HYPNOTISM. 603 



part of the subject, tliat the effects will occur. Since almost 

 fill the phenomeua yet to be described are effects of thi& 

 heightened suggestibility, I will say no more under the 

 general head, but proceed to illustrate the peculiarity in 

 detail. 



Effects on the voluntary muscles seem to be those most 

 easily got ; and the ordinary routine of hypnotizing con- 

 sists in provoking them first. Tell the patient that he can- 

 not open his eyes or his mouth, cannot unclasp his hands 

 or lower his raised arm, cannot rise from his seat, or pick 

 up a certain object from the floor, and he will be immedi- 

 ately smitten with absolute impotence in these regards. 

 The effect here is generally due to the involuntary contrac- 

 tion of antagonizing muscles. But one can equally well 

 suggest paralysis, of an arm for example, in which case it 

 will hang perfectly placid by the subject's side. Cataleptic 

 and tetanic rigidity are easily produced by suggestion, 

 aided by handling the parts. One of the favorite shows at 

 public exhibitions is that of a subject stretched stiff as a 

 board with his head on one chair and his heels on another. 

 The cataleptic retention of impressed attitudes differs from 

 voluntary assumption of the same attitude. An arm volun- 

 tarily held out straight will drop from fatigue after a 

 quarter of an hour at the utmost, and before it falls the 

 agent's distress will be made manifest by oscillations in the 

 arm, disturbances in the breathing, etc. But Charcot has 

 shown that an arm held out in hypnotic catalepsy, though 

 it may as soon descend, yet does so slowly and with no ac- 

 companying vibration, whilst the breathing remains entirely 

 calm. He rightly points out that this shows a profound 

 physiological change, and is proof positive against simula- 

 tion, as far as this symptom is concerned. A cataleptic 

 attitude, moreover, may be held for many hours. — Some- 

 times an expressive attitude, clinching of the fist, contrac- 

 tion of the brows, will gradually set up a sympathetic 

 action of the other muscles of the body, so that at last a 

 tableau vivant of fear, anger, disdain, prayer, or other emo- 

 tional condition, is produced with rare perfection. This 

 effect would seem to be due to the suggestion of the men- 

 tal state by the first contraction. Stammering, aphasia, or 



