HYPNOTISM 



2898 



HYPNOTISM 



Charcot, Liebault, Bernheim and others in 

 France, and led tt> the recognition of suggestion 

 (which see) as the decisive clue to the phe- 

 nomena. It was completed by the recognition 

 that suggestibility was but a symptom, and 

 that the dissociated state of the hypnotized pa- 

 tient was the essential factor. 



What is altered in hypnosis is the manner of 

 report and control of sensations and move- 

 ments; what is seen, heard, felt and done is 

 referred to a restricted type of consciousness 

 dissociated from the normal, complete variety. 

 As the sleepwalker sees enough to guide his 

 footsteps, but is oblivious to the presence of 

 those who may be observing him, so the hyp- 

 notized subject responds to the suggestion of 

 the operator, both positively and negatively. 

 If told that a lion has entered the room, he 

 will see the hallucinated lion; or if a chair be 

 pointed to as a lion, it will become one. If 

 told that the chair has vanished, he no longer 

 sees it. The scene may be dramatically enacted 

 with fear, hiding, shouting or attack. It was 

 this unlimited possibility of control of actions 

 by the operator that was utilized in the per- 

 formance of traveling hypnotists; their sub- 

 jects were put through ridiculous and straining 

 performances; the suggestion of a scene was 

 given, and the performers continued the action 

 according to their experience and capacity. In 

 all this there was little enlightenment beyond 

 proof of the readiness with which the state 

 could be induced in susceptible persons and the 

 variety of suggestions which could be imposed. 



By systematic study it was found that within 

 the limited field the senses were spontaneously, 

 or could be rendered unusually, acute; faint 

 sounds could be heard, fine print read, discrim- 

 inations of touch and temperature made beyond 

 ordinary capacity. Motor control was similarly 

 involved. Actions beyond ordinaiy strength 

 were performed; similarly, by suggestion, pa- 

 ralysis could be induced, partial or complete. 

 Actual sensations were suggested away, and the 

 sense of pain and strain disappeared. Ordi- 

 narily upon a return to the waking condition, 

 there was no recollection of what had taken 

 place. Very striking were the post-hypnotic 

 suggestions; it might be suggested that after 

 a specified interval after awakening the subject 

 would fetch an umbrella and open it, or write 

 a card, or ask a question. At the proper time 

 the subject becomes restless and seeing im- 

 pelled to perform the prescribed action, though 

 then quite conscious of the impulse which he 

 cannot resist. 



No brief summary of the variety of hypnotic 

 behavior is possible. The essential fact is the 

 state of dissociation. A part of sensation, 

 movement and mental action proceeds in iso- 

 lation from the rest; what is retained and what 

 is lost, what powers are exalted and what re- 

 duced, depends upon the riature of the con- 

 tracted and dissociated field, as it arises from 

 within the subject or is imposed from without 

 by suggestion. What is in abeyance is the nor- 

 mal sway of consciousness and control which 

 would set up a resistance to the imposed sug- 

 gestion, recognize the unreality of the delusion, 

 break the spell of the imposed control. Why 

 certain persons should be susceptible to such 

 dissociation is not readily determined; it is a 

 part of nervous liability, as is proven by the 

 established connection between the extreme 

 hypnotic suggestibility and the hysterical con- 

 dition. 



Selecting from the mass of data the more 

 essential facts, we may note first the anes- 

 thesia, which shows how completely the normal 

 channels of sensation may be blocked, for the 

 most serious operations have been performed 

 in the hypnotic condition; we note the use of 

 hypnoois.to cure hysterical incapacity and such 

 states as insomnia; we note that hypnosis acts 

 as a clue to natural states of dissociation and 

 secures lost power of control by removing men- 

 tal obstructions; and we note that the disso- 

 ciation is nev^r complete, which means that 

 there is some sort of intercourse between the 

 functions as exercised and the normal relation. 

 All of these results are valuable in theory and 

 practice. They give an entirely different value 

 to the hypnotic state and require a technical 

 knowledge for their interpretation and their 

 wise application. 



Hypnotism is not a toy for amusement; and 

 public exhibitions have been largely con- 

 demned. It is an instrument in the hands of 

 psychologists for the analyses of complex men- 

 tal states and in the hands, of physicians for 

 rectifying nervous disabilities and restoring 

 mental adjustment. It is readily open to abuse 

 and is only one of several methods to be em- 

 ployed with care and discretion. Its history 

 is interesting and in no respect more so than 

 the light which it throws upon suggestibility 

 and the shrewdness with which the hypnotic 

 subject displays the results expected of him. 



A few words upon hypnotic tmsceptibility 

 and the mode of hypnotizing may be added. 

 The state (of dissociation) is or 3 of degree, 

 and falls into lighter and deeper , stages. Sta- ] 



