HYPNOTISM. 385 



take advantage of it for a nefarious purpose. This danger 

 can and should always be avoided by giving the person, 

 before awakening him, the suggestion that he cannot be 

 hypnotised against his will by any one, or that he is only 

 suggestable to the present hypnotiser. The Nancy school 

 have shown that by these means the possible dangers of 

 hypnosis can be rendered quite inappreciable. 



These remarkable results of hypnotic suggestion evidently 

 afford a sufEcient explanation of the many " faith-cures " 

 which are recorded as having been wrought, in all ages, at 

 various shrines, and of which even to-day, as at Lourdes, false 

 interpretations are given. 



CharcoVs three stages. — Charcot has described three stages 

 of hypnosis : lethargy, catalepsy, somnambulism. The lethar- 

 gic state is produced by the person fixing his eyes on a 

 moderately bright object, or by pressure on the eyes. The 

 person appears as if profoundly asleep, with relaxed muscles 

 and eyes nearly or quite closed. Verbal suggestions are not 

 accepted. The most characteristic feature is a hyperexcita- 

 bility of the muscles and nerves, so that if a muscle be 

 pressed on, it contracts, or if a nerve be compressed the 

 muscles supplied by it contract ; e.g. if the ulnar nerve be 

 pressed upon at the elbow, the griffe cubitale is produced. 

 The catalejjtic state may be brought about by a sudden 

 sensory stimulus ; e.g. by a loud sound as given by a gong, 

 or by opening the eyes of a person in a lethargic state. The 

 eyes are widely open, with a staring," impassive gaze. Verbal 

 suggestions have little if any effect. The characteristic 

 feature is that the limbs preserve the attitude in which 

 they are placed, and any one of these attitudes can be easily 

 altered to another, the limbs feeling as if made of wax — a 

 flexilibitas cerea. The soinyiamhitlistic state is produced by 

 continuous feeble sensory stimuli, or by suggestion of sleep ; 



