MUSIC-HALL HYPNOTISM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 664, 15 November 1909, Page 7

MUSIC-HALL HYPNOTISM.

"BLOODLESS SURGERY." MEDICAL STUDENTS ATTACK BODIE. (By Telejraph-Prcst Association-Copyrfßtil.l London, Novomber 12. There are violent scones nightly at tho Glasgow Coliseum, whore "Dr." Watford Bodie, a music-hall hypnotist who was lately exposed iu tho Law Courts, professes to give demonstrations of ."bloodless surgery." Bodio was covorcd with eggs and flour. A thousand infuriated medical students attamptod to carry Bodie to the River Kelvin, but tho police rescued him. The loader of the students has warned Bodie to leave Glasgow. 1 BODIE DESCRIBES HIS METHODS. HOLDS THEM WITH HIS "GLITTERING EYE." " Music-hall hypnotism is somewhat prominently bofijre the public just now, both in Britain and!in America.■ The case in the United States had a fatal result,' the tranco patient, named Simpson, dying through rupture of the aorta, due'it is said'to tho action of the hypnotist (one Evorston) in jumping on his chest to show how thoroughly hypnotised tho subject was. The recent history of Bodie is contained in the following London cablegram, dated November 5:—"A music-hall hypnotist, named Bodie, who has been before the public for many yean, has been ordered to refund JCIOOO to a student whom ho promised to teach bloodless surgery. Remarkable electrical demonstrations were given in Mr. Justice Darling's Court, which proved tho man to be a quack." A' Disc With a Bright Point.

•'■■■''■ "Dr." Wnlfbrd Bo(iip has, been the ! public at .Home"for:some years' as, 7 a Jstage exponent of,; ; hypnotism,, 'mental suggestion; magnetic touch,, clairvoyance, and telepathy, and in his "Bodie: Boor' signs 'himself ','Pellow of the Boyal Meteorological Sooiety, member, of the Eoyal Society of .Arts,i; Freeman -of. the City of London, of the Eoyal Colonial Institute, CM. Barrett -College,'. Ph. D. 'and 8.56; Chicago College of Medicine and Surgory." His alleged powers of magnetism' he' modestly '.terms'■ ''Bodfe" force. After- a recital .of .the '."cures'. * he. had - effected, he . says :-r"ln, effecting" thesd cures I have only been the instrument'of tho higher forces," and; right .through'the.book'are instances of;•' the exoggorated ego of tho showman; On'thoquestionjof..hypnotism, tTDr.'Mßodio writes:— > "The method.l'use myseif /is a combination of those employed by Braid,'.,the hypnotist, and' Baron•' :;tner.'mesme,risti - patient in-;a jcbmfortable;chair, and,, handing him/a ;disc Ijntli 'tif.pright,poitit,,in it,ask'him to gazp;.intentlyfon the point. 1 ,.Th0 disc I use,, is a combination of silver,',mercury, zincj and copper .'-'lts' action is vflltaic and.'scts on a mild current.-along .the',norve3..; l 'sVihcn»he'>has i attention, ',■', on ;-;',this ; ■, some moments, I take his' free hand and press my thumb firmly .upon the median nerve, which. may ibo found'in. the centre; of the, upper-part of;ithe-palm," bear; .to;,the., spot ; where; it joins' the;wrist.' In.'a few moments the subject will' feel a slight Singling sensation in the hand that holds-the ;disomy.Then, as he sinks gradually into the hypnotic state, he will begin to ; feel sleepy, his eyes will close, and, with a peculiar sigh, he'will dropoff,-.',,''•',; •;': The 'Suggestion State. "■':' ;;;';-.',';; ; ; ''■;';,'

"At onco my voico arrests his tendency to sink into a deeper stage or in a natural, heavy sleep. I give nim a suggestion in a decided tone: Toil cannot open,your eves!' Ho cannot do it; ho is in tho suggestion 6tato, and Will feel, see. touch, taste, or smell anything 1 suggest to him. If I wish to place him in a deeper condition I do so by making passes and suggesting to him at the same time Hint he is sinking deoper and deeper into a piofonnd alcop, until I find by his symptoms that hi' is in the condition I require." Thoro is nothing in the "Bodie Book" about bloodless surgery, but there is a chapter in the course of which ho essays to flay tho profession for neglecting the forces in nature. "Make a longitudinal incision, turning down tho flaps, and the doubting doctor'is with you, but show him the results of the operation of finer forces in nature and he knows too much to believe in you." j? entitled:,"Ho holds him with ?n Glittering, Eye, and an illurt ration shows TJr. Bodie m a lions' cage, hypnotising tho animals. Ho is assisted in his entertainment by a very theatrical-looking young lady, entitled "Mystic Mary," who is alleged to be a medium and spirit-guided sketch artist.