160 BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN PROBLEMS 



fluence a suggestional quality comparable to that 

 gained over adults by the aid of hypnotism. The 

 parents have the enormous advantage over the 

 hypnotist of being able to employ their influence 

 frequently and at short intervals, and at chosen 

 times. The weakness of hypnotic suggestion lies in 

 the difficulty of employing it with such frequency 

 and at such times as will make it most effective in 

 forcing the right choice of conduct on the subject 

 when the better influences are in danger of being 

 overcome by evil ones. And again, there are many 

 persons so constituted and of such a grade of intel- 

 ligence, sensibility, and will that they cannot lend 

 themselves to effective suggestions either in the 

 waking state or in sleep. But as to the morality 

 of attempting such suggestion, we should feel no 

 more doubt than we do as to the morality of influ- 

 encing a child by the methods of education or the 

 appeals of art or religion or patriotism. Yet the 

 cases for the use of hypnotism must be chosen with 

 the utmost caution and intelligence, and hypnotic 

 suggestion should be used only after suggestion in 

 the waking state has proved of no avail. 



How far is it possible to modify physiological 

 functions by means of hypnotic suggestion? This 

 is a question of real significance for every one who 

 wishes to weigh intelligently the many claims which 

 are made in a hundred forms to-day all over the 

 western world. For our opinion of what is accom- 

 plished at Lourdes, or by Christian Science, or by the 



