514 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



movements determined by the lower portions of the nervous 

 system are exaggerated. A large number of animals are 

 susceptible to the production of this peculiar state. 



/Ks early as 1656 Kircher observed that a fowl held 

 with its head on the table, so that the gaze should be fixed 

 on a clialk line drawn in front of it, became motionless after 

 a short time ; he called this the experinientuiii mirabile. 

 The humble frog if placed on its back and released, at 

 once turns over into its normal position, but if kept on its 

 back in such a way that all movements are gently sup- 

 pressed with the head held rigid, it becomes after a few 

 minutes motionless, and remains in this attitude for a little 

 time, a hypnotised frog. 



Rabbits, guinea pigs, birds and reptiles can all be 

 brought into the same state by the use of similar methods. 

 In a French poultry-yard refractory hens who persisted in 

 sitting on addled eggs have been profoundly hypnotised 

 by holding their heads under their wings ; they have been 

 then placed, when in the state of hypnotic sleep, on a new 

 batch of sound eggs, and, what is more remarkable, have 

 on being wakened at once accepted the responsibilities of 

 the new situation. 



The distinction between hypnotic and ordinary sleep is 

 further accentuated by the circumstance that the former 

 change is one which may develop into other striking mani- 

 festations of nervous activity. If the closed eyes of a 

 guinea-pig, appropriately hypnotised, are opened and a 

 bright light allowed to flash upon them, the animal does 

 not necessarily wake up and behave like a reasonable 

 guinea pig, instead of doing so it may become cataleptic ; 

 all the muscles suddenly stiffen, owing to an uncontrollable 

 rush of energy from the abnormally excitable nervous 

 system. Similar phases of hypnotic existence may occur 

 in man ; the resultin:;- muscular contractions being so pro- 

 nounced that the individual may lie stiff, with merely the 

 head and feet on two chairs, not yielding even when the 

 stoutest member of the audience at the hypnotic seance is 

 called up, and seats himself, at the request of the operator, 

 upon the hypnotic's abdomen. 



