8o6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



inches from the subject, so that there is a considerable convergence of 

 the eyes, and rather above the level of the eyes, so that he is obliged 

 to look upward. The subject is told to look steadily at the piece of 

 glass, and to keep his whole attention fixed upon it. This position is 

 kept up for five to ten minutes ; during this time the pupils will prob- 

 ably dilate considerably, often assuming a slight rhythmic contraction 

 and dilation ; when this is the case, the free hand is moved slowly 

 from the object toward the eyes. If the subject is sensitive, the eyes 

 will usually close with a vibratory motion. In some cases the subject 

 is then unable to open them, and the usual mesmeric phenomena can 

 be obtained. If, when the operator brings his hand near the eyes of 

 the subject, the subject instead of closing them follows the movements 

 of the fingers, the whole proceeding is repeated, but the subject is 

 told to close his eyes when the fingers are brought near them, but to 

 keep them fixed in the same direction as before, and to continue to 

 think of the object and that only. The operator then for some min- 

 utes makes " passes," bringing his warm hands over and close to the 

 face of the subject in one direction. When the subject is inclined to 

 pass into the cataleptic state, an indication of his condition may be 

 obtained by gently raising his arm ; if he is beginning to be mesmer- 

 ized, the arm remains in the position in which it is placed. If the arm 

 falls, the mesmeric state may not infrequently be hastened on by tell- 

 ing the subject to keep his arm extended while he is still gazing at 

 the object, or while the passes are being made. And that is the whole 

 of the process. The man thus mesmerized sinks from manhood to a 

 highly complicated piece of machinery. He is a machine which for a 

 time is conscious, and in which ideas can be excited by appropriate 

 stimulation ; any one acquainted with the machinery can set it in 

 action. 



The distinguishing feature of the earlier stages of mesmerism in 

 man is that by slight stimulation any one center can be easily set in 

 violent activity, and its activity easily stopped, without the activity 

 spreading to other distant centers. It is on this that the mesmeric 

 phenomena usually exhibited depend ; with most of these phenomena 

 you are no doubt familiar, so that I need mention one or two only. 



Complicated reflexes may be produced in various ways, just as we 

 have seen is the case with a frog even when without its cerebral hemi- 

 spheres. Thus Braid mentions that on one occasion an old lady who 

 had never danced, and who indeed considered it a sinful pastime, 

 when mesmerized began to dance as soon as a waltz-tune was played. 



A statement made to a subject will often produce implicit belief, 

 notwithstanding the evidence of his senses. I remember telling a 

 subject that I was about to bring a hot body near his face, and he was 

 to tell me when it was painful. I put my finger on his cheek, upon 

 which he cried out violently that I was burning him. When he was 

 awakened he remembered that I had .touched him with something 



