A Strange Sect, and Trial by Hypnotism.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

A Strange Sect, and Trial by Hypnotism.

The' Madrid correspondent of an English Paper, telegraphing on Ist December, says:—Your readers may remember that some time ago I drew attention to a very remarkable'phase'of religious fanaticism in the little village of Tolox, in the province of Malaga, which had led to a State prose' eution. The "devotees of the religion, I may call to mind, took it into their heads, or rather were led ■to believe by their leader, a woman who declared herself a prophetess, that the highest form of religion was to conduct the mundane affairs of this life -in the Simple garb of Adam and Eve before the Fall. This was bad enough, and led, -as I have said, to "the -intervention of the Crown; but it "was not their only divergence *fr'birH>ho ■-ways of'ordinary mortals, another portion 'of their 'doctrine being to inflict upon themselves 'wounds in the •htfhds, brettßtfand feet, such as are shown in representations of tnecrncifixion. They alsoburnt all, or nearly all, their worldly possessions, in the belief that a higher pdwer would provide them with food. Their behaviour, indeed, was such that, as stated, the Government felt called upon to interfere, and a day or two/ago a number of the leaders of this strange sect were put ujibn their trial. Already'the most extraordinary revelations have been made, apart from what^may be called; the spiritual manifestations which these misguided people deClare have been made to them.

The most interesting feature in connec.tion with the trialhas been the experiments in "hypnoiisiri which liave been made on the defendants by medical specialists, this being 'the first time that hypnotism has been resorted tor fn Spain'in the interests of justice. In nearly every, case the defertdarits proved to ■be "gbbd" subjects. 'Many of "the experiments tried by the doctors were of the most extraordinary character. One of the accuselii for instance, when in a state 'bf hypnotism, on being ordered to r perspire, br'bke but almost instantly in a state of profuse'p'erspjration ; while another, who was ordered to ascend a very high mountain, beiftg the'while in an Ordinary room, behaVeo.sas'if he wereactually 'climbing, 'bis breathing becoming difficult and his heart; beating 'violently. • rWhen .this .man was foid'that'he'had reached the summit and might rest awhile, tho symptoms -of exhaustion gradually ■ disappeared. Others werepflSck'ed with loftg pins, and gave no evidence 'bi feeling what "was being done to them.

The trial will last -several days longer, and will probablyresult in merely nominal punishments being imposed upon the accused, who for the most part-seem to be merely harmless, weak-minded people.