CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 140, 15 June 1891, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

« HYPNOTISM,

(To the Editor.) Sin,—As Madame Cora's season at the City Hall commences this evening, I am unable to answer Dr. Bakowoll's letter in the issue of tho " Herald " before Tuesday morning. I bog to bo permitted to do so, briefly, in your issue of the Stak this evening, as such a letter, coming as it does from tho pen of an M.D., might tend to prejudice those who might otherwise feel disposed to oiler themselves as subject* for Madame Cora's exposition. I pointed out in my letter in the "Herald" for Saturday last that all sciences involve the element of danger in their nascent treatment. I now ask any human being gifted with ordinary intelligence the question : Are scientists to bo prosecuted by Government for introducing to the world the results ot their scientific discovery? We do not in the present age think so much of the benefits likely to accrue to tho individual, as we do to the great bulk of the human race. Is it not a fact that some ot tho greatest discoveries of chemists and medical specialists have, from time to time, roused the indignation of thoto opposed to their theories ? Take, for instance, tho theory of vacciuation as a prophylactic for smallpox. Can any reasonable being deny* its untold efficacy aa a positive means of eradicating one of the most baneful and deadly diseases' that " flesh is heir to ':" And yet, unfortunately., many lives have been sacriticod through the administration of its treatment. I know of more than one family who attribute a most loathsome disease to the vaccine lymph. Again, we have but to review the effects which liavo resulted from Dr. Koch's bacillus. Many lives Lave been lost, but on tho other hand, many have been saved. Doctors disagree as to the efficacy of Dr. Koch's remedy as tbey invariably disagree on many other theories. Permit me to remind Dr. Bakewell that many eminent members of his profession ha\ T e made serious errors in their methods of treatment, and quite recently we had some experience of medical blunderinn: in Auckland. I have in my posession fully one hundredfcestimonialsfroiM surgeons and physicians in all parts of the world who have recorded their testimony as to the value of hypnotism as a curative art. Madame Cora i 3 well known in many parts of the world as a successful exponent of hypnotism, and she has not, so far, received any intimation of serious results following the exposition of her lectures.—l am, etc., A. Hesby Fawcbtt, 8.A., Agent for Madame Cora.