USE OF HYPNOTISM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11404, 3 January 1931, Page 9

USE OF HYPNOTISM

BOOT SALESMAN FINED £SO

POSING- AS A DOCTOR

Unusual evidence of hypnotic influence having boon used- upon an invalid girl by a man who posed as a doctor was given at the Police Court at Collingwood, Melbourne, recently, in the case in which William Joseph Young, boot salesman, was charged with having, not being registered in accordance with the Medical Act, pretended to ho a doctor.' The Rev. F. A. Hagenauer, Presbyterian minister,' said that on October 10, in response to a summons by Young, ho went to a house in East Melbourne, and saw a girl, Jean Spring, who was a member of his congregation. She was aged about 17 years. The girl was screaming with evident agony. Young was holding her hand, and her' whole body was convulsively shaking. Young placed his hand on the girl’s head, and she immediately stopped screaming, and gave a smile of recognition. Witness commented on tho girl’s condtion, and Young said: “I have been selected especially to look, after the case by St. Vincent’s . Hospital, because I am the only one who under-. stands it. She is suffering from a disease which I cannot divulge until the British Medical Association is satisfied that I have successfully treated it.”

Tho next day witness said he again visited the girl. Y T oung apparently put her to sleep for two hours. She had had the same manifestations of agony as on th'e pievio is clay. Young admitted that he had employed hypnotism to induce sleep. When the girl woke she showed no sign of pain. Witness believed that she was suffering from no illness. Mr. Hagenauer added that as the result of inquiries, at St. Vincent’s Hospital he had learned that Young was not a medical man. He had seen the girl since Young’? arrest, and she had not manifested the previous symptoms. . Young had not been successful in hypnotising him. Adam Spring, grocer, gave evidence that Young had told him that he was a-professor of pathology, and was engaged in medical research work. Jean Spring had admitted to witness that Y r oung had hypnotised her.

Counsel for Young said that there had been no suggestion of money in the actions of Young. They were foolish rather than serious.

Mr. O’Callaghan, P.M., said that, the most serious aspect of the case was the fact that Young exercised a dangerous gift on the girl, and .attempted to exercise it on Mr. Hagenauer. It was a case calling for a substantial penalty, and he would impose the maximum fine of £SO, with £5 5s costs. .