POPULAR MISCELLANY. 



279 



ing from a quarter of a minute to five min- 

 utes, to a bath of water at 50, in which he 

 took notice of the temperature of the sub- 

 ject during the exposure and every five 

 minutes in succeeding hours. During the 

 application of the cold, while the subject 

 showed every sign of very intense sensa- 

 tions, the temperature of the body hardly 

 varied at all, or, at most, less than half a 

 degree from that recorded in the beginning. 

 It still varies but little after the application 

 is over, if, having been diied and dressed, 

 the subject remains perfectly still ; but if 

 he exert himself actively, either immediately 

 or after a time of immobility, so as to bring 

 on the external phenomena of cold reaction^ 

 the temperature suddenly falls. The reduc- 

 tion persists for several hours, and is more 

 pronounced as the sensation of heat in the 

 subject ifi stronger. On the other hand, if 

 chill continue or reappear, the animal tem- 

 perature either does not fall or begins to 

 rise again. The pulse suddenly becomes 

 very quick at the beginning of the cold ap- 

 plication ; its velocity diminishes after a few 

 seconds, and by the end of the experiment 

 returns to the original rate, or falls below it. 

 The retardation stops or progresses slowly 

 if the subject keeps quiet, but becomes 

 more pronounced and persL?tent as he gives 

 signs of energetic reaction and of a general 

 sensation of heat. 



The Reality of Hypnotic Phenomena, 



The "Lancet" publishes an article of 

 Dr. Charles Richet, considering the reality 

 of the phenomena of hypnotism. It is im- 

 possible to fix upon a decisive test in this 

 inatter. We know that a fact is scientifi- 

 cally certain when the phenomenon, which 

 is the evidence of it, can be reproduced at 

 will by all persons who will use the same 

 processes, as in the case of any chemical or 

 physical manipulation. The phenomena of 

 hypnotism are uncertain, intangible, and 

 variable ; different persons, even though 

 employing identical processes, are liable 

 to obtain very different results. The only 

 absolute sign possible is one's own experi- 

 ence, and that is applicable only to himself. 

 There are, however, certain arguments which 

 bear upon the ease with almost, if not quite, 

 the force of a demonstration. First, it is ab- 

 surd to suppose that all hypnotized persons 



have simulated sleep. Friends, in whom we 

 have absolute confidence, may be among 

 them; it is not possible to believe that they 

 have conspired all at once to deceive us. 

 Second, a close agreement has prevailed 

 among certain of the phenomena of the 

 manifestations for sixty years. " That 

 would be a very strange simulation to be 

 reproduced so often, in so long a time, 

 with the same appearances closed eyelids, 

 fibrillar movements in the muscles of the 

 face, hallucinations of vision and hearing, 

 catalepsy, contracture" and this among 

 persons strangers to each other and who 

 may be wholly ignorant of hypnotism. 

 Third, many of the phenomena can not 

 be simulated without a profound knowl. 

 edge of anatomy and physiology, which 

 hardly any hypnotics possess. When the 

 nerves of the hypnotized person are pressed, 

 the muscles supplied by them contract. 

 Who among them knows what muscles 

 should act under the influence of a par- 

 ticular nerve? Yet no mistake is made. 

 "With somnambulists one can, by direct 

 incitation, cause contraction of the muscles 

 (rudimentary in man) moving the auricle 

 of the ear. Now, this contraction is im- 

 possible in the individuiil when awake." 

 With a certain hysteric, who came under 

 Dr. Riehet's observation, " by opening the 

 right eye aphasia was produced ; while, by 

 opening the left eye, no such effect was ob- 

 tained. Certainly, if this be simulation, one 

 must assume that the patient knows that 

 speech is affected by the left cerebral hemi- 

 sphere, and that the retina of the right eye 

 is in relation with this hemisphere, while 

 the right hemisphere is useless for speech." 

 The hysterical contractures afford equally 

 convincing evidence. "There is no indi- 

 vidual strong enough to preserve volunta- 

 rily the contraction of a muscle during a 

 quarter of an hour without one perceiving 

 in it the slightest tendency to weakness 

 or relaxation. Now, somnambulists main- 

 tain their contractures for many hours, and 

 on waking they have no recollection of, no 

 fatigue from, this prolonged and improb- 

 able effort." Again, insensibility may be 

 feigned ; " but how many persons are there 

 who would have the courage to bear, with- 

 out serious reason, pricks in the face, on 

 the nostrils, or bands ; to allow their hair 



