.
dealt the cards out one

three, etc., as
he did
He
took the pack and
by one, counting one, two,
Having
so.
dealt the twelve
cards, he took the thirteenth card in his hand, but
was utterly unable
to
put
it
down on the
repeating the experiment of

times,
table.
dealing cards
and being uniformly unsuccessful
out more than twelve, he reflected that

dealing one card a time, he took two, and
if,
After
several
in dealing
instead of
still
counted
one, two, three, as he dealt each pair, he might be
able to circumvent the suggestion.
He
did so readily,
79
dealing out twenty-four cards instead of twelve
when he took
saying
that,
but
the thirteenth pair and tried to deal
again found himself
he
"thirteen,"
unable to put the cards down.
We
did not find that the three kinds of
contracture, inhibition of voluntary
viz.,
not included in stage
1,
and the execution
ments by imperative suggestion

in
any regular sequence;
of
any
for,
them show those
of
may show any one

without the others.
of
the
This
whilst
all
(1)
move-
subjects capable
of the first stage,
some
stage 2
subdivisions of
happens, however, only

Generally speaking,
phenomena can be produced
order
of
followed one another
with the minority of subjects.

the
phenomena
movements
following
in the
The
subject can be prevented from dropping an
object.
(2)
(3)
(4)
His arms and hands can be made
He
He
rigid.
can be prevented from writing.

can be made to carry out
movement
these
phenomena
(stage 3).
Further, as I have said before,

are obtained in any subject
the
phenomena
It
to
is
make
the
at all
markedly
of the third stage.
be noticed that,
when
before an inhibitory suggestion

to
all
who shows
is
passes are
made
given, the inability
movement may be due
to the contracture
produced by the passes, and not to the suggestion

itself.
be
In some cases the inhibitory suggestion
effective
when
contracture
may
has been produced
80
though
was
it
Thus C, when
ineffective before.
told
that he cannot bend his arm, does so without any
but
hesitation
arm
rigid,
are
rigid,
that
taken
by
he
if
told that his
is first
hand and
and then, when they have become
he
bend
cannot
him
bend
it
whom
rigidity
to
arm,
his
time
considerably
very
is
the
prolonged.
In
a
is
subjects in
all
marked tendency
attention
asked
a
to
little
is
on
fixed
hold his
arm
limb to
for a
it
thus,
and
out,
if
if
is
produced there
stiffen as
soon as
such a subject be
he be told that after
time he will be unable to lower
it, it
will
become
move it.
There is one phenomenon viz., the production of
suggested automatic muscular movement of which I
even before he
rigid
tries to
My attention was first called
may
speak at this point.
to
by the Hon. E. Feilding quite
it
to obtain these
lately.
movements only with
have tried
eight subjects.
In one case I was unable to produce the
whom
effect
with a
movements
voluntarily begun.
In four I succeeded when I could
not compel the subjects to continue such movements.
With the others both sets of phenomena could be
induced. It appears on the whole to be a phenomenon
which lies between the second and third stages, and
subject
is,
I think,
I could
compel
to continue
conveniently classed as belonging to the
earliest part of the third stage.
So
form.
far
The
have
tried the
subject,
tion, lays his right
experiment only in one
whose eyes are closed by sugges-
hand on mine.
He
is
then asked
to
81
remove his hand voluntarily from mine, and
to
replace
again every time I count three.
it
then
and each time I

"
or two from
inch
his
hand
an
say "three he moves
mine and then replaces it. After this has been done
begin counting, one, two, three,
him no longer
three or four times, I ask
hand
voluntarily, but to
etc.,
let
to
move
his
quite passively in
lie
it
move it nor to prevent it from

him that I shall endeavour to
mine, trying neither to
moving.
make
it
then
move
tell
automatically, and I begin counting
again as before, one, two, three,

a long pause at the
*'
three."
soon begin to move of

a
mere gentle touch,
of his
hand
hand
is
is
itself,
with rather
etc.,
the hand does not
If
a very
little
made each time
or wrist in the direction in
intended to move, and he
is
pressure,
at the side
which his
assured that the
motion will come in time. After a few trials slight

movements begin, and as the experiment goes on they
three," the
become stronger, until at last, at each
hand is automatically moved completely away from
mine and back again.
As a rule, one can then go straight on, telling him
to try to keep his hand quite still, since he must
**
move
is
it
with or without his
If
will.
the experiment
continued in the same way as before, his hand soon
begins to move, notwithstanding his efforts to keep

it
stationary.
Here, of course,
is
a response to an
imperative suggestion, and the phenomenon, therefore,
belongs to the third stage
but there can be no doubt
that the previous training in
making him move

6
his
82
hand,
it
first
voluntarily and then automatically, renders
much more
Stage
3.
easy to secure this response.
The
waking
third stage of the
often rather sharply
marked from the
first
state is
two by the
One
possibility of enforcing imperative suggestions.
finds a very large
readily
whom
effect
amenable
number
of subjects
who
are quite
to inhibitory suggestions, but
no imperative suggestions appear
to
on
have any
whatever.
The
inhibitory suggestion merely confirms the state
of action or inaction
during which
it
was made
the
imperative has to change inaction to action or vice

versa,
and
this,
perhaps,
which one
difficulty
commands.
To the third stage
loss of
subject
voluntarily begun
memory
enforcing imperative
in
also belongs the class of sug-
gestions which prevent
movement
the cause of the greater
is
finds
and
later in this stage
for particular facts
induced, so that a subject
may
be
from stopping a
can sometimes be
made
to forget his
own name.
To compel a subject to execute a movement, the
command must be repeated over and over again,
often for a minute or two in difficult cases, before
any perceptible
effect is
produced.
helps matters considerably
if
It certainly often
the subject continues to
look at the operator's eyes while the suggestions are
made.
This, however,
is
not a necessary concomitant,
as success can often be obtained while the eyes are

closed.
In imperative as in inhibitory suggestions,

every grade of intensity of effect exists.
who
is
83
In subjects
are only in the second stage no effect whatever
produced.
ject feels
In a slightly deeper condition the sub-
an inclination
to
perform the suggested
but can resist without any appreciable
effort.
act,
As the
condition deepens, the effort required to resist the
suggestion becomes greater and greater.

subject be told to get
up from
Thus,
from getting up.
cannot successfully resist at

effort
his chair, he will, after
hands
a short time, actually hold his chair with both

in order to prevent himself
if
all,
Others
however great the
they make, and some are quite incapable of
even attempting to resist in the slightest degree.
As the suggestion
repeated^ and the idea gains in
is
strength, the aspect of the subject usually changes
completely.
amused
At
becomes more
all,
it
is
attitude
first
indifference
he
may wear an
expression of
but gradually his countenance
serious, as
he begins
to feel that, after
not easy to resist, and at last his whole
becomes
of striking,
almost strenuously
fixed,
attention.
The following were the

were tried
The
principal
movements which
during the experiments
subject was
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
made
at
Tolaugh;
To walk to the operator
To rise from his chair
To flex his arm
To close his eyes
To open his eyes.
Cambridge.
84
At
in these cases all the muscles are quiescent,
first
then the muscles antagonistic to the movement come
and
into play,
finally the
muscles required to bring
it
about.
The readiness with which a
com-
subject can be
much in different cases,

temperament. Some people never or
pelled to laugh varies very
according to
and
scarcely ever laugh,
in these, naturally, laughter
cannot be excited during hj^pnosis.

suggestion of laughter the operator
When
grave as he pleases.
times impossible for the

told
until
do
to
Habits
of laughter.
after
Thus,
to
it
stop
is
some-
laughing
the
suggestion
is
given,
renewed.
it is
of life tell
he succeeds,
subject
as
In some the laughter ceases
so.
soon
spontaneously
unless, of course,
In making the
may remain
on other suggestions besides that

I
have often suggested
to a subject
that he shall strike a false chord while playing the
This
piano.
found
it
subjects,
who
may
succeed with anyone, but I have
impossible in the case of two really musical
though always easy in the case
of
those
could merely strum.
In the third stage we can also prevent a subject
from stopping a movement voluntarily begun

can often be done before he can be made
this
to initiate a
The most usual movements thus continued were laughing, moving thumbs or hands round
movement.
one another, repeating words or phrases, beating time

with the hands or
The
subject
is
feet.
asked to
make some continuous
THE PHENOMExNA OF HYPNOSIS

movement, and,
he cannot
when
It is a
"You must
gestion
"You
cannot stop" acts quite
have noted this very frequently, and
" is in a distinctly
have never once
the suggestion
though
who responds
to
**
form
of
the imperative has succeeded,
have frequently failed with *'Xou must"
after success with
*'You cannot."
It
seems
to be a
law almost without exception that the inhibitory
more powerful than the imperative form

tion.
You
You cannot."
failed with the negative
when
**
deeper condition than the
one who merely responds to

I
that
often quite ineffective
is
always consider that a subject
must
so, is told
remarkable fact that the sug-
on"
go
the suggestion
readily.
minute or
after half a
stop.
85
Only
of
is
sugges-
fairly susceptible subjects pass into this
stage without prolonged hypnotic processes.
Suggested loss of
phenomenon which
tion.
In general
phenomena
it
memory
for particular facts is a
is liable
to a
good deal
of varia-
appears easier to induce than the
of stage 4, but often
could be realized
it
only in a later state of hypnosis.
The
subject
may
try hard to
remember, and
fail
and not infrequently he may present the curious

condition of being unable to try to
Stage
These
4.
In this we can produce

(1)
Loss
(2)
Imperfect delusions.
latter are
remember
at
all.
of sensation in the skin.
most easily evoked in relation
touch and temperature
thus, a light body
to
may seem
may be
heavy, or a cold body hot, and the subject
86
made
to feel hot or cold.
heavy enough
the ground.
it
is
odd
Again,
see a
to
paper-knife
weigh the hand
to
it
may seem
may become
of the
subject to
too hot to hold,
subject fling
and
down, instantly
it
regarding his hand, as though expecting to find the
mark
burning.
of
In the
memory
visual illusions,
stage
fifth
we
also
get
afterwards being sometimes
imperfect.
So
of
far there is
the subject
no marked change in the appearance

the face shows neither drowsiness
nor heaviness, and the only noticeable change
is
certain intentness of attention towards the operator,
and possibly
dilatation of the pupils.
suggestion has been made,
whether
it
be
will
it
successful
is
Still,
until a
impossible to
say
When
the
or
not.
hypnotic processes are further prolonged, the appear-
ance of the subject will often give an indication,
though not an
will
infallible one, of the suggestions that
be effective
(1)
More
by an
thus there
is
or less drowsiness, which
almost
subject remaining quiescent except

to
is
complete absence of
accompanied
initiative,
the
when he means
obey a suggestion.
(2)
(3)
Disposition towards catalepsy.
It is
disinclination to
effort.
not easy to divide the later states of hypnotism
into stages.
perhaps,
some
make any voluntary
In
that
of
the different deeper states, except,
somnambulism (our
can be induced
illusions
with difficulty
all
and we found,
easily,
final
stage),
others
as, indeed,
only
has been
87*
almost universally noticed, that in different subjects

there
great variation on awaking in the degree of
is
memory
what had happened
of
In both of
state.
in the hypnotized
matters,
these
there
really,
is
every possible variation.

After hypnotic passes have been continued for a
varying time, illusions can be induced, and the subject
may
Sometimes
act in accordance with them.
one could
from the appearance
tell
the subject
of
We
whether the attempt would be successful or not.

generally tried
têlls,
first to
make
then to see an illusory
the subject hear illusory

light,
were successful,
and kept
his
put in that position.
arms raised
If
make
of the previous
if
subject
was
they had been
open his eyes, he
to
told
to
these illusions
The
could be readily obtained.
states
cataleptic,
still
phenomena
the
all
and then
When
speech to an illusory audience.
They remained
could not put his arms down.
fixed, the
muscles being apparently in a state of con-
tracture
if
closed;
tracted.
if
an object was swept over his
eyes, they
a light was brought near, the pupils con-
When
a suggestion requiring action
is
given,
the catalepsy ceases at once, and the appearance of

the subject becomes very nearly,
tinguishable
ended
from
normal.
if
When
not quite, indisthe
illusion
is
and in some cases this can be done by simply
closing the eyes
the cataleptic
illusion be concluded
state returns.
If
the
by closing the eyes, the limbs
often remain in the position of the
moment.
If it is
ended by verbal suggestion, the muscles return
to
88
their
normal
Taste can be dulled, but not
state.
The
abolished.
readiest class of illusions, after those
mentioned above, are those connected with the touch

for instance, contact with flies, or fleas, or a snake
or with the sight of objects which lead to action or
strong emotion, such as a snake on the ground.
When
an
object
illusive
paper, the subject sees

object
there
is first
is
it
shown him.
shown on a
is
piece of
more quickly if the

For instance, if he is
real
told
a drawing of a rabbit on a blank piece of
more readily if a drawing of a

rabbit is first shown him and a copy of it is asserted
to be on the blank paper.
As an instance of the
paper, he will see
it
difference in the ease with
which
illusions can
be
may mention M. Being hypnotized, he

was shown a blank card, and told that there was a
drawing of a fly upon it but, though the suggestion
induced, I
was repeated several times, he

did not see
escaped;
flies
it.
it
is
Then
it
replied that he
still
was suggested
energy.
The
and
strike at
them
So also a subject
illusory picture of
to
many
brush them
in the air with great
will
more
His memory
an
readily see
someone familiar than that
unfamiliar object.
has
fly
buzzing about you; there are
round your head," when he began
off his face,
*'
:
of the actions
performed during the day seems more or
of
an
he has
less dulled,
but reflection or slight suggestion soon recalls them.

After any suggestion has taken
what he
is
state varies
thinking
of,
effect,
and he
is
he answers "Nothing."
somewhat, so that
at one time the
asked
His
same

may
suggestion
than
to be effective
to
require
more
acts partially
waking him, or
when he
long pause between two suggestions,
becomes a
more deeply hypnotized.
trifle
action, such as swinging the arms, be
subject,
he
will
continue
it
an
If
for the
begun
himself.
All our subjects in this stage, on
and
and insistence
is due
Possibly this
at another.
some suggestions or
to a
repetition
89
whom
Langley
experimented together, would take suggestions
from either
of us
often,
however, subjects
will take
no suggestion in the deep state except from
the
hypnotizer, and I found this frequently to be the case

in
those
on
subjects
whom
was
experimenting
On
myself when others tried to make suggestions.
awaking, the subject would remember more or less

accurately
all
had taken
that
The above stage

they remain in
L.
is
a distinct state of hypnosis in
They can
certain subjects.
place.
easily be sent into
it,
and
almost indefinitely.
it
passed into this state in from ten to twenty
seconds.
In his case the most
production was to
upon them.
effective
means
for its
close his eyes and press gently
The readiness with which he accepted
suggestions was increased by lightly stroking the top

of his head.
Thus, after making one or two experi-
ments, he was shown a blank card, and told that
it
Asked
if
was a photograph
he recognized
it,
of a friend in
he said
'*
No
";
the room.
and when again
was a photograph and that he must
that
it
still
answered
*'
No."
His eyes were
see
told
it,
he
closed, half a
90
dozen strokes were made backwards over the top

head, and he was then told to open his eyes.
then shown a card with a circle on

at this
photograph
graph."
of F.
is
it
and
it,
He was
told,
"Look
an excellent photo-
This was repeated several times, during
which he looked in a rather puzzled way

" Don't you think
matter with
thing like
When
of his
? "
it
good
it
" It
him?"
is
" No."
"
"
it is
at the card.
What
is
the
But
it is
some-
something
like
him."
misty."
"Yes,
"
awakened, and asked what he remembered, he
said he
had been shown a card with a
told
it
was a photograph
not
see
any photograph.
of
F.,
circle
on
it,
and
but that he did
Here, then, the subject,
although not seeing the object suggested, behaves
and
that
talks
as
if
he did
and when asked why, says
he could not help himself.
That he had not
shown by his
it, and also by
the fact that when passes were made for some time
longer, and the experiment was tried again, he
remembered when awake having been shown a blank
merely forgotten having seen
it
ability to recall the conversation
about
card,
and then
Stage
5.
senses become
more
later a
When
is
photograph on
it.
passes are continued longer, the
more
dulled,
readily produced.
and
illusions
are
still
Anaesthesia can be produced
by suggestion.
The memory
often
is
recollect
is
very imperfect on awakening, and
entirely gone.
some
of
Even when our
subjects did
the events during hypnosis, they
would always underrate the time the experiment had
91
and would say, perhaps, ten minutes or a
taken,
quarter of an hour, instead of one hour or one and a

half hours.
If a visual
changed
on,
it
to another,
will generally
this again to another,
first
more or
hallucination
memory
so
when
succeeding
of the
uncertain or even completely absent.
is
illusion
and
be found that the subject,
but that
perfectly,
hallucinations
One
and
remembers the
aroused,
less
hallucination be induced, and afterwards
which
I generally
produced was that
The
of seeing a bright star or light in the ceiling.
subject would stand in front of me,
and look
at
my
made light strokes

Then I would look up,
over his brows and temples.
" Look at that star
isn't it
point upwards, and say
eyes for about a minute, while I
Look,
bright ?
The
it
getting
is
for
asked whether the star

sees
is
it,
made
answers "Yes."
that
it is
watch
upwards with a
subject usually stares
and remains immobile
brighter
fixed gaze,
an indefinite time
is
it."
and
if
bright, and whether he
After a time the suggestion
getting darker, and that the star
is
Almost
fading away, and at last that it is gone.

any other hallucination can then be readily induced.
f(t
Thus, he can be made

that he
is
to believe that
in a boat, that
he
is
he sees a snake,
on horseback,
but,
when
aroused, though he will as a rule
the
first
hallucination of
etc.
remember
the star perfectly, those
succeeding will be confusedly recollected or entirely
forgotten.
In both
the
fourth
and
fifth
stages
mimicry
of
92
actions occurs
more
the former.
In the fourth stage the attention of the
perfectly in the latter than in
must be directed to the act in order to produce

mimicry.
It seems most probable that mimicry is
subject
due
We
to suggestion.
the cortex of the brain

subject
gives
rise
take
(unconscious) of the
to the idea
movement, which leads

movement.
from
to be a reflex
it
the act performed before the
to the imitation of the said
Heidenhain attributes mimicry
to reflex actions not
involving the cortex, apparently because in his subjects auditory suggestions
were
ineffective.
marked by somnambulism, suggested

anaesthesia, anosmia, etc.
The subject attends to the
hypnotizer only, is suggestible only by him, and has
Stage
is
no memory on awaking.
Effect of Telling to Sleep.
some
subjects
This varies greatly.
produces the outward sign
it
to sleep, but does not
in a
an astounding
effect,
In others
it
has
producing almost instantly deep
with
sleep,
going
short time, at any rate
otherwise alter the hypnotic state.
hypnotic
of
In
complete loss of
memory on
awaking.
It
of
has generally been considered that hyperesthesia
one or more
signs of
it
is
among
the earliest
somnambulism. Braid, Bernheim, and Gurney
so record
ever,
of the senses
it.
As
far as
our experiments went, how-
did not appear that the hypnotic processes of
gazing, passes, and suggestion of sleep ever

hypersesthesia,
produced^
but that this stage required special

excitation for its production.
in stage 5,
It
93
readily produced
is
and can be brought about by
direct sug-
gestion or by continued conversation.
Summary
of the Stages as found in our
Experiments.
Stage
monly
Those
1.
voluntary movements can be in-
by direct suggestion which are most com-
hibited
carried out by reflex action in ordinary
Stage
Contracture can be produced.
2.
life.
Voluntary
movements not included in stage 1 can be inhibited.

Stage 3.
The subject can be prevented from stopping a movement voluntarily begun, and made to
initiate a movement.
Loss of memory for particular
facts
can be suggested.
Stage
4.
Loss
of
cutaneous sensation can be pro-
Imperfect delusions can be suggested.
duced.
Memory
afterwards nearly or quite perfect.

Stage
5.
Senses
more
dulled.
Visual and other
Memory
can be induced.
illusions
afterwards
im-
perfect.
Stage
etc.,
6.
can
Somnambulism.
be
suggested.
hypnotizer only.
Anaesthesia,
The
subject
anosmia,
attends
to
No memory on awaking.
stages when hypnosis is induced by
Such are the

the method described above, without any suggestion
of sleep being made at the commencement.
94
Comparison with Stages of Li^beault and

Bernheim.
I
have mentioned before that Liebeault and Bern-
heim have
classified the stages of
to the maximum
hypnosis according
degree of hypnotization to be obtained

It will
in different individuals in successive trials.
be convenient to consider at once
how
far their stages
agree with those that are given above.

First
eyes,
Liebeault and Bernheim
degree of
more
subjects feel
and drowsiness.
The
the
torpor, heaviness of
or less
variety of
the
first
degree
they consider to be the state in which the subject

**
in
n'ont pas de somnolence a proprement parler," but
which he
is
unable to open his eyes when told that
This variety we took to be a typical
he cannot.
characteristic, for
longed, there
is
the hypnotic processes are pro-
if
no one who would not probably
feel
some heaviness and drowsiness.

In the second degree of Liebeault and Bernheim
(light
sleep)
the subject
is
more
or less cataleptic.
So long as nothing is done the muscles remain flaccid,

but when a limb is gently moved it stays in the
position in which
it
second or two, sink

it falls,
but
if
The limb
down.
If
the whole
is
catalepsy
may,
raised
the forearm be raised
while the forearm
The
has been placed.
has various degrees.
arm
it is
after a
be raised
kept up
kept raised the fingers
may
or
not
retain the position in which they are placed, or the

limb
may
be kept raised only
held there for a
is
if it
95
second or two. The intermediate stages between the

first and second degree occur when the subject keeps
the cataleptic position, unless he
help
it,
is
when he moves
he cannot
told that
when
the limb, and
a subject
does not leave his limbs in any position unless

defined to
him by
there
three
are
cataleptic
when
once or twice
before
is
in
but
if
so.
though
told
it
simultaneous
cataleptic, as before
a limb
which
is
but
more
here
or less
is
cataleptic, as
he cannot move a limb which

a time in con-
for
contracture
if
told that
he
in catalepsy,
is
of
the
In the third he
muscles antagonistic to the action.

is
states
and gently stroked

he cannot move it, he
In the second he
told that
the
is
it is
likely that
raised
is
catalepsy, he cannot do
sequence of
seems
the subject
first
a limb
but,
can always do
It
consecutive
constantly
In the
confused.
suggestion.
he cannot move
unable to do
so,
although the antagonistic muscles do not contract.

This
is
is
quite a different
state
from the second
ment
of these stages
development
without drowsiness.
first
make movements
of contraction of the antagonistic
division 2 of our second stage, but
developed
'*
than when
the
The
and second degree appears
to correspond to the inability to
in
it
does not follow very closely the
of the stages
catalepsy between their
consequence
The develop-
paresis, or paralysis of the muscles.
subject
is
is
much
not
in
muscles
less
drowsy.
Paresis and paralysis occur between stages 2 and 3.
In this condition there
may
be slight loss of memory,
96
may
but only such as
be seen in an
inattentive
person.
In Li^beault and Bernheim's third degree (deep
unable to stop a movement which
sleep) the subject is
he has begun when told he cannot do

division
of
our third stage, but in
degree tactile sensibility
may
This
so.
be dulled or abolished.
This we never observed except as the result

suggestion.
Lastly,
suggestive."
This
they
is
can obtain
**
of direct
cf)ntracture
We
division 1 of our stage 2.
have always been able
is
fourth
their
we could
to obtain this before
prevent a subject from stopping a movement already
begun.
Their
fourth
deep
(their very
stage
characterized by the subjects
state)
is
hearing the operator
them into relation with other

persons. Excepting when the subject was in a state
of somnambulism, either of us had no difficulty in
alone, unless he puts
producing
all
by the other.
the illusions which could be produced

Possibly this was because our subjects
regarded both of
When
us
in
the
experimenting apart
light
of
hypnotizers.
from Langley,
often
found that the subject would not obey suggestions
from strangers, but only from myself.
But Langley
and I could produce this condition in our

If either of
fifth stage.
us told the subject that he could hear no
one but himself, the
other would
then
speak
in
vain.
The fifth degree of Liebeault and Bernheim (light

somnambulism) corresponds with our fifth stage as
97
given before, except that we found the subjects some-
times obeyed others as well as the hypnotizer, and

that sensation was not abolished except by suggestion.
Their sixth degree
is
one in which the subject
himself has no recollection of what he has done while
hypnotized.
CHAPTER V
Post-hypnotic
Anaesthesia Other
Hallucinations
tions
Effects
of
suggestion
Negative
phenomena
hallucina-
(Effects of passes
previous deep hypnotization on experimental
Self-suggestion Effects on sense of touch

temperature Light sensory stimuli and suggestion).
subjects
I.
Hallucinations.
As the previous chapter
indicated,
to induce the condition of
direct suggestion of sleep,
nations.
It
and
it is
often possible
somnambulism without any

merely by evoking halluci-
frequently happens,
therefore,
that a
subject in stage 5 will spontaneously pass into stage 6,

if
illusions are induced.
Some
subjects
may
lapse
suddenly into somnambulism while they are in quite
an early
stage, but this rarely occurs unless they
have
been hypnotized on former occasions, and experienced
somnambulism
then.
of sleep induces
somnambulism, and
In other cases the suggestion
most commonly employed.
But
it
this is the
method
must be remem-
bered that the proportion of subjects susceptible of
somnambulism
is
not great
per cent.
98
something
under 20

have
experiments
Numberless
It is certain that
hallucinations.
made
wifeh
subjects,
when
been
some
99
they act as though hallucinated, are not really
so,
but
are compelled to act as though they were, as in the
But
case of L., mentioned above.

subjects
who remembered
have often had
whom
to
with visual hallucinations
is
and
the rule.
is
in connection
most interesting studies
of the
and
appeared real experiences;
the hallucinations
probably in somnambulism this
One
their illusions,
the behaviour of the
subject as regards a suggested illusory picture
on a
blank sheet of paper. We made a number of experiments in this at Cambridge. The subject was made
to see
shell,
some
illusion of a small picture, say of a
pink
on a perfectly circular disc of white cardboard,
and asked
to
copy
He would
it.
begin to
make a
drawing, glancing every few seconds at the illusory

picture which he was supposed to be copying.
attention
was
distracted
for
If hia
moment, and
the
circular disc turned out of its original position without

his being
aware
of
it,
he at once recognized the
fact
when he resumed
the drawing of his copy, and would
rearrange
was
it
as
it
at
first.
When
he looked at
the imaginary shell through Iceland spar
doubled, and
if
while he looked through

to revolve
it,
appeared
the two images appeared
round each other, just as
image were
it
the Iceland spar was slowly revolved
actual.
experiments that
It
was quite
subjects
marks, and attach them
notice
if
the original
clear
from the
extremely small
to the hallucinatory
images.
100
many
In
cases they recognize a blank card, which,
they have been

pick
it
number
L.,
told, is a picture of
out quite easily

of
when
it
is
some kind, and

mixed with a
apparently exactly similar ones.
mentioned above, could do
this,
and could
also
remember that he recognized the card by minute

marks, but in his normal state he was totally unable
to distinguish
it.
Post-Hypnotic Sug-gestions.
II.
But the most

bulism
is
that
striking
of
hypnotic suggestions
and even
phenomenon
post-hypnotic
may
earlier, before
of
somnam-
suggestion.
Post-
succeed in the deep state,
somnambulism
is
reached,
but those given during somnambulism work out most

strikingly
and
way
act
in a
measure
perfectly.
Suggestions
more powerfully than
given in this
others, owing, perhaps,
to the fact that the patient carries
them
out without knowing consciously that they are due to

suggestion, so that deliberate resistance
It is still a
matter
of dispute
is
absent.
whether the subject
is
in a normal condition during the performance in his

waking state of an action which has been suggested
during his sleep. Some subjects certainly are in an
abnormal
act,
that
state, for,
they forget
it
all
having carried out the suggested

about
it,
and are quite unaware
has been accomphshed.
For the moment
they appear to have returned to the state of

bulism.
somnam-
But a large number remember their action

and their condition is not distinguish-
perfectly well,
OTHER HYPNOTIC PHENOMExNA

able
from the normal.
If; hvAfcVdr,
101
hallircinations
are thus induced, I have observed that during their

persistence the subject often presents an appearance of
abstraction which
is
not natural to his normal state.
The experimental enforcement

patient
may
action either on
some
making
such as
of
Some twenty
my
I look at
very considerable length of time
elapse between the
have often told
trivial action,
when
ight or blow out a candle,
to a subject
difficulty.
awakening, or at some particular
a subject that he will do
accomplishment.
little
be told that he will perform the
hour, or after some specified event.
a post-hypnotic
but
suggestion, as a rule, presents
The
of
may
be
watch.
made
a suggestion and
years ago
to
its
suggested
who was deeply hypnotized that exactly

see me come into his room
a year after he should
while he was at breakfast, that I should say
morning," and then vanish

even that lapse
ever,
and
But though
suggestions,
it
Good-
this succeeded after
The person concerned, how-
of time.
was extraordinarily suggestible
I think, that I
**
the best subject,
have ever seen.

generally easy to enforce these
it
is
is
not always
so,
even in subjects who
carry out other than post-hypnotic suggestions readily.
Occasionally one meets subjects

to
who
will
not respond
even the simplest post-hypnotic suggestion, but
such resistance
is
not
common.
cases I have found that,
if
And
in
many
of these
the subject be instructed to
do something on awakening, he
he be made during his sleep
will generally
to state
obey
what he has
if
to
102
For
do, so Bf to eiism:iB'th'ath really understands.
he
is
sometiraes so lethargic that he cannot assimilate
a suggestion unless he
is
partly roused
making him
repeat the suggestion, and so ascertaining that he has
comprehended
The
it,
overcomes this
difficulty.
hallucinations and anaes-
subject of negative
thesia properly belongs to the deep state and
somnam-
bulism, though anaesthesia can sometimes be induced

in the earlier stages.
Increased Powers of Memory.
III.
of memory may extend

much farther than it
normal condition, and a subject may be
In the deep stage the range

farther
does in the
very
often
back,
able to recall events of his earliest childhood.
extension of
memory
though
then more marked.
it is
stages a subject
may
long forgotten past.

next chapter,
made
is
This
not limited to the deep state,
be able
Even
in the earlier
memories
to recall
of a
In one case, mentioned in the

a lady aged thirty-two
remem-
ber herself in long clothes, and some of the incidents
which she recalled were afterwards

This increased power of
memory
verified.
is of
tance from a therapeutical standpoint.

its
great impor-
Instances of
use will be found in the next chapter.

IV. Negative Hallucinations.
negative
hallucination
is
that
sensation of a real nerve stimulus
have often suggested
to
is
in
which the
unperceived.
somnambulic subjects that
I
I,

or
some other person
in the
room,
103
am invisible. They
then cease to notice the invisible person, and
even
sit
down on
they imagine
his lap instead of the chair,
their behaviour
But
be empty.
to
that
is
it
clear
may
which
from
they generally do realize the
supposedly invisible person or thing, though perhaps

not in the same vivid
see other people,
manner
seeming
to be
as that in which they
aware
of the cancelled
presence in a dreamy kind of way, as
and not the whole,
if
only a part,
of the consciousness perceived
That such a subject actually may
it.
realize the invisible
shown by the following experiment, which

I often made with some of my Cambridge subjects.
I could hypnotize many whom I had hypnotized on
previous occasions by suddenly gazing intensely at
them. They would often pass instantly into deep
person
is
sleep, with catalepsy.
invisible
them
that
to
those
have frequently made myself
subjects,
but
even when one of
acted as though he could not see me, I found

I
if
at him,
caught his eye, and suddenly gazed intently
he always immediately passed into catalepsy,
thus showing conclusively that he had really perceived me.
The
subject
colours,
and
may
be
made
experiments
colour-blind to different
on
the
complementary
colours of invisible, as well as of suggested hallucinatory, colours
were made on our Cambridge subjects,
but these are beyond the province of this book.

is
It
possible to induce negative hallucinations of the
other
senses
as
well.
Thus the
subject
may
be
104
rendered incapable of hearing a particular person

speak, or of tasting sweet or bitter, though the sense
more
of taste is
difficult to influence.
V. Anaesthesia.
But
most
the
hallucinations
is
interesting
of
all
negative
the
certainly the cutaneous anaesthesia
and analgesia which can be evoked by suggestion.

Suggested anaesthesia, as seen during hypnosis,
is
simply the non-perception of the particular sensation
which the subject has been
he cannot
told that
feel,
the other cutaneous sensations remaining intact.

is
It
easier to abolish or diminish sensations of touch
than the sensations
heat and cold, and the abolition
of
the sense of touch
of
rigidity of the limb
generally accompanied by
is
experimented on.
But the condition
is
one
of great complexity.
the following simple experiment, which
Having concealed the
several people.
from his view by means

I suggested that
of a
Take
on
tried
subject's
hand
simply-arranged screen,
he would be unable
to feel a prick
with one point of a pair of compasses, but that he
would
feel
found that
flinch
if
rebelled
points.
soft
at once
if
pricked with both points.
could draw blood without making
pricked
immediately
him with one

if
Also, he could be
pricked
made
point
but
him
he
him with both
to feel the
touch of
cotton-wool, and yet be quite impervious to a
sharp
needle
prick,
and
scorch of a burning match.
in
one case even to the

Here the subject
both sensations
clearly
must
some way perceive

he must mentally
in
but, in addition,
between the two, and reject one, while
differentiate
he accepts the other, and allows himself

It
very
is
complex
105
act,
to feel
it.
form any lucid idea
of
this
but I believe that the result
is
due,
to
difficult
not merely to a failure to perceive, but also to an

inhibition
his
of
power
This theory
sensation.
experiment, which
subject,
occasions,
whom
and who,
the following
or two subjects at
I left there.
had hypnotized on previous
knew, could be readily rendered
was asked
anaesthetic,
explain
made on one
Cambridge, and on one since
The
conceive the forbidden
to
may
an arm-chair.
to sit in
then
placed his hands on the arms of the chair, but in
doing so passed his palm lightly over the bristles of

a brush which I had fixed to the outside of one of the
arms, so that he could not see
next
asked him what
rendering
When
it
anaesthetic,
it.
suggested that the hand could
then immediately
nothing.
feel
had done
to his
he could not
When
hand before
recall anything.
sensation was restored, however, he immediately
remembered that his hand had been passed over a

brush or some similar surface. By rendering him
anaesthetic immediately after the stimulus had been
applied,
gave no time for the sensations to be
linked up with other ideas by association.
he could not
of
recall the stimulus,
conceiving
inhibited,
but
such
I
have
sensation
not
Probably
because the power
made
was
the
temporarily
experiment
106
often
enough
was entirely
to be sure that suggestion
eliminated.
The
rest of this chapter is devoted to the effects of
and
light stimuli
to the brief consideration of certain
phenomena which have not been mentioned in

chapter.
The experiments described
were made by Professor Langley and myself on
other
the previous
Cambridge undergraduates.
Phenomena.
VI. Other
1.
During
Certain Effects of Passes.
state, contracture, as
mentioned
before,
the waking
can often be
produced by passes, each downward stroke causing a

little
further contraction, and each upward stroke or
pass a decrease of contraction.

0., for instance,
when
his fingers are stroked
down-
wards, gets his hand more and more extended until

the fingers
become
direction over
in
rigid.
Stroking in the opposite
any one finger causes
slight relaxation
Thus, according to the number
it.
strokes,
degree of
of
up-and-down
be brought into any
fingers can
different
stiffness.
effect of reverse passes and strokes is

The following experiments will show
This general
well
known.
certain
further details
waking
subject,
strokes
the fingers,
they were
After
A.
first
variable
or any one
of
tried
on a
number
them,
of
became
insensitive to needle-pricks, or to induction currents

of
moderate
strength,
operating finger
itself.
and
to
the
strokes
of
A. sat clown and passed
the
his.

hand through a hole
in a screen, resting
downwards, on a table on the other
was unable
w^hat
hand
to see his
we were doing
to
or us,
He was
it.
side.
107
palm
Thus he
it,
and could not
asked to say
**
tell
Yes
"
when he felt anything touch his hand. When a stroke

was made downwards, he said nothing when a stroke
was made upwards, he said '* Yes." This was perfectly
constant, so that with up and down strokes he felt
those made upwards but not those made downwards.
;
the upwards were repeated several times in suc-
If
down
cession, the next following
stroke would be
felt,
but the subsequent ones were not.
This state of insensibility

stimuli, starting in the
progressing downwards.
state
is
associated with sensory
upper part
The
of the finger
restoration to the
and
normal
has thus become associated with sensory stimuli
The ordinary
progressing in the opposite direction.

reverse passes
effect of
normal condition.
sensibility,
which
In
I
restore the part to its
to
is
the
have
stage
moderate
of
mentioned
upward stroke produces a temporary return

normal, but
is
in-
each
above,
to the
insufficient to destroy the effect of the
more numerous downward
strokes.
This phenomenon can also be produced in the fourth
and
fifth
insensitive by
**
Yes,"
the
S.
In S. the second and third
were after some time
fingers
downward
when he
first
This we verified in
stages of hypnotism.
two subjects, B. and
felt
and fourth
rendered
strokes.
S.
was
rigid
anything touch his hand.

fingers or
thumb were
and
told to say
When
touched, he
108
''
said
When
Yes."
the second and third fingers were
The second
touched, he said nothing.
finger
was then
stroked upwards half a dozen times without producing
any
**
It
effect.
upwards
was bent and unbent, and stroked

he said
for about half a minute, until at last
Then the slightest movement upwards was

but stroking downwards was not. It was sufficient
Yes."
felt,
even lightly to drag a needle, laid
upwards, without moving
on the finger
flat,
over the surface of the
it
skin.
2. Persistence
in
when
subject
great care
Earlier Stages
the
induced in Beep Stages.
As
has once been
must be taken
This
is
any deductions
light stages of
necessary, because
phenomena formerly induced
said,
deeply hypnotized
in drawing
from his subsequent behaviour in the

hypnotism.
of Changes
has already been
some
of the
in the deep stages
can
afterwards be obtained in the light stages. Apparently
Bernheim's observations on the waking phenomena

were made only on subjects who had previously been
deeply hypnotized.
Although possibly
of impression
may
post-hypnotic
suggestion,
with
of
it.
this persistence
be related to the phenomena of
good example
it
is
producing anaesthesia in
must not be confused

shown by the possibility
the waking stage if this
has once been produced in the deeper
state.
Thus, in
S. neither passes, stroking, nor suggestion produced
contracture or anaesthesia in the waking state
we could produce
the waking state;
in B.
contracture, but not anaesthesia, in

but, after they
had been deeply
109
hypnotized, and ansesthesia induced in the deep state
by suggestion, we could subsequently induce anaesthesia

in the
waking
The
state.
effects of suggestion
fre-
quently persist long after the suggestion has been
Thus,
removed.
dynamometer.
He
gested.
strength
M.'s
was tested with a
arm was then
Paralysis of the
did not recover his strength
time after he had been told that his
normal
to its
the trial was
state
and the
result
made during deep
arm was
sug-
some
for
restored
was the same when
hypnosis, or imme-
diately after waking.

3.
Self- Suggestion.
Many subjects can
to a certain
extent bring themselves into the states induced by the

Practice increases this power.
hypnotizer.
L. could
readily send himself into a condition in which delusions
could occur; D., by stroking his eyes and thinking of
being unable to open them, soon found himself unable

to do so
he could do the same with one eye, leaving
the other in
its
normal
state.
The power
the
of
subject to induce contracture in himself has various

stages.
For instance,
in
making the hand
rigid these
are:
{a)
The
subject thinks of contracture
and makes
passes over his hand.

{h)
He
looks
at
his
hand and
thinks
of
con-
tracture.
(c)
He
thinks of contracture without looking at his
hand.
Thus, B. was able to do

hand was put through a
(a),
but not
screen, he
(c).
When
was unable
his
to
no AN INTRODUCTION TO HYPNOTISM
stiffen
head on the
when
first
make
gradually
power
C. developed great
himself.
it
direction, and,
and his heels on the

whole body
his
he could
last,
so that the
rigid,
middle chair could be taken away, while he

his position without
was entirely unable
any
to
this case contracture
kept
still
which he
strain, a position
maintain unless he caused his
muscles thus to pass into contracture.
made
in this
laid across three chairs, with his
came on more
He was
passes over his body.
Still,
readily
if
even in
someone
also able, to a
considerable degree, to prevent contracture coming on
when
arm
so
became
much
their
hands
and then, thinking
them, found that they were

so.
tried.
in front of
of being
force required to part
that required
when
effort
separated.
F.
at
them seemed
them, palm
unable to part
for a time
In these cases the arms became
voluntary
hand or
though the hand or arm
moving them when he
and H. put
to palm,
that,
so
over his
he had not more than a momentary
stiff,
hesitation in
F.
made
passes or strokes were
unable to do
rigid,
the subject exerted his
to
prevent
first
could
his
and the
to be greater
than
maximum
arms from being
prevent himself from
separating his hands only by closing his eyes and
imagining the operator looking at him

could do
it
phenomena
is
possible,
without
this.
Apparently
are due to contracture.
J.
all
later
he
the above
states that
it
by imagining himself unable to remember
some simple thing, to prevent himself for a time from

remembering it. It is noteworthy that the power of
111
self-suggestion has no direct relation to the degree of
hypnotism
susceptibility to
self-suggestion
of
subject did in
in
the occurrence
fact,
good
previously
in
some cases decrease
hypnotic
his susceptibility
to hypnotic suggestion to a very considerable extent.
On
the other hand, a large
number
of
good hypnotic
subjects appeared to be unable to produce the slightest

effect
4.
upon themselves by
self-suggestion.
Effects on the Senses of
Touch and Temperature.
Heidenhain has mentioned that
may
catalepsy which
the
head, the
cataleptic
arm
result
when
area of
certain
the
skin
in
subjects
We
any hypnotic process having
been performed on him, was asked
hands through a screen on a

to say
We
strokes or passes
degree of anassthesia.
generally experimented as follows

subject, without
of
touch disappears from the
sense of
susceptible of a
felt
one-sided
before the sense of temperature.
were made over an
he
the
from striking the top
also found this to be the case
The
in
table,
to
and
put both his

to say
when
anything touching or near his hands, and also
what he
or a prick,
and
felt
whether warmth or
so on.
the fingers were next
chill,
a touch
Passes or strokes over one of
made
then at short intervals
and the other parts
hand as well were

touched with a needle, or a weight was placed on them,
the temperature of which was noted.
In this way we
this finger
of his
found that, while the subject

parts of his
hand except the
this the sensation of touch,
felt
normally in
all
finger operated upon, in
and
of
moderately severe
112
pricks with the needle, disappeared at a time
could
Thus
of
his
warm
recognize at once
still
20-gramme brass weight

hand was not felt when
when he
or cold objects.
temperature
at the
laid
on the finger
operated upon, while similar weights, either hotter or
were readily
colder,
Thus,
felt.
operated upon and that next to
too,
the finger
if
were simultaneously
would say: **You are passing something
stroked, he
warm
it
over
and
one finger
Strokes or passes
made
stroking
the anaesthesia
the
other."
more
definite,
so that only very strong induction shocks were
felt,
while at the same time the sense of temperature was

dulled, so that the hot or cold
once, as
of
it
body was not
was elsewhere, but only
two or three seconds.
clearly exactly at
what point the sense
do away with the anaesthesia.
at
an interval
It is difficult to
disappears, since the application of a

to
after
felt
make out
warmth
of
warm body
tends
Thus, after the
application of a hot weight to an insensitive area of
skin for a very short period,
the prick of a needle.
it
becomes
sensitive to
This does not occur after the
application of a cold weight;
but our experiments
were too few to prove more than the main fact
of the
disappearance of the tactile sense, and the slight loss

of the
sense of pain before there
diminution
5.
of the sense of
is
any appreciable
temperature.
Light Sensory Stimuli and Suggestion.
It is
not
easy to separate the effects of suggestion from those

of
light sensory stimuli.
observers have attributed
Braid and most subsequent
an
effect to both.
Bernheim
113
considers that, though passes and such light sensory

stimuli
may have
results,
to aiding suggestion,
they owe this
much
effect
mainly
as an energetic gesture or
an impressive demeanour increases the same power.
The
here concerns the meaning of the word
difficulty
" suggestion."
and obvious meaning implies

conscious of the prompting, and
Its first
that the subject
is
that he has a conscious idea of the result which the
hypnotizer attempts to obtain.

the term
sense that
"suggestion" should be limited; but the
meaning may be extended

of
It is to this
an unconscious idea
to include the formation
i.e.,
the production of those
changes in the brain which occur in the formation of
an idea without those changes which cause the idea

to
become conscious.
no
Since, however, probably
sensory stimuli can affect the cortex of the brain
without giving rise to those changes which are funda-
mental to the formation

*'
of
an
idea, the extended
suggestion " would seem merely a
way
of
term
saying
that the light sensory stimuli which cause hypnotic
phenomena do
This, at
any
so
rate,
by acting on the cerebral cortex.

appears to be the case in
phenomena we observed
ments on the deepest
in these stages
some
but, as
stages,
of the
it
we made few
may
all
the
experi-
be possible that
phenomena may be due
to
reflex actions from the lower centres of the brain or
from the spinal cord, without any change in the

cortex.
At any rate, there appears to be no doubt
that
(a)
sensory stimuli
phenomenon without the
may
give rise to a hypnotic
subject's having a conscious

8
114
idea of the
phenomenon
before
it
occurs
sensory stimuli of which the subject
may produce hypnotic phenomena.

Many effects produced by sensory
is
stimuli
deeper hypnotic stages appeared to show this

in these stages
was impossible
it
that
(b)
not conscious
to prove
the
in
but, as
whether the
subject was unconscious or not, the conclusions are
based on the observations
made
in the early stages, in
which the subject could say whether he did or did not

feel.
It
may
be suggested that we were completely
when
at the mercy of the subject, and that, except
we
applied
strong
induction
deceive us as he liked.
If
appear to be necessary to show

states differ in that in (a)
currents,
(a)
the subject
is
being done, whilst in
conscious of
it
may,
deal with
them
may
is
(b)
conscious
he
is
un-
therefore, be worth while to
With regard
separately.
the hand of the subject

rigidity,
could
it
as well, as the two
that something
it
he
can be shown,
(6)
is
to (a),
when
stroked, producing first
then loss of sensation, even supposing that
was suspected that loss of sensation might follow

(and some subjects averred they had no
expectation of that), it is, we think, certain that none
it
rigidity
of
them had any
idea that the sense of touch would
disappear before the sense of temperature.
one or more fingers

screen are
left
made
of the
insensitive, they recover sensation,
alone, in a minute or two
stroked,
and very
rest of the
When
hand passed through a
but
if
if
continuously
lightly, so as to avoid a pull
on the
hand, the fingers remain insensitive. With

regard to
{h)^
the difficulty with
when
many
of
115
our subjects
was made over any part of the

hand
hand, the whole
and also the whole arm became
was
that,
Besides this,
rigid.
a pass
screen,
become
after
rigid,
when
hand was extended behind
few experiments
it
would often
even when nothing was done to
it.
The
simple expectation that something was to be done
was quite
cases,
sufficient to
cause contracture.
when the hand became
the subject declared that he had not
near that hand, the
stiffness
In such
rigid after passes,

felt
and
anything
might have been caused
by self-suggestion, and not by unfelt passes, so that

no reliable conclusion could be drawn, except after a
long series of experiments, comparing the number of
when spontaneous rigidity occurred with the

number of times stiffness occurred after unfelt passes
times
or other similar light stimuli.
Such a method at the best is imperfect. Cases,

which spontaneous rigidity occurred are
therefore, in
here omitted, except the following example, in which

there
was a movement
unfelt
movement
his
simultaneously with
of the operator's
hand through a
screen,
hand.
each
H. placed
and passes were made
The hand gradually

closed, a slight closing movement occurring at each
pass.
Eighteen passes were made before the hand
was completely shut.
During twelve, which were
made at irregular intervals, the hand shut only when
a pass was made, but after these a movement sometimes took place between the passes. H. declared
three or four inches above
it.
116
that he
nothing, except that his
felt
Of course,
is
it
hand was
closing.
possible that the passes coincided in
time with the spontaneous movements of the hands,

but this
chance
not become
spontaneously
fingers can be
made
Gurney recorded
The most
extremely unlikely.
is
which the hands do
satisfactory cases are those in
rigid
rigid,
and
in
which the
and insensitive separately.
a case which very nearly fulfilled
when the
these conditions, and he found,
fingers of
the operator were held above one of the fingers of
the subject, that nearly always that finger, and that

alone,
became
any case
insensitive.
We
so satisfactory as his.
not meet with
did
With
A., however,
there was considerable, but not complete, insensibility,
which was
for a time, at
part operated upon
any
rate, confined to the
and during an experiment
an
of
hour's duration spontaneous rigidity or insensibility

did not occur once.
The
following experiment was the
on A., and
to
know our
first to
be
made
given here, since he was then least likely
is
object
the screen, placing
He
extended both hands through
them palm downwards on a table,

We made passes at about
with the fingers separated.
an inch distance over the

his left hand.
first
and second fingers
After about a dozen passes the fingers
and various parts
of the
hand were
lightly pricked
with a needle, and he was asked to say
he
felt it.
He
said
joints of the first
were pricked.
of
''
**
Yes
Yes" except when the
and second fingers
"
when
last
of the left
two
hand
These were then pricked hard without

his taking
any
notice.
117
made
few passes were next
over the same two fingers, and a 20- gramme brass
weight at the temperature of the room, producing

a distinctly cold feeling
when touching
the skin, was
As soon as
placed on one or other of the fingers.
it
touched any part of the hand, except the two end
and second
joints of the first
When
fingers,
he said "Yes."
was placed on these he said
it
'*
Yes, some-
thing cold," in time varying from three to ten seconds

according to the different joints. We asked him " Do
:
you know whether any passes have been made?"
"Are any
'*No."
began
to
lift
his
of
hand
A. then
your fingers stiff?"
from the table as a preliminary

" Stop
Cannot you
"No; both
moving your hands?"
"Well, try to shut them." The
hands are cold."
right hand closed at once, the left slowly, the first
to closing
them.
Langley said
without
tell
and second fingers remaining stretched out
after the
others.
In such cases there can be

of
sent
into
aids,
if,
unfelt
little
some
contracture and made
indeed,
passes.
it
doubt that a state
part of the
expectation that
is
will
be
insensitive greatly
not necessary
The following
hand
to,
the effect of
case shows
that
the
sometimes essential to success

had previously hypnotized, and whose
hands could readily be made insensitive, was asked
I tried,
to put his hands through a screen, as above.
state of expectation is
C3,
whom
by passes and by pointing
them
insensitive, without
at his fingers, to render
making any suggestion
as
118
to
what
was going
then said
from the
**
:
am
to do, but failed
going to try to take away sensation
jomy hand without your
different parts of
knowledge."
entirely.
After this I succeeded perfectly.
As the hand passes from contracture
to insensitive-
ness in the early states, the following changes usually

take place
hand
First, the
is
in contracture
is
no change in temperature and no
little later,
however, the hand
is
there
loss of sensation.
contracted without,
or sometimes with, change of temperature (becoming

cool),
and with
tactile sensation
sense.
just
;
an appreciable dulling
there
also a slight loss of
is
In a further state the hand
becomes
distinctly cold,
dulling of sensation.
considerable.
None
loss of
the
in contracture,
and experiences more or
The
of
is
of
muscular
less
muscular sense
is
our subjects showed loss of
who either
be deeply hypnotized. Even in
sensation without contracture, except those
had been or could

the fourth and
fifth
loss of sensation
induced.
if
stages
it
was
easier to produce
contracture had previously been
CHAPTER
VI
Introductory (Liebeault)
and examples
Repressions
treatment, with Forels'
of
(with note on Freud,
complexes)
of repressed
list
of
General
principles
amenable to
Neurasthenia
diseases
Typical maladies (Hysteria

Insomnia Nocturnal enuresis Alcoholism
Morphinomania Sex disorders, such as masturbation
Primary vaginismus Spasmodic dysmenorrhoea Absence
of sex feeling Nervousness Sea sickness Chorea
Insanity Constipation Nervous Diarrhoea Spasmodic
asthma Epilepsy) Anaesthesia Closing Note.
suggestion
Obsessions
I.
The
Introductory.
chief practical interest of
drew the attention
and
that
it
is
we
practical
to the
of the
Nancy
hypnotism
lies in its
Liebeault of Nancy
use as a therapeutic agent.
school, created
by his work,
what we know of its

applications, as well as the most widely
really
owe most
of
accepted theoretical views of
Few men,
as the once
I think,
its
nature.
have shown such
humble doctor
of
Nancy.
real
heroism
He commenced
his professional career as a country practitioner,

in
first
medical world to the subject,
1860 began to study hypnotism and

1864 he removed
to use
and
it
in
Nancy, and
his practice.
In
specialized in
hypnotism, giving his services quite

119
to
120
and
gratuitously to the poor,
years he worked hard at his
be rewarded by the
to
But
in 1882
of sciatica
which had
possessed.
first
book on the subject,
sale of only a
he happened to
on the
For two
living himself
means which he
small private
single copy.
cure in a case
effect a
baffled Professor
Bernheim
for
This brought Bernheim to see his practice,

and what he saw made him a warm admirer and an
years.
enthusiastic
pioneer that
follower.
It
speaks wonders for the
those years he never faltered, but went
all
on quietly with his work, unrecognized, unrewarded,

regarded half-contemptuously by other members of his
profession as a kind of crank.
But Li^beault worked
not for himself, but for his beloved poor, and their
gratitude and affection were his sufficient and only
From
reward.
the
began Li^beault's
date
rise to
name was added
his
to
of
Bernheim's conversion
fame, and after his death

the roll of honour of his
most distinguished countrymen by the Government

of
He was
France.
great
man, the
nobility
whose character surpassed even the value
of
of
his
work.
Though
viously,
it
had studied hypnotism some years prewas at his clinic that I first saw it employed
I
therapeutically.
to
him
to learn,
Medical
and
all
men
of
every nation went
were welcomed.
Among
Dr. Lloyd Tuckey went to see the famous
others.
clinic,
and,
impressed by his experience, he commenced treatment
by suggestion in London.
well,
Later on, Dr. Milne Bram-
who had used hypnotism with
great success in
town and devoted

But the treatment
met with strong opposition in this country, and
his practice at Goole,
came up
himself to this kind of
work alone.
at first
still
1^1
many
has
to
adversaries here.
Of these, however,
few seem to have really studied the subject, and
have never even seen a patient hypnotized.
many
It is to
Lloyd Tuckey's perseverance and Bramwell's determination and courage in advocating the claims
new treatment
its
England as a legitimate addition
nition in
armoury
that hypnotism chiefly owes
of the
recogto
our
of healing.
it is impossible in a work like this to give

more than a mere sketch of the results of treatment
by suggestion, and altogether impossible to give a
complete list of the different kinds of ailments which
Of course,
are
said
and
to
have
been benefited in this way.
we do not know the
present
seems probable that
it
may
it
yet be found to
influence maladies to which at present
been applied.
it,
and
But one may
so bring
medicine which
it
is
it
has not even
easily claim too
into discredit.
It is
because
it
much
an adjunct
influenced at
all
to
it
that can
by other means, and
can reinforce other more usual remedies
by creating and maintaining a healthy condition

mind.
for
highly important, because certain
types of disease appear to be amenable to

scarcely be
At
limits of its usefulness,
of
122
II.
Repressions.
Since the days of Liebeault there have been great
changes in the practice of dealing with mental cases,
due
to the
mund
advent
of the discoveries of Professor Sig-
Freud, of Vienna.
It is
much
not too
to say
that the theories which he evolved have revolutionized
almost every branch
of psychotherapeutics.
Originally
the aim of treatment was the removal of symptoms.
Nowadays we can often remove the actual cause of

symptoms and so ensure their disappearance.
Whereas a cure directed to the removal of symptoms was only too apt to be transient, one directed
the
towards the eradication of the underlying cause
is
permanent.
Freud that we owe our knowledge of these

concealed phenomena. He it was who first pointed
It is to
out that
many
symptoms owe
nervous, mental, and even physical

their origin to
pressed memories.
what
is
is
re-
important to understand
meant by a repressed memory, and perhaps
an experience
Like
It
what are termed
many
of
my own may make
others, a friend of
it
clear.
mine received during
the war a tremendous shock, so painful that he could
not bear to think of
it.
He
soon found that
thing tended to remind him of
it,
was anything
any-
he experienced an
intense emotion of horror before the

actual event
if
memory
like realized,
and
of the
at once
he voluntarily turned his thoughts away and refused

to
think of the subject.
Soon
this
turning away
became
and the
instinctive,
reminded
of the event
123
then of being
result
was an immediate emotion
of
horror, followed at once by an instinctive, half-conscious withholding from all thought of the incident.
It
was much
and refusing
horror
like
knowing that a picture was there
to look at
when aroused
He seemed
Eventually the emotion
it.
acted as a kind of danger signal.
to feel rather
than know what was coming,
that the incident which gave rise to
verge of being fully remembered

repressed
struck
and drove
it,
me
chiefly
tion
of the
it
life
completely, in child
easy.
but he instantly
What
The emo-
the
memory
of the event
easily.
memory
very few can repress a
life
of the
extreme
with the
of the incident.
he could not prevent
he could repress quite
much more
was on the
out of his mind.
compared
memory
Whilst in adult
it
was the enormous strength
remembered emotion
weakness
of
the experience appears to be
imagine that a child who has
passed through some really painful experience reacts

in
much
reminded
my
same way as
the
of
it
friend
did.
When
he experiences at once the emotion,
and pushes the incident out
of his
mind.
But with
constant repetition this process may, in the child,
become completely automatic.
If
anything tends
recollection of the incident, the emotion arises
and, instantly and automatically, the
occurrence
The
to
is
result
memory
to
first,
of the
repressed.
is
remind him
that in after
life,
of the incident,
should anything tend
he
will
at once
be
iU AN INTRODUCTION TO HYPNOTISM
seized by the emotion (which he cannot repress), but
will
remain in complete ignorance
the
memory
of its cause, since
of the latter is automatically repressed.
The emotion will constitute a symptom

we see that the symptoms induced by
memory
and hence
a repressed
are simply the recalled emotions, sensations,
or impulses which occurred with the original incident.
In the case of a simple, uncomplicated repression,

the
sufferer
can be
made
to
recall
to
ness the original event, the whole of the
caused by
it
symptoms
vanish, and, as the examples which I
give below show, vanish immediately
moment
if
conscious-
practically
in
of time.
memory, which is often intensely

its place among the ordinary
painful memories, and behaves like them in that they
The newly
vivid,
recalled
at once takes
produce no unpleasant symptoms.

begins gradually to fade away,
remains
mere
dim
Like these,
too, it
until eventually
it
harmless, and
recollection,
scarcely even painful, as the lapse of time gradually
weakens
it.
Other cases are not so simple.

in which these repressed
memories
In the unconscious,
exist, there is
clusive evidence that mental processes go on of
we are absolutely unaware, and new
con-
which
associations and
may cause new

symptoms apart from those caused by the simple
grouping
of ideas
may
arise,
which
repression of individual incidents.
So
it
often happens
symptoms do not correspond with the original

experience, but with some new idea or system of ideas
that the
125
which, though connected with the incident, have begun

entirely in the unconscious.
It will
be convenient here to remind the reader of
Freud's three divisions of consciousness, mentioned in

a former chapter,
firstly,
the conscious^ the ordinary
consciousness of everyday
conscious,
wherein
normally revived
and
secondly,
life;
memories
the
lie
the pre-
can be
that
which
thirdly, the unconscious,
contains those memories which cannot be recalled by
normal means.
In order to unravel these obscure memories the
by Freud
process of psycho-analysis invented
means we
present the only
possess.
It
on dream analysis, and free association

refer the reader to the
many works
subject for further information
methods.
Unfortunately,
it is
but I would
published on the
as to
often
necessarily a
ment which can be indulged

must, in
it
more
method of
the
The
and
treat-
vast majority of
present
knowledge, be content to bear their

as best they
takes to
in only by comparatively
wealthy and leisured people.

sufferers
cumbrous
it
a year, or even two or
the concomitant expense, render
these
scope and
its
and tedious process, and the time which

carry out
at
is
depends largely
state
ills
of
our
unrelieved
may.
Happily, in
many
instances, repressed
memories
can be recovered by mere suggestion under hypnosis.
Freud himself
at
purpose, but gave
one time used hypnotisia for this

it
up, partly, at
any
rate,
on the
ground that so few patients could be hypnotized.
126
presume he meant deeply hypnotized,
for over
90 per
can be readily hypnotized to some
cent, of persons
degree.
With the exception of some cases of shell shock

treated most successfully by Professor Brown, of
'
King's
College,
can find no
record
repression treated by hypnotism.

to
It is
cases
of
of
perhaps owing
the introduction of psycho-analysis that so
little
attention seems to have been paid of late years to the

possibilities
repression
made
the use of hypnotism for
of
and no
No doubt
of years.
advance seems
real
in the practice of
hypnotism
to
have been
for quite a
due
this is partly
treating
number
to the years of
the Great War.
Yet
if
the knowledge of hypnotism
stagnant,
it
clear
is
fresh
that
methods must be pursued, and
much
it
seems a pity that so
no centre connected with the London medi-
cal schools,
mine how
where studies
far suggestion
tance, for,
if
may
be carried on to deter-
of use as a substitute for
is
The question
psycho-analysis.
method
of dealing
is
psycho-analysis
might be
is
extreme impor-
of
with repression under
hypnotism were discovered, hundreds
of sufferers, for
practical
impossibility,
relieved.
Some seven
these
not to remain
material should be wasted owing to there being
at present
whom
is
investigation as to
years ago
determined to try whether
repressions could not be recalled under light
hypnotism, and
possible in quite a
found to
number
my
surprise that this
of cases.
was
The method
beHeve
it
is
very simple.
to be true) that the
the patient
suffering
is
127
assume (and
symptom from which
identical in nature (though
is
not in intensity) with an emotion, sensation, or impulse,
which occurred
event.
mental
rise to
clearly realized that the intensity of the
symptom may
far exceed that of the original counter-
part which gave rise to
no limit
Thus, there seems
it.
to the intensity of pain caused
memory.
to be
by a repressed
In one of the cases cited below, a blow on
the head inflicted by a

four,
time of .the original
distress.
must be
It
at the
assume that the occurrence gave
I also
who happened
girl
little
on her brother
cut.
at the time to be in a state of
great mental distress, caused
agonizing pain some
twenty-four years later, though
the pain
vanished
immediately and permanently when the incident was
memory.
recalled to his
Acting on these assumptions,
under hypnosis that he
suggest to the patient
will recall
an incident which
aroused sensations exactly corresponding with those
from which he
same degree
suffers,
of
though not necessarily
intensity,
and that
suffered real mental distress.
cases
of
symptoms
I
memory
the
associated with
do not for one
cases,
is
where
it
he
In a large proportion
then
recalled,
and
the
vanish immediately.
moment pretend
intricate
of the
at the time
that in complicated
changes in association have
occurred in the unconscious, that the mere unearthing

of a repressed
memory
as here described
is sufficient
128
In such cases, psycho-analysis
to effect a cure.
only procedure likely to give
The use
of the
is
the
relief.
method described above
is
confined
simple repression, where no very com-
to cases of
plicated changes have taken place in the unconscious
But
realm.
unearthing
number
in quite a
of
patients the
of a repression is followed
and apparently permanent
mere
by immediate
cure.
Occasionally I have comeacross cases who, under the

influence of hypnotism, seem to be able not merely to
remember the repression, but also to analyse for themAn instance of

selves their own mental condition.
this is recorded in case 9.
I
may
point out that the Freudian school would
regard the original incident, of which the repressed
memory
is
recovered, as symbolic of something else,
generally of
this
is
some sex complex.
possibly the case
once told
psychologists
facts with the
me
that
made merely
assumjition was
do not deny that
although one
of
he
our greatest
believed
in order to
Freudian theory.
But
fit
am
this
in the
not com-
petent myself to express an opinion on the point.
"What I wish to emphasize
may
is
that,
whatever theory we
why and wherefore,

repressed memory may, and
hold as to the
recalling of a
effect a
The
permanent cure
of the
the simple
often does,
symptoms.
symptoms
repressed memories which
following ten cases are examples of
cured by the recovery of
had caused them

1.
lady,
cet.
32.
She was a woman the reverse
of
hysterical,
life,
and
129
All her
of quite exceptional intellect.
ever since she could remember, she
intense fear on meeting other people.
walking in the
street,
had
suffered
Even when
she was attacked by this fear,
The
caused by others coming towards her.
fear
was
always accompanied by a feeling of strong pressure on
She was,
the back of her head.

this, quite
had a
in consequence of
unable to go into society.
In addition she
any big building, though
terror of going into
small buildings did not affect her.
Besides these two
symptoms, she constantly fancied that she

people saying
unpleasant
things
heard
about her.
The
terror of big buildings appeared to have arisen later
than the other
The
fear of
fears.
saw her about ten times.
meeting people and the hearing
of people
talking about her originated at such an early age that

I
had
to get
her to recall the events of her babyhood,
and she eventually remembered herself
We
in long clothes.
were able to verify one or two of the incidents
which she recollected
at
that
early
age as having
actually occurred.
The
fear of meeting people
back of the head was due
and the pressure on the
to repressed
having her face washed as a baby.

process
terrified
memory
of
Apparently the
her very much, and at
last
she
became afraid that anyone who approached her was

going to wash her face.
Of course, she had really
been most ungently handled at this early period of her

life.
The pressure on the back
of
her head was caused by

9
130
the hand of the nurse holding her head during the
washing.
**
When
she
Now I know what
It is the
the pain
is
at the
my
soapsuds getting into
back
of
my
nostrils."
nose.
I
had
symptom.
not been told previously of this
The
she exclaimed
realised this,
origin of her fear of big buildings
was explained
Her mother was fond of playing on the

church organ, and one day, when between three and
in this way.
She was per-
four years old, she accompanied her.

fectly
happy
until the people
began
to
come
in for
service, but was then seized with terror and the

feeling of pressure on her head. The incident alarmed
much
her so
that she repressed the
memory
of
it.
So
that in this instance the event which was repressed
was actually caused by the
earlier repression of
having
The moment she recollected these

the symptoms due to them vanished, and
her face washed.

repressions,
have now ceased
The
third
for nearly a year.
symptom, that
of
hearing people talking
about her, I have not yet removed, as she was obliged
However,
to leave town.
more
know to what
have no doubt that two or
trials will suffice to get rid of
three
it
was due, only the exact
as yet unrevealed.
an account
But
am
it,
for
we
details being
precluded from giving
of the fact of the repression,
which has
already been unearthed, for reasons which would be of
no
interest to the reader.

2.
lady,
cet.
31.
Highly educated.
Engaged
in
educational work.
For ten years she had suffered from an intense
131
craving for alcohol, which, however, she had always
At
successfully resisted.
teristics
it
saw her
to
but
On
that I thought
it,
first
occasion I hypnotized
She was only
just in the first stage
the
and could not open her

recall
might be
it
presented charac-
it
some repressed memory.
twice.
her very lightly.
would
which were so much unlike
might be due
I
thought
first I
a form of true dipsomania
I suggested that
eyes.
some incident
she
childhood which was
of
connected with drink or drunkenness, and which had

distressed her greatly.
her
I told
had probably
it
occurred between the ages of three and
However, she could
and
told her to
minutes
recall
nothing
five.
so I roused her
come again the next morning.
me
later she returned, to tell
recalled the incident.
It
Five
that she
had
appeared that, when she was
man had told

woman who had
about three years old, a
her mother in
her presence about a
got
murdered her own
child.
The
story
drunk and
had distressed
her intensely for some days, and then seems to have
been repressed.
The craving was
really not a craving
at all, but a fear lest she should take alcohol
tragic result should follow.
what she remembered,

feel afraid of injuring
*'Yes
of
and
I can't
course due to
symptoms
left
her,
When
and some
she had told
me
''
Don't you ever
your pupils?"
She replied:
I said to
her
think why."
the murder
This symptom was

of
the
child.
and she has been well
for
The
some
four years.
3.
little
girl,
cEt.
about 14.
She had been at
132
various boarding-schools, but was unable to remain

in
them owing
to constant vomiting,
moment
quite well the
She was fond
home.
although she was
she got into the train to go
of
her school
life
and
distressed
at being unable to remain.
She had been in the hands of various medical men,

and had amongst other things undergone a course of
Weir Mitchell treatment in a nursing home, but no
improvement whatever
that
I
resulted.
It
seemed probable
was repressed memory of nausea or vomiting.

saw her only once. Under light hypnosis I
it
suggested that she would recall some forgotten inci-
dent of early childhood, probably between the ages of

three and
which had caused her great distress
five,
and made her

to retch; and
very sick.
feel
I asked her
She immediately began
whether she remembered.
She said "Yes," and
I hurriedly
was apparently about
to vomit.
The repressed memory was
aroused her, as she
as follows.
was an antiquarian, and among other
mummy in
kept a
persuaded
to see,
afraid to look at
One
day,
the house.
rather
sister said to her
old,
her
mummy," and
incident, however,
he
to
have been really
more than three years

**
Come and look at
:
she refused.
it
This part of the
afterwards transpired, was not
had remembered it in her ordinary

The rest of the incident was repressed. Her
then said: "If I give you sixpence will you
repressed, as she
sister
curiosities
it.
the
life.
father
This she could never be
and she seems
when she was
little
Her
come?" and
Having
she assented.
this
to
obtained possession of the
sixpence,
183
safely
she promptly
refused to go, to the natural indignation of her sister,
who
insisted that, as she had taken the sixpence, she

must come. She then did go and looked at the
mummy, and was sick when she saw it.
No symptoms, however, appeared until she went to
school.
Then after a time vomiting commenced, and
if,
as usually happened,
continued more or less
On one
afternoon
began in the morning,
it
it
day.
all
when she had been
free all day,
she was compelled against her will to take part in a
game
think
(I
it
was
cricket),
at
game she
pelled to look
attacks,
at
to play,
and
Probably being compelled
once began vomiting.
to play a
which she dreaded and
However, she had
did her best to evade.
feared reminded her of being com-
mummy.
the
found that the
which began when she woke in the morning
and lasted
all
day,
mummies often
From that day to
of
were preceded by dreams of
by a
chased
being
this,
though she
is
mummy.
at a boarding-
school, she has never again vomited, or even once

suffered
4.
from nausea.
In the case following
repression was.
The
was aware
of
what the
patient wâs totally unable to
although he had been informed of the
recall
it
dent,
and
I therefore set
the concealed memory.
inci-
myself to the task of reviving
The
result
was a complete
cure.
Mr.
S,, cet, 37.
He bad
suffered
from
fits
from the

134
age of
fits
five until
he was twelve years
appear to have been
old.
Some
of the
nature of petit mal
of the
but some were clearly grand mal, several happening
during the week sometimes,
occasionally occurring
At the
during his sleep with involuntary enuresis.

age of twelve they ceased entirely.
Eventually the patient got work in India, and there

suffered
Two
but
much from
intense domestic worries.
years before he came to
me
his
fits
returned,
He would
changed in character.
become unconscious, and would remain
they had
suddenly
unconscious sometimes for as long as two hours.
have no doubt they were cataleptic. I found from

what his mother told me that at the age of five he
had been much terrified by a dog watching over her
puppies, which had run out of a house as he was passing
and barked furiously

him.
at
him, though
Twenty minutes
it
did not attack
he was said
later
become suddenly unconscious
to
have
but I could get no
reliable data as to the duration of this first attack,
and about a week

have resembled
This
attack
made
to
of
he had a
petit mal, as
well
(as
recall
" thinking
later
as
it
fit
which seems to
lasted for
several
some minutes.
he was
others)
under hypnosis, and he recollected
nothing " as he stood in the
being led up to his nursery in that condition.
hall,
I
and
found
that though he could recall events both previous
to,
and immediately subsequently to, the dog incident, of

this he had no recollection whatever; nor could he
recall it by any effort of memory.
seemed
It
probable
so
symptoms were due
that
some way
in
memory
to a repressed
event that I determined to try to recover
Another
made
fact
it
still
more
135
his
of the
it.
certain that the
incident was repressed, and not forgotten.
Though
town where the episode took
place, the
he
lives in the
houses in the street where
it
happened were always
unfamiliar to him, though he frequently passed them.
The
following extracts from an account of his case
written by himself will give an idea of his condition
when
saw Dr. Wingfield in 1918 on the following
**I
dates
saw him
July 11th and
September 16th,
17th,
October 2nd and 3rd.

" Before seeing him
17th,
August 6th and 7th,
18th,
19th, 20th, 21st,
and
was suffering from depression,
nearly continuous, but at times becoming more severe.

"Whilst
under his treatment the
became gradually more marked

severe,
between
but
Before seeing
out
of
alone.
or a
him
It
few feet
shoulder.
and
was
more
was a sense
of
only), especially
very
normal.
if
was
some impalpable presence,
black devil following
me
at a distance of a
behind me, and at about the height of

After
my
first
visit to
marked nervous,
ness in streets, especially at crossings,
towards
became very
September
slight.
my
Dr. Wingfield this
did not recur, but was replaced by a
intense
depression
latterly
used to have a haunted feeling

ton
doors (in
little
times
of
fits
16th,
which was very

after
which
it
136
" I had from time to time suffered from unexplained

attacks of vomiting, which
quent at the beginning
became particularly
fre-
of
September, but ceased in
the middle of that month.
This was always in the
evening before bedtime.
my first
My first
since
*'
produced very
visit to
two
to
visits
little effect
to hypnotize.
as
On August
I noticed that in
have had no cataleptic
Dr. Wingfield.
my
Dr.
fit
Wingfield in
July
was a
difficult subject
6th, whilst
under hypnosis,
recollection of the houses near
where the dog was, there was a misty gap, extending

some three houses before the dog-house, and double
that number beyond. During the period between
my
August 6th and 27th,
became gradually
recollection of the houses
gap consisting only
clearer, the
of
the dog's house and three houses beyond.
"On
facts of
August 27th, under hypnosis,
my first
fit
as a child,
remembered
and the iron
railings in
front of the dog's house.

'*
Between August 27 and September 16th, I got a

and the white mist
clearer recollection of the houses,
became
lighter with
more substantial
also recollected further details of
my
first
centre.
attack as a
child.
**
On September
16th,
under hypnosis, the pre-
viously recollected incidents became clearer, and on
the following day, under hypnosis, I

father running towards
and subsequently
clearly,
me when
I recollected
first
the dog
saw
came
at
my
me,
the house extremely
but with only a faint mist where the dog
should have been.
After this at night I used to get
short glimpses of the dog, usually
sometimes a
bit
On September
of
of its flank.
most
recollected
137
my
of
first
its
hindquarters,
During
this period I
attack except
vomiting as a child with
suffered considerably
from
start.
its
my
19th, I clearly associated
attacks
For some nights
fear.
On
fear.
the 27th I heard
one or two faint barks under hypnosis.

*'
On September
fear just as I
had
experienced considerable
was not repeated when
lived, but this
house on October
October 2nd,
28th,
was passing the house where the dog

1st.
I got
passed the
Between September 21st and
an extremely foggy impression
the outline of the dog standing in the doorway.
October 2nd,
hypnosis
wards.
I felt
intense fear for the
first
of
On
time under
and the fear lasted an hour or two afterWhilst under hypnosis I very clearly saw the
;
of my attack in India in 1914,

my first attack in England, and last attack
dog on the occasion
and then
in
in
England
in the order
named.
Any
sign of recollec-
tion of the
dog in the house was at once obliterated by
the dog as
it
appeared in
my attack
On the night
a few distinct faint barks.

I felt fear,
which
at times
in India.
of
heard
October 2nd
became very acute
for a
few
minutes.
" On October 3rd, I clearly recollected, under hypnosis, the
child.
dog as the cause
of
my
first
attack
when
then clearly recollected the dog standing in
the doorway, and heard her bark."
At
this last trial
he told
me
that
1)6
had seen thQ
138
On
dog precisely, barking and running out at him.
me
October 2nd, he told
doorway, and
seemed
running
outside
During
out.
memory seemed
and
nosis,
at
to
at night
the
gate
him from
prevent
to
saw the dog
that he
but
in the
that fear
her actually
seeing
he
treatment
adds
"
My
advance only when under hyp-
between going to bed and going to
sleep."
On
October 14th, he writes
**
:
have suffered
from depression, and what depression

enced during the
now
have
class.
The memory
of the
memory
altogether in a different
and
it is
dog incident has now become
memory
two or three days
as a
less
normal.
quite an ordinary
for
fact,
much
lost all fear in crossing a street,
feel perfectly
"
in
less
have experi-
few days has been
last
intense than formerly
it
of a distant event,
though
was continually with me, only
true, but a
memory
of
something
recent.
" I have been thinking over
my
continual failure to
remember what my thoughts were during any

and
wonder whether
and subconscious
I really
seem
on
feet,
was that both
my
were paralyzed by the
had no thoughts
to explain
my
self
it
to
remember.
why, in some attacks,
attack,
conscious
fear,
and
This would
I could
remain
and even walk away, when the stimulus

to the muscles by someone leading me,
was provided
as in
my
first
attack."
In a further note the patient says

*'
have recollected seeing the dog in four
of
my
TREATMF.NT BY SUGGESTION
had as
a child,
an
attack in
England
in
attacks, namely, the first attack I
attack in India in 1914,
1917, and
*'
my
my
last attack in
first
1S9
England
in 1918.
In each case the dog appeared at exactly the same
During the
angle to me.
1917
it
which
was
appeared on
which
my
appeared on
possible place for
to
it
my
in
right-hand side, the only
all
the other cases
it
left-hand side, which was the side on
was when
it
England
appear from the position in
but in
sitting,
attack in
first
it
actually attacked me.
In the
Indian attack the dog stood out more clearly than in

the other attacks, which
is
only natural from the
position at the edge of the circle of firelight in the
dark forest at night.
In each attack the dog appeared
motionless, not in the position of a stationary dog,
but in a position of action, such as might be registered
by an instantaneous photograph.
dog in these attacks,
jumped
the activity indicated was the
because
had
knew
terrified
that
me.
it
On
position
that the position
she rushed
of the
barking,
of
have made further

I
am
convinced
dog in the attacks
had jumped
forward
seeing the
was by barking that the dog
But since
progress in seeing the actual attack,
instant after she
first
to the conclusion that
barking
to her feet,
that
immediately before she uttered the
is,
first
is
the
and before
the
instant
bark, and
immediately before the point where the most intense

terror arose."
Since then the patient has been free from

terrors.
It is
fits
and
unfortunate that he had no more time
140
at his disposal, for I do not
know what the connection
was between the dog and the

phobia
of crossing the street
As these symptoms
suggestion being
made
black devil and the
little
if
there was any.
disappeared without any
all
that they would do so,
it
seems
most probable that they were connected with the dog

and more searching
shown what it was. The only
suggestions made at any time were that he should
remember the attacks made by the dog, and secondly,
incident;
but
only a longer
analysis would have
that he should recollect his
5.
schoolboy,
cet,
two years before
terror
from intense
suffered
had commenced about
saw him, and had become
Not only were the nights
able.
also,
He
12 J.
The
terror of the dark.
fits.
terrible,
but the days
because he knew the night was coming.
been quite unable to
new
had
slept for a
governess,
He had
sleep in a room by himself.
There was a history that when he was

old he
intoler-
week
who was then
in the
five
years
same room with a
discovered to be insane.
His parents became aware at the time that something
him during that week, but they could

never get from him any account of what had occurred,
and when he came to me I found him quite unable to
had
terrified
recollect
looked
anything about
like.
As
fear of the dark
it
it,
or even
what
seemed more than
was due
make him
recall
likely that his
to a repressed
something which had then occurred,

try to
his governess
memory
of
determined to
it.
His parents had some time before taken the boy
to
TREATMENT BY SUGGESTIOxN
see
141
an eminent physician, who pronounced the cheer-
ful verdict that the
boy was injured
for
and that
life,
nothing whatever could be done for him.

I
treated
him
five times,
and on the
trial
fifth
he
recalled the cause of his terrors.
The governess, who was a Eoman Catholic, used to

wake him in the night, put a crucifix into his hands,
and tell him to hold it tight, as the whole room was
full of devils, who were going to attack them.
She
prayed hysterically, and every now and then would
point to the shadows, saying she saw some terrible
being or other, which she used apparently to describe
more
or less, one being a
Naturally, the
man
like a
Chinaman.
unfortunate child passed through
extremities of terror.
His memories revived a

the
first,
suffered
and the night

from
was
it
mother he would
trial after
after the fourth treatment
frightful
remember what
with each
little
it
he
could not
morning, but told his
in the
recall
He
nightmare.
when
saw him
and
it
turned out that the nightmare was a recollection of
When
his
week
his
memory had been
different,
of terror.
revived
and no longer
felt
saw him the day

;
he said he
felt
after,
quite
the old fear.
In cases of this kind, however, when the fear

destroyed, there almost always arises a
is,
it
a fear lest the old fear should arise.
was a fear
lest,
if
new
fear
is
that
In this case,
he went into the dark, the old
terror should recur.
This " fear
of a
fear" which
is,
after
all,
quite a
"
142
reasonable one,
destroyed by time, and by
is
the
constantly repeated discovery that even in the dark
the old fear does not recur, however

that
"With this boy the
may.
it
much he
dreads
" fear of a fear
weeks and then vanished entirely. To

use his own words, he now " likes the night as
lasted a few
much
as the day."
Schoolboy,
6.
Boarded
14.
cBt,
at a public school.
He had
been suffering
two years from great home-sickness, which had
for
become
school
so severe,
life,
and interfered
so seriously with his
that the question of removing
him was
raised.
I
found on questioning him that two years pre-
had been slightly bullied, and ever since

had experienced an almost constant feeling of apprehensive dread. He felt that something terrible was
viously he
threatening him, though he had no idea as to
its
nature.
The repression was unearthed at the fifth attempt.

When twenty-two months old he had eaten orange
punish him, his nurse had shut
peel, and, in order to
him up
This
either behind a dark curtain or in a cupboard.
terrified
should do
memory
bullied
it
him, and he was frightened
again,
of the incident.
had tended
When
and appears
to
he recalled
you were afraid of?"

is."
"
Why
'
she
have no doubt that being
remind him
of
I said to
him
it
lest
have repressed the
to
this incident.
:
" Is that what
"Yes," he replied, "of course
of course
'
?" I asked.
it
" You only knew
of
it first
that
moment."
this
what
is
*'
asked him whether he
school,
know
that
but
it
felt
is
know
his apprehension,
was entirely gone.
He
and
returned to
but has been ever since perfectly well of his
me
home-sickness, and his house-master has told
he
was," was the answer.
it
he said that
143
He
quite a different boy.
that
has been well for
about twenty months.

7.
the
A soldier, (Et. 27. He had

Army on account of extreme
terrified of the dark,
and then
been invalided out
He was
phobia.
terrified of
of
first
being alone
even during the day, and was unable to go about
him only once. Under

hypnosis I suggested that he would remember an
incident of his childhood when he was terrified and in
darkness.
He at once had a kind of nightmare, and
I roused him.
He recollected, when he was, he
unless accompanied.
I treated
thought, about two or four, that he was accidentally

locked in a cellar, and he remembered his frantic
attempts at escape and
how he made
his
hands raw
by beating at the door.

Instantly he
right
all
came
felt
alone.
alone,
and
well
and
said he
knew he would be
saw him eight days
said that the phobia
later.
had
left
He
him
entirely.
8.
Another soldier suffered from nearly identical
symptoms.
He was
did not appear that

it
it
terrified of
had made any
was night or day.
as he
being alone; but
was quite unable
He,
to
too,
had
difference
to
it
whether
have an escort,
go about by himself.
144
Under hypnosis he
recalled how, as a small child,
he had got separated from his parents
at
one
of the
great exhibitions, and had been lost for three hours.
As
I
in the previous case, the phobia vanished at once.
saw him about a week
later,
and he
the evening of the day on which
had been able

the
first
to
home by
go
know how he went on
9.
first I
me
that on
saw him he
himself quite happily,
time he had been able to do so since his
Unfortunately
ness.
told
professional
had been obliged
I lost sight of
him, and do not
afterwards.
man, about 30 years
to get leave
he came
to
When
me.
saw him he was dangerously depressed,
had begun
to believe that
if
for
he
he would never recover.
His malady began as follows

he noticed that,
He
of age.
from his work on account
of his illness three years before

I first
ill-
Three years before
he put on a loose
over the region of his appendix.
collar,
he got pain
Eventually he was
unable to wear his collars tight enough, the pain got

higher up, and he began to suffer from vomiting,
intense
shame.
depression, and a feeling of overwhelming
When
getting well.
ago,
and
saw him he was in despair
of
ever
The case occurred some seven years
had had but little experience of this method

which I was first beginning to studyo
of treatment,
At
recall
first I
found that under light hypnosis he could
nothing in connection with his trouble.
suggested under hypnosis

of
**
:
Dream.
You
will
something connected with your condition."
asking him what he saw, he said,
"A
then
dream
On my
big mirror."
For some days
145
got no further, and then he recol-
lected that the mirror in question used to stand in the
bathroom
of his old
track, for in a
home.
This put
me on
the right
bathroom he would see himself naked.
Eventually, after
many
nearly three
lasting
trials,
weeks, he unravelled the enigma.
seems that as a small boy he thought he was
It
malformed, and the idea became repressed.
An
incident tended to remind
him
When
of this.
he put on a loose collar and went out into the

neck
air,
This had given
and uncovered.
cold
felt
When
a subconscious feeling of absolute nakedness.
asked under hypnosis what he

loose collar, he exclaimed:
Everyone can
see I
am
felt
"Oh,
when he had on
am
malformed."
quite naked.
The pain was
During an attack
quite a secondary affair.
his
rise to
of
naked-
ness-horror he seems to have suffered real pain over
the arm, owing, I suppose, to some transient ailment,
and ever
after
recurred as a
with each attack of
memory
depression
it
pain.
There had been no improvement in his condition

the
until
final
trial
but
then
became
he
well
immediately, went straight back to his work, and
has
had no recurrence
of
any kind
of
distress
of interest as
showing
since.
10.
The
that in
following case
certain
cases
is
a repressed
memory can
recovered and the symptoms caused by
it
be
stopped and
then re-repressed, with the result that the symptoms
immediately recur.
am
unfortunately precluded
10
AN INTRODUCTION TO HYPNOTISIM'
146
from giving
the details of this extraordinary case
all
but must content myself with an outline.
Mr.
F., cet 28,
came
I discovered
later
to
me
him
desiring help to enable
for excessive
to give
it
smoking,
up.
had twice previously
that he
(once six years and once six months before) nearly

killed himself
by taking an overdose
He returned
I shall call chloral.
interview.
He had
now complained
shoulders.
of a poison
week
it
which
my
first
largely reduced his smoking, but
agonizing
of
between
pain
found I could remove
suggestion, but
after
it
at
his
once by
always recurred within twenty-four
me
that he felt he must do

know what it was. Clearly
was an impulse probably due to some unconscious
hours.
One day he
told
something, but he did not

this
repression.
I
hypnotized him, and he passed at once into deep
hypnosis.
lightly,
I
In
fact, I
was never able
to hypnotize
him
deep hypnosis always appearing immediately.
then
asked him what
it
was he had
to
do.
Sums," was the answer. When I inquired why he

had to do sums, I found he had now passed back to
his childhood days, and he told me why he was so
I then asked him what caused the pain,
distressed.
**
and he
replied
*'
:
Oh, Mary has hit
with a croquet mallet."

this
I told
me
in the back
him he would
recollect
on awakening, roused him, and found that he
remembered
perfectly.
It
appears that at the age of
four when he was in great distress over his sums, his

little sister Mary had indeed hit him in the back with a
147
The pain was gone, and never

The patient had many repressed
memories, each having its own peculiar symptom,
croquet
mallet.
recurred again.
and with recovery

ing
symptom
But
I
each repression the correspond-
of
disappeared.
soon discovered that he had a dual personality.
found eventually that, during
blanks of memory, and that,

really called
many
when
had
years, he
hypnotized him,
up this second personality.
Under
hypnosis his behaviour was quite different from that of
He
a normal individual.
would not accept any sugges-
and would argue
tions unless he approved of them,
the point
all
when
I tried to get
him
to
do
could do was to use persuasion
so.
In
fact,
when he was
hypnotized.
The hypnotic personality, unlike that of the normal

man, had assumed the power of criticism, and this
always seems to me one of the main differences between
the ordinary unconsciousness of the normal man and
a true
second personality.
assumes the power
of
Once the subconscious
criticism,
it
takes
on
the
function of a real second personality.
One symptom from which he

was vomiting.
This
having been made to

as mentioned above.
suffered frequently
found was due to a
memory
of
vomit when he had taken chloral,

Then came the question why
did he take the chloral ?

incident of childhood,
This was due to a
when he was about
trifling
four years
and one which was completely repressed and

very difficult to recover. He had a cold, and his
old,
148
mother gave him some medicine. It made him feel

better, and he asked for more
but his mother had said,
;
" No, you can't have any more
its
poison."
The only poison which he knew of was chloral.

conflict was then set up between his desire to take
A
his
medicine, which he identified as chloral, and his fear

of doing so.
This became painful, and he repressed
Even now he
it.
represses the memories of recent
events with extraordinary ease.
Some
conflict
twenty-two
years
later
unconscious
the
seems to have re-awakened, and this time the
idea that he would take his medicine (chloral) got the
upper hand.
He was
seized
with an
impulse, bought some chloral, and took
with difliculty saved from death.

half
Some
irresistible
and was
it,
five-and-a-
years later the same thing occurred.
had
discovered that frequently his second personality had
an intense desire to possess chloral, and I found that

he had occasional blanks of memory, and that, during
the period which was obliterated from his mind, he
almost always
had managed
though he did not take
it.
periods of longing to get
it
to
I
purchase chloral,
found, too, that the
were always marked by
vomiting; but that so long as he remembered the

incident about
the medicine neither vomiting nor
desire for chloral occurred.
not recall the incident
it
But frequently he could

was re-repressed, and the
vomiting at once recurred.

I
asked his second personality
why he had
the incident one day, and the reply was
forgotten
" Because I
wanted
he said
it,
Asked why he wanted
to forget it."
remember
and
re-repressed,
it
poison
at
was one day
recalled,
symptom
the
if
rise to
once
recurred,
vanished permanently when I made him

second time.
recall the repression for the
my
get
I can't
to forget
Another repression, giving
it."
symptoms, which was
different
though
Because
*'
149
have never met with or heard
of
any other case
where a recovered repressed memory was re-repressed,
and the instance
is
very striking one
the
re-
repression always resulting immediately in a return
corresponding symptoms.
of the
What
I tried to
personalities.
do in this case was to fuse his two
used to try to persuade him, whilst
remember when he was awake all

he remembered under hypnosis, but was always
under hypnosis,
that
to
met with a point-blank
refusal,
him
to consent to do so
case
is
nor do
personality
had been
;
never could get
The
therefore, so far as the dual personality goes,
uncured
him
and
under any conditions.
may
I see
any way by which the second
in existence for
but
The dual personality

many years when I first saw
be conquered.
have reason
hoping that
for
it
will
never
again wish to take chloral.

11.
In only one case have
case was that of a lady,

suffered
known a relapse. The

who had for six years
21,
cet.
from terror in church, and,
if
alone, in the
street.
She
recalled an incident
She had read a story
in
when she was
a child.
which the heroine went
150
suddenly mad, and was hurried
had
this
horrified her greatly.
off to
an asylum, and
found that she often
dreamed that she had gone mad, and was seized by

attendants to be carried off to an asylum. Her terror
in the street
which vanished at once was probably
due
an idea that she would go mad, and that people
to
in the street were ready to hurry her off in the
But the
way.
She afterwards married, and when, three years

she had her second child, she nursed
quite unlit to do so,
The
I
same
terror of church I could not remove.
it
later,
when she was
and became exceedingly run down.
fear of being alone in the street again recurred.
saw her, but on that occasion
mental cause
of
failed to discover the
her relapse, and since then
have
not heard of her.

I think
it is
likely that the
memory of
the story was
not the original repression, but I do not know.
Sometimes when
recall the repression
making him,
of
could not
directly,
make
something connected with
what
it,
I sought.
and
in this
way even-
Thus, in case 9 the
dreamed that he saw a big mirror, and

it had stood in the bathroom of
recalled that
home.
the patient
have succeeded in
or her, dream, under actual hypnosis,
tually discovered
patient
at last
his old
In another, a lady who suffered from intense
pain in the
left side of
her face, dreamt under hypnosis
that she saw a glass of water standing on a table.
This enabled her a few days later to recall the whole

experience
whom
an unfortunate love
affair.
The man
to
she was attached had drunk half a tumblerful
when she was
of water, and,
alone, she
151
had drunk the
In another case, of which I have unfortunately
rest.
lost the notes, the patient
She had frequently hysterical
from three symptoms.

clenching of her
was a lady who suffered
hand, due to her having crushed
left
a letter, which caused her great distress, in her left
She
hand.
from great depression and
also suffered
a longing for death,
and when
this
was most marked,
she would often hear a voice saying, " Kill yourself,

kill
and she fancied she smelt a strong
yourself,"
odour
The
of
smoke.
incident of the clenched
can
far as I
recollect,
not arouse the
memory
the other two.
hand she
on the second
trial,
of the incidents
recalled, so
but
could
which caused
therefore suggested that she would
dream of some incident connected with the symptoms,

and she dreamt she saw the name of a theatre (I
think
On
'*
it
the
was
Prince's) in red letters,
fourth
or
fifth
Prince's Theatre."
trial
on a white ground.
she
saw
the
words
This resulted in her recalling a
few days later the following incident
few days after getting news of the death in action,
man
during the South African War, of a young
whom
she was
London
much
She came
street.
luckily, there
to
attached, she was crossing a
happened
to a street refuge
to be a policeman,
going to walk straight on.
The policeman
where,
and was
seized her
by the arm, and dragged her back, saying rather

angrily,
"You'll
kill
yourself one day."
She then
saw that she had only just avoided being run over by
152
an omnibus, which was emitting a good deal
of
smoke,
and on which was an advertisement with the words

**
of
Prince's Theatre "
upon it. She

pneumonia two years later.
recovered, but died
have, I fear, tired the reader by treating of these
cases at such length
but I regard them as the most
important that we have to

strations that there
is
and
the methods used,
They are demon-
treat.
great scope for improvement in

I
able successfully to treat
hope that one day we
may be
many
who
of the patients
at
present could be treated by psycho-analysis alone,
but
who
precluded by practical considerations
are
from ever attempting the process.

Professor
Brown
of King's College
has used hypno-
tism most successfully in cases of so-called war shock,

to enable the patients to recall the horrors
came them, and the
which over-
have been most striking.
results
General Principles of Treatment.
III.
Until a few years ago, most physicians
use of
hypnotism aimed
But of
possible.
late
who made
at inducing as deep a stage as
few do
so,
the lighter stages being
as a rule quite sufficient for therapeutic purposes.
Moll long ago pointed out that the real dangers are
two in number
nosis,
in the
viz.,
the increased tendency to hyp-
and the heightened

waking
avoidable.
Many
insisted that
hypnosis
state,
susceptibility to suggestion
both
critics of
of
which he believes are
hypnotism, however, have
repeated hypnosis
has these drawbacks.
at
any
rate,
deep
153
Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases which
come
for treatment,
my own
In
deep hypnosis
practice
have,
is
quite unnecessary.
on very rare
except
occasions for special reasons, never induced the deep

state for
I
many
years.
sometimes make suggestions under quite light
hypnosis, or else use Bramwell's method, which,

acts,
it
seems
much
to be
the same thing
frequently I combine both methods, by

light hypnosis,
he
will
and then suggesting
not attend to me, but
restful train of
make
first
inducing
mind on some
suggestions.
more rapidly than I

use Bramwell's method alone. Even if the
find in this
do when
thought whilst
way
when
but most
to the patient that
his
fix
that I get results
patient cannot help attending to me, I find that the

effect of a
suggestion
of treatment.
is
apparent even on the
During the war
cases of insomnia
amongst
soldiers,
they slept on the night after the
first
day
saw a good many
and
first
in every case
suggestion had
been made.
Moll, though
he advised as deep a hypnosis as
possible, points out that
it
is
a mistake to suppose
that the light stages have no value, and Liebeault,
though he insisted that the best results were obtained

in deep sleep, says
bility of
"much
the subject."
depended on the suggesti-
A may be as
B is in
convinced me of the
For example,
susceptible to suggestion in the light state as
the deep one, and experience has
truth of this.
I
may
say here that, though in years gone by I
154
make
frequently did
use of deep hypnosis, I have
never seen any sign of
Bramwell
harm produced thereby
and
he
states that Forel asserted that neither
nor Li6beault, Bernheim, Wetherstrand, Van Eeden,

Jung, Moll,
the
or
other
followers
of
the
Nancy
school had ever seen a single instance in which mental

or
physical
harm had been caused by
suggestion in therapeutics.
As the
total
their cases certainly exceeds fifty thousand,
the use of
number
of
hypnotism
obviously cannot be a very dangerous procedure.
Many complaints are amenable

gives the following
found
list of
Forel
to suggestion.
diseases in which
it
has been
afifectual
ForeVs List of Diseases Amenable
to
Suggestion.
Spontaneous somnambulism.
Pains of
all
description, especially headache, tooth-
ache which does not depend on abscess,
etc.
Sleeplessness.
Functional paralyses and contractures.
Organic paralyses and contractures (as palliative

means).
Chlorosis (results extremely favourable).
Disturbance
of
menstruation
(metrorrhagia
and
amenorrhcea).
Loss
of appetite
and
all
nervous digestive distur-
bances.
Constipation and diarrhoea (provided that
it
does
not depend on catarrh or fermentation).

Gastric and intestinal dyspepsia (including pseudodilatation).
155
Psychical impotence, pollutions, onanism, perverted

sexual appetite and the like.
Alcoholism and morphinism (only by the suggestion

of total abstinence).
Chronic muscular and arthritic rheumatism.
Lumbago.
The so-called neurasthenic disturbances.
Stammering nervous disturbances of vision.
;
Blepharospasm.
Pavor nocturnus
of children.
Sickness and sea-sickness, the vomiting of pregnancy.
Enuresis nocturna (often very
difficult
on account of
the depth of the normal sleep).
Chorea.
Nervous attacks
coughing
disturbances
Hysterical
hystero-epileptic
the
of
attacks,
of
(also in
all
emphysema).
kinds,
ansesthesia,
including
and
phobias,
like.
Bad
habits of
kinds.
all
All hypochondriacal parsesthesias, irritable weak-
nesses, conceptions of impulse
and the
like,
are
more
difficult to cure.
Other
amenable
authors
to
give
many
hypnotic suggestion, but
useful purpose to extend the
above give a
sufficient
complaints
other
list.
it
as
would serve no
Those enumerated
indication of the classes of
maladies in which the treatment has been found

successful.
Most
of these
appear to be examples of
functional neuroses in which no organic lesion can
be found.
156
But
of the
to
unnecessary to give detailed accounts
is
it
treatment
treatment.
of
every kind of disease amenable

therefore confine
shall
those maladies which most
everyone
who
myself to
commonly occur, and which

form
practises this
of
treatment
most
is
likely to meet.
IV. Typical Maladies.

1.
Hysteria.
Bramwell
records several cures, and
Forel counts fifteen cures out of twenty-eight.

these patients can be hypnotized, especially
if
When
they pass
into the deep sleep, prognosis as regards the removal

of the
symptoms
is
generally favourable.
But often
the patient relapses sometimes, as Tuckey points out,
even during treatment after a temporary improvement.

It
me
appears to
relieve
that
symptoms,
the
cannot
For
real underlying condition.
analysis
reasonable hope
may
cure
the
of
itself
this
purpose psycho-
only treatment which offers
the
is
it
mere suggestion, though
and
it
is
to
the majority of these sufferers
much
be regretted that for

it is,
in practice, out of
the question.
On
this
ground
do not advise hypnotism alone in
means
symptoms. But
a generalized hysterical condition, except as a

of
alleviating the
symptoms
most distressing
have often succeeded in removing.
cases are worth recording

deafness,
one
and the other a case
confined to the
of
Two
a case of hysterical
hysterical blindness
left eye.
Mrs. X., the wife of a sergeant-major, had become
157
stone deaf after her confinement four years before I
saw
She was sent
her.
When
I first
to
me by
Mr. Yearsley.
saw her she could hear no sound
whatever, however loud, and her husband informed
me
that since the onset of her deafness she had become
extremely
I
irritable.
wrote out the directions which
wished her to
follow, tolling her that I should ask her to lie
down,
make a few
should then make sug-
that I should then close her eyes and

strokes over them, and that I
gestions which she would hear, though possibly not

consciously,
and that when
roused her she would hear.
But she did not hear when I awakened her. Howwhen her husband brought her again he told me
ever,
that half an hour after I had seen her, her hearing
had suddenly returned, and that she had complained

of the noise of the whistle of the engines during her
homeward journey, and had understood what he

to her.
said
Within an hour or two, however, the old
condition returned.
Unfortunately, circumstances
made
it
impossible for
her to come to town more than once a week, except
during one week when she came twice.
She gradually improved, and on the next occasion
on which
bility of
saw her could hear
temper, too,
occasion she told
me
fairly well.
was much
that
less.
On
Her
irrita-
the third
though she could hear
every word I said, she forgot
it
before I could utter
the next, a rather interesting mental condition.
was remarkable,
too, that for a
It
long time after she
158
could hear, she Beemed afraid to trust herself, evidently

sense was a
uncertain whether her newly restored

correct reporter.
She returned
to
India, and
was disappointed,
though not surprised, to hear that her old condition

had gradually returned, and that at the end of four
months she was as deaf as before. It was unfortunate
that she could be treated so seldom (I saw her only
seven times), for one may fairly suppose that, had the
treatment been given a fair chance, the result might
have been more
lasting.
The second case was
He
that of a
man
47
cet.
a clerk.
was a patient at Moorfields Ophthalmic Hospital,
and was sent
to
me
by Mr. Grimsdale.
For twenty-
three years he had been almost totally blind in the

left eye.
He
suffered great supra-orbital pain as well.
Nothing wrong could be discovered by the ophthalmoscope, but as the eye caused so
much
apparently useless, the question of
He had had
been raised.
its
pain and was
removal had
a rather severe injury to
his forehead previous to the onset of blindness, but
there was nothing to account for his condition.

I
saw him only four times
but the result was
satisfactory.
When became
to
me he
could just distinguish light
from darkness when the right eye was covered. The

vision of the right eye was defective owing to errors of
refraction.
which
hypnotized him on the
first
occasion on
saw him, and he passed immediately into

Placing my hand over his left eye, I said
deep sleep.
*
When you
wake you
count ten you will wake, and when you
will see."
counted ten and he awoke and

" I can see
;
at once exclaimed in tones of excitement
can see
on the
!"
and
him
told
but
it,
it
was
to look at
misty.
all
men
" seeing
hand on
moment.
getting clearer every
He
said
was
Another
when
all
still
life like
knew
to tell
later, his
me
had
She now
for ten years
once to suggestion
of the real origin
an unfortunate love
of this six trials
affair,
though
failed to effect
any
and drinks and enjoys
eats
other people.
Neurasthenia.
of the
who had
solid food, yielded at
improvement.
2.
a lady
case, that of
of the mischief,
before I
month
perfectly clear.
had persuaded her
now."
then see quite clearly, and on the last
could
refused
me
miracle
It is quite clear
occasion on which he came, about a

vision
said
Then I put my
" Watch. It is
as trees walking."
forehead and
his
He
it.
reminded
It
New Testament
forcibly of the account of the
then took him to a picture hanging
wall,
he could see
159
It is
unfortunate that the meaning
term neurasthenia has not been more exactly
defined.
Whatever
its
as a rule, presents a few
There
gerated,
is
nature,
more
it is
a condition which,
or less constant features.
generally wasting, the reflexes are exag-
and the pulse-rate
the power of concentration
is
is
increased.
Mentally,
impaired, depression
is
nearly always present, and the patient's thoughts

usually run in
coming round
to
small and vicious
circle,
always
himself and his illness; and this
160
inability to take his thoughts off himself
the most distressing feature
of
is,
perhaps,
the condition.
The physical symptoms point
to
an increased kata-
bolism, and the increased reflexes to a lowering of the

resistances
of
the nervous
system.
wondered whether the whole condition

physical, due simply
nerve resistances.
an
expect
to
is
the breaking
have
down
to this.
of
the
In such a condition one would
increase of
efferent
impulses,
and the
wasting and possibly the increased pulse-rate
due
often
not mainly
may
be
Again, the constantly reiterated depres-
sing thoughts point to a lowered resistance in the

tracts concerned in their production.
One would expect too, that, with the abnormal flow of

neurokyme the reserves of nerve force would be much
depleted, and perhaps its pressure or potential, to use
an analogy, may be much diminished. Possibly ideas
caused by cerebral currents of low pressure tend to be
depressing ones.
It is at
any rate certain that bromide
in small doses
does great good in these cases, and the chief action of
bromide
is to
increase the resistances, and bring
them
more nearly to normal. Rest, too, by diminishing the

flow of neurokyme may give time for the resistances
to re-form, and a combination of rest with small doses
of
bromide
may
result
in
accumulating a certain
reserve of nerve energy.

I find it difficult to believe that
can cure the condition, though
some
of
the
symptoms,
it
suggestion by
may
itself
help to alleviate
Others, however, consider
that
may
suggestion
advocates
its
much.
do
use, but personally I
161
Crichton
now
Miller
trust in these
more usual treatment by rest, bromides,

and overfeeding, and use suggestion only to combat
individual symptoms such as insomnia.
Bramwell concludes, as the results
3. Obsessions.
cases to the
of his great experience, that suggestion yields better
results in cases of obsession than in

of functional
any other
class
nerve disorder.
In the majority of these patients, Bramwell says,

the predominant element
dread that something
such as sudden
is
fear.
''
Generally they
going to happen to them,
is
illness, death, or suicide, or
that they have actually injured others or
an impulse
to do so in
Not a few
of
they fear
may yield
to
one way or another."
these cases are really suffering from
the effects of repression, and these cannot be supposed

to be really well until the irritating incident
has been
unrepressed.
In two cases of
fear lest
my
own, who suffered from morbid
something should happen
to
near relatives,
the real cause was an unconscious desire for their
cleared
symptoms
away when the repression was unearthed.
Many of
the cases which
death, which had been repressed, and the
have seen appeared
to
have
commenced by a sudden idea implanted at a moment

when the patients were suffering from acute mental
Thus, a lady who
exhaustion, produced by worry.
was intensely worried owing to circumstances induced
by the war, took up a mat from the floor, and three
11
162
cockroaches ran out.
Ever
was obsessed by
after she
the fear that there were blackbeetles inhabiting every
room that she
entered,
and
by the same fear
later
with regard to spiders as well.
A common
obsession
the fear that the patient
is
either has cancer or will get
it.
Most people suffer from some obsessional impulse,

such as an inclination to avoid the cracks between the
paving-stones, or to touch the iron railings with a
stick.
Sir
George Savage, who notes
he has himself this obsession
Many
certain
to
of these cases recover rapidly
but some are very
this, states that
extent.
under treatment,
difficult to cure.
Thus, one patient had for a year an obsessional fear
He had
that the police were seeking him.
one day
passed his water in the garden, and had then observed

a maid at the
window
of a
house overlooking
it.
The
obsession increased to such an extent that he thought
he heard everyone saying, " The police are
man," and
his
became
life
week's treatment dispelled
all
utterly
his
believe that
is
have had many cases
but two were cured.
that of travelling
of this,
and
In every case of obsession
hypnotism
due to a repression,
symptoms.
Another common obsessional fear

in a train.
after that
miserable.
it
is
worth a
trial
may sometimes
and
if
it
all
be
be discovered
and the patient cured.

4.
Insomnia.
induce sleep at
Though
it
a moment's
is
usually impossible to
notice, unless the patient
can be deeply hypnotized, a great
many
cases can be
TREATMExNT BY SUGGESTION
163
induced to sleep by suggestions made under light

hypnosis some hours before
gestion given in the
in this way,
and
sug-
morning or the afternoon that the

During
patient will sleep that night usually succeeds.
the war I treated
to take effect.
it is
many soldiers
suffering
from insomnia
in practically every case the suggestion
was followed by sleep the same night.

It is
that,
to
very important to impress on these patients
when bedtime comes, they

Their
sleep.
auto-suggestion
they
that
are not to try to go
merely produce a counter
efforts
remain
will
usually suggest that the patient will
minutes after bedtime, and
wake
fall
awake.
asleep five
be quite unable to
will
For some reason
until the night has passed.
the suggestion seems to gain in strength in the time
which elapses before the hour

5.
Nocturnal Emwesis.
for its fulfilment.
This
can usually be cured
by suggestion, and, curiously enough, sometimes by

suggestion without any hypnosis whatever.
own
experience
it
has seemed to
which the suggestion

able difference.
is
made
is
The most
me
From my
that the form in
causes a very consider-
effective suggestion I find
that the patient will not experience any desire to
pass his water from the time he goes to bed until he

gets
up
made
in the
that
if,
morning
his water, he will always
actually
6.
a second suggestion
by any accident, he should want
commenced
to
wake
do
at once before
so.
Frequent Micturition hy Bay,
This
is
may
be
to pass
he has
a very
ordinary complaint, the patients being compelled to
164
pass their water at short intervals.
is
fail
to get well.
In most cases improvement
seen at once, after the very
In one case sent
Thomson Walker,
have never seen
by hypnotism in the slightest
a case which could
degree
first trial.
me some
five
years ago by Mr.
the patient was a lady,
cet.
which had persisted
tion,
eight years,
for
quite impossible for her to go into
22,
The
was compelled to pass water every hour.
who
condi-
made
it
After
society.
a single treatment she could retain her water for

hours,
five
and has remained perfectly well ever
since.
7. Alcoholism.
ism
of
The aim
whatever type
is first to
patient be actually taking
become
to
do
treatment in alcohol-
of all
it,
cut off alcohol
if
the
and then induce him
a total abstainer, and,
if
possible, help
to
him
so.
This can be done partly by drugs, which induce a
temporary
memory
dislike
of alcohol, in
the hope that the'
of the disgust of alcohol so
become a permanent one
engendered
may
and secondly, by moral
treatment, including suggestion.
There are four principal
forms
of
alcoholism
pseudo-dipsomania, chronic sober alcoholism, chronic

inebriate alcoholism,
and true dipsomania.
The pseudo-dipsomaniac has no craving until he

alcohol, when craving recurs,
has actually taken
usually within a few minutes.
He
then drinks in
great excess for several days, until he becomes too

to take
more.
The chronic sober
alcoholic
ill
drinks
regularly every day to excess, but
sufficiently to
does not
drink
produce intoxication.
The chronic
inebriate
alcoholic
from the
differs
more
last-mentioned, in that he always

intoxicated.
165
or less
is
In the chronic alcoholic, craving occurs
when alcohol is partially or completely withheld.

The true dipsomaniac gets recurrent attacks of
craving whether he takes alcohol or not. Between
the attacks, many of these people can drink in moderaonly
tion,
but
during the attacks they always drink
to
excess.
Whilst one can often successfully transform the
pseudo-dipsomaniac or chronic alcoholic into a total

abstainer,
usually quite impossible to do this in
it is
Some
a case of true dipsomania.

to
and
have seen
Contrexeville
fortnight,
six
such cases in
Water
for
me
cases appear to
have their origin in the form
of repressed gout,
whom
the taking of
days running every
three
and a saline purgative once a week, has
effectually stopped the attacks
the majority
fortunately in
from recurring.
of
cases
Un-
the cause
is
undiscoverable.
Two
other forms of alcoholism, one occurring at
menstruation
insomnia,
in
may
women, and
be
the
mentioned here.
often amenable to suggestion,
and
other
The
due
to
first
is
in the latter the
curing of the insomnia usually puts an end to the

alcoholism.
In one case a lady of over
fifty
had had persistent
insomnia for seven years, and had drunk greatly in
166
excess
during the whole of that period.
single
suggestion that she should sleep nine hours that night
proved
and
effective,
both the insomnia and
the
excessive drinking ceased at once, nor has there been
any recurrence
for seven years.
The cutting off of alcohol in cases of chronic

alcoholism must be done gradually otherwise there
But
is a very real risk of inducing delirium tremens.
for the medical side of treatment I must refer the
;
reader to the literature on that subject.
Almost
all
the alcoholic patients
have been susceptible
whom
have seen
hypnotism, and in their
to
case I certainly think that suggestion under hypnosis

is
more
effectual
than
suggestion
by Bramwell's
method.
day
I usually treat these patients every
for eight
days, two or three times on the few following weeks
once or twice in the week following that.

if
if
them
possible, I see
definite term,
After that,
an
at longer intervals for
and always enjoin them
to
come
at
in-
once
they feel in the slightest degree that they are
becoming
Some
less sure of themselves.
of
my
well for years,
worst cases,
I
or ten days of treatment.

are,
think,
remained well
first
But these periodic
week
visits
always advisable as a precautionary
Some
when they begin
measure.
who have now remained
have never seen after the
patients
come
at
intervals
One,
to distrust themselves.
for over twenty-five years, used to
about once in two years for this reason.
If
only
who
come
a patient
begins to
come
feel
167
uncertain of himself, and does not then
Out
he usually does relapse.
for treatment,
of
over 300 patients treated about one-third remained

well for a year or more, while just over one-fifth re-
Of the remainder
lapsed within a year.
trace the further history,

of these
and
it is
The following
is
was unable
may
have relapsed, though one
hope that some are permanently
to
probable that some
reasonably
well.
a case of long standing, cured by
suggestion.
Mr.
J., (Et. 52,
had been a victim
of chronic
for over thirty years.
He
usually whisky, and
had recurrent
with marked
excess
ordinary times he
alcoholism
habitually drank too
intoxication
though
much,
greater
of
fits
even
was mildly intoxicated.
at
was
asked by his medical attendant to see him while he
was recovering from a
made him
Normyl
cure, but
alcohol only for a
He had
specially
exceedingly
bad attack which had
Ho had
ill.
twice tried the
on both occasions abstained from
week or two
after leaving
extremely advanced cirrhosis of his
him
it
olBf,
liver.
and suggested that he

treated
would have no more craving, would dislike even the
ten times in
all,
smell of liquor, and that his resolution and will power
would increase
sufficiently to enable
him
to resist
any
temptation to which he could possibly be subjected.
He
died
some seven years
later,
but since his treat-
ment he never again once touched alcohol.

More than
much
that
if
this,
he disliked the smell
of
whisky so
whisky and hot water were brought near
168
him he
room
actually been obliged to leave the

I
and had
could hardly endure the odour,
in consequence.
never treated him again after the
that the result

suggestions.
must have been due
may
This
cure.
be
One very
some are not incurable.
has now been well
another for over
so
among women
comparatively few cases
of over fifty,
to the original
women
It is often said that
to
difficult
But
five years.
month, so
first
are
more
have had
but certainly
severe case, a lady
for eight years,
and
have had a
I certainly
women than in men.

had enough cases in women to
less proportion of successes in
However,
form a
have not
fair
judgment.
Morphinomania.
8.
Suggestion
successful in this complaint, but
said to have been
is
use
its
helping the patients to abstain entirely.
appear to have any marked
habit
this
it
it
may
the patient
it
seen, almost impossible to ward
any other means.
may
once free from the
In cases of cocaine,
cannot do.
cocaine
being gradually
it is
is
the
or in
help to prevent relapse, but more than
be a confirmed cocaine taker,
tion or
does not
the drug,
off
diminishing the time taken whilst
When
It
effect in relieving
symptoms induced by leaving

discontinued.
confined to
is
be cut
off
if
the patient
so far as I
is,
off relapse
have
by sugges-
Unlike morphia, however,
completely at once, and need
not be gradually diminished.

9.
as a
Sex Disorders
habit
in
(a)
quite
several cases in which
Masturbation.
young
it
This may occur
children.
commenced
have seen
as early as
five,
and some
of these
vided that
full sex
probably began even
extraordinarily easy.
more
difficult,
Pro-
earlier.
development has not taken place,

break the habit, cure
is
In later years, however, cure
is
and that the patient wishes
Except in one
169
to
and often a very gradual, process.

boy of ten, with a marked
case, of a
family history of insanity,

cured, I have never failed
under thirteen years
who did not wish to be

when the patients were
of age.
In every one of these
cases, with a single exception, the habit ceased at
once
after the first treatment.
The exception was the case of a girl (Bt.

who had developed sexually at that early
7 J,
age,
having suffered for over a year from very excessive
She was
masturbation.
abnormally developed
every way, and weighed nearly
in
The
seven stone.
habit had been taught her by another child.
On
the second
she passed into a light sleep,
trial
followed by amnesia.
saw her every day
greatly,
remaining well
had a bad
of
whom
and
relapse.
a few days
all
week,
month, and then
for nearly a
then instructed her governess,
she was very fond,
told her to do so
for a
She improved
then twice a week for a fortnight.
when the
how
to
hypnotize her,
child went to bed.
traces of the habit ceased, and,
In
though
there were some slight relapses, she was immensely
improved, and
might.
of
of herself
avoided the
evil
heard of her eight months later
with
;
all
all
her
traces
her former failing had absolutely disappeared, and
she was perfectly well.
170
Both
and adults
in children
it
is
of the greatest
importance that they should understand clearly how

they can cure themselves.
not of any use simply telling them to fight, for
It is
many have been

If
it,
unsuccessfully for years.
fighting
the temptation occurs, and the patient thinks about
and simply says
One has
yields.
many
" I won't do
it,"
to recognize that the
he invariably
prime cause
one's whole efforts
Sex ideas,
of this.
terrific rapidity,
result
in
patient
must be
if
and
irresistible
directed to the prevention
dwelt upon, gain in force with

in almost
impulse.
The only way the
which always results in
run away from

thing else
it,
and
may
a few seconds
can meet the temptation
resistance,
not by direct
is
defeat.
He must
direct his thoughts to
some-
and this he must do instantly, within
seconds of
of
and
failures is the formation of a sex phantasy,
the occurrence of the sex idea.
ten
It
is
wonderful how very soon patients, even quite young

children, learn to do this.
I
never
make any
suggestion, ei^cept that they will
be able to turn their thoughts away at once, and that
they will find they have sufficient control to do
In this way the actual origin of the
evil
can be prevented from developing.

more
difficult for adults,
this.
sex phantasy
Naturally,
it is
and one must be prepared
for slow progress, interrupted
by
many
failures.
But
generally in these cases treatment will destroy the

vice as a hahit, even
lapses.
though there may be occasional
I
have had considerable experience
of
171
boys at the
time when they are most tempted, and I have very

often found that, owing to the idea that they have
done themselves really serious and irreparable injury,

they have got into a condition of such despair that
they are quite incapable of making any
This appears to
themselves.
view,
and not only
false,
have never been able
me
effort to
cure
to be quite a false
but very mischievous.
to trace
any physical
results,
except in cases of very great excess, and the mental
and nervous condition

fact that intense
I believe, entirely
is,
worry
is
But
the subjects cannot help themselves.
every case I believe that the fault
with the boy as with those

education.
failing
without
perfectly
not so
much
of this
many
In
cases
any reservations
legitimate
in the battle
was begun
it
in
complete knowledge of the meaning of
not
curiosity,
shield with which a parent can
{h)
lies
are responsible for his
where sex instruction had been given before
ignorance.
sex
who
in nearly
have hardly ever met a case
development.
its
due to the
produced by the feeling that
which they
but
only satisfies a
is
arm
the only real
his sons to win
will certainly
have
Anyone
who
Psychical Impotence.
to fight.
practises
come across numbers of cases

Almost invariably the patients are
of this complaint.
men who have married, and have then discovered to
The result is
their horror that they are impotent.
only too often extreme unhappiness, and I know of
suggestion
is
bound
to
scarcely any other condition which gives rise to so
172
much
misery to both the husband and
whom
patient
I treated, fortunately
One
wife.
with success, had
actually attempted suicide.
The mental cause

fear
reason
in the vast majority of cases,
is,
But
non-success.
of
with any hope of success,
should be
difficulty,
exceedingly puzzling at
it is
As a
diagnosed.
without any great
few
this
is
the
essential that the cause
though some cases are

In some
first.
fear.
may
It
In two cases which
fortunately
where the
discover
The underlying cause
condition originates.
done
rule this can be
psycho-analysis alone can
always
not always
and, before a case of this kind can be treated
is
not
be some form of sex perversion.
I saw, fetichism,
which
I could do
nothing to remove, was the cause.
The
fact that the condition
a long time
treatment.
another
Most
for
may have
persisted for
is
not necessarily a bar to successful
One
case of seven-and-a-half years', and
of six years' duration, recovered completely.
of the patients
from one
whom
In a certain number of
to three years.
cases suggestion
is
have seen had suffered
unnecessary.
It is a
strange and
almost incredible fact that some patients were

over thirty,
who had no
idea of the
Explanation in such cases

effect a cure.
was the same.

the
first
But
may
meaning
of itself
men
of
of sex.
sometimes
in the majority of cases the cause
Failure from natural nervousness at
attempt produced a fear
sufficient to render further
cases I have found
of failure
which was
attempts useless.
Yohimbin
of use,
though
In these
it
often
The condition
fails.
very obstinate, but
often
is
where some insur-
practically all cases (except those
mountable
well
difficulty,
such as perversion,
exists) get
treated rationally.
if
Primary Vaginismus,
(c)
173
complaint
which got
of
all
have had cases
of this
probably because
well,
they happened to be particularly suitable cases for

In
suggestion.
cause
the
before
discovered
as
this,
often
is
in
many
so
mental
treatment
can
complaints,
and must
one,
be
be
successfully
applied.
(d)
Spasmodic Dysmenorrhcea
One
curable.
is
sometimes readily
patient, a lady of 23,
had always been
compelled to remain in bed during the whole

periods
to
remain up and follow her ordinary
became
I
life.
of
her
was able
but, after being treated three times,
The pain
so slight as not to worry her.
have not succeeded in relieving congestive dys-
menorrhoea.
(e)
Absence of Sex Feeling in
women
some
readily curable, unless there is either

genital
failing,
cause for
I liave
or else
is
usually
real con-
some insuperable emotional
it.
had four cases in which treatment succeeded
rapidly, but two, in
which there was a feeling
of
repulsion towards the husband, failed to benefit.

10. Stammering.
At one time, owing
of successful cases, I believed that this
often be cured by suggestion.
however, has convinced
me
that
to a succession
complaint could
Further experience,
it is
in general
some-
174
what
difficult to
improvement
cure permanently, though a transient

not
is
uncommon.
In this complaint
to be cured
teach
and those
himself lightly;
more
make the patient use

him how to hypnotize
who can learn this seem
I generally
and
self-suggestion,
easily
than others.
In the case of a well-known

I
saw before the war,
persisted
early
since
est.
German surgeon, whom

stammering had
35, the
childhood.
taught him to
hypnotize himself, and in three weeks his stammering
had vanished.
Occasionally these patients recover and remain well
after a single suggestion.
11. Nervousness.
The
two cases following seem
The
patient was a man, cet. 28,
who had failed at every examination owing to nervousness when the examination took place. I suggested
worth recording.
first
that he would feel no nervousness whatever, and that
when he looked
all
that he
at the questions
he would at once
had read about them.
examination, and told
me
He
that the suggestion with
regard to remembering the facts had taken

that he was
lected.
much
recall
passed his
surprised at the
effect,
amount he
have sometimes wondered whether
and
recolI
did
wrong in making the experiment.

At Cambridge I once made a similar experiment on
a man who was in for the Natural Science Tripos.
The result of his examination was satisfactory, and
he took
12.
first-class
honours.
Sea- Sickness,
Sea -sickness
can
often
be
successfully treated.
soldiers
who had
who had always

Four were
to
had during the war seven
go various distances by sea, and
suffered intensely
quite free from
from
this complaint.
after treatment, but of
it
the result on the other three

three lost their
know nothing,
for all
lives..
have tried suggestion only in very few instances

In one, which
of sea-sickness.
the effect was very marked.
saw some years ago,
The patient had
severely every time she went to sea.

six
175
suffered
treated her
times just before she sailed for Cuba.
She had no
sickness during the whole journey, and never even
though the sea was occasionally very rough
felt sick,
but she suffered severely from headache.
She also
complained that she was awakened from sleep by the

slightest sound, but this
She reached only the

Suggestion
is
symptom
first
I failed to relieve.
stage of hypnosis.
also said to relieve the vomiting of
pregnancy, and cases have been published concerning this
but
have no experience in this matter
myself.
Chorea has been successfully treated.
13. Chorea.
Bramwell records seven instances
of
covery, and other observers report
numerous cases
complete re-
of cure.
In the three cases which I have treated, recovery

took
place
suggestion
in
is
and
there
sometimes
very
all;
is
no
doubt
efficacious
in
that
this
complaint.
14. Insaniti/.
The
results in
insanity are disap-
176
pointing.
Personally, I usually refuse such cases,
but some observers record successes.
Woods, in 1907, reported several cases

prising melancholia, puerperal mania,
of cure,
com-
and ordinary
mania.
15. Constipation.
suppose that everyone
who has
used suggestion for this complaint has found
So far as
cessful.
condition of chronic constipation
is
no bar
through treatment by suggestion.
The great majority do
well,
sucof
to recovery
have seen cases
which have recovered which had suffered

years.
it
have seen, the duration
for over forty
and
failures are
wonderfully few.
Forel names constipation as the typical functional
disorder lending
many
Probably
for
medical
disorder
this
in
may
men have
the
described as aperient.
the chief agent in
treatment by suggestion.
itself to
much
It
form
of
used suggestion
inert
medicine
seems quite possible that
of the
homoeopathic pharmacy
be the labelling on the bottles.
But we can often
cure even chronic constipation quite readily by

of direct
means
hypnotic suggestion.
The following case shows how very definite the

results of a suggestion controlling the movements of
Mrs. R., aged thirty-five, came
the bowels may be
:
to consult
me
for intractable
insomnia arising from
mental anxiety, which had been very distressing

several weeks.
been
constipated,
found that
and
for
acted without an aperient.
all
many
I did
her
life
for
she had
years had never
not hypnotize her,
but
suggested
that
would sleep
she
177
moment
the
she put her head on the pillow, and that her bowels
would act next day and every day
at ten o'clock in
me
the morning, and requested her to come to see
again in three or four
days'
saw her, she said that
all
suggested
bed,
that
When
time.
had happened as
she slept the
moment
and that her bowels acted each day
Then she added

half-past
next
had
she went to
at ten o'clock.
" But would you mind making
ten
nine instead of
Ten
o'clock.
it
so
is
inconvenient."
In
many
other cases the effect has been immediate
and permanent.
One
had
over
suffered for
patient, a lady of fifty-three,
thirty
and had been
years,
obliged to take medicine every night during the whole

Yet, after the first suggestion, the
of that period.
constipation vanished, and she has remained cured
now
for
seven
treatment
temporary.
It is
however,
Sometimes,
years.
or else the
fails,
sometimes best not
the
is
merely
to try at
once to
improvement
obtain a regular daily action, but to suggest an action
every second or third day, and gradually to decrease

the interval.
to get
in
In some cases the most one can do
hypnotism, and
16.
This
an action every other day.

but long
several cases,
I
have no
Nervous Diarrhoea.
before
notes of
This
is
have done
specialized
in
them.
complaint
is
often
confused with lientery, and no fewer than five cases
which
this.
came
me
to
For these
did
were
really
not use
suffering
suggestion, as
12
from
liq.
1T8
arsenicalis in
three-minim doses
once cured the
at
condition.
As might be expected, diarrhoea
nervous
of a purely
kind usually yields readily to suggestion.
Many patients
get attacks only
when some
particular
One such
patient, a
surgeon,
circumstance arises.
always got an attack before performing an abdominal

operation, though operations on other regions did not
him.
affect
to
if
he had
was
always
Another patient was attacked
make long
journeys,
and another
obliged to refuse invitations to dinner, because,
when
the hour drew near, he invariably got acute diarrhcea.

All these recovered after very few treatments.
Mr.
of
A.,
clerk,
cet.
28,
was
subject
to
fits
had
diarrhoea from extremely slight causes, and
suffered in this
had
to interview
attack,
life,
this
way
and the
ever since his school-days.
If
he
one of his chiefs he always had an

slightest deviation
from his normal
even the prospect of a journey, was sure to have

result.
He was
obviously of
temperament, and the idea
very nervous
of his visit to
me
on a severe paroxysm, his bowels acting

that morning before I saw him.
and his nervous diarrhoea
The causes which used
to
agitate
times
Hypnotized four
times in June, 1898, he passed into deep

bulism,
brought
five
somnam-
at once
him
ceased.
in this
way
were annulled, but slight exposure to cold seems to
have been
still
followed by an attack.
South Africa shortly afterwards, and
He
left
hear from
that he remains well, though cold yet affects him.
for
him
179
Lloyd Tuckey records a striking instance
of cure
of chronic
two,
nervous diarrhoea in a patient aged seventy-
who had been
afflicted for
many years,
the disease
dating from the time of the Crimean War.

17.
Spasmodic Asthma.
complaint,
gives
In
many
cases
of
this
even of very long standing, suggestion
immediate
relief,
and prevents the onset
of
attacks during sleep.

If
how
the patient be taught
to use self-suggestion
he can generally cut short any threatened attack with

the greatest ease.
This applies only to purely spasmodic asthma.
he attack be due to bronchitis or any

air
tracts,
suggestion
comparatively
alleviate
it
to
some
18. Epilepsy,
that
it is
though
use,
little
irritation of the
so far as I
is,
it
If
have seen,
of
may sometimes
extent.
always refuse to treat
it,
believing
Three cases, however,
useless in such cases.
are wôrth mention, one of epilepsy and the other two

of
**
petit
One
mal."
had one or more
fits
epileptic
was a young
nearly every day.
man who
found that
he had nocturnal emissions every night. These ceased

at once
under the influence
of suggestion,
and
his fits
disappeared also, but recurred again as badly as ever
some three months
later,
though the emissions did
not return.
In two cases
of " petit
mal," in which the attacks
occurred several times a day, I found that emissions

took place every night. One was a
and the other
forty.
man
aged thirty-two,
I stopped the emissions, and, to
180
my
surprise, the
**
petit
recurred in either case.
mal" ceased, and has not

One has now been well for
What
for nearly four years.
five years, and the other

makes the case more curious
is
that the two patients
were brothers.
In the only case of true epilepsy that
the patient,
the
cet.
had
26,
have
tried,
suffered for twelve years,
and
diminished from about one in eight days to
fits
about one a month

after treatment.
but
I lost sight of
am
inclined
improvement must have been due
him
six
months
to think that the
to
some cause other
than the treatment.
V. Anaesthesia.
Suggested anaesthesia has been applied to various

conditions.
It
has played the part of an anaesthetic
in surgical operations,
and has
some
of
them
of great severity,
also been used to relieve pain, such as that
of neuralgia,
headache, and toothache, and even the
agony caused by cancer.
Confinements
may
also be
rendered painless, without any of the disadvantages

attendant on the use of chloroform.
As a
rule,
one cannot remove pain unless the patient
has been trained by hypnotizations on previous occa-
But
sions.
years
ago,
evening
this
while
to call
is
at
not
always necessary.
Cambridge,
Many
happened
one
He
me
on Dr. W. H. Gaskell.
told
that his children's nurse was suffering from raging
toothache, which had kept her awake for two nights,
181
and he suggested that I should try to relieve her.

She had been crying with pain, and the left side of
her face was much swollen. I made her sit down,
and told her that she was to look at my eyes, when
she would fall asleep.
She passed immediately into
somnambulism, and I suggested the cessation of the
pain, and awoke her.
The pain had gone, but it
came back
never
an hour, this time, however, on
in about
I
removed
She
slept
the opposite side.

returned.
Dr. Gaskell told
me
that next
it
well
as
before,
that
and
it
and
night,
morning the swelling
of
her face had subsided.

Dr. Betts Taplin, of Liverpool, records a case in
which he has succeeded in relieving the pain
The diagnosis
cancer in the stomach.
of cancer
of
was
Under treatment by hypnosis, not only has the pain ceased, but
the patient has put on flesh and eats well.
Such a
confirmed by an exploratory operation.
result
truly amazing.
is
As an
anaesthetic during dental extraction
has been successfully employed, but
and the necessity
of
its
hypnotism
uncertainty
the previous training of the
can never
patient are great disadvantages, so that
it
take the place of chloroform and ether.
It has, how^-
ever, as I said, frequently

for confinements,
employed
it
been used as an anaesthetic
and Dr. Bryan,
most successfully
has
of Leicester,
He
for that purpose.
has also succeeded in regulating the supply
by means
of suggestion, increasing or
and even
totally suppressing
of
milk
diminishing
it at will.
it,
Employed
183
thus, hypnotism
hands
might be extremely useful in the
of those in general practice, since
from the dangers
is
it
free
of chloroform.
Conclusion,
Although hypnotism may do much in beginning a

cure, yet in
many
cases, especially in those
which are
somewhat vaguely classed as neurasthenias, much

more is often required to make the regeneration comOnly too many their name
plete and permanent.
is
legion
manner
owe
troubles
to
Work they regard as an evil to be

much as possible, and when they are
as
sufficiently
of
wealthy to be independent
pastime which
kind except
lies
If
in
their condition only
self,
they can
by a complete change
and their one hope
work and contact with the
of others.
start a
new
may
Until
life
forget their
realities
own sorrows
we have persuaded these

our work
is
our duty not only to open
it
it
through to the other
against bis return.
of
of lasting cure
of
life.
human
in those
patients to
only half finished.
the Valley of Achor be indeed a door of hope,
to pass
so
no regular
they can engender in themselves some
interest, they
as
apt to pall as the years pass by.
is
life,
it,
pleasure-seeking, a
Distracted by ennui and imprisoned in
outlook on
of
patients are, they have
these
occupation of any
remedy
unhealthy
their
of life.
avoided
many
their
If
it
is
and compel the dweller

side,
but to lock and bar
In a word, we must,
if
possible,
"
183
induce him to take up some absorbing form of labour,
and work
for in work,
salvation.
*'
*
cultiver notre jardin.'

ner,' dit Martin,
supportable.'
alone, will
he find permanent
Je sais aussi,' dit Candide,
'
'
qu'il faut
Travaillons sans raison-
c'est le seul
moyen de rendre
la vie
CHAPTEK
VII

Danger
unqualified and irresponsible use
of
Opinion of Moll
suggestions
Hypnotism,
like nearly every other
be mischievously used
and authority
direction
mode
It
is
said,
may
hypnotism
refuse
remedy powerful
but under the
are qualified by
I believe,
it is,
an absolutely
of treatment.
true that after hypnosis
complain
is
who
of those
knowledge and training,

safe
of
of liberty of subject to
Conclusion.
may
for good,
Question
of
of
some patients may
heaviness and drowsiness, sometimes,

slight
depression
but these symptoms
always be prevented by care in thoroughly
pelling the hypnosis at the time of awakening.
there
is
no doubt
that,
when
this reason,
if
for
may
phenomena
the
by travelling hypnotists merely

purposes, the results
it
is
much
to
Yet
show
and
for
be desired
that such exhibitions should
be prohibited
in this country, as they are
in
State in Europe.
dis-
are used
for sensational
be more harmful
no other,
it
by law
almost every other
These people impose upon their

184
185
subjects a succession of hallucinations of an exciting
and sometimes do not thoroughly arouse
character,
them
at the
end
a distance, and,
Some
performances.
of the
subjects to believe that they
may
allow the
be influenced from
they are giving performances for
if
several nights in succession, often compel those
whom
they find to be highly impressionable on the
first
occasion to attend the other displays by post-hypnotic

suggestion.
Madam
Card, who frequently performed in
Cam-
bridge, used to compel her undergraduate subjects to
come
to her seances in this
way
and
I believe that
she herself had an idea that she could call them from
afar
at least, I
know
that
many thought
she possessed
this power.
The following instance exposes the harm which

Mr.
ensued on her proceedings.
S.,
an undergraduate,
attended one of her performances, was readily hypnotized by her, and

actions, while
tions,
some
of
made
to
do
all
kinds of absurd
he also underwent a series
them of a more
The next day Madam Card
of hallucina-
or less disturbing nature.

left
Cambridge.
In the
evening of that day the unfortunate victim was seized

with the idea that she was staying at the Grosvenor
Hotel in London, and was irresistibly calling for him.
Go he
would, but his friends forcibly detained
until the last train
that he
must walk.
had
I
left.
He
was asked
to see
a counter-suggestion cancelled the idea

so
much shaken by
him
then, however, said
him, and by
;
his experience that he
but he was
was unable
186
undergo his examination on the following day.
to
Presently he was well again, but the case impressed
me
very
when
much
carried
cases, too,
and
by ignorant persons.
out
Madam
excitable for
The
hypnotism
as to the possible danger of
Card's subjects were
some hours
men and
to
qualified scientific investigators.
to
wrought by those itinerant

J.
and
well-
potent an
Dr. Lloyd Tuckey
harm has been
gives in his book several cases in which

**
be confined
serious
It is too
agent to be used as a plaything.
case he quotes Dr. M.
other
after her performance.
hypnotism ought
practice of
entirely to medical
In
made nervous
In one
professors."
Nolan's relation of a case of
stuperose insanity, which he believes was caused by
the ignorant employment of hypnotism, the patient,
a drunken and dissipated soldier, broken in health by

his excesses,
operator.
having been hypnotized by a travelling
In another case which came under Dr.
Tuckey's notice the patient had, after hypnotization,

frequent cataleptic
of hysteria
observed after the
But
In France serious epidemics
fits.
and other nervous
know
of
affections are said to be
visits of these itinerant
no instance in which any
showmen.
evil
con-
sequence has followed the use of hypnotism by a

properly qualified
is
open
man
to exactly the
of treatment,
and
to
for therapeutic purposes.
same objections
no more, in that
and uncomprehending use
is
as other forms
its
real dangers of
irresponsible
likely to be followed
unpleasant and, in some cases, serious
The
It
by
effects.
hypnotism, says Moll, are two

in
numberthe
increased tendency to hypnosis, and
the heightened
waking
susceptibility
The
state.
by the use
187
it
he says,
first,
method
of Braid's
hypnosis, which,
to
the
suggestion in
is
usually caused
for the induction
of
remembered, consists in
will be
making the subject fix his gaze for a time on some

bright object.
For this reason, if for no other, it
The other can be
is ill-suited for medical hypnosis.
guarded against by suggesting to the patient during
hypnosis that nobody can hypnotize him against his
will,
and that nobody can enforce suggestions upon
him while he
awake
is
the
surest way, says Moll, to
avoid this danger.
The question has been
raised whether
it
may
not
be possible by suggestion to compel a subject to carry

out some criminal act.
a real danger only
if
Clearly this would constitute
the hypnotizer were of such a
character as to be capable of suggesting a crime, and,

as I imagine that
no one would willingly be hypnotized
by a person
doubtful
of
reputation, this
does
not
appear to be a very valid objection to the medical

use of hypnotic suggestion.
interesting
one,
as
it
is
But the question
possible that the
hypnotic influence might be
accused
in
criminal
trial.
raised
to
is
plea
shield
Authorities
are
an
of
the
not
agreed as to whether this might be a real defence or

not.
Bramwell
states that even in
somnambulism
he has never known a patient accept suggestions
which would not have been accepted in normal
and he gives instances where subjects have
life,
refusecl
188
even
apparently because
suggestions,
trivial
they
conflicted with their ideas of propriety.
who has
Forel,
tried
experimental crimes,
is
could be accomplished
make
to
commit
subjects
inclined to think that these

in
waking
Thus one
life.
subject was made, by suggestion, to fire twice at a
man, the revolver being loaded, unknown

blank
him, with
to
These experiments, however, are
cartridge.
not conclusive, for
it is
impossible to be sure that the
subject does not realize that they are only experiments,
from which the operator has taken good
care
to
eliminate any possibility of wrongdoing.

It is of interest to
note that in no recorded case,
as far as I know, has a subject
in
somnambulism
ever refused an inhibitory suggestion, such as paralysis

of a
limb or the inability
Personally, I doubt very
and, until
so,
not regard
it
is
to carry out a given action.
much whether one
certain
is
it
that
subjects can resist
all
will.
do
And even
some subjects can
certain imperative suggestions,

all
as proved that patients can accept or
it
reject every kind of suggestion at
though
could do
demonstrated that one can,
it
resist
does not follow that
repugnant suggestions.
Everyone with much experience
of
hypnotism must
be familiar with the great variations in the degree

of suggestibility in different subjects
bulism.
It is
during somnam-
scarcely surprising that
some should
be able to resist suggestions, whilst others cannot.
The
vary
particular suggestions which are easily enforced
much
with
different
subjects,
as
also
those
189
suggestions which can be enforced only with difficulty

or not at
all.
But even if we assume, for the purpose of argument,

that some people could be made to commit crimes
has been asserted, to allow themselves to be
(or, as
criminally assaulted),
the
number
may
of
must be remembered that
it
such subjects must be very small.
It
be safely asserted that such events could, under
no circumstances, be possible unless the subject were

somnambulistic, and
this condition.
at least
under 20 per cent, pass into
Even
very few would not
of these,
try to resist such suggestions, and, as has
already been shown, some,
not
if
would do so
all,
successfully.
The question
deny
is
an open one.
at present
the
altogether
existence
any
of
Many
danger
of
criminal suggestions, but other equally good authorities
consider that the peril
inclined to agree with Moll,
not impossible.
is
who
says
admit the possibility that a crime

in this
On
may
There
subjects.
may
be
it
is
am
"Yet we must
be committed
way, as Eulenburg, Dalley and Forel
theoretical grounds I believe
some
insist.
possible with
much
exaggeration.
For example, few people are so susceptible as
to
accept the suggestion of a criminal act without re-
peated hypnotization.
would refuse even

Liegeois also
It
is
also
true
that
many
after a long hypnotic training."
believed
that
criminal
suggestions
were not an impossibility.
But
so long as they are recognized, even the slightest
190
AN INTRODUCTION TO
risks of
hypnotism
essential
that
can
be
HYPNOTISJVi
readily avoided.
It
is
hypnotism should be employed with
the same care and the

quired
in
anaesthetics.
same precautions as are remore dangerous process of giving

In each case some scientific knowledge
the
and previous training are the only guarantees
of
and so long as similar sureties are provided

there can be no valid objection to the use of hypnotism
safety,
The
as a remedial agent.
veniences
dipsomania,
risks are few, the incon-
some
and
trifling;
can often be
cured
maladies,
such
as
no other way
in
whatever.
Indeed, hypnotism, allied with a certain degree of
psycho-analysis, seems the only kind of therapeutic
power that can penetrate a certain obscure province

of pathology at
all.
Only
ing suggestions, and

dissolve
its
its
relieving
and strengthen-
penetrative discoveries, can
away the mortal matter when the mysterious
nexus where the physical and psychical forces intercross becomes a core of anguish
and corruption, can
unravel the twisted knots of insubstantial yet intolerable pain in the dangerous net of the nerves,
harmonize those discords between bodily and

life
and
spiritual
that beset a highly artificial and complicated state
of civilization.
When
the
senses
practise
tyrannies over the emotions and the
will,
strange
or
when
the imaginative and intellectual powers maltreat the
body into suppressed treacheries and
revolts,
psycho-
analytic suggestion alone seems able to interpose in
the confusion of consequent suffering.
The dualism
remedy matches the dualism of the malady it

an instrument of which the peculiar nature and the
of the
is
191
full
consolatory virtues are not yet completely realized.
The physician
in
hypnotic
suggestion,
or
trained
psycho-analysis, at least, need not altogether recoil
from the
bitter outcry of
Macbeth
"Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd,

Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Baze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart ?"
INDEX
Absence
Brown, Professor, 152

Bryan, Dr., 182
of sex feeling, 173
Agoraphobia, 143
Alcoholism, 155, 164, 168
Amnesia, relation to the hypnotic
state, 8-10, 31, 88, 97
Aniesthesia, 10, 90, 106, 106
experiments 104-106, 111118

suggested to relieve pain, 181in,
182
Analgesia, 104-106
Anosmia, 92
Asthma, spasmodic, 179
Attention, abnormal to, 13
limitation 40-41, 51
passive, 24-25
of,
Automatic muscular movement,

80-83
writing, 18-22
Automatism, motor, 18-23
sensory, 23-24
13,
Awakening
of subject, 60
B
Beauchamp,
Sally, 25
Beaunis, Professor, 48
Bennett, 64
Bernheim, Professor,
68, 92,
108,
112,
3, 6, 48. 66,
120,
94-97,
154
stages of Liebeault and, 94-97

Blepharos])asm, 121
Braid, James, 2, 42, 45, 46, 64,
92. 112, 167
method of. 45-46
Brain, Dr. McDougall in, 12
Brarawell, Dr. Milne, 8. 40, 120,
Cambridge experiments,
44, 64-
97
Cancer, 181-182
Carpenter's theory of unconscious
cerebration, 13
Cases of repression, 128-156
Catalejisy, hypnotic, 52, 85, 86,
92-93, 101. 108
Choice, power of, during somnambulism and waking state, 28-29
Chorea, 122. 175
Claustrophobia in complexes, 143
Cocaine, 168-169
for
Concentration,
points of,
patient. 52-53
Conditions of suggestibility, 4057
Confinements, hypnosis as an
anpesthetic during, 181
See DisaggregaConsciousness.
tion of consciousness. Limitation of consciousness, Primary
Sub -consciousconsciousness,
ness, Freud's divisions
Constipation, 154. 176-178
Contracture, 69-75. 106, 109-111
Cortex, changes in, of brain
during contracture, 74-113
Criminal suggestion, question of,
187-189
Crystal-gazing, 23-24
121, 150, 154, 156
method
of,
58-60
192
D
Dalley, 189
Darling, experiments
and, 64
of
Lewis
INDEX
Deafness, hysteric, 156-158
hypnotism
operations,
and, 182
Diarrhoea, 121, 178-179
Dipsomania, 39, 58, 155, 165168
case of, 167-168
conditions of cnre in, 166-168
forms of craving in, 165-168
suggestions for, 166
Disaggregation of consciousness,
30
Dissociation theory of physiology
of hypnosis, 12
Dubois, Dr., method of, 57-58
Dysmenorrhcea, spasmodic. 173
Dyspepsia, gastric and intestinal,
Dental
154
E
EUiotson, Dr., 2
Emissions, 180
Emphasis
in suggestion, 36-38
Enuresis nocturna, 155

Epilepsy, 180
Esdaile. Dr.. 2
Eulenberg, 189
193
Hyperesthesia, 92
Hypnosis as a
state, 6-11
definition 3-4
methods of induction, 32-61
phenomena 62-118
question of prolonged
126
conditions,
40
treatment by. 119-183
of,
of,
sleep,
Sidis'
7,
Hypnotisation of groups, 44
Hyi-notism, case against, 184-191
pioneers 1-2
therapeutic force
of,
of,
119-183
Hysteria, 155-159
Hysterical subjects, 67
I
Illusions, 65, 86
Imperative suggestions, 35
Impotence, psychical, 154, 171173
Induction of hypnosis, 32-40
Inhibition of ideas, 41-42
of movements, 68-82
Insanity, 176
Insomnia, 154, 163, 177
Experiments in differentiation of
statjes and other phenomena,
64-97
F
Fear of a foar, 141, 142
" Fluid," Mesmer's, 2
154-155-176,
Professor,
Forel,
188, 189
amenable to
diseases
list of
suggestion as given by, 154-155
Freud, Professor, 122, 125
Langley, Professor, 64-93

Lewis, 64
Lieboault, Dr.. 2, 40, 43. 6C\ 68,
94-97, 119-120. 153, 154
Liegois, Dr., 189
Limitation of consciousness, 4041, 57
of muscular movement, 41
Luys, 47
II
McDougall, Dr., 12
Gazing as a mode of induction,

43, 45
Gregory, 64
Gurney,
E., 92,
116
H
-104
Hallucination?,
negative, 102-104
visual, 99-100
Heidenhain, Professor
111
.Masturbation, 169-171
Melancholia, 176
ilemory, increased powers
65, 85
repressions 122-152
sub-conscious chain
of,
102
loss of, 8,
of,
of,
13-14,
20
Menstruation, 154, 166
Mesraer,
1,
Methods
of induction of hypnosis,
45
32-59
13
194
Metiiods of induction of hypnosis,

Dr. Taplin's, 56
Nancy School, 47-49
other psychotherapeutic (Dr.
Bramwell's, 58-60, Dr. Dubois',
Professor Freud's,
125)
personal, 49-55
physical, 42-47
Micturition, 68, 154
Miller, Dr. Creighton, 161,
57-58,
122,
Mimicry, 59, 91-92

Moll,
Dr..
152,
Phenomena
of hypnosis,
ments iu determining
experistages,
64-97
other experiments, 98-118
Physical methods of induction,
42-47
Physiology of hypnosis, 12
Planchette, 18-22
Post-hypnotic suggestion, 14-16,
100-102
Pre-conscious, 125
Pregnancy, 175
153,
186-187,
189
Monotony in method, 40-41, 52

Motor automatisms, 18-23
Multiple personality, 25
Munsterberg, Professor, 13
Myers, F. W. H., 3, 13, 22
Primary consciousness,
relation
secondary, 26-31
vaginismus, 173
Processes of induction, 42, 60
Psycho-analysis, method of. 125126
Psychology of suggestion, Sidis',
of, -with
N
Nancy
School. 2, 10, 47-49, 119

Negative hallucinations. 102-104
Nervousness, 174
Neuralgia, 166
Neurasthenia, 39, 154, 159-161
Nocturnal enuresis, 163
Nolan, Dr., 186
Obsessions. 161-162
Paralysis, functional, 154
muscular, 95
Parasthesias, 122
Passes as a method of induction,
42-43
certain
106-108
rigidity induced by. 79
effects of,
Passive attention, 24-25

Pavor nocturnus, 155
Personality in hypnotism, 11
multiple, 25
of operator, 38-39
subliminal, 13
Personal method of induction,
49-55
Petit mal, 180
Phenomena of hypnosis, 02-97
Psychotherapv, Munsterberg on,

13
R
Refiex action, 68-75
Repetition as a factor in suggestion, 36-38
Repressions of memory, 122-156
Richet, Professor, 69
Rigidity, muscular, as a hypnotic
phenomenon, 65, 70-75, 114-
118
Savage, Sir George, 162

Seasickness, 155, 175
Secondary or subliminal self, 3
13, 20, 59
Self-suggestion, 58, 109-111, 174
Sensory automatisms, 23-24
effects of light, stimuli, 112118
Sexual disorders, 154, 169-173
Sidis, Professor, 3, 6,
7,
40,
42,
59
conditions of suggestibility.
40, 41, 42
daring
Slackening,
muscular,
54,
induction, 41
Sleep, nature of hypnotic, 64
Sleeplessness.
See Insomnia
INDEX
Somnambulism, hypnotic,
9,
5,
14, 19. 26, 28, 64, 92, 96, 98
spontaneous, 154
Spectrum, analogy of range of

consciousness with solar, 27, 28
Spiritualism, 23
Stages of hypnosis as determined
by experiment, 64-97
Stages of hypnosis, comparison
with, ;of Liebeault and Bernheim, 94-97
summary of, 93
Stammering, 155, 174
Stimuli, effects of light sensory,
112-118
Sub-conscious memory, 13-14, 20
Sub-consciousness, the, bearing
on hypnosis, 27-31
evidence for existence of, 13-
relation of, to primary

sciousness, 26, 27
Subliminal
con-
195
Suggestion, test, 33-35, 55-56

treatment by, 119-183
Suggestions of induction during
experiments, 65
Susceptibility of neurasthenics,
159-161
of subjects in general, 39-40
123
T
Taplin, Dr. Betts, 56,181
Temperature, delusions
of,
Test suggestions, 33-35, 55-56

Toothache, cure of, 181
Touch, delusions of, 85-80, 111112
Treatment
by suggestion, 119-
183
Tuckey, Dr. Lloyd, 3, 120, 121
156, 186
Typical maladies for suggestive
treatment, 122-182
59
conditions
self. 3, 13, 20,
Suggestibility,
of, 40, 42
Sidis'
relation
with state of
hypnosis, 8
sensory stimuli and, 112-118
conditions
successful,
of,
Sidis'
U
Unconscious, the, 124, 125
Suggestion, effect of pre\'ious, on

subsequent hypnosis, 33-34,
67, 108-109
imperative, 65, 82-85
manner of conveying, 35-40
nature of, 2-3
post-hypnotic, 100-102
readily induced phenomena of,
4-6, 34
of
V
Vaginismus, primary, 173
Visual hallucinations, 9, 99
W
of patients, 60-61
Wetterstrand, Dr., 45, 154
Wakening
"Woods, Dr., 176
Y
Yearsley, Mr., 156
Yohimbe, 173
40-42
ILLIXG
AXD
85-
86, 111-112
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An Introduction To The Study of Hypnotism Experimental and Therapeutic by H. E. Wingfield (1920)

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AN INTRODUCTION

M.A., M.D.. B.C. Cantab.

HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION

intended mainly for those

are unacquainted with hypnotism, and aims at pro-

of suggestion in suitable cases.

fact that the

within a short time of publication encourages

present edition, which

trust that the

with an equally kind

detail, as I believe that a

essential to the practitioner

and though the various theories cannot be

before the reader the chief problems presented by the

To the chapter on treatment

account of cases bearing on Eepressed Memories, and

rapidly increasing in importance in view of

The definition of hypnosis

its bearing on hypnosial

METHODS OF THE INDUCTION OF HYPNOSIS

Test suggestions Manner of conveying sugmode Personality

gestions (Emphatic v. persuasive

SusceptibiUty of subjects) Conditions

Post-hypnotic suggestion Negative hallu Ansesthesia Other phenomena (Effects of

Introductory (Liebeault) Repressions (with note on Freud,

able to suggestion Typical maladies (Hysteria

THE CASE AGAINST HYPNOTISM

From immemorial times in the history of mankind

they were, of course, unrecognized as a group

That they had a common origin was

which he produced, yet to him must be ascribed the

drawing the attention

that the plieno.mcna emanated from

" sue invoked to explain the facts.

the general public, and influences

under the names

majority of the medical profession with that animosity

which invariably greets the discomposing pioneers

any unfamiliar idea.

last of the three,

supernormal emanations, but

gestion alone, acting on a subject whose suggestibility

This view, which has

been abundantly confirmed

by Li6beault and the

suggestion arrives at such results, and to define the

nature of the condition which

such a marked increase

these aims has to a

successfully accomplished, but the others

simply the implantation

the development of an idea in the mind of the

person experimented on.

The suggestion may come

from without or from the subject himself.

The Definition of Hypnosis.

Various attempts have been made to define hypnosis,

express the theories

authors hold as to the nature of hypnosis.

Myers regards suggestion as