74 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



strangest of all, that of the magnet's influence, we must assume 

 that it, like the static electricity of the plate electric machine pro- 

 duces with its high tension a state of extreme hyperaesthesia, or 

 impressibility, so that the impression made upon the sensory centres 

 from the right arm irritation, is now great enough to excite through 

 the commissural fibres the same reflex action on the left side. But 

 further, it was found that on removing the tourniquet from the right 

 arm the contractures of the left gradually relaxed, and the con- 

 tractures came back again in the right arm, but slowly and not very 

 completely. 



We must confess that we have present what seem to be at first 

 two contradictory phenomena : (a) anaemia producing hyper-excita- 

 bility in one arm, (b) while in the other tonic magnetic influence has 

 produced, at least as far as effects go, a similar state of great 

 sensibility. 



But though we may fail in fully explaining this peculiar condition, 

 yet I think we can gain at least one step in advance by noticing an 

 explanation given by Dr. Broadbent concerning some of the causes 

 of paralysis from hemorrhage into the corpora striata and thalami 

 optici. He thinks it can be shown that where the muscles of cor- 

 responding parts of the body constantly act in concert the nerve 

 nuclei of these muscles are so connected by commissural fibres as to 

 be pro tanto a single nucleus. Now supposing that the magnetic 

 influence has greatly increased the impressibility of the left side we 

 may fairly infer that the reflex action setting forth from the sensorial 

 nucleus which was impressed by the irritation on the right side, and 

 which caused the tonic contraction of muscles in the right arm (being 

 of a certain quantity which we may call as), has been transferred to 

 that muscle having the greater temporary conductibility. Thus we 

 have now relaxation in the muscles of the right arm, and the pheno- 

 menon of tonic contraction in those of the left. Let us now remove 

 the temporary stimulus of the magnet and we have the original im- 

 pression made upon the nucleus, again transferred to the right arm 

 but in a greatly diminished degree, since this side has again become 

 that of greatest excitability. 



Before closing there is another condition induced in patients whilst 

 in the hypnotic state so strange — we might say marvellous — and 

 unusual that it demands some few remarks. I refer to the remark 

 already made that, when the one eye of a hypnotized patient is 



