Hypnotic Suggestion

Southland Times, Issue 19036, 2 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

Hypnotic Suggestion

(Argus.)

From time immemorial hypnotism has proved a fascinating study to mankind, and since Mesiner, a French physician, claimed to cure diseaees merely by laying his hands upon his patients it has been the subject of much scientific investigation. The committee appointed to enquire into the prcvk:ence of inebrity and methods for its cure mentioned in the report, which it presented to the Chief Secretary, that •• hypnotic suggestion " was one of the means employed to treat the disease, and recommended that the use of this, together with other kinds of treatment, should be brought under Government control. The Itev. I)r Bevan, who was chairmaa of the committee, was therefore asked on Thursday what the committee had learnt in respect | to hypnotic suggestion, and he replied : —

"In our investigation we found that hypnotic suggestion was being used as a remedial agent for inebriety, and naturally we followed up the subject, and inquired into the various cases in which it had been employed. In New South Wales we examined Dr. (.'reed — who has done more than anyone else, I suppose, inth&t State to get the. Government to move in this matter of the treatment of inebriety — and we discovered that he is a linn believer in the use of hypnotic suggestion in medical practise, ami has used it. especially in casee of inebriety, with, he says, very grout success. "" Then we were informed by one of the nhysicians in charge of the insane in Sydney that he had several cases which he had successfully trented by hypnotic suggestion, and consequently he also is a firm believer in its use.. Dut there were certain circumstances of difficulty in the case of one of the insane in which he had employed it, and whilst he was very successful, yet in the case of a relapse it was accompanied by conditions that made him feel somewhat unwilling* to employ it. We also learnt that there are several doctors in Melbourne who believe in hypnotic suggestion, and regard it as of considerable importance, but in . all instances we found that both those who employed it and those who inquired into it felt that it was an agency which it wus necessary to safeguard. " Pursuing qur inquiries, we ascertained that it is being taken up by various persons who are not qualified medical men, but who have given a great deal of study to* the subject, and there is not tho slightest doubt that it is a very powerful agent. This is proved by the number of clinics in Austria, France and Scandinavia who have taken it up, and to whom patients have been sent from this country. These gentlemen are recognised as thoroughly scientific men. Still there is a general impression in the profession that there i.s peril in the employment of hypnotic suggestion, and it was this which induced us to plape the cautionary sentiments which you have referred to in our report, in order that the subject may receive the attention of the Government, and have

very distinct legal cognisance

for example, the registration of those who practise it, and the necessity for the presence of a third per* son, beside the operator and the patient, when the force is being employed."

Did you enquire into the eflicacy of hypnotic suggestion as applied to other diseases ?

" No ; not exactly. Th»t was not in our province. We had merely to deal with it as one of tho methods for curing inebriety. Beyond that we could not go, but it was impossible for us to miss seeing that not only has it been used for inebriety but for many other diseases. For instance, operations of the most severe character are now performed simply under the action of hypnotic suggestion. Teeth are extracted, and there are cases in which the most delicate operations have been performed on the

internal organs without the use of anaesthetics and entirely under the influence of hypnotic suggestion." Did you find that this power was being abused"?

"We cannot say that. We did not discover any case of abuse. We received three classes of testimony from experts : — (1) Those wno'do not believe in it at all, and who are inclined to regard it largely as fraudulent ; (2) those who believe it is a. really powerful agency, but think it mischievous and (2) those who do not consider it harmful. Tha,t was why we put that warning in our recommendations.-' '

Did you witness any demonstrations of the effect of hypnotic suggestions ?

" Yea. There were some very interesting cases that we saw and that were under our observation, tut as they were of a -private character I cannot give particulars — yes, very remarkable—l might almost say extraordinary. It was made quite evident that by means of suggestion there can be created either a nausea, which immediately follows the taking of drink, or a distinct prevention by a sort. of almost check of the will. It was suggested to a person that if he drank some liquor he would be instantly sick, and this happened iintaken. and administer it in another case it was suggested that the patient should not be able to take a particular drug, and although a determined endeavour was made to drink it he could not swallow it. It was remarkable — truly remarkable. And when an attempt was made to alter the form in which the drug was tapen, and administer it in another way, the patient could not tako it even then."

Did this take place while the patient was hypnotised ? «

: " Oh, no ; not while he was under the influence, ibut when he had re-' covered from the hypnotic state, ond was in his ordinary condition."

Did his will power appear to be impaired in any other way ? V No, on the contrary, it was stronger, because previously there had been a distinct loss of power

from the use of drugs. The idea is that a. m. aJ i lias, Jo pc n/eyeutea from

taking drinlc- or drugs,, aiul... by envploying"restorative measur.es oi, sorts he recovers his natural, physical condition and then when the desire conies again for either the suggestion, which has been given him while he was in the hypnotic state, sometimes apparently by rendering him unable to lift the glass to his mouth."

Then does tho operator substitute his will for that of his patient ?

" That is not at all the theory, so far as hypnotic suggestion is applied to inebriety, at any rate. because what is supposed to bo the exercise of the will of the operator upon the patient is not regarded now as that, but it is thought that the suggestions are really the suggestions of the patient himself. The theory is that whero" hypnotic sleep is caused Certain brain or nerve conditions are set aside in the slumber, are thrown out of work, if you will, and that others which hnvu lain dormant, been suspended or weakened, are set going again at the suggestion of the operator. liy removal of the former the latter are restored to activity, and recover their strength. The description of hypnotic suggestion in st oiios and by novelists seems to be absolutely false."

Is not the patient subject to the operator — is his will not subordinate to that of the operator afterwards?

" Our investigations do not seem to show that, but ilii'io appears to bo a bond of sympathy between the two somewhat of the same nature as that which .subsists between old friends. I would, however, like to again emphasise tin 1 fact that n large number of scientific and careful observers do not feel that the use of hypnotism is permissible except under very strict, care, it iff the opinion of many that while It may prove a curative measure under certain conditions, it might also givt rise to disturbances in the human system of a very • serious character. In these circumstances it becomes all the more necessary to pursue the inquiry into the subject, and certainly to do all that tan be done to pre. vent hypnotic suggestion being abused."