THE LAW OF HYPNOTISM, 
BY K. S. HYER. 
The numerous allusions in current literature to the phenomena of 
hypnotism, “mind reading,” “telepathy,” “telekinetics,” etc., are 
generally of such nature as to show a very prevalent belief that certain 
favored minds possess unique powers, by virtue of which they may so 
rise above the old limitations as to act directly upon matter, to endow 
other minds with new capacities, to suppress them into slavery, or to rob 
them of their most secret thoughts. Such views have been explicitly 
stated by the editors of widely circulated magazines. They are clearly 
implied in such popular novels as Trilby , The Fair God , and Mr. Isaacs. 
The foundation upon which this belief chiefly rests is the fact that the 
singular, yet unquestionably genuine, phenomena first made generally 
known by Mesmer, have not been explained by any investigator to the 
complete satisfaction of all who are recognized as having a right to an 
opinion on this subject. Of hypnotism Mr. Edward Gurney has truly 
remarked, “for so short a span of existence few sciences have been so 
prolific of theories, presented so often simultaneously and with but little 
attempt at mutual refutation.” 
The commission appointed by the French Academy to investigate the 
claims of Mesmer reported that his results, instead of being due to a 
“ hitherto undiscovered force,” “ specific influence,” or “ occult power,” 
were but the products of the excited imaginations of his subjects. 
To Dr. Braid of Manchester is usually ascribed the honor of being the 
first to attempt a scientific explanation of the phenomena,—the report of 
the aforesaid commission being considered descriptive rather than ex¬ 
planatory. From the fact observed by him that paralysis and even coma 
might be induced by protracted gazing at a brilliant object, and also 
by such other means as pi’oduce fatigue in a sensory organ, he concluded 
that Mesmeric phenomena have a physiological origin; and he applied to 
them the term Neurohypnotism. 
This view that it was a “ nerve sleep” was further extended by Prof. 
Heidenhain. The pressure of his thumb against that of his subjects would 
be followed by the paralysis of any muscle or set of muscles that he had 
designated. These results he ascribed to nervous disturbances originated 
by external stimuli, and transmitted to the outer cells of the brain; 
where, if the original disturbance had been intense, the effect would be 
(1) 
